NSSN Bulletin
No. 98
06 July
Last week was a typical week for the NSSN - supporting workers
like the London bus drivers, Coryton oil refinery workers, the
bakery workers in Leicester and taking part in a an excellent
Wales network conference. But it was also a typical week for
Cameron and his fat cat mates. 'Diamond' Bob, one of the fattest
cats of them all, lost his job at Barclays because it turns out
that the bank was double-dealing on interest rates. This meant
that they illegally made billions in profits while workers
couldn't get mortgages and small businesses couldn't get loans
or they all had to pay through the nose to get them. It�s even
possible that the Bank of England could be implicated!
So on the back of MPs fiddling their expenses, Murdochgate and
the rich avoiding tax - it now seems that the bankers broke the
law while sharing out billions in bonuses and much more in
profits over the last 25 years since the 'Big Bang' deregulated
the banking system - with the full support of Tory, New Labour
and now ConDem governments. Yet who's in the sights of this
government to pay for this crisis? Workers - through the attack
on their pensions and working longer to get less and paying
more, a four year pay freeze and the prospect of regional pay
and over 350,000 public sector jobs lost. Young people - through
the trebling of tuition fees and the abolishing of EMA as well
as the cuts in housing benefit. The poor and the disabled -
through the attacks on benefits. Ignoring the law and taxes for
the rich - austerity for the poor.
There's an old saying, don't get mad get even! That's what the
Remploy workers have done when they voted by 80% to strike
against the factory closures and mass sackings that would
effectively get rid of a gain for working people that originally
was supposed to give work to soldiers maimed in the Second World
War.
The NSSN welcomes the TUC demonstration against austerity and
the cuts in London on October 20th. We will do all we can to
double the number who marched on the last one on March 26th 2011
and get 1 million workers and their friends and families on the
streets. But it won't be enough to force this cabinet of
millionaires to retreat, with 85% of the cuts to come. The NSSN
is lobbying the TUC conference in Brighton on September 9th to
call on the TUC to follow the march with a one-day general
strike as the start of the action that we need to win. This is a
weak and divided government - it�s now up to 34 U-turns but they
know that to retreat on the cuts would be their last. Come on
the lobby - March together on October 20th, then strike together
to force the ConDems out! (Rob Williams NSSN Chair)
NSSN UPDATES
Northwest NSSN AGM meeting: �How can we stop
victimisation on sites?� Given the recent lay offs of Jason
Poulter and 18 others from Ratcliffe, this meeting becomes even
more vital. Speakers include Steve Acheson & chair Andy Ford.
Tuesday 17th July, Warrington Railway Club, WA1 1XR. 7.30pm.
[email protected]
An excellent conference was held by the Welsh Shop Stewards�
Network Conference last weekend called for 24 general
strike.
Thank you to those who have begun standing orders for the
NSSN we have doubled the numbers since the June conference.
Also thanks to Unite Bracknell for supporting the 9th Sep
lobby of the TUC and donating �50 towards costs. NSSN letter to
union branches and leaflet for lobby of the TUC are available
online (or drop us an email if you need some posted.) Also use
the FB invite.
Sadly Roger Mackay died last week & the NSSN would like
to send our condolences to Teresa MacKay, family & friends.
Roger was an active trade unionist in the NUT & life long
socialist. Funeral: Fri13th July Ipswich
GENERAL UPDATES
Sheffield GMB Dump it WIN : The Sova recycling workers in
Sheffield have won the re-instatement of their 6 sacked
colleagues. After 27 days of strike action, the strike has been
suspended pending further negotiations, particularly relating to
working hours and pay. A new bonus scheme is to be trialed,
which promises workers up to �2 an hour wage increase across the
board. Messages of congratulations can be sent to
[email protected]
FBU Essex calls strikes over cuts & imposed changes in Terms
& Conditions, July 7th & 19th, Aug 18th & October 18th.
Since 2008 one in five jobs has already been cut in the service!
Essex fire chiefs today stand accused of trying to intimidate
fire-fighters by introducing fast-track disciplinary measures to
use against those taking strike action. The Fire Authority's
budget has increased by �7 million since 2008, yet it has
underspent �1.6 million on its frontline staffing budget,
allowing the authority to build up reserves of �12 million.
500 Food processing workers contribute to fight the race to
the bottom by food manufacturers despite making huge
profits. Workers are in the midst of discontinuous strike action
over an original 190 redundancies, now proposing 350 &
downgrading the agreed redundancy package. Solidarity to:
[email protected]
Unite London Bus workers action for Thursday was
suspended with a better offer on the table, however Unite are
fighting for their proposal. Next Strike date 24th July.
RMT Central TFL staff will also be taking action over
Olympics recognition & reward, with action short of strike
action on the 8th & 15th July.
Virgin Provoke Olympic Strike Ballot as TSSA ballots over
500 members on the West Coast line for strike action after
Virgin Trains fired and then later suspended one of its union
reps in the company's head office in Birmingham.
Coastguard unions PCS and RMT today demand a halt to the
Government�s planned cuts and closure programme to coastguard
and maritime rescue centers. Clyde, is set to be closed in
December with indications that no alternative capacity is due to
come on stream until 2014 leaving the life-saving services with
hopelessly inadequate cover for over a year.
Keep Barclay's Out Of NHS: Bankers should concentrate on
cleaning up their own cesspit and be kept well away from our NHS
as their only interest in it is as a source of money that will
end up in offshore tax havens says GMB. As South London
Healthcare goes into administration after the burden of
�61million interest payments a year on a PFI deal, its clear
that PFI is crippling the NHS, as one tweeter stated, �We can
afford universal healthcare - stop NHS paying banks and equity
investors.� Its also legislation that was brought in by the
labour government in 2009! Further announcements add to the
argument, with Care Trusts handing in massive debts to the new
Clinical Commissioning Groups.
Millions wasted as tax payers taken for a ride by rail
privatisation, RMT confirmed today that balloting for strike
action and action short of a strike has begun three main train
services: * South West Trains * Greater Anglia * First Great
Western. MP�s have come out in support of the Churchill�s
cleaning staff on the Tyne and Wear Metro in their fight for pay
justice.
GMB Consult Members At Aberdeenshire Council over
proposed changes to terms and conditions of employment.
Congratulations to Beauly-Denny construction workers win swift
victory & Cleaners branch SOAS University for their successful
campaign for a living wage at Senate House.
VICTIMISATION
A successful meeting was organised in Birmingham in support of
Martin Hodges, a TSSA rep victimised by Virgin Trains.
Martin was told that there were issues with his 'communications
style' with customers and was summarily dismissed. The summary
dismissal was later commuted to suspension on full pay. The real
reason for the victimisation is that Martin wanted to organise
against the hire and fire culture that exists at Virgin Trains.
The company are doing everything they can to avoid going to an
Employment Tribunal because they are worried about the publicity
that might ensue. TSSA are currently balloting for industrial
action for Martin's reinstatement and will be leafleting
railways stations. Anyone able to help out with the campaign and
a YES vote for action contact:
[email protected]
Blacklisters face professional abuse charges after the
CIPD published a new code of conduct for its members. The
blacklist Support group intends to make formal complaints about
HR managers.
A second protest in support of the suspended president of the
National Union of Students, Shahna Begum at Bolton
University has taken place.
INTERNATIONAL
Spanish miners continue their action underground but also
in street battles with brutal riot police tactics, which have
seriously injured hundereds but have still not, stopped the
strike or protests that are escalating yet a huge media
blackout, locally and internationally. UK miners/ex-miners have
set up for Spanish miners whose pits are threatened with
closure: Contact
[email protected] or
07768 300 148.
Turkish police detained 71 trade unionists and leaders in around
20 cities.
Argentina striking truckers and other union members
gathered in front of the presidential palace to demand tax cuts
in a one-day work stoppage.
Norwegian labour union leaders met to discuss a possible
expansion of their ten-day strike over pensions that have cut
the country's oil production.
DIARY
07 July
World Pride festival in London. Update on its curtailment by
Mayor. RMT activists meeting at HQ to go towards 12 noon Baker
St.
International Brigade memorial Jubilee gardens London SE1 12.30
music.
National action against Workfare as part of the UK week of
action
Barnet NOT for sale! Conference from BAPS & UNISON 12 noon Greek
Cypriot Centre, 2 Britannia Rd, Barnet N12 9RU
12 July
Unite against police privatisation protest rally 11am West
Midlands police HQ, Lloyd Hse, Colmore Circus, Birmingham B4 6NQ
13-15 July
Tolpuddle Martyrs Festival
13 July
Action for Rail � North West Conference at Mechanics Centre,
Manchester
14 July
Durham Miners Gala
Protest against the coalition - A future for our children! Fair
Pensions for all! Defend public services! Called by NUT & NASUWT.
Assemble 11.30am from Devonshire Green, Devonshire Street,
Sheffield & also Manzil Way, Oxford OX4. Rally 1pm in Broad
Street, Oxford OX1. Contact 07967 392229 or Email
[email protected]
16 July
Action for Rail leafleting 7-9am Kings Cross
17 July
North West NSSN AGM & Public meeting: �How can we stop
victimisation on sites?� Speakers Steve Acheson. Warrington
Railway Club, WA1 1XR. 7.30pm.
21 July
Brighton Trades Council Seminar for local trade unionists on
defending facilities time and opposing. [email protected]
23 July
Austerity Games from Youth Fight for Jobs!
Action for Rail leafleting 7-9am Liverpool St, London
28 July
Pentonville 5 and dock dispute of 1972-73 celebration. Isle of
Dogs.
11 August
National Rank & File JIB electricians and construction trades
meeting, 2pm-5pm, Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, London
31 August
National Hazards conference, Keele University [email protected]
02 September
Longest strike in British history!
09 September
NSSN lobby of TUC conference: Brighton for 24-hour Strike 1pm
07 October
Protest at Tory party Conference.
20 October
TUC Mass demonstration against austerity.
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Share information with us on Facebook Main group ' National Shop
Stewards Network' & the NSSN FB 'Stop the cuts' & check our
Website! But most importantly get active to develop the NSSN and
our trade union and community movement against the cuts!
There is an alternative!
Email:
[email protected]
Phone: 07952 283 558
Post: NSSN, PO Box 54498, London E10 9D