The NSSN sends our full support and solidarity to the CWU after the national strike ballot resulted in a resounding 97% YES vote for action in Royal Mail on a 76% turnout. They showed that the undemocratic voting thresholds in the Tory anti-union laws can be smashed, given a fighting and campaigning lead.
We call on the whole labour and trade union movement to back the postal workers and their union in what could be a brutal battle. Even during the ballot, workers have been forced to take action to defend reps and members from bullying local management.
Contact your local Royal Mail delivery office or mail centre. Invite a rep to your union branch and trades council or NSSN group. We were proud to invite CWU general secretary Dave Ward to this year’s NSSN conference and our TUC Rally. Last year, deputy general secretary postal (DGSP) Terry Pullinger spoke at our conference. The CWU is one of our most longstanding affiliated unions.
We will do everything in our power to build solidarity, in order to assist the union in this struggle. We also echo their call for Royal Mail to be taken back into public ownership.
From the CWU website: Members cheer as 97.1% strike vote announced (Oct 15) – Hundreds of CWU reps waved their union flags and cheered as the “historic” Royal Mail ballot result was announced after a national reps’ briefing in central London earlier today. In one of the largest ‘Yes’ votes and biggest turnouts for many years, CWU members in Royal Mail Group, not including Parcelforce members, voted by 97.1 per cent for strike action.
For legal reasons, our Parcelforce members were balloted separately in two separate ballots – one on the controversial ‘TUPE’ proposals and the other on the rest of the issues in dispute. And both of these returned massive ‘Yes’ votes as well – 94.7 per cent and 95 per cent.
As the details of the balloting were read out by the union’s president Jane Loftus, loud cheering erupted, echoing loudly around the main hall of Euston’s Friends Meeting House. Members of the press, who had been invited in to hear the announcement, immediately sent the news reverberating around the nation. And in their eager questions to our general secretary Dave Ward and deputy general secretary postal (DGSP) Terry Pullinger, reporters all wanted to know when strike action could take place.
Media speculation had been building that Christmas or even November’s ‘Black Friday’ could be impacted by potential walkouts, but both Terry and Dave made clear that this would be entirely up to the Royal Mail leadership.
In his initial reaction to the announcement, our DGSP reminded the audience that “just over one year ago, the Royal Mail Group Board and the CWU agreed a blueprint agreement for the future, an agreement that included an historic pension solution, a mutual-interest-driven relationship and a joint vision for a successful postal service with social aims.”
But the new leadership of the company was now, he continued, “breaking that agreement. “Our members take honour seriously and have voted to fight for that agreement against those who now seek to break up the Great British Postal service in the interest of fast-track profit and greed. Integrity and pride still matter and we will not stand aside and see what we have spent our working lives building destroyed,” Terry insisted.
General secretary Dave Ward said that the result had been “historic” and warned the company leadership that they “cannot face away” from it. The workforce has completely rejected the company’s plans to set up a separate parcels business and allow UK postal services and thousands upon thousands of jobs to wither on the vine,” Dave added, highlighting other issues of grievance, such as increased workload pressure on members, driven by technology.
“This dispute goes to the heart of everything that is wrong in today’s world of work,” the general secretary continued, vowing to “fight the board’s asset-stripping plans, not just through strike action, but by speaking directly to major shareholders, politicians and the public. We will build a coalition for change and deliver an exciting and innovative future for Royal Mail, with an expanded role for postal workers in supporting local communities and growing the economy.”
Support these indefinite industrial actions:-
Unite
BROMLEY LIBRARY STRIKERS – FIGHTING ON TO SAVE OUR LIBRARIES
From Unite regional officer Onay Kasab:
Brothers and Sisters,
Following the announcement of job cuts in Bromley Libraries, it is now vital that we escalate the campaign again. Our members have been on continuous strike since 6th June. I have forwarded again (below) the details for our crowdfunding page. Over October, we are organising a number of events. The events below have been confirmed. One part of our strategy will be to target Greenwich Councillors who are on the board of GLL and who to date have said nothing, despite our approaches. We are also targeting the Chartered Institute of Information and Library Professionals (CILIP) calling on them to cut links with GLL.
This is a key dispute not just in the Region but for the local government sector of Unite. It is the longest running indefinite all out dispute for some years and demonstrates vividly all the points we have made in our opposition to outsourcing. It is therefore vitally important that we do all we can over the next few months to bring this dispute to a victorious conclusion not just for Bromley Unite members but for our sector.
OCTOBER CAMPAIGN EVENTS
17 OCTOBER – CILIP AGM
Demonstration starts 1 pm
7 Ridgemount St WC1E 7AE
22 OCTOBER – CILIP NEW LIBRARY PROFESSIONAL DAY
Demonstration at 9 am
7 Ridgemount St WC1E 7AE
22 OCTOBER – GREENWICH COUNCIL CABINET
Demonstration from 4.30 pm
Woolwich Town Hall Wellington St SE18 6PW
30 OCTOBER – GREENWICH FULL COUNCIL
Demonstration from 5 pm
Woolwich Town Hall Wellington St Se18 6PW
We are going to fight this campaign until we win. We are making a fresh appeal for funds. Here is a link for our crowd funding site which has just been set up. Please forward this to stewards and members and encourage them to donate. This is a vitally important campaign – and we will win a vitally important victory!
Also, cheques can be made payable to Onay Kasab and forwarded to 33 – 37 Moreland St, London, EC1V 8BB and messages of support via [email protected] bank details are: Unity Trust Bank, Bromley LG Bromley Branch, A/C NO. 20272821 Sort 60 83 01
Sign the petition to defend Bromley Library Service Call and support the indefinite strike. Please send messages of support and any financial assistance via Unite regional officer Onay Kasab [email protected]
Pharmacy support workers ‘fury’ at NHS Tayside as industrial action continues – In the long running dispute with NHS Tayside, pharmacy support workers taking part in industrial action have today (5 September) reacted with fury as the process for dealing with the grading appeals has collapsed. Unite members who have been participating in strike action since 19 August 2019 were optimistic that an end was in sight to the dispute following the establishment of a jointly agreed local job evaluation panel consisting of trained evaluators. The appeal process was scheduled to begin on Monday 2 September with the panel’s final decision, after consistency checking, to be delivered on Wednesday 4 September. However, Unite was informed by NHS Tayside yesterday that the ‘consistency checking’ did not go ahead due to a staff side member withdrawing from the process stating that this case was ‘too high profile’ and that they did not have ‘sufficient experience’ read 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
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
Watch NSSN TUC Rally video
Union News
PCS
Threat of action leads to dozens of new Universal Credit jobs (11 Oct) – Dozens of new jobs have been secured following the threat of strike action by PCS members at Derby Universal Credit Service Centre who expressed anger at high workloads and their inability to provide a quality service for customers. In August, local reps organised a meeting on the pavements outside the gates of their office to discuss the workload problems at the site after they were forbidden from using the office car park read more
Support the DVSA workers who have been on strike – donate to the strike fund online using account number: 20331490, sort code: 608301, quoting the reference DVSA Strike Fund. Send your solidarity messages to [email protected] read more
Support the cleaners in the fight for a Living Wage in HMRC on Merseyside – PCS members employed by ISS to clean HMRC offices on Merseyside have been on strike read more on Justice for HMRC Cleaners and the PCS website
Support the Stockport UC strikers – these workers took action recently. Donate to the PCS Stockport and Tame Valley Branch Hardship Fund: Sort code 60-83-01, account number 20260684. Send messages of support to [email protected] and all will be forwarded on read more
RMT
Get a RMT anti-fascist ‘No Pasaran’ t-shirt – All sizes . £10 per T-shirt including postage . Bulk orders are fine . Email to [email protected] or text 07932 576 955. Payment by bank transfer or cash
RMT secures massive victory as Mitie agree to Living Wage (11 Oct) – Rail Union RMT said today that it has secured a massive victory in the fight against poverty pay on the railway after outsourcing company Mitie caved in and agreed to pay the Living Wage on its Network Rail contract in the teeth of a major national campaign by the union. General Secretary Mick Cash said; “This is a massive victory in the fight to eliminate the evil of low pay on the railway and I want to congratulate the RMT members and organisers whose hard work and relentless campaigning has delivered it. We will now be pressing the company for full recognition and to address our wider agenda on working conditions. This is just the start…” read more
RMT calls on members to reject pay offer on Northern (11 Oct) – RAIL UNION RMT has condemned a paltry pay offer on Arriva Rail North and called for its members to reject the proposals in a forthcoming referendum. After dragging its heels the company has withdrawn a pay offer and additionally removed enhancements to paternity and maternity rights that were previously afforded to members on lower pay rates read more
RMT suspends Tube industrial action due to start at midnight as union secures major victory over track noise (9 Oct) – Tube union RMT has suspended indefinite industrial action due to start at one minute after midnight tonight by drivers on four key underground lines after securing a massive victory over the issue of excessive track noise. Drivers on Jubilee, Central, Victoria and Northern Lines were scheduled to take industrial action short of a strike with effect from 00.01 hours Thursday 10th October 2019 by driving trains in manual mode at an appropriate reduced speed in Pandrol Vanguard areas to mitigate the creation of excessive noise and to alleviate the distraction, discomfort and anxiety caused in the affected areas read more
RMT industrial action on Cross Country Trains goes ahead – RAIL UNION RMT today confirmed that further industrial action on Cross Country Trains goes ahead from tomorrow in a long-running dispute concerning breaches to the collective bargaining agreements and the imposition of changes to company-wide agreements without the involvement of this union. In light of the continuing failure of the company to move forwards, RMT has decided to call further industrial action short of a strike and has instructed members:-
- Not to Work any Rest Days or Non-Contractual Overtime from 23.59 Hours on Thursday 26th September 2019 until 23.59 Hours on Tuesday 1st October 2019.
- Not to Work any Rest Days or Non-Contractual Overtime from 23.59 Hours on Thursday 17th October 2019 until 23.59 Hours on Tuesday 22nd October 2019 read more
More Unite
Pathologists vote to strike over new shifts row at Barking NHS trust that puts patients’ samples ‘at risk’ (15 Oct) – Pathologists at a north east London NHS trust have voted for strike action in a dispute over new shift patterns which, it is claimed, could compromise the integrity of patients’ samples. The warning has come from Unite, Britain and Ireland’s largest union which represents 88 biomedical scientists working at Queen’s Hospital, Romford and King George Hospital, Ilford who face losing about £10,000 a year, if the new shifts go-ahead on 4 November. The pathologists, who are employed by Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, voted by 87 per cent for strike action. Strike dates are expected to be announced soon. Unite said that it submitted a Freedom of Information (FoI) request to probe what was happening to patient samples and the trust replied: ‘No sample is discarded prior to analysis’. However, the trust cited ‘commercial confidentiality’ in declining to answer the question: ‘How many blood and other examples within the pathology department at Queen’s Hospital and King George Hospital have been processed after the recommended testing time in each of the last 12 months?’ read more
Derbyshire flooring workers to hold the first of 20 days of strike action tomorrow over pay, after rejecting last minute offer (14 Oct) – More than 70 production workers at Forbo Flooring UK Ltd in Ripley, Derbyshire will stage the first of ten 48 hour strikes tomorrow (Tuesday 15 October), after rejecting a new ‘unsatisfactory’ pay offer, Unite said today (Monday 14 October). The workers at the High Holborn Road site rejected a slightly improved two year package backdated to 1 January 2019 and running to 31 December 2020 by a large majority today. Unite said that a culture of staff being undervalued and disrespected hangs over this dispute read more
Unite warns against fair tips bill being yet another dish ‘served up cold’ (14 Oct) – Unite warned the government against serving up its ‘fair tips’ bill as a ‘dish served cold’ today (Monday 14 October) as it responded to the proposed bill announced in the Queen’s Speech. Unite representing hospitality workers has waged a long running campaign for fair tips and has been critical of government inaction and has accused ministers of dragging their feet. The Tories promised to tackle the tipping abuses first with a consultation that ended in June 2016 and then with a promise of legislation over one year ago by former prime minister Theresa May. nite officer for hospitality Dave Turnbull said: “Whether the government’s promise of a ‘fair tips’ bill amounts to the Michelin starred changes that hospitality staff have been waiting years for, or is yet another dish served cold, is open to question. As ever the devil will be in the detail. Unite will be scrutinising the bill to ensure it represents the actions needed to stop greedy bosses pocketing people’s hard earned tips. Recent events in Carluccio’s have highlighted the lengths employers will go to manipulate tips in the interests of the business rather than workers…” read more
Workers jubilant after announcement that sale in principal agreed for Wrightbus confirming hundreds of jobs will be safeguarded (Oct 11) – was only achieved through mobilisation of workforce who never let up in their efforts. Unite to continue campaigning to maximise jobs safeguarded, pay and terms and conditions. Unite regional officer for Wrightbus George Brash welcomed news that Banford (Ryse) had agreed in principal to buy the company potentially safeguarding hundreds of jobs. The news of this sale was greeted with a wave of celebration and relief by the workers who had, once again, gathered at the factory gates. This result means everything to the workforce, their families, and the wider Ballymena community” read more
Costain and Skanska accused of union busting and suppressing Crossrail Bond Street air quality concerns (11 Oct) – Unite, the UK’s construction union, has accused the joint venture company Costain/Skanska (CSJV) of union busting in their attempts to block a union official from its Bond Street Crossrail station site, at a time when workers are frightened about air quality following four recent deaths and that its actions risk causing further industrial unrest. Following the latest two unexplained deaths on the site it was agreed between the client Crossrail and the electrical subcontractors on the project that independent air quality monitoring should take place. To provide further reassurance to the workforce, who had initially stopped work due to health fears, it was agreed that Unite official Guy Langston and the union’s two health and safety reps on the project would choose the workers who would have their air quality monitored read more
Hackney Council Strike Victory (9 Oct) – Drivers and Passenger Assistants employed by Hackney Council in the Special Education Needs Service have won an outstanding victory following strike action in support of a pay claim. The workers, through their union Unite, launched a campaign demanding financial recognition for working split shifts. Such payments were abolished as part of a “single status” agreement many years back when local authorities attacked pay and conditions in the name of equal pay – in reality an exercise to level down pay. To their immense credit, the workers launched a fight to start demanding that money back. After refusing to negotiate initially – then making some laughable offers, the employers were forced to concede through effective strike action and picketing. The offer includes an annual, consolidated lump sum. In true democratic fashion, the decision was made on the picket line – no calling off action pending consultation, but action only called off when decided by workers. Unite Regional Officer Onay Kasab stated: “The workers who won this dispute are an example to low paid local government workers – you can fight and you can win”
Unison
University staff in Edinburgh vote for strike action (15 Oct) – Dispute over outsourcing risk at Queen Margaret University sees 100% vote for action in 75% turn-out. UNISON members have voted for strike action – by 100% in a 75% turn-out – in a bid to keep Edinburgh’s Queen Margaret University as their employer. The members who voted are campus operations staff, including supervisors, security officers, facilities assistants and members of the grounds team. They are at risk of seeing their jobs outsourced as the university finalises a tendering exercise covering the whole ancillary workforce, some of whose work is already contracted out to private companies read more
Wigan and Leigh rehab workers escalate Addaction dispute as they begin three day strike (9 Oct) – Drug and alcohol support workers employed by London-based charity Addaction in Wigan and Leigh have intensified their strike action in a dispute over pay. Thirty staff are beginning three days of strike action today (Wednesday) in their third round of industrial action within the last six weeks over what they say are Addaction’s broken pay promises. The striking workers will hold a public rally at 12noon on Friday 11 October at Market Place, Wigan, WN1 1QS. The staff were previously employed by the NHS but the service, commissioned by Wigan Council, was transferred to the national charity, which has come under fire for its handling of the dispute read more
Blackpool and St Helens hospital workers announce six-day strike as Compass bosses dodge talks (9 Oct) – Around 300 staff employed by private contractor Compass within NHS trusts in St Helens and Blackpool have announced a further six days of strike action beginning on 14 October. It is the latest round of action taken by the hospital workers over the company’s failure to match health service pay rates and working conditions. Most of the hospital cleaners, caterers, porters, receptionists and security workers affected are paid only the minimum wage rate of £8.21 an hour, yet work alongside colleagues who are employed directly by the NHS, where the lowest rate is £9.03 an hour. This difference of 82p an hour is worth around £1,500 a year for full-time staff. On top of the lower hourly rate of pay, Compass staff are further disadvantaged by receiving no shift bonuses for working weekends and bank holidays. In addition, they receive only statutory sick pay, whereas their NHS colleagues are able to access a comprehensive sick pay scheme. UNISON has condemned Compass for making no genuine attempts to resolve the dispute, which has rumbled on since July. Hospital cleaners in Blackpool have not received a single offer from the company, which made more than £1.5bn in profit last year, despite already having taken six days of strike action during this dispute read more
GMB
GMB union demo Wed 16 Oct 2019 Asda House in Leeds – Between 10.45 – 11.30 a.m. muster at Leeds City Square
From 11:30 a.m. speeches – Main Address by Tim Roache, GMB General Secretary and other speakers TBC
At 12.00 noon – We will march from Leeds City Square through car park at ASDA House and end at Tetley Brewery Car Park (Coach pick up point) read more
Wilko strikes suspended after ‘intense’ two day talks (10 Oct) – Industrial action by GMB members at Wilko have been suspended after two days of ‘gruelling’ talks. Around 1,800 GMB members at two Wilko distribution centres – in Magor, Wales and Worksop, Nottinghamshire – were due to walk out on October 11, 14, 21 and 22 over forced weekend working. The strikes on October 11 and 14 have now been suspended after last ditch talks produced an improved offer. GMB will now ballot members to see if they accept the new offer read more
Picket outside TUC’s Congress House in Thompsons dispute (9 Oct) – GMB members will stage a picket line at TUC’s Congress House a part of a dispute with Thompsons solicitors. The pay dispute looks set to lead to a national walk out from Thompsons’ offices across the country on October 18. One of Thompsons’ London offices is at the TUC HQ, Congress House, Great Russell Street, WC1B 3LS, followed by a demonstration. The picket line will start at 7am and the demonstration will take place at 10:30am on Friday 18th October read more
NEU
Sixth form industrial ballot results: strike on October 17th – The strike ballot for sixth form colleges closed on 16 September and five out of six members voted to take action – 84 per cent of members voted Yes to action and Yes to saving the sixth form sector. Overall, there was a 43 per cent turnout and there will be strike action in the 25 colleges that reached the 50 per cent turnout threshold. Thanks very much to all our members and reps as we fight hard as a union for your pay, conditions and employment. This dispute will help shape the future of the sector – hopefully for the good by securing the funding needed to sustain fair pay, conditions and employment including by reversing job losses, class size increases and cuts to teaching time and curriculum provision.
There will be a central London rally on the first strike day on 17 October to mark the beginning of a series of strike days extending into November, with members receiving strike pay for all days of action. If necessary, further days of strike action will take place in the weeks of the 5th and 20th of November. Look out for more details and, whether your college is taking action or not, discuss with your colleagues how you can help support the campaign.
Join us in the afternoon for a march and rally in London to hear a range of speakers. Assembly is at the Emmanuel Centre London at 1pm , and then a march to the Department for Education (DfE) to present an IOU at 3pm for outstanding pay rewards not covered by Boris’ empty promises read more
Support strikes at Peacehaven Community School in east Sussex against academisation – Send messages of support to: Phil Clarke 07709696561 [email protected] and Jack Tyler 01444 894500 [email protected] Hands Off Peacehaven Community School Facebook group
NASUWT
More strikes at Birmingham school (8 Oct) – Members of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union at Shenley Academy and Sixth Form in Birmingham are taking two days of strike action over adverse management practices and the failure of the Employer to make tangible and sustained progress in addressing teachers’ concerns, despite the Union’s genuine willingness to engage and find a resolution read more
UCU
Striking staff at Nottingham College announce 14 strike dates for November (8 Oct) – Nottingham College will be hit with another 14 strike days from Tuesday 5 November after striking staff announced plans for further action and accused the college of reneging on promises over workloads. UCU members entered their fourth week of strike action on Monday 7 October and will have walked out for a total of 15 days this academic year. The increasingly bitter dispute centres on the college’s plans to impose contracts which would leave some staff more than £1,000 a year worse off, as well as reducing holiday entitlement and removing protections against work overload. Staff at the college have not received a pay rise since 2010. The union says that the college has now backtracked on a commitment to limit teaching hours to 24 hours a week while a new contract is negotiated. UCU says the college’s refusal to negotiate in good faith has left members with no alternative but to announce more strike dates. The second wave of strikes will consist of three and four-day walkouts over a four-week period covering most of November. The full strike dates for the second wave are:
Tuesday 5, Wednesday 6 and Thursday 7 November
Monday 11, Tuesday 12, Wednesday 13 and Thursday 14 November
Monday 18, Wednesday 20 and Friday 22
Monday 25, Tuesday 26, Thursday 28 and Friday 29 November read more
Staff deliver unanimous vote of no confidence in Nottingham College CEO and chair of governors
Support sacked Sandwell College lecturer Dave Muritu read more
EIS
ULA statutory ballot: EIS-ULA Executive recommends that you Vote YES in this statutory ballot for industrial action – Since 2009, the value of members’ pay has fallen by over 20%! The Employers’ pay offer for 2019/20, a headline uplift of only 1.8%, compounds that real terms drop in the value of your pay. The reality is that Universities are choosing to invest in other areas – such as buildings – rather than in their staff. After nearly a decade of sub-inflationary pay settlements, the only avenue left open to us to secure a significant improvement in lecturers’ and academic related staff pay is through industrial action read more
FBU
Firefighters condemn “ludicrous” cuts in Surrey County Council debate (8 Oct) – Surrey County Council must not ignore residents crying out against dangerous fire cuts, the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) will say today, in an address to County Hall. Over 13,000 people have signed a petition calling for an end to the drastic cuts to night-time fire cover across Surrey, due to be debated today, the most signatures on a Surrey petition in a decade. The cuts, which include removing seven fire engines at night-time and cutting 70 firefighter posts, were approved by Surrey County Council at a cabinet meeting on 24 September. 68% of respondents to the official consultation opposed cuts to fire cover, with just 18% approving read more
USDAW
Usdaw wins a breakthrough at JD Sports in Rochdale (11 Oct) – Retail trade union Usdaw has won a major victory in the campaign for fair treatment of workers at JD Sports’ Kingsway distribution centre in Rochdale. In July, over 600 JD Sports workers submitted a grievance about the company slashing rest breaks for workers on gruelling 12-hour night shifts. After several meetings with Usdaw and regular union protests outside the site, the company yesterday accepted the case made by Usdaw and agreed to consult with their workers again, with a view to re-instating the breaks read more
Sainsbury’s strikers win – Sainsbury’s workers who took two 24-hour strikes at Waltham Point distribution centre have forced the bosses to concede on the main issue of the dispute – changes to sickness policy. Usdaw shop workers’ union members walked out on 27 June and 25 July, with a third strike at the end of September called off after the company backed down read more
Prospect
Museum of London staff announce half-day strike (11 Oct) – Prospect union members working at the Museum of London have announced a half day strike on 24 October. The strike is part of an ongoing pay action after the museum imposed a 1.5% pay rise. The 1.5% pay rise is the latest in a series of below-inflation pay rises which have left workers in the Museum of London experiencing a 6% real terms pay cut since 2013. Over this time the gap between the highest and the lowest paid in the organisation has grown. The director’s salary has increased by 4.7% in real terms, this includes a 5% increase (including bonus) last year, and the number of employees earning over £100k a year has doubled read more
Prospect members at Science Museum Group announce new strike date after talks fall short (8 Oct) – Prospect union members in the Science Museum Group (SMG) will be taking strike action on Wednesday 23 October. This follows a previous strike on 30 August and comes after management failed to make a long-term commitment to cost-of-living pay, and offered no improvement on this year’s pay. Earlier in the year, SMG imposed a below-inflation pay rise of 1.5% for most staff – the latest in a series of below-inflation pay rises which have left workers with a significant real-terms pay cut of 10% since 2011. Members voted to reject that deal and subsequently voted overwhelmingly for industrial action read more
UVW
Support the strikes: donate to the strike fund – This month and next, UVW will see 200+ of our members striking across a state department, a major hospital, three universities, the Royal parks and a corporate office. Please support the rise of migrant workers against poverty pay and inequality! These workers are almost entirely migrant workers, predominantly women from Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America working as outsourced cleaners, security guards, porters and caterers. They will be striking for the first time in their lives. Their demands range from the London Living Wage of £10.55, to improved sick pay, extra annual leave, and in some cases, full equality of all terms, conditions and pay grades with in-house staff. With so many workers gearing up for simultaneous strike action against some of the most miserly and unscrupulous contractors around, they will need every penny of solidarity in order to keep their strikes and campaigns running until victory. This strike fund is their lifeline! Facebook event: UVW’s 7 strikes kick off: University of Greenwich & Royal Parks
IWGB
Hundreds of UCL cleaners, porters and security to vote on strike action over pay and conditions (9 Oct) – The Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB) is to ballot cleaners, porters and security officers for strike action at London’s largest university, UCL, in what could be the biggest strike ever of outsourced workers in UK higher education history. The IWGB will be balloting almost 300 workers over their terms and conditions, as part of the union’s campaign, launched yesterday (8 October), to end outsourcing and zero hours contracts at UCL. The strike ballot will specifically demand the outsourcing companies that manage the security contract, Axis, and the cleaning contract, Sodexo, put cleaners, porters and security officers on the same terms and conditions as UCL’s direct employees. The results of the ballot are expected on 5 November read more
Other news
Take part in Black History Month in October
Leeds TUC is hosting a conference entitled “How Can Trade Unions meet the Challenge of Climate Emergency?” this Saturday 19th October from 10am til 4.30pm at Notre Dame Sixth Form College, Leeds. Registration via – www.tiny.cc/crisis2019
Undercover Policing and the Trade Unions conference: Saturday 16th November 2019 – jointly organized by the Blacklist Support Group
A major trade union conference ‘Undercover Policing and the Trade Unions: The Political and The Personal’ is taking place at the University of Greenwich on Saturday 16th November 2019. The event is jointly organised by the Blacklist Support Group and our sister campaigns Police Spies Out of Lives and the Campaign Opposing Police Surveillance (COPS). The conference is officially supported by UNITE the Union.
Amongst other issues, the conference will cover undercover police infiltration of trade unions, police collusion in blacklisting, the human rights violations against female activists by the British state and ongoing corporate surveillance of union activists. The speakers will include spied on activists, blacklisted union members, lawyers, politicians, investigative journalists and artists. See the attached documents for more information.
Attendance is free but registration is essential. Please raise the issue at your union committee and encourage people to apply for a space online via: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/undercover-policing-and-trade-unions-the-political-and-the-personal-tickets-64167284074
Affiliate to the Campaign Opposing Police Surveillance (COPs) and to send representatives from your trade union branch/organisation to our Trade Union Conference on Saturday November 16th at University of Greenwich, Stephen Lawrence Building, Old Naval College, 30 Park Row, London, SE10 9LS.
Return Address: Campaign Opposing Police Surveillance (COPS), c/o 5 Caledonian Road, London, N1 9DX
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: Statement from Support the People of Turkey (SPOT) – ‘Say No to the War and Invasion of Rojava’
Demonstration Sunday October 20th – 1pm BBC, Portland Place, London
Diary
2019
November
16 Undercover Policing and the Trade Unions conference: Saturday 16th November 2019 Eventbrite
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
