Statement from Glasgow Unison Branch:-
Glasgow Equal Pay – Why we are striking.
You will be aware that Glasgow school support for learning staff, child development officers, school administration workers, home carers, cleaners, caterers and other council workers are being called out on strike on 23/24 October in a dispute over the council’s failure to reach agreement on a long standing equal pay dispute.
GMB members will also be taking strike action at these times. Around 8,000 trade union members will be called out on strike.
This dispute is about the council’s failure to make any real progress on agreeing compensation for past pay discrimination since the Court of Session rulings against Glasgow City Council in August 2017, and also after ten months of meetings. The council has agreed nothing nor offered anything on any of the key elements which would determine the settlement offers. The council has focused on process; not substance. UNISON members’ patience has worn thin.
We need agreement on the key elements which will determine the cash values of the settlement offers. These include the full range of job comparators, past shift payments, past working demands payments, past pay protection payments, past overtime payments, the rate of interest to be applied and parity between all claimants. Settlement needs to be based on entitlement not cost.
The council has responded to our strike notice by cancelling the negotiations. This is a big mistake.
The claimant side is united.
Our members are united.
Strike fund donations to:
UNITY Trust
Sort code 60 83 01 A/c Number 20275789
Drew Rigden Treasurer UNISON Glasgow City Branch
84 Bell Street, Glasgow, G1 1LQTel: 0141-552-7069
For coverage of last Wednesday’s fast food and hospitality strike – follow #FFS410 on social media BFAWU union Fast Food Rights/Hungry for Justice War on Want
This Saturday October 13: Unity counter-protest against the DFLA in London
The NSSN is supporting this counter-protest against the far-right Democratic Football Lads Alliance. Trade unions are beginning to mobilise, particularly the RMT and Unite. RMT members were attacked after the demonstration by the DFLA on July 14th in London. These included the union’s assistant general secretary Steve Hedley. This shows the true anti-union character of this far-right organisation. The NSSN will work with unions and anti-racist organisations against racist division that only benefits the employers and the Establishment. We believe that the unions have to play the leading role in building the mass campaign that is necessary. Assemble 1pm Old Palace Yard, Westminster
NSSN news
Video of NSSN TUC Rally on September 9th: ‘General Election to get Tories out!’
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
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Union News
More Unison
Higher education members urged make voices heard in strike ballot (9 Oct) – Ballot papers must be received before 25 October 2018. UNISON is urging on members at universities across the UK to vote Yes for strike action in a ballot which closes in just over a fortnight. The employers’ pay offer of 2% for most staff – up to 2.7% for others – is below inflation and doesn’t meet the needs of members, who have suffered years of below-inflation pay increases read more
Birmingham City Council must stop burying its head in the sand, says UNISON (5 Oct) – Hundreds of Birmingham care workers take strike action. Hundreds of Birmingham care workers are taking further strike action over the weekend and into next week after talks with the City Council over plans to cut their hours broke down. Birmingham City Council says it needs to save around £2 million and plans to do this by slashing the hours of care staff working for its enablement service read more. Please send messages of support and donations to Unison Birmingham branch, 46 The Priory Queensway Birmingham B4 7LR. Email [email protected] Facebook group – https://www.facebook.com/birminghamunison/
Grimethorpe primary school dinner ladies go on permanent strike (4 Oct) – Dinner ladies have gone on permanent strike in a dispute over plans to axe their jobs. Ladywood Primary School, in Grimethorpe, South Yorkshire, has proposed that teaching assistants would supervise meals to save cash. It wants to make all nine school meals supervisory assistant roles redundant which has resulted in six days of strikes by Unison union members read more
Bolton hospital workers vow to go ahead with strike this week – Outsourced ‘subco’ workers reject latest pay offer as still below NHS pay. Bolton hospital cleaners, catering staff and porters will go ahead with a 48-hour strike next week after a packed meeting of UNISON members unanimously voted to reject a new offer from their employer and continue with the campaign for fair pay. The union members said ‘No’ to a new pay offer from a wholly-owned subsidiary of their NHS trust called Bolton iFM and go ahead with the strike, starting at 7am on Thursday 11 October. Because they are not directly employed by Bolton NHS foundation trust, the 600 staff are not automatically covered by the nationally-agreed three-year pay deal for NHS staff read more
Camden NSL workers on strike for fair pay (Oct 5) – Camden UNISON members working for private company NSL as traffic wardens have been taking 5 days of strike action this week as part of their fight for decent pay. They are asking for £11.15 an hour, an amount that Camden UNISON believes is very reasonable particularly when the top director at NSL gets over £320 an hour. NSL and Camden Council both make millions out of the work that our members do, so it’s only fair that they get paid properly. Every day there has been large picket lines at each of the workplaces, and mass meetings have taken place to discuss and decide what other activities to do. The strike has been really solid. On Tuesday, Camden UNISON went to ACAS for talks with NSL but no agreement was reached – NSL would not make a further offer, saying that wages were decided by Camden Council not them. The last day of the current round of strike action is Friday 5 Oct, but we have requested for more action in order to win this dispute. For updates about the dispute and to send messages of support, contact [email protected] read more on Camden Unison website
Love Our Colleges: march, rally and lobby for FE funding October 17th – Come and join us for national action in London on Wednesday 17 October. The day will include:
March for further education
March will depart 12.30pm from Waterloo Place, finishing at Parliament Square.
#loveourcolleges rally
Join us from 1.30 – 2.30pm in Parliament Square to hear from a range of speakers about why we #loveourcolleges and want the government to invest more in further education.
Mass lobby of Parliament
Visit your MP in Parliament on the day and ask them to #loveourcolleges and support fair funding and better pay in further education. Please contact your MP as soon as possible in advance of the day to arrange a meeting – you may wish to talk to colleagues and students about arranging a group meeting on the day. You can contact your MP via https://www.writetothem.com/. Read more
PCS
PCS responds to Land Registry privatisation consultation document (8 Oct) – PCS today welcomed the government’s response to the privatisation consultation on Land Registry. The decision that the Land Registry would remain in public ownership was originally announced in the Chancellor’s autumn statement in 2016…The massive amount of public pressure was acknowledged today in the government’s response, stating that over 27,000 responses (96%) were received from individuals. When the previous chancellor, George Osborne, announced the consultation into privatising HM Land registry, it did not include an option for respondents to put forward a case for continued public ownership. In spite of this, it is clear from the consultation response that the vast majority echoed the PCS submission, insisting that Land Registry stay in public hands read more
Unions unite in High Court over civil service pay (5 Oct) – PCS, Prospect and the FDA presented evidence yesterday (4) over the government’s handling of public sector pay awards. PCS and its fellow civil service unions, FDA and Prospect, attended a High Court hearing yesterday for a judicial review of the government’s below-inflation pay remit guidance. The guidance, limiting pay awards to 1–1.5%, was issued in June without proper consultation, despite promises to the contrary read more
RMT
RMT confirms industrial action goes ahead from midnight on Scotrail in fight for workplace equality and justice (9 Oct) – Rail union RMT has confirmed that an indefinite ban on overtime and rest day working will come into force on Abellio Scotrail from midnight tonight after members voted overwhelmingly for action in a dispute over equality and justice for all grades over rest day working payments. Despite strenuous efforts by RMT officials to resolve the issues through the agreed procedures regrettably Scotrail have repeatedly refused to change their positon. As a result the union has had no choice but to press ahead with action in this dispute. Over 2000 RMT Scotrail members involved in the dispute are instructed not to volunteer to undertake any overtime and rest day working with effect from 00.01 hours Wednesday 10thOctober 2018 until further notice read more
RMT confirms new phase of strike action on South Western Railway as company continues to refuse serious talks (9 Oct) – RAIL UNION RMT has confirmed a further phase of strike action on South Western Railway (SWR) through the autumn as the company continues to refuse to engage in a serious talks process that could reach an agreement in the long running guards’ safety dispute. RMT members on South Western Railway working as Commercial Guards, Guards and Train Drivers are instructed to not to book on for any shifts that commence between:-
- 0001 Hours on Tuesday 23rd October 2018 and 2359 Hours on Saturday 27th October 2018
- 0001 Hours and 2359 Hours on Saturday 3rd November 2018
- 0001 Hours and 2359 Hours on Saturday 10th November 2018
- 0001 Hours and 2359 Hours on Saturday 17th November 2018
- 0001 Hours and 2359 Hours on Saturday 24th November 2018 read more
RMT members standing solid and determined this morning in continuing fight for safety on Northern and South Western Railway (6 Oct) – General Secretary Mick Cash said; ” RMT members are standing solid, determined and united again this morning on both Northern and South Western Railway in the continuing fight for safety, security and access on our trains while the train companies preside over a surge in violence across their services. It is scandalous that while other train operators have been prepared to engage seriously with RMT on the crucial issue of a guaranteed second safety-critical member of staff on their services ARN and SWR have dragged their heels and made a mockery of the talks process. It’s time for both these companies to get out of the bunker and start talking seriously and positively with the union on the issue of the guard guarantee instead of gambling with public safety as they pump up their profits read more
National dispute fund (DOO disputes) – If you would like to donate to the RMT National Dispute Fund which makes payments to support their striking members taking part in National DOO disputes then you can donate via PayPal using the donate button below or make a cheque payable to RMT National Dispute Fund and send it to the address below. Alternatively, you can ring their Freephone helpline on 0800 376 3706 who will be happy to process a credit card payment for you, or, if you would like to pay via internet banking, please email [email protected] for further details. Vicky Thompson, Finance Manager RMT, 39 Chalton Street, London NW1 1JD. Tel: 020-7529-8843 read more
RMT Arriva Rail North Dispute Fund – As you know, our guard members employed by Arriva Rail North have been taking strike action for nearly two years now in defence of the safety critical role of the guard. This strike action has been brilliantly supported but obviously has caused financial hardship for many of our members. The National Executive Committee has made some payments to our members via our National Dispute Fund, but has now asked me to write to all members inviting them if at all possible to contribute to the Arriva Rail North Dispute Fund. This Fund has been specifically set up for these members. Donations can be made as follows:
Account number: 20398721 Sort Code: 60-83-01
Please use your name/organisation name as payment reference or make a cheque payable to RMT National Dispute Fund and send it to the address below or payments can be made by phone via our RMT Helpline 0800 376 3706.
Vicky Thompson, Finance Manager, RMT, 39 Chalton Street, London NW1 1JD 020-7529-8843 read more
ASLEF
Tube strike on as last ditch talks break down (4 Oct) – tube strike: central line Friday 5 October. Last ditch talks at the conciliation service ACAS – in a bid to reach a deal to avert tomorrow’s Tube strike which will shut the Central line in London – broke down this afternoon without agreement read more
Unite
Twelve days of strikes planned at Derbyshire crane firm in pay dispute (10 Oct) – The first industrial action at a leading Derbyshire crane manufacturer Street Crane for 20 years is due to take place as the company has been unwilling to engage in constructive pay talks, Unite the union, said today (Wednesday 10 October). Unite represents about 35 production staff at the Chapel-en-le-Frith factory who voted unanimously for 12 days of strike action, after rejecting a 2.5 per cent pay offer for the year starting July 2018. The first of the 24 hour stoppages is scheduled to start at 00.01 on Monday (15 October) and followed by strikes on 22 and 29 October and 5 November. If the dispute is not settled by then, four 48 hour stoppages will go ahead on 12, 19 and 26 November and 3 December, all commencing at 00:01 read more
Production slashed at Hampshire cable company as strikes bite in ‘paltry’ pay offer row (9 Oct) – Production at Prysmian Cables & Systems in Eastleigh, Hampshire, has been cut by a third as industrial action begins to bite in the dispute over a ‘paltry’ below inflation pay offer, Unite the union, said today (Tuesday 9 October). Unite understands that the management has reduced the production target for this month from 1,200 to 800 tonnes, as a fifth strike day on 24 October was announced. Unite, which has 162 members at the company, said the workers have rejected a two per cent pay offer for the year starting January 2018 – when the consumer price index (CPI) is currently running at 2.7 per cent. On Wednesday 10 October, workers will march from the Chickenhall Lane site at 10.00 and to the bandstand in Eastleigh town centre for a rally addressed by Unite assistant general secretary for manufacturing Tony Burke. There have been 24 hour stoppages on 26 September and 3 October, with further strikes, already announced, for tomorrow (Wednesday 10 October) and 17 October. A work to rule started on 25 September, including an overtime ban read more Email messages of support and solidarity to [email protected]
Workers, who assist 670,000 passengers at Gatwick Airport, balloted for strikes in pay row (9 Oct) – Gatwick Airport workers, who look after an estimated 670,000 passengers annually, many with disabilities, are being balloted for strike action in a row over a ‘massive inequality’ in pay. Unite has served a strike ballot notice and will start sending ballot papers for strike action to its 254 members employed by logistics giant Wilson James at Gatwick on Monday 15 October. The ballot closes on 29 October. The dispute centres on a demand for a £1 an hour pay rise for the year starting 1 April 2018 to begin to bridge the gap with those airport staff pushing luggage trollies who earn significantly more than Wilson James staff. Those assisting disabled passengers are paid just £8.27 per hour read more
Threat to Tesco store deliveries as pay dispute at Doncaster distribution centre escalates (9 Oct) – Deliveries to Tesco stores in Yorkshire and the north east could be under threat, if a pay dispute at the company’s Doncaster distribution centre escalates, Unite the union warned today (Tuesday 9 October). Pay talks at the Doncaster site, which employs 580 warehouse staff, have stalled as the bosses have failed to make a ‘decent and respectable’ pay offer when the retail price index (RPI) is currently running at 3.5 per cent. Unite is this week preparing for a consultative ballot of its members to test the water for the go-ahead to a full-scale industrial action ballot, which could include the option for strike action read more
Unite Wales’ response to Matthew Enos/Cardiff Bus story (4 Oct) – Unite Wales can confirm that Mathew Enos is a member of Unite, and that we have been supporting him after we were made aware of evidence which highlighted homophobic language directed towards him by supervisory staff within the company. Unite views the language used as very offensive and completely unacceptable. We have raised our concerns in relation to this matter with the senior management team within Cardiff Bus on a number of occasions. Unite as an organisation is leading the way in campaigning for the rights of LGBT workers at work. Equality is at the heart of our union and we will always robustly support any member that is subjected to bullying or harassment in any shape or form read more
GMB
Amazon Wage Announcement ‘Robbing Peter To Pay Paul’ as shares stripped from workers (Oct 3) – Union’s members claim they’ll lose out on £1000s due to ‘stealth tax on wage rise’. GMB, the union for Amazon workers, hit out at the global retail giant after it emerged a pay increase announced yesterday for its workforce would be offset by the removal of employee share and incentive schemes, costing some workers £1,500 in a single year read more
FBU
‘Once in a generation’ commemorative event for firefighters as their union celebrates 100 years of service (9 Oct) – The largest ever ceremonial event for firefighters killed in the line of duty will take place in London on 13 October in a once in a generation event. As part of celebrations to mark 100 years since the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) was formed, the day will begin with a formal wreath-laying ceremony at the National Firefighters’ Memorial at St Paul’s Cathedral. More than 50 wreaths will be laid in memory of fallen firefighters representing every fire service in the UK. Following this ceremony, a formal procession will be led across the Millennium Bridge to Southwark Cathedral. Here, a service will commence including readings, poetry, storytelling and music to celebrate 100 years of the FBU read more
UCU
Strike ballots over pay open in colleges and universities – UCU members in 147 colleges in England and 147 UK universities are being balloted for strike action in a row over pay. The ballots open on Thursday 30 August and close on Friday 19 October. The dispute in universities has arisen after the universities’ representatives, the Universities and Colleges’ Employers Association (UCEA, made a final offer of 2% at the final pay talks in May. UCU said the offer does nothing to address the falling value of higher education pay, which has declined in real terms by 21% since 2009 read more
UCU & UCAC
Strike ballots over pay to open in Welsh colleges – Staff in Welsh further education colleges are being balloted for strike action as part of a row over pay. The dispute has arisen after Collegau Cymru rejected the joint trade unions’ pay claim for a rise of 7.5% or £1,500, instead making a final offer of 1%. The unions said that the employers’ offer would do nothing to address the falling value of staff pay in further education, and that above-inflation pay rises are needed to ensure colleges can continue to recruit and retain staff. UCU and UCAC will begin balloting members at 12 colleges this week. The ballot dates are as follows:
UCU: Monday 24 September – Friday 19 October
UCAC: Thursday 28 September – Friday 26 October read more
UCAC website: http://www.athrawon.com/index.php?lang=cy
NEU
Greenwich Strike To Stop Forced Academisation Of The John Roan – NEU members will be on strike on Thursday 18th October and Wed 7 November against the forced academisation of The John Roan. Academisation is a failed system. Staff and parents are determined to remain an LA school.The UST has been named the sponsor without any consultation with the school community. We are being denied any say in the running of our community school. Come to our community picket to show your support! Facebook event
EIS
Industrial Action in Scotland’s Schools Moves Closer (4 Oct) – Teacher pay talks broke down earlier, today, after the Scottish Government and COSLA refused to consider improvements to their previous offer, already rejected by EIS negotiators as “derisory” and “divisive”. The EIS said that the prospect of industrial action had moved significantly closer as a result and it accused Scottish Government of abandoning the talks rather than seeking to negotiate a solution read more
A national EIS demonstration in support of our pay claim will take place in Glasgow on Saturday October 27th – As a union, we need a maximum display of our strength on the day. All members are urged to attend this event to send a clear message to Scottish Government and COSLA: Value Education Value Teachers! Read more
BECTU
BECTU challenges ‘Fraturday’ practice creeping into UK production (5 Oct) – BECTU is challenging ‘Fraturday’ where shorter ‘weekly turnaround’ breaks – a common occurrence in other countries – are beginning to creep into the UK. The term comes from crew not having adequate weekly turnaround break after wrapping on a Friday before they return to work the following week. In practice this might mean that a Friday shoot starting in the day might wrap very early on Saturday morning – leading to the term ‘Fraturday’ read more
Read the latest about the Picturehouse dispute on Brixton Ritzy Facebook Page and those of Hackney, Crouch End, Central, Dulwich East and Duke of York Brighton
Donate to the Picturehouse Cinema strike fund: https://www.crowdpac.co.uk/campaigns/250/picturehousestrike
IWGB
Uber Drivers to strike on October 9th for 24 hours in London, Birmingham and Nottingham read more IWGB on Facebook
Foster care workers protest Devon Council’s dramatic cuts and changes to foster care (9 Oct) – The IWGB will protest dramatic cuts to 40% of Devon County Council’s most experienced foster care workers. Cuts are a de facto demotion and will no longer pay foster carers based on skill. Council’s proposals reflect bias in Working Group and consultative process read more
Rise of the Precarious Workers: National Demo October 30th 8am Transport for London, 197 Blackfriars Road SE1 8NJ Facebook event – They have killed our rights, but together, we are going to bring them back from the dead. On the eve of Halloween, The IWGB and other precarious workers will take to the streets of London to demand an end to the assault on their employment rights by bloodsucking bosses and a zombie government. On the day, the IWGB will be facing Uber at the Court of Appeal as part of the ongoing battle over workers’ rights. A victory would put us one step closer to ending the attack on our rights that so-called “gig economy” bosses are conducting with near impunity. This is not just about Uber drivers, but about all of us that are being forced into increasingly more precarious forms of work
Other news
New film by Mike Leigh: ‘Peterloo’ opens nationwide Thursday November 8th https://www.peterloo.movie/
New pamphlet: ‘The Peterloo Massacre’ by North West Socialist Party – £2 or bulk orders are 10 for the price of 7
Blacklisting & Victimisation
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)
Blacklisted t-shirts available at: https://shop.hopenothate.org.uk/component/hikashop/product/78-blacklisted-t-shirt
Book: http://newint.org/books/politics/blacklisted-secret-war/
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNcgrNs6pB8
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/groups/blacklistSG/
Blog: www.hazards.org/blacklistblog
International
Turkey: Solidarity with DiSK / Dev Yapi-is construction union leader Ozgur Karabulut, jailed by the Turkish government for fighting for workers rights. #FreeÖzgürKarabulut
Sign the petition: Solidarity with striking Flormar Workers in Turkey!
SPOT, Solidarity with the People of Turkey is writing to ask for your support for the striking Flormar workers who have been unfairly dismissed from their posts for being members of the union Petrol-Is.
The struggle of Flormar workers from Gebze, who were unfairly dismissed from their posts for being members of the union Petrol-Is, has been on going since May 15. Workers within the resistance, which was launched on the steps of the factory, have said they will continue with the struggle to return to their roles as members of the union.
The workers have had their resistance heard all over the country, and yet the government still remains ignorant. Mainstream media platforms, all of which are under the control of Erdogan and the AKP, have turned their backs to the workers struggle.
The 127 workers, most of which are women, who have been sacked for organising within the cosmetics company, are struggling economically as they fight for their rights. SPOT has joined this campaign for this very reason, calling for international solidarity with the workers.
We are writing to all of our friends here in UK to ask for their support by signing our online petition and making a donation.
Please click here to sign the petition and indicate if you or your organisation/trade union can make a small donation.
In solidarity,
SPOT, Solidarity with the People of Turkey
22 Moorefield Road
London
N17 6PY
Tel: 020 8885 0899
E-mail: [email protected]
Ireland: 10,000 demonstrate in Dublin over chronic housing crisis read more
Turkey: IFJ demands answers on missing writer Jamal Khashoggi read more on NUJ website
New Zealand: Support the Wellington bus strike on October 23rd https://www.facebook.com/events/1995376914087281/
Diary
2018
October
13 Unity counter-protest against the DFLA in London
November
3 National Demonstration to Save Libraries, Museums and Culture – Assemble: 11 a.m. – The British Library, Euston Road, London read more
17 National Unity Demonstration Against Fascism and Racism Central London
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
