NSSN
conference calls for one-day general strike against austerity
11 June Around 500 workplace
reps assembled in Friends Meeting House in London Euston today
for an excellent sixth annual National Shop Stewards Network
conference.
After watching a moving film commemorating the many struggles
and anti-cuts events over the last year, NSSN chair Rob Williams
kicked off the day's discussions, reminding the audience that it
was their conference, to discuss and debate building workplace
struggles, solidarity, and action across the whole trade union
movement.
To introduce the first discussion, entitled 'The Fight back
against Austerity', the conference was addressed by PCS General
Secretary Mark Serwotka, NUT Deputy General Secretary Kevin
Courtney, BMA member Dr Jackie Grunskill, and from Northern
Ireland the newly elected NIPSA (Northern Ireland Public Service
Alliance) President Padraig Mulholland.
NIPSA President Padraig Mulholland
Mark Serwotka emphasised the unprecedented nature of the attacks
in this period, concluding that "normal rules of engagement do
not apply".
With 85% of the cuts still to come, unions need a response that
is up to the scale of the battle; "a radical opposition is
required now more than ever...
"We need people bold enough to say that there should not be a
single cut". He supported the NSSN's intention of lobbying the
TUC in September to call for more strike action on the scale of
30 November 2011 and greater.
Padraig Mulholland deplored the hundreds of thousands of public
sector jobs that are being lost and the fact that with wages
being held down and working hours cut, "poverty levels are going
through the roof".
He called for unified, non-sectarian workers' struggle against
the coalition government and said that his union is preparing
for the autumn, when he believes there needs to be a one-day
strike as part of a unified fight across Britain and Northern
Ireland.
Kevin Courtney emphasised the need for trade unionists to build
strong networks on the ground and recognised the NSSN as a
serious organisation in this process.
He declared that defending pensions is still a crucial demand,
and that it is possible for governments to make changes.
For instance President Hollande in France has just reduced the
pension age from 62 down to 60! To strengthen the fight on
pensions and wider issues, the NUT is aiming to build unity
amongst teachers by working with the NAS/UWT following an
agreement of "historic significance".
After these first platform speeches, NSSN communications officer
Suzanne Muna moved a NSSN Guide to Action, which welcomed the
TUC national demo being organised in October and called for it
to be a "start to the next phase of an action-based campaign
against austerity.
"We advocate that the next step should be for the TUC to
organise a one-day general strike, which includes both public
and private sectors" (for the full text see below).
Then came a wide-ranging discussion from the floor in which
trade unionists from a number of different unions took part,
including Unison, PCS, NUT and Unite.
Afternoon agenda
Later in the day, a session entitled Workers in Struggle was
addressed by RMT president Alex Gordon, POA chair PJ McParlin,
Youth Fight for Jobs activist Jacqui Berry, Remploy trade
unionist Ray Ludford and by a rank and file construction worker.
Speakers from the floor gave valuable elaboration on recent
workplace disputes, including on MMP in Bootle, Coryton
refinery, Honda, Ratcliffe-on-Soar and Sheffield recycling
centres.
Phil Potter FOC at MMP Bootle addresses conference
PCS member Tony Mulhearn from the Liverpool 47, who was a
Liverpool mayoral candidate for the Trade Unionist and Socialist
Coalition (TUSC) last month, spoke of the importance of TUSC in
encouraging workers to stand as anti-cuts candidates in
elections.
A business section of the conference was introduced by NSSN
secretary Linda Taaffe, who referred to a written report that
had been circulated (text below).
Linda appealed for finance donations to be sought widely from
supporting trade unionists and trade unions; and a new steering
committee was elected for 2012-13.
Finally, in an inspiring end to the day, international
solidarity was expressed, via a filmed address from Greece, and
by Esenbek Ukteshbayev from the trade union federation Zhanartu
in Kazakhstan who graphically explained the plight of socialists
and trade unionists in Kazakhstan who are being harassed, jailed
and even killed by the Nazarbayev regime.
In a rousing closing speech, PCS assistant general secretary
Chris Baugh summed up the conference, paying tribute to the many
excellent contributions during the day when he commented: "To
try to do justice to all of the speakers is virtually
impossible".
He spoke of the need to prepare for an autumn offensive against
the government's attacks that will be on a bigger scale than
last year and "this time it must involve workers across the
public and private sectors".
Few of the hundreds present in the hall will have left without
feeling that the NSSN has already made a tremendous mark on
events, and with the authority and allegiances it is building
up, can go on to become an even more decisive force in making
sure we have a trade union movement that is up to the tasks
ahead.
Terry Pearce from Bracknell commented:
Excellent NSSN conference, inspiring speeches from trade union
activists fighting victimisation, redundancy and attacks on
their wages and conditions.
These are rank and file workers at the coalface of the struggle
against this vicious government and the bosses.
Great platform speeches from some of our best trade union
leaders. Inspirational videos and speeches from trade unionists
from around the world, many facing state violence on a day to
day basis.
These were not merely nice, articulate speeches, they are a
reflection of the day to day struggle of workers in austerity
Britain. This conference was however more than just about
speeches, this was a call to action.
We call for full support for the TUC national demonstration on
20 October, but more than that we call on the TUC to announce a
one day General Strike of both public and private sectors.
This is now the only way to combat the Coalition's pensions cuts
and cuts to wages, jobs, services, privatisation of the NHS etc.
We call on all NSSN supporters to redouble their efforts over
the coming months to build support for this strike around the
country, at the same time this will build the NSSN and increase
the effectiveness of rank and file trade unionism throughout the
country.
NSSN GUIDE TO ACTION
Since last year's conference NSSN has been involved in an
increasing number of workers' struggles, and, as the austerity
cuts bite, we expect these struggles to intensify.
We encourage supporters to concentrate on organising local and
regional NSSN Networks with events and meetings to help rank and
file activists to build up reliable support networks.
We welcome the TUC national demonstration on October 20th and we
will do everything we can to make this day a successful start to
the next phase of an action-based campaign against austerity.
We advocate that the next step should be for the TUC to organise
a one-day general strike, which includes both public and private
sectors, against all cuts to pensions and wages, jobs, services,
and housing; to stop privatisations of NHS, education and public
services; and to stop the slavery of workfare.
To this end we call on trade unionists, campaigners, youth and
pensioners to come to Brighton for TUC week
to lobby delegates to press for a national strike
to hold an NSSN fringe meeting to highlight this demand
NSSN secretary's report 2011 -2012
The work of NSSN this year has been characterised on the one
hand by the actions of workers desperate to stop this juggernaut
millionaire government from savaging pensions, and slashing
jobs, wages and services; and on the other, a certain
sluggishness coming from layers in some trade unions, that has
unfortunately resulted in doubts, lack of confidence and
undermined a belief that we can win.
The struggle has therefore encompassed much necessary discussion
and debate about the best strategy to win.
Pensions
NSSN Conference 2011 set itself a challenging target with the
decision to organise a lobby of the TUC in London in early
September to demand that they take the lead and organise without
delay a national one-day public sector strike against pension
cuts.
Despite the summer break, the day of the lobby brought over 700
trade unionists and campaigners from across the country.
The rally in Friends' House heard union leaders and
rank-and-file activists call forcefully for a much needed
national demo, before leading out behind Rhythms of the City
drum band.
A lively, noisy march wound its way through the streets of
London to Congress House. Frances O'Grady, Assistant General
Secretary TUC, came out to speak to the crowd. (Others allegedly
peeked out of upstairs windows!) In the end, the lobby proved
effective in helping the TUC delegates to make up their minds,
for soon enough November 30th was announced!
What a day N30 was! 27 unions struck together. NSSN placards
were visible on the massive marches all over the country e.g.
Bristol, Manchester, Birmingham, Stoke, London and other towns
and cities. We gave out stickers and many thousands of leaflets.
NSSN speakers called for swift follow-up action to deal a blow
to this arrogant Coalition. After the demo in London, trade
unionists, tired but enthusiastic, crammed into a West End pub
for an NSSN meeting where Rob Williams, Alex Gordon, Glenn Kelly
and many more ably expressed the confidence of workers once on
the move. Similar meetings took place in many areas.
However, high spirits were not destined to last too long. Some
trade union leaders allowed the movement to become divided by
signing up to the government's Heads of Agreement.
But PCS Left Unity, always in the forefront, led the fight-back,
with NSSN giving full support to their emergency rally in early
January.
In both the following pensions' demos on the strike days in
March and May, which were now unfortunately depleted of their
maximum force, NSSN had a presence.
We made our position clear that only united action can win
against these hard-nosed Tories and Liberal Democrats, whilst at
the same time encouraging rank-and-file members of the so-called
"signed-up" unions to bring their leadership into line and
reflect the dissatisfaction of workers at their leaders'
cowardly decision.
Our confidence was vindicated when workers in Unison and GMB
joined their colleagues in Unite in rejecting the proposed
agreement in the NHS!
Fight back against cuts
The NSSN banner has been very visible on nearly all major
campaigns - too many to enumerate here. Perhaps the Sparks'
dogged and determined fight against the big building company
giants like Balfour Beatty stands out.
The 'BESNA 7' bosses were aiming to carry out Tory policy before
it became policy! They tried to break the unions' national
agreement, which in effect would reduce electricians pay by a
third! In the end, the big seven companies retreated -
highlighting exactly what workers need to do to win.
This victory has raised the confidence of construction workers,
which was shown in the magnificent walkout of up to 1,000
workers at the Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station.
This forced the reinstatement of the Unite health & safety
steward Jason Poulter. The NSSN has played a consistent role in
supporting the rank and file 'Sparks' in a campaign that has now
lasted 10 months.
The NSSN assisted Paddy Brennan, the Unite convenor at Honda
Swindon and a regular contributor at our conference, in the
campaign to get the charges against him dropped.
He was suspended by management on spurious grounds in an
apparent attempt to break the union; similarly with Arwyn Thomas
and Eamonn Lynch, suspended by London Underground following an
RMT strike last year.
We must fight to protect our own. Likewise we gave full support
to the Defend the Four Campaign in Unison.
More recently, the NSSN has supported the locked-out workers at
MMP in Bootle, who won an enhanced pay-off after months of
action.
We also opposed the threatened shut-down of Remploy factories
where Les Woodward of GMB is playing a key role.
In NHS campaigns and activities, NSSN has participated
enthusiastically calling on the TUC for action, or at least a
national demo, to stop the Health and Social Care Act.
We supported the Youth Fight for Jobs' Jarrow to London march as
well as the Justice for Shrewsbury Pickets campaign.
NSSN regional meetings, meeting the TUC and union conferences
Very good NSSN meetings have been held throughout the year in
some parts of the country, such as the North West, South East,
London and the West Midlands.
A successful Anti-Cuts conference was organised in Wales.
However, more needs to be done to develop this local aspect of
our work.
We have participated in union conferences so far by having an
official stall at NUT and PCS conferences and we held official
fringe meetings at PCS and CWU conferences.
Other conferences will be covered in the next period. We have
participated in meetings with the TUC along with other anti-cuts
organisations such as UK Uncut, Coalition of Resistance, Right
to Work and People's Charter and there is another scheduled
soon.
NSSN officers were invited to founding meetings of fighting
trade union organisations in both the North and South of
Ireland.
We were also invited to send a representative to the conference
of the militant trade union federation in Brazil, CONLUTAS.
Unfortunately, on finance grounds, we were unable to attend but
we did send filmed greetings to the conference.
Organisation
The 23 members of the Steering Committee and the 12 members of
the Anti-Cuts Committee have met together 4 times over the last
year, with the 7 Officers meeting in between.
We are justifiably proud that the NSSN has had an annual
conference every year of its 6 year existence and that its
democratically elected steering committee has met at least
quarterly throughout that period.
We have an established bank account. However, donations received
have almost immediately been spent especially on leaflets e.g.
thousands of leaflets were produced for the N30, M28 and M10
strikes and demos. So finance is still a key issue.
The new Post Office Box address is working well and the website
has been updated, although more needs to be done on this aspect.
We also acquired Facebook and Twitter accounts. A regular
e-bulletin goes out every Friday to thousands of supporters,
which provides invaluable information on many local struggles.
Over the last year NSSN and its activists have proved to be a
useful support in the struggle of groups of workers, both
locally and nationally, in their attempts to have a go at
stopping bosses from trampling all over them.
We look forward to a year of intensification of the struggle,
and to developing our work to assist in revitalising the unions
from the bottom up - a remit that was given to us by the RMT
over six years ago when this union set up the NSSN.
Linda Taaffe, NSSN secretary, on behalf of the Steering
Committee