The NSSN is supporting this Saturday’s ‘It’s Our NHS!’ national demonstration in London. We have long supported this initiative and have donated to the Health Campaigns Together grassroots campaign. The demo is now supported by a whole number of national unions and health campaigns. We call on all our supporters and affiliates to join the march and help build it.
Assemble 12noon Saturday March 4th Tavistock Square, London WC1H Facebook event
As we have done in other demonstrations, there will be a NSSN stage towards the end of the march outside the Department of Health on Whitehall. Please come up and speak on our open mic and tells marchers why the NHS must be defended.
But this march must be the start not the end of the campaign. The health unions and the TUC must call another national demonstration that could be absolutely massive. This would give health workers the confidence to take co-ordinated strike action, which we believe last year’s junior doctors’ dispute showed, would have the full support of patients and communities.
Unite
Support BA Mixed Fleet strike! – Low-paid British Airways cabin crew in Unite the Union are due to strike this week again, this time for 7 days from Friday on top of the 19 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 Unite: British Airways mixed fleet cabin crew announce further wave of strikes as profits rise
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 last Thursday’s protest by Mixed Fleet striking workers outside the BBC at the media silence of their dispute. They then did the same outside ITV before going onto ACAS. This was filmed 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
Support national Fujitsu strike February 28 – Unite members across Fujitsu Services Limited in the UK have voted for strike action and action short of strike in a dispute over jobs, union recognition, pay and pensions. The action will start on Tuesday 28 February with a 24 hour strike and ongoing action short of strike. Send a message of support to [email protected] or Unite the Union, Fujitsu MAN34, Central Park, Northampton Road, Manchester, M40 5BP
Donations payable to “Manchester IT Workers Group” can be sent c/o John Wood, 50 Brooklyn Street, Crewe, CW2 7JF. Or transfer online to Account: 00980539, Sort Code: 30-91-48 and email [email protected] with details. Follow and promote the campaign on social media using #FujitsuFightback. www.facebook.com/uniteatfujitsu. www.twitter.com/unitefujitsu Picket line details
St David’s Day strike deadline looms over Ford Bridgend
Protest at Argos’ ‘hidden cuts’ agenda by Unite members
Unite demands government outlaws umbrella companies
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
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
RMT
As RMT prepares to announce Northern Rail strike ballot result union reveals that company boss opposed plans to introduce driver only trains (28 Feb) – As RMT prepares to announce the Northern Rail ballot result for strike action later today, the union can reveal outgoing Northern Rail boss Alex Hynes previously went on record to oppose driver only operation and said that it was “far more efficient” to keep the guard read more
RMT to ballot for action over victimisation of tube staff sacked and disciplined for stopping violent assault (27 Feb) – Tube union RMT confirmed today that it will be balloting station staff across the London Bridge group for both strike action and action short of a strike after one member was sacked and two others disciplined for intervening to stop a serious assault by a fare-dodger on fellow staff members including one who was pregnant read more
RMT calls for urgent talks over role of the Guard on Southern (24 Feb) – RAIL UNION RMT has called for urgent talks to clarify Southern (GTR)’s position on the future role of the Guard in an attempt to bring a resolution to the long-running dispute read more
POA
The POA is holding all-members’ meetings outside every prison this Weds (tomorrow), 7.30am-9am, before going into work at 9am. This is in addition to the work to rule that the media is covering read more
PCS
PCS members to strike again on March 1st – On 9 February, while PCS and Unite members at the EHRC were on strike over redundancies and budget cuts, management emailed compulsory redundancy notices to 10 of its staff. The 10 individuals were offered six months’ pay in lieu of notice and given 24 hours to clear their desks read more
Sign our petition against jobcentre closures (24 Feb) – We have launched an online petition calling for the government to halt its plans to close one in 10 jobcentres. In January the government announced plans to close 78 out of 714 jobcentres, with work and staff transferring to the nearest alternative jobcentre. In addition, 30 “back-of-house” offices including call centres and benefit processing sites, will close and a further 80 jobcentres are to be moved to within local authority premises. Many other offices have been given notice that they will close in three to five years. Many of the jobcentres threatened with closure are in areas of high unemployment and our members provide crucial services in the local communities. Please sign our online petition to save the DWP offices and circulate it as widely as possible read more
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 – School support staff in Derby are taking all out strike action for five days from 27 February as the latest talks with the city council fail to reach an agreement, says UNISON 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
TSSA
TSSA prepare to ballot on industrial action at Translink (24 Feb) – TSSA is making preparations to ballot members on industrial action at Translink, Northern Ireland’s public transport operation of Metro, Ulsterbus and Northern Ireland Railways. TSSA issued the company with a dispute notice following a 100% rejection of their offer of just 1% pay increase in the Managerial, Professional and Technical grades – which was less than half the offer being made to other workers within the company read more
GMB
Protest Over ‘Wild West’ Private Hire Licenses (Feb 27) – Uber operate with impunity while TfL ‘hand out licenses like sweeties’ according to union. GMB taxi and private drivers members are staging a protest against ‘Wild West’ deregulation of the private hire licenses. The union will linking up with other taxi trade representatives to hold demos in towns and cities across the UK read more
GMB members working for Wandsworth Council contractor strike over pay (27 Feb) – GMB members working for Continental Landscapes as drivers and street cleaners on the Wandsworth Council contract are to hold the first of a series of 2 day walk outs on 28th February and 1st March over pay. The picket line will start at 6am at the following address: Continental Landscapes Limited, Battersea Boat Yard, The Causeway, Wandsworth SW18 1ER read more
CWU
We will defend Liverpool jobs CWU warns as iPSL refuses talks at ACAS (27 Feb) – CWU today vowed to step up the campaign to save 170 Bootle jobs at cheque processing company iPSL as the company turned down the option of going to ACAS to avoid a “needless breakdown in industrial relations.” read more
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
Mandate (Ireland)
Mandate suspends Tesco strike (24 Feb) read more
UCU
Support the reinstatement of London Met union reps: Mark Campbell and David Hardman https://uculondonmet.wordpress.com/
NUT
Workload: Everyone agrees it has to be cut, so take action to make it happen! read more
NUJ
Trinity Mirror asked to improve pay offer as company announces profits increase of 25 per cent (27 Feb) – Journalists working for Trinity Mirror have welcomed company’s news of a profit increase of more than 25 per cent, but say if that is the case why are they being offered below-inflation salary increases? read more
BECTU
The BECTU Picturehouse cinema strike has been escalated – 4 cinemas were out last Saturday 25 February. Watch video of the joint protest outside the Empire Cinema in Leicester Square
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
Union to appeal pensions verdict (23 Feb) – After a meeting with its legal representatives today (Thursday, 23 Feb), the Fire Brigades Union has said it will appeal last week’s employment tribunal verdict that the transitional arrangements for the 2015 Firefighters’ Pension Scheme did not discriminate on age, race or sex read more
United Voices of the World union (UVW)
Watch Film shot by Baz Seddon of demo last Friday holding the London School of Economics (LSE) to account for their acceptance of homophobic hate crimes and demanding that the cleaner’s receive parity of pay and terms and conditions of employment with in-house staff here. 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 Open IWGB Deliveroo couriers meeting tonight February 28 in Brighton at 7.30pm in Friends Meeting House https://www.facebook.com/events/749202908571673/?ti=cl
Other News
Support the Irish anti-water charge protestors who are facing trial for a protest in Jobstown. Please send messages of protest: https://sites.google.com/view/jobstownnotguilty/ https://www.facebook.com/Jobstown-Not-Guilty-1056889327677242/
March 18 National Demo: Refugees and Migrants Welcome – Stand Up To Racism, Islamophobia & Anti-Semitism 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)
Blacklisting & Spycops: in court & parliament – Blacklist Support Group update 23rd Feb 2017
- Blacklisting debate in Westminster parliament
Well done Chuka Umunna for using a Westminster debate in parliament to
call for a public inquiry into the blacklisting scandal
Blacklist Support Group hold their head in shame after being praised
by a Tory government minister
Full transcript: http://myparliament.info/Debates/Commons/2017-02-08/18857
http://leftfootforward.org/2017/02/unite-backs-chuka-umunnas-call-for-blacklisting-public-inquiry/
ETUC calls for more legal protection on blacklisting:
https://www.etuc.org/documents/whistleblowing-and-protection-blacklisting#.WK78ezKcbeS
- Haringey council protests
Huge demonstrations organized by unions and community groups took place last week in the London Borough of Haringey against the decision by the council to work with the blacklisting firm Lend Lease (previously Bovis) in a £2billion regeneration scheme. Blacklisted bricklayer and Tottenham resident Keith Dobie spoke on behalf the BSG reminding councillors how their new corporate partner had a history of blacklisting back as far as the Economic League but more recently in Australia their anti-union antics saw trade unionists threatened with jail for peaceful picketing, including the friend and comrade of the BSG, Bob Carnegie
https://socialistworker.co.uk/art/40014/Haringey+march+against+re+development
http://www.24housing.co.uk/news/haringey-council-tenants-protest-against-social-cleansing/
- Spycops
Powerful new spycops film (very short):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uas6uAxbhEg&feature=youtu.be
Met Police destroy evidence and ask for further delays to Pitchford public inquiry into undercover policing
http://www.union-news.co.uk/unions-call-for-fresh-enquiry-into-how-spy-cop-evidence-disappeared/
https://jennyjones.org/2017/02/06/are-the-police-spying-on-the-witnesses-at-the-inquiry-about-them-spying-on-people/http://www.gmb.org.uk/newsroom/GMB-slams-met
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38984140
http://realmedia.press/law-unto-spycops-miscarriages-justice/
Spycops in Ireland
Paul Murphy TD names UK spycops operating in the Republic during
debate in Irish parliament:
Video: https://www.facebook.com/paulmurphytd/videos/1255015057920232/
Victory for campaigners in Northern Ireland court:
http://www.itv.com/news/utv/2017-02-07/undercover-officers-linked-to-two-ni-murders/
http://www.rte.ie/news/2017/0207/850802-undercover-northern-ireland/
- Shrewsbury Pickets & Grunwick
John Pilger documentary (1975) about UK conspiracy laws used to clamp
down on dissent especially in Shrewsbury trial.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFDJW46YfEI&feature=youtu.be
- Employment rights legal victory
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-38931211
- Blacklisted workers take on Paul Nuttall in Stoke
Blacklist Support Group went on the campaign trail against the UKIP fantasist Paul Nuttall in Stoke this week – Lee Fowler and Jimi Kindri representing
Roy Bentham interview
- Dates for the diary where Blacklist Support Group will be attending
with our banners:
Save the NHS national demo – London Sat 4th March
Orgreave – Make Some Noise demo (flyer attached) 2pm Monday 13th March
Durham TAs strike – Solidarity Day Sat 25th March
Spycops protest – Royal Courts of Justice Wed 5th April
Financial Appeal for Blacklist film – last chance
Blacklist Support Group is supporting the artist Lucy Parker in her ‘Blacklist’ film project. The BSG has been working hand in hand with Lucy for the past couple of years, she has attended our meetings, protests and drinks in the pub. It takes an artist to convey the emotional impact of blacklisting rather than just tell the story. That’s why BSG are so keen to see the film be a success. A number of blacklisted workers have already been interviewed as research for the film, which starts full production in this March. John McDonnell is a founding member of the Blacklist Support Group and continues to campaign on our behalf as our parliamentary spokesperson. John has now agreed to be the keynote speaker at the film premiere.
Below is an appeal from the producers for donations to assist with the film costs.
Lucy Parker and City Projects have been working on the film Blacklist for over two years. We have raised £28,000 towards production so far and we need a further £12,000 by the end of February to go into production, to make a work that will do justice to the research and that will be able to adequately draw attention to the blacklist case.
There will be a special screening for all donors with guest speakers, and so a £10 donation can be seen as a ticket to this event. Please donate today! Larger or smaller donations also welcome.
Follow the link at www.blacklistfilm.co.uk to make a donation, and please tick the gift aid section if you are an individual UK tax payer to give us an additional 25%.
Whilst we would prefer that this film was publicly funded, we have exhausted art and film funds, as the former has few options and the subject matter is too political for the latter. The film has relevance to all of us, looking at the immediate effects and wider implications of the construction industry blacklist. It will introduce new audiences to the blacklist case and be made freely available to campaigning groups.
We have so far received funding from the Arts Council England, Barry Amiel & Norman Melburn Trust and from many Unite and Unison union branches, and individual donations. We have also received funding and support from Jerwood Space and Rhubaba Gallery during the research phase.
Kate (and Lucy) [email protected] 0781 306 2595
City Projects 46 Brooksby’s Walk London E9 6DA
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
New Fyffes Bosses Must End Abuse 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
