What a time to celebrate International Women’s Day (IWD) on March 8th – with struggles and disputes that have a big involvement of women workers. We mention some in our bulletin but keep up to speed with any IWD events through #IWD and #IWD2017 on twitter
The NSSN salutes the massive #OurNHS demonstration that filled the streets of London last Saturday. It was called by the Health Campaigns Together grassroots campaign. To get a flavour of the march, please look at the following videos, the first from Leicester campaigners who have been fighting to save the Glenfield children heart hospital and the second a Russia Today interview with one of the demo organisers Jacqui Berry, a nurse who is on the Unison NEC also a member of the NSSN steering committee.
But this march of over 100,000, although some reports say double that attended, 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 on strike this week again, this time for 7 days until 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 – Striking cabin crew to take low pay battle to British Airways Brighton landmark
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 these videos of the recent 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 video 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
Support next national Fujitsu strike March 17 – 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 next strike is on Friday March 17. Send a message of support to [email protected] or Unite the Union, Fujitsu MAN34, Central Park, Northampton Road, Manchester, M40 5BP read more
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
Incredible support for striking Oxford bus workers as Unite warns dispute could go nationwide
Unite announces strike vote over BMW ‘pension robbery’
Tesco demo at West Bromwich in protest at 2 Sisters treatment of workers
RMT
RMT announce March 13 strikes against Driver Only Operations (DOO) on Southern Rail, Merseyrail and Arriva Rail North
Orgreave Truth & Justice Campaign ‘Make Some Noise for Justice’ demo – 2pm March 13, Home Office Marsham Street London SW1P 4DF http://otjc.org.uk/noise-demo-transport/
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 came 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.”
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
POA
Secretary of State hides behind anti trade union legislation in obtaining an injunction (March 1) – The POA are not surprised that the Secretary of State and Senior Officials at the Prison Service have once again hidden behind legislation, which prevents Prison Officers from taking Industrial action under the provisions of Section 127 of the Criminal Justice Public Order Act 1994 (since amended). The Executive on behalf of the membership condemn the Secretary of State for hiding behind the High Court, instead of working with the Union to alleviate the crisis that the Secretary of State and Senior Officials in the Prison Service have created. The fact is the Injunction will not stop violence in our Prisons, the failed recruitment and retention policies nor all the other disturbing statistics that are now common knowledge such as the increase in riots, concerted indiscipline, self-harm, drug availability and the lack of discipline and security in our Prison System. In the coming days, we will assess the content of the Injunction and make challenges where possible read more
PCS
Back our pay campaign: make Treasury minister Gauke listen (6 Mar) – We have made a detailed submission to Treasury minister David Gauke, arguing that the 1% pay cap should be lifted, but we need your help to make him listen by emailing him… Protest on pay day – On the last pay day in March, before the Treasury publishes its pay guidance for 2017, we are asking all members to get involved in workplace pay day protests. We will use photos and messages from members to tell the Cabinet Office that you support our pay claim read more
Fears over privatisation of nuclear guards (3 Mar) – PCS has expressed serious concerns over plans to privatise the Ministry of Defence Guard Service (MGS), many of whom guard the nuclear submarines at Faslane and the Trident warhead storage site at Coulport read more
Protest at the National Gallery March 13 – This protest will take place at 6pm outside the grand opening of the Michelangelo & Sebastiano Exhibtion to highlight to all the important guests our demand that the Gallery stick to their agreement for fairness. Your support for the 100 day strike by PCS members in 2015 helped win an agreement from the National Gallery and private company Securitas that included a guarantee that new Securitas staff would be given broadly comparable terms and conditions to those employed by the gallery. But well over a year later Securitas has not made one move towards this. New staff suffer lower grades and worse pay,annual leave, sick and maternitve pay. We don’t believe that workers should pay the price of privatisation https://www.facebook.com/events/305401203196359/
Sign our petition against jobcentre closures – 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
Derby school support staff step up strikes as city council drags its feet, says UNISON – School support staff in Derby took 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
Donate to the Durham TAs’ fund here
Durham TAs Facebook page here
Support ongoing Glasgow Unison janitors’ dispute – the janitors took another two weeks of strike action from Wednesday 22 February. They have taken 62 days of strike action since last March. Glasgow Trades Union Council demo on Saturday 11th March – Assemble at Glasgow Green at 11am. No cuts! No privatisation! 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 remain ready to Strike at Bus Éireann (5 March) – Tomorrow’s all out strike at Bus Éireann has been postponed to allow last minute talks at the Workplace Relations Commission to go-ahead read more
GMB
GMB protest against DX in Tipton to get driver his job back (March 6) – This is another case where the workers’ rights are not being properly recognised and the company needs to treat people with respect they deserve says GMB. GMB, the union for forced self-employed workers, are to protest and raise a petition outside the DX depot in Tipton, West Midlands on Wednesday 8 March to get a DX driver reinstated 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/
NUT
Forest Hill School in deficit – how do we protect education for its students? A community standing up for its school (7 March) – Last week’s packed public meeting to discuss the deficit crisis facing Forest Hill School (FHS) in Lewisham showed the determination of the local community to defend their school. The fact that over 120 people attended at short notice was a credit to both FHS staff, who had worked so hard to publicise the meeting, and to the parents and students who attended in such large numbers to stand up for education at their school. At the end of the meeting, a group of parents formed the Forest Hill Action Group to organise a campaign. As an immediate step, they have been writing to the school asking for parents to be properly consulted over the cuts proposals. NUT members, who had already won a legal ballot for industrial action, then met this week to confirm their request for the Union to issue notice for three days of strike action before the end of term, action to be taken if ongoing negotiations fail to produce an acceptable solution read more
EIS
College Lecturers Vote Overwhelmingly For Industrial Action On Pay (3 March) – College lecturers across Scotland have voted overwhelmingly for industrial action in a dispute over the non-delivery of a pay agreement that was reached almost exactly one year ago read more
BECTU
BREAKING NEWS!!!! Duke of Yorks Picturehouse Cinema workers in Brighton have voted 100% for Industrial Action – they’ll be coming on strike with the fopur London cinemas on the 18th of March for the first time ever. Please share widely! This now makes 5 Picturehouse sites who are fighting for a real Living Wage and Union recognition with BECTU
Brixton Facebook Page Hackney Facebook Page Crouch End Facebook Page Central Facebook Page Support the Picturehouse Strike Fund – donate now
NAPO
AP Medication Policy – trouble ahead? (3 March) – Following a spate of suspensions of staff in premises across the North West NPS Division in connection with a new policy on the handling of medication, Dean Rogers and myself went to see Sonia Crozier last week. Here we expressed our serious concerns at the apparent inconsistency and confusion surrounding the introduction of the policy and the lack of progress in talks between divisional union reps and management. As so often is the case our manager members are also being put under pressure along with everyone else, and this situation needs sorting read more
United Voices of the World union (UVW)
Support the LSE cleaners going on strike on March 15-16 for equality and dignity – UVW members who are cleaners at the London School of Economics (LSE) have returned a 100% yes vote for strike action. They are demanding parity of basic terms and conditions of employment with the rest of the LSE community. The strike dates are 15th and 16th March. This result is almost unprecedented and shows the strength of feeling among the cleaners and their determination to stop the LSE treating and paying them like second class workers read more
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
University of London security officers union ballots members for strike action (March 3) – University of London Security officers could go on strike shortly, as their union has today given notice of ballot for industrial action. The Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB) is demanding an end to zero-hour contracts, proper itemised payslips, and a 25% increase in pay for all security officers, increasing the salary of the lowest paid officer to around £12 an hour read more
Come and #RideWithUs in Brighton! It’s a spontaneous celebration of Deliveroo’s low wages and poor conditions, riding around Brighton to the most popular restaurants.
Brighton Deliveroo riders demand:
1) A freeze in recruitment
2) £5 per drop
3) No victimisation
4) A guarantee of the living wage per hour Facebook event
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)
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
Victory in Bangladesh as garment workers freed watch the video
New Zealand: Keep Cadbury Dunedin open! read more
Diary
2017
March
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