Tonight March 12th, the NSSN is hosting a public solidarity meeting with striking Birmingham Unite binworkers and Mandy Buckley Unison Convenor for homecare workers as well as PCS Universal Credit strikers from Wolverhampton and Walsall at 6.30pm in the Birmingham Midland Institute – 9 Margaret St B3 3BS.
Speakers include striking workers from all three disputes alongside Unite Assistant General Secretary Howard Beckett and NSSN national chair Rob Williams and Greenwich Unite branch secretary Danny Hoggan
Unite
Birmingham bin strikes suspended as new offer on the table (7 March) – Unite, Britain and Ireland’s largest union has called off the Birmingham bin strike scheduled for tomorrow (Friday 8 March) after a new deal was tabled. A ‘heads of settlement agreement’ has been drawn up between Unite and Birmingham city council. This is the first time that an agreement that meets the union’s expectations has been put on the table. As a consequence and to allow Birmingham’s cabinet to discuss the proposed offer the strike action scheduled for tomorrow has been suspended. If the cabinet approves the deal than the bins strike concerning ‘secret payments and the ‘blacklisting’ of Unite members will have concluded. Unite assistant general secretary Howard Beckett said: “The heads of settlement is a real breakthrough in negotiations. “For the first time there is a deal on the table which meets Unite’s members expectations, it is now imperative that Birmingham council’s cabinet signs up to the deal…” read more
Unison
Support the striking Birmingham homecare workers – 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/
PCS
Great support for UC service centre strikes (11 Mar) – A strike by PCS members in Universal Credit over unmanageable workloads has been strongly supported with a great turnout on picket lines and a solidarity message from Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. The strikers at Walsall and Wolverhampton UC service centres are taking action today and tomorrow over workloads and staff recruitment. 274 DWP staff were balloted for strike action at Wolverhampton and Walsall service centres with over 90% of those who took part, voting ‘yes.” The beleaguered service has faced severe under investment, staff shortages and criticism from claimants on how they are treated. Send messages of support to [email protected] and donate online to the PCS Fighting Fund read more
More 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
Date for your diaries:
- 2019 NSSN Conference – 11am-4.30pm Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL – Saturday July 6th. Please use this letter in your union and trades council to help us finance the conference and affiliate to the NSSN
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]
Follow us on twitter via @NSSN_AntiCuts and Facebook
Union News
RMT
Freightliner staff to strike on 15th March in on-going fight over pension scheme – Rail union RMT has confirmed members working for Freightliner Ltd and Freightliner Heavy Haul Ltd will be taking strike action on Friday 15th March. Members have given an overwhelming mandate to support strike action in defence of their pension scheme as it currently operates. The union is calling for the company to commit to maintaining the current scheme and honour past promises made to members to keep the scheme intact. Members working for Freightliner Ltd and Freightliner Heavy Haul Ltd are instructed to take strike action by not booking on for any shifts that commence between:
00:01 hours and 23:59 hours on Friday 15th March 2019 read more
ASLEF
Freight drivers to strike to protect pensions – Drivers at two of the big five rail freight companies in Britain have voted overwhelmingly to strike in a bid to protect their pensions. ASLEF’s executive committee today called two 24-hour strikes for Friday 15 March and Friday 29 March. Members of ASLEF, the train drivers’ union, were balloted after management at Freightliner Intermodal and Freightliner Heavy Haul sought to change the terms of the companies’ pension scheme. Mick Whelan, general secretary of ASLEF, the train drivers’ union, said: ‘We regret the need to ballot our members – we should not have been forced into this position – and we regret the need to go on strike but we are determined to protect the interests of our members and, therefore, delighted by the decision of our freight drivers to defend their pension scheme.’ Drivers will walk out on Friday 15 March and Friday 29 March. Freight trains won’t run and stock will not be moved read more
TSSA
Strike looms at Córas Iompair Éireann (8 March) – TSSA members in Córas Iompair Éireann have voted overwhelmingly for strike action in a pay dispute after the company failed to comply with a Labour Court decision. The TSSA members had previously voted to accept the decision of Labour Court which recommended a 2.5% pay rise backdated to 1st December 2018 and a further 2.5% from 1st December 2019, along with a €500 voucher. But the CIÉ rejected the decision demanding further concessions from the workers read more
More Unite
Support the Honda Workers – the NSSN calls on all our supporters and affiliates to attend the ‘Stand together for Honda Swindon’ March and Rally on Saturday 30 March 2019 read here for details
Sign the petition: To: Honda president and CEO Takahiro Hachigo Honda, stay in the UK #SaveHondaSwindon Honda Swindon workers head to parliament urging closure rethink
London and Belfast workers at Greenwich Leisure in united pay claim (11 March) – A campaign to give a big pay boost to workers employed by social enterprise leisure services’ giant Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL) in London and Belfast has been launched by Unite. Unite is seeking a six per cent increase in basic pay from April 2019 for its hundreds of members working for GLL in more than 140 leisure centres and libraries in 16 London boroughs, as well as in Belfast. Unite said the campaign will be the first time that there has been a coordinated pay campaign at GLL, bringing together all the London contracts and Belfast. Unite regional officer Onay Kasab said: “This is the first time that Unite has organised a coordinated campaign that has the pay claims covered by the 16 London borough and Belfast contracts under one umbrella…” read more
Unite The Union Members On Woolwich Ferry Vote For Strike Action (8 Mar) – Unite The Union members have voted to strike in a ballot where 100% of those taking part voted for industrial action. The dispute centres around a restructuring of the service following the introduction of new hybrid boats. Workers have also complained of a culture of bullying. The union is making the announcement today to coincide with International Women’s Day in order to commemorate strike action that took place on the Ferry in 2017 against sexual harassment and bullying where the union hailed an important victory, which led to the removal of bullying managers from the site. The current dispute was triggered when the employer refused to meaningfully negotiate on changing staffing roles, pay, safety and staffing. Greenwich Unite Branch Secretary Danny Hoggan stated “It is fitting and proper that today we pay tribute to Unite members who have taken action in the workplace against sexual harassment. But it is also sad yet predictable that management on the Woolwich Ferry appear not to have learnt any lessons. The management claim that they apply a zero tolerance policy towards bullying. Words are cheap – it is action that counts. I am proud that it is our members who are prepared to take action.” Unite Regional Officer Onay Kasab stated “Briggs Marine have once again mismanaged the Ferry leading to a vote for strike action. Transport For London (TFL) now need to seriously consider if this is the best company to run the service. The record speaks for itself – bullying and sexual harassment allowed to run riot until the union had to intervene in 2017. A proven inability to manage industrial relations. A failure to manage the introduction of the new service and to do it on time. Now we are in dispute because the employer has failed to meaningfully negotiate pay and new roles – instead it has introduced new procedures which seriously impact our members ability to earn a decent wage and has cut staffing back so that there is serious traffic congestion. Now to top things off, the employer has formally informed the union that it has had to dismiss yet another manager for bullying and discrimination – yet this manager only started a few months ago. Aside from raising questions about the recruitment process, it also strongly indicates that no lessons have been learnt”
Support the Newark NSK Bearings strike (11 Mar) – from a local NSSN supporter: “Even in Victorian times workers got a day off each week. NSK expects us to have just one full weekend off every three weeks.” 24 Unite members in the G2 Finish and Grind department have been on strike since 4th March. Pickets at the Newark factory, making super-precision machine bearings. In 2016 management imposed a new contract just on this department. A strike was defeated, workers having to accept the contract or be out the door. Banked hours at basic rate replaced voluntary overtime at time and a half. Within a year management abused the new system, making split weekend working compulsory without consultation. The afternoon shift week now finishes on Friday at 11.40pm instead of 7.40pm, followed by a week of day shifts starting at 6am on Sunday. Some workers have up to an hour commute. Taking a day off at weekends is marked as absence, resulting in disciplinary procedures. Breaks were cut from 50 to 35 minutes. The average working week is now 48 hours. Whether workers have families or not, young or older, everyone needs proper time away from work. Senior managers are never seen in the factory at weekends, but might be spotted at the golf course! Picket line morale is high although the other 500 workers on site are not in dispute and are still working. All production has to go through the G2 department. Non-stop hooting from passing traffic shows support. NSK is owned by a Japanese corporation that made £323million net profit in the last nine months of 2018. Send messages of support to [email protected] Unite: Newark workers in three week strike at bearings factory in work/life balance row
Strike action by 400 lift engineers suspended as they vote on new pay offer (11 March) – About 400 lift engineers, employed by Otis Ltd, have suspended six weeks of strike action as they vote on a revised pay offer. Unite announced today (Monday 11 March) that the six weeks of strike action due to have started on Wednesday (13 March) had been suspended, while members vote on a new pay offer. The offer follows a meeting between Unite and Otis management last Friday (8 March). Members are being balloted on the revised deal from today and the ballot closes on Friday 22 March read more
Gatwick Airport strike action averted as Unite wins inflation busting increase for security guards (6 March) – Strike action which would have disrupted all vehicles entering Gatwick Airport has been averted after Unite an inflation busting pay increase for security guards. Unite warned in January that the guards, who had recently joined the union and who are employed to staff all the vehicle barriers into the airports’ services areas were considering strike action over low pay. The guards who are employed by OCS Manned Guarding were only being paid £8 an hour, the same rate as they were receiving 12 years ago. However following a consultative ballot and detailed pay negotiations a 12.5 per cent pay increase backdated nearly a year to 1 April 2018 was tabled read more
More Unison
Home carers told they will not need to work ‘horror show’ shifts which would have slashed wages by up to £4,50 (12 Mar) – Care staff looking after some of Dundee’s most vulnerable residents have been told they will not be forced to work “horror show” shift patterns which would have slashed wages by up to £4,500 read more from The Courier
Liverpool Women’s Hospital staff escalate strike over unfair pay (11 Mar) – Second week of action as private company refuses to pay agreed national NHS rate of pay – despite managers’ pay having risen. Liverpool Women’s Hospital staff employed by the private company OCS have resumed their strike this week, taking action today (Monday) with more planned for Wednesday. The staff previously took one day of action on 25 February after a unanimous vote in favour of striking. More than 40 staff who work as cleaners, catering staff, porters and security officers joined the strike, which has been provoked by the refusal of OCS to pay them the NHS rate for the job. OCS staff on the minimum wage are paid £1 an hour less than if they were on the NHS rate – which costs them up to £2,150 this year alone read more
More PCS
21 March watch pay ballot special Facebook Live (11 Mar) – To coincide with the opening of the PCS postal pay ballot next Monday (18) we are holding a Facebook Live broadcast from Cardiff at 5.30pm on 21 March. PCS General Secretary Mark Serwotka will be on hand to talk about the pay campaign and ballot, including answering members’ questions read more
Members at Historic Royal Palaces accept revised pension offer (6 Mar) – PCS members have voted overwhelmingly to accept the recent revised offer from Historic Royal Palaces over the closure of the defined benefits pension scheme. After members working at Tower of London, Kensington Palace and Hampton Court Palace took 2 days of industrial action in defence of their pension provisions, their employer agreed to reopen negotiations read more
FBU
Union urges firefighters to reject unrestricted contract (6 March) – The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has recommended that firefighters reject an offer to expand their role without any restrictions on the specific nature of their work. The union has been in discussions with fire service employers, exploring the ways in which the fire service role has already changed and could change in the future. The proposed list of new duties was compiled by the employers and contains a stipulation that it was a “non-exhaustive” list. The union argues that this would effectively enter firefighters into an open-ended contract, where employers could unilaterally expand a firefighter’s job role at will read more
UCU
University of Surrey staff say controversial plans to axe jobs are unjustified (7 March) – UCU says reasons presented for the drastic cuts are “too vague” and calls for “spectre of uncertainty” to be removed. UCU members at the University of Surrey have demanded a transparent examination of vice-chancellor Max Lu’s controversial plans to axe staff in an effort to make savings. In a letter* to Professor Lu, UCU said the reasons presented for the drastic cuts are “too vague” and calls for an evidence-based case to “justify such swingeing cuts” read more
Launching the latest wave of the FE fights back campaign. Strike action at 13 colleges – Please show your support: send messages, post photos of picket lines and supporters on social media using #FEfightsback and #FEpay or email us. Colleges taking part: Abingdon and Witney College; Bath College; Bradford College; Bridgwater and Taunton College; City of Wolverhampton College; Croydon College; East Sussex College; Harlow College; Lambeth College; Petroc and West Thames College. The next wave of strikes is 20, 21 and 22 March so please keep your messages of support coming. Tower Hamlets College and Redbridge College are balloting to join the action read more
NEU
Teachers prepare to strike at Valentine Primary School, Southampton (11 Mar) – A SOUTHAMPTON school is to close following strike action from the teachers and support staff at the school. Staff at Valentine Primary School are to strike this week over the threat of redundancies and increased workload at the school. Members of the National Education Union have voted for strike action on March 14 for one day, with two days the following week and three the week after that. In a ballot of its members, 100 per cent voted for the action on a turnout of 75 per cent read more from Southern Daily Echo Send messages of support via Southampton Fair Funding for All Schools Facebook page
Teachers strike against Enfield school’s academy plans – Teachers are striking again this Wednesday and Thursday to oppose Galliard School governors’ decision to form a multi-academy trust (MAT) with four other schools in the borough read more from the Enfield Independent
Shrewsbury College: Teachers walk out for six days over lesson grading – Talks between staff and teachers broke down over plans to introduce a graded lesson observation plan for all staff. Teachers at a sixth-form college are taking six days of strike action over proposals to bring in graded lesson observations for more staff. Around 100 NEU members, more than 40 per cent of the college’s 250 teaching staff, were ballotted for strike action read more from tes. The latest strikes are today and tomorrow
EIS
Strong Support for College Strike Continues Across Scotland (6 Mar) – College lecturers across Scotland have today taken part in a third day of strike action as a long-running dispute over pay intensifies. Lecturer members of the Educational Institute of Scotland – Further Education Lecturers’ Association (EIS-FELA) are campaigning for a fair cost of living increase, in line with current public sector pay policy. However, the employers’ association, Colleges Scotland, has offered only 2% (consolidated) over a 3-year period, while also seeking to tear-up existing (and recently agreed) commitments on lecturers’ working conditions. In an escalation of the dispute, EIS-FELA has also opened a statutory ballot on industrial action short of strike. Should members vote in favour of the action, the escalating action will include a boycott of college results systems and a withdrawal of goodwill. This action, if approved by members in the ballot, will run concurrently with the ongoing programme of strike action read more
POA
POA March and Rally 20th March – Violence, Pension Age, Privatisation – Support This Campaign, Join us in London on the 20th read here for details
BECTU
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
Other news
From Unite website: Unity demo – March against racism – this Saturday 16 March 2019
United Nations Anti-racism day
Join us in: LONDON | CARDIFF | GLASGOW
Come and celebrate our union’s diversity and say no to hate. Unite is proud to support this important event. In the face of growing evidence of hate crimes, march with us to defend our shared values of solidarity, equality and tolerance. The demo is a Stand up to Racism event, supported by the TUC, Unite and our sister unions. Share your messages of solidarity on Twitter #Unions4Unity
Demo details:
London: 12:00-16:30 Park Lane, near the Dorchester Hotel W1K 1QA (Nearest Tube Hyde Park). See map
Sign up on Facebook: www.facebook.com/events
Cardiff: Grangetown, map
Sign up on Facebook events Cardiff
Glasgow: 11:00-14:00 George Square, Glasgow G2. See map
Sign up on Facebook events Glasgow
More details here – including for transport
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
IWD: Strikes and mass demonstrations in every major Italian town and city read more
Diary
2019
March
12 The NSSN is hosting a public solidarity meeting with striking Birmingham Unite binworkers and Unison homecare workers in at 6.30pm on Tuesday February 12th in the Birmingham Midland Institute – 9 Margaret St B3 3BS. Speakers include striking workers from both disputes and PCS Universal Credit strikers alongside Unite Assistant General Secretary Howard Beckett, NSSN national chair Rob Williams
July
6 NSSN Conference 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
