National Shop Stewards Network

NSSN 523: The Sparks launch fight to stop de-skilling at Hinkley Point

February 23, 2021 in Bulletins

Rank and file construction electricians have launched a struggle against what they see as multi-skilling by bosses at the massive site Hinkley Point to build the nuclear power station, estimated to cost £22.5 billion. It is reported that an agreement to employ about 500 electrical apprentices had been reneged on and instead a training course for ‘Support Operatives’ is being put on. This would mean lower-paid unskilled workers being employed instead of skilled electricians. A meeting of rank & file construction workers last Saturday, echoing the Unite Electrical and Mechanical Combine Committee, called on the national leadership of the union […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, BFAWU, blacklist, bob crow, budget day, bullying, buses, cleaners, CWU, electricians, Fast Food Rights, general strike, GMB, Hinkley Point, housing, John McDonnell MP, lobby, Miners, napo, NASUWT, NEU, nhs, no cuts, nssn, nuclear power station, Pay, pcs, pensions, poa, rmt, Sparks, Strike, terms and conditions, TUC, tupe, UCU, Unison, Unite, Yorkshire
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NSSN 522: Bus drivers strike back in Manchester & London

February 16, 2021 in Bulletins

This week’s NSSN bulletin headlines with strike action by bus drivers in Unite the union in Manchester and London that begins next week. Please support these workers. Also, please support victimised bus union reps – Judith Katera and Moe Muhsin Manir in Unite in London and Declan Clune in RMT in Hampshire Manchester Go Ahead North West bus drivers in all out strike over fire and rehire dispute (12 Feb) – Bus drivers employed by Go North West in Manchester will begin an all-out continuous strike from Sunday 28 February. The drivers are walking out as a result of the decision […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, BFAWU, blacklist, bob crow, bullying, Bus, cleaners, COVID, COVID-19, CWU, Drivers, Fast Food Rights, fbu, general strike, housing, lobby, London, Manchester, Miners, napo, NASUWT, NEU, nhs, no cuts, nssn, Pay, pcs, pensions, poa, rmt, Scotland, Strike, terms and conditions, TUC, tupe, UCU, Unison, Unite, Yorkshire
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NSSN 521: Come to NSSN Zoom Public Meeting February 14

February 9, 2021 in Bulletins

2021 has started with a bang, with teachers and school support staff in the NEU and Unison forcing Boris Johnson’s Tory government to retreat on the re-opening of schools. In the last two weeks, the Tories have had to u-turn over their proposed review of employment laws and regulations post-Brexit. Unions now need to come together immediately to draw on this template to fight for workplace safety in all sectors and stop the offensive by the Tories and the bosses to make workers pay for the COVID crisis with our lives and livelihoods. This includes Johnson’s public sector pay freeze. […]

Tags: #heartunions, 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, BFAWU, blacklist, bob crow, budget day, bullying, cleaners, CWU, Fast Food Rights, fbu, general strike, GMB, housing, John McDonnell MP, lobby, Miners, napo, NASUWT, NEU, nhs, no cuts, nssn, Pay, pcs, pensions, poa, rmt, Scotland, Strike, terms and conditions, TUC, tupe, UCU, Unison, Unite, Yorkshire
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NSSN 520: Tories U-turn on plan to attack workers’ rights

February 2, 2021 in Bulletins

The NSSN celebrates the Tory u-turn over their proposed review of employment laws and regulations post-Brexit. Despite their denials, this would have looked at a whole number of workers’ rights. But the fact that they have been forced to retreat, without a real mobilisation of the trade union movement, shows the weakness of this Tory government. This now needs to be built on as workers, fighting for workplace safety and their jobs and living standards, face an offensive from the Government and the bosses. We should take confidence that the brutal attacks of ‘fire and rehire’ and the public sector […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, blacklist, bob crow, British Gas, budget day, bullying, cleaners, coronavirus, COVID, COVID-19, CWU, Fast Food Rights, fbu, general strike, GMB, housing, John McDonnell MP, lobby, Miners, napo, NASUWT, NEU, nhs, NIPSA, no cuts, nssn, Pay, pcs, poa, rmt, Scotland, Strike, terms and conditions, TUC, tupe, UCU, Unite, workers rights, Yorkshire
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NSSN 519: Support the Birmingham & Reading hospital strikes

January 26, 2021 in Uncategorized

We headline this week’s NSSN bulletin with two disputes by low-paid hospital workers in Birmingham and Reading. While the Heartlands workers work directly for the NHS, those at the Royal Berkshire are contracted to Kingdom Services Group Ltd. Both will be continuing their action into February. Please support these NHS workers on the frontline during the pandemic. Outrageously, their reward is attacks from management. We call for all outsourced workers to be brought back in-house and for a 15% pay rise for all NHS workers as well as defeating the Tory public sector pay freeze. Unite: Security guards at […]

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NSSN 518: Rolls Royce striking workers wins future for Barnoldswick

January 19, 2021 in Bulletins

The NSSN sends our congratulations and solidarity to the Rolls Royce workers at Barnoldswick in Lancashire and their union Unite. Nine weeks of trike action has forced the company back after outsourcing of work threatened its future. Once again, it shows that taking action works. This is a hugely important example as workers fight the offensive of the bosses and their Tory government in attacking jobs, pay and contracts. From Unite website: Ground-breaking deal by Unite saves Barnoldswick’s Rolls-Royce factory and 350 jobs (14 Jan) – The Rolls-Royce factory in Barnoldswick, Lancashire, has been saved and with it 350 jobs […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, austerity, Barnoldswick, BFAWU, blacklist, budget day, bullying, cleaners, CWU, Fast Food Rights, general strike, housing, John McDonnell MP, lobby, Miners, napo, NASUWT, NEU, nhs, no cuts, nssn, Pay, pcs, pensions, poa, rmt, Rolls Royce, Scotland, Strike, terms and conditions, TUC, tupe, UCU, Unison, Unite, UVW, Yorkshire
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NSSN 517: British Gas workers 5-day strike against Fire and Re-hire

January 12, 2021 in Bulletins

The NSSN sends our solidarity and support to the British Gas workers and their union, the GMB after the first action taken against the ‘fire and re-hire’ tactics of Centrica. As the union says, “GMB conducted a strike ballot of 9,000 members in December 2020. An overwhelming 89% voted in favour of industrial action. This vote was after parent company Centrica said it would impose ‘fire and rehire’ cuts to workers’ pay and terms and conditions on pain of dismissal.” We call on all our supporters and the whole trade union movement to continue to build support for the action. […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, BFAWU, blacklist, bob crow, British Gas, bullying, Centrica, cleaners, CWU, Fast Food Rights, fbu, Fire and Rehire, general strike, GMB, housing, John McDonnell MP, lobby, Miners, napo, NASUWT, NEU, no cuts, nssn, One Housing Group, Pay, pcs, rmt, Scotland, Strike, terms and conditions, TUC, tupe, UCU, Unison, Unite
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NSSN 516: Teachers and school support staff force Tory U-turn!

January 5, 2021 in Bulletins

The NSSN sends all our supporters New Year greetings. We will continue to build support solidarity for workers and their unions taking action and to the increasing number of union reps and members being victimised by employers. 2021 has started with a bang, with teachers and school support staff forcing Boris Johnson’s Tory government to retreat on the re-opening of schools. The NEU backed by Unison cited Section 44 of the Employment Rights Act to demand that primary schools be closed and teaching carried out remotely online to protect the safety of pupils, staff and the wider community. It is […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, blacklist, bob crow, British Gas, bullying, CWU, Education, EIS, Fast Food Rights, fbu, GMB, housing, John McDonnell MP, lobby, Miners, napo, NASUWT, NEU, nhs, no cuts, nssn, Pay, pcs, pensions, poa, rmt, school support staff, schools, Scotland, Section 44, Strike, Teachers, TUC, tupe, UCU, Unison, Yorkshire
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NSSN 515: As 2020 ends, workers keep fighting

December 13, 2020 in Bulletins

This is our last scheduled weekly bulletin of the year. A year where workers have been fighting during the COVID pandemic for their lives and livelihoods. We have seen continuing disputes over workplace safety and now increasingly we are seeing workers fight the bosses’ offensive against our jobs, terms & conditions and pay. Included in this is the Tory announcement of a public sector pay freeze, which unions must fight together. The message of the NSSN has been clear: workers can’t pay the price for this crisis – work or full pay, a pay rise that we deserve and if […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, BFAWU, blacklist, bob crow, budget day, bullying, cleaners, coronavirus, COVID, COVID-19, Fast Food Rights, fbu, general strike, GMB, housing, John McDonnell MP, lobby, Miners, NEU, nhs, no cuts, nssn, Pay, pcs, pensions, poa, rmt, Scotland, Strike, terms and conditions, TUC, tupe, UCU, Unison, Unite
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NSSN 514: Support the #BattleforBarnoldswick

December 8, 2020 in Bulletins

We headline this week’s NSSN bulletin with the fight by Unite members in Rolls Royce in Barnoldswick, Lancashire to save their plant. Workers have been taking industrial action after work was offshored to Singapore. In response to this justified action, Rolls Royce has taken more work to factories in Singapore, Japan and Spain, threatening the viability of the plant. The NSSN pledges our full support and solidarity to the workers and their union Unite. We continue to demand that in order to save jobs and communities, companies and plants threatened with closure should be taken into public ownership. Solidarity to […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, Avonmouth, Barnoldswick, blacklist, bob crow, cleaners, CWU, Fast Food Rights, fbu, general strike, GMB, housing, John McDonnell MP, Miners, napo, NASUWT, NEU, nhs, no cuts, nssn, Pay, pcs, pensions, poa, Rolls Royce, Scotland, Strike, terms and conditions, tupe, UCU, Unite, Yorkshire
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NSSN 513: Support the Heathrow strike against savage wage cuts

December 1, 2020 in Bulletins

Heathrow Strike – Workers walkout over savage wage cuts from Unite website (30 Nov) Unite members employed at Heathrow Airport Limited (HAL) will be on picket lines on Tuesday 1 December in the dispute over the savage wage cuts imposed on the workforce through a brutal fire and rehire programme. Alongside the picket lines an ad van will be touring Heathrow and the surrounding areas with the messages: “Heathrow’s super-rich shareholders are jetting off with workers’ wages’, Heathrow’s chief executive officer John Holland Kaye will also be portrayed as the Grinch alongside the message “Heathrow Grinch CEO is stealing workers’ […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, Barnoldswick, BFAWU, blacklist, budget day, bullying, cleaners, CWU, Fast Food Rights, fbu, general strike, GMB, Heathrow, housing, John McDonnell MP, lobby, Miners, napo, NEU, nhs, no cuts, nssn, Pay, pcs, poa, public sector pay freeze, rmt, Strike, terms and conditions, TUC, tupe, UCU, Unite, Yorkshire
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NSSN 512: Fight together against the Tory Pay Freeze

November 23, 2020 in Bulletins

This week’s NSSN bulletin opposes the proposed pay freeze that is expected to be announced by Tory Chancellor Rishi Sunak this Wednesday. NSSN Chair Rob Williams said, “Just as the Tories are exposed over giving COVID contracts to their cronies and a day after a big rise in defence spending is announced, millions of public sector workers face yet another pay freeze. “After standing on the front line, putting their lives at risk, they face sinking further into poverty. This is on top of a decade of Tory pay cuts that saw workers lose up to 14% of their income. […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, Barnoldswick, BFAWU, blacklist, bob crow, bullying, coronavirus, COVID, COVID-19, CWU, Fast Food Rights, fbu, freeze, general strike, housing, John McDonnell MP, lobby, napo, NASUWT, NEU, nhs, nssn, Optare, Pay, pcs, pensions, Public Sector, Rolls Royce, Strike, terms and conditions, Tories, TUC, tupe, Unison, Unite, Yorkshire
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511: #RightToPicket protected – support Optare workers

November 17, 2020 in Bulletins

The NSSN sends our solidarity to Unite and its members on strike at Optare in Yorkshire after the union won a legal challenge to the use of COVID rules by police to disperse legal picket lines. This demonstrates the vital importance of the labour and trade union movement retaining its ability to organise during the pandemic and giving a lead to workers in the fight for safe workplaces and against the bosses’ offensive on jobs, pay, pensions and terms and conditions. Right to picket during lockdown secured following Unite legal challenge (13 Nov) – The government has been forced […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, BFAWU, blacklist, bullying, cleaners, coronavirus, COVID, COVID-19, CWU, Fast Food Rights, fbu, general strike, GMB, housing, John McDonnell MP, lobby, Miners, napo, NASUWT, NEU, nhs, no cuts, nssn, Optare, Pay, pcs, pensions, Picket, poa, rmt, Scotland, Strike, terms and conditions, TUC, tupe, UCU, Unison, Unite, Unite the Union, Yorkshire
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510: #SPYCops Inquiry exposes state spying on workers movement

November 10, 2020 in Bulletins

The NSSN sends our solidarity and support to all those taking part in the Undercover Policing Inquiry who have suffered from state surveillance into the labour and trade union movement and a whole number of campaigns from anti-racism to environmentalism. Keep up with developments and read and watch campaigners’ statements on the Campaign Opposing Police Surveillance (COPS) and Undercover Policing Inquiry websites and spycops info Facebook group. Demonstration (socially-distanced) at Undercover Policing Inquiry Hearings, London Wednesday November 11th 8am – 9am details These are a selection of reports and statements that have been issued are below. Dave Smith, core participant […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, bullying, cleaners, condems, CWU, Fast Food Rights, fbu, general strike, housing, Inquiry, lobby, napo, NASUWT, NEU, nhs, no cuts, nssn, Pay, pensions, Rolls Royce, Scotland, Spycops, terms and conditions, TUC, UCU, Unite, Yorkshire
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NSSN 509: Support education workers in new lockdown

November 3, 2020 in Bulletins

The Prime Minister and his floundering cabinet have finally reacted to daily news of startling rises in the rate of COVID cases in England but once again ordinary people have been left trying to fathom out the exceptions to Lockdown 2. But those who expected to see some kind of common sense will stay disappointed; the aim of Lockdown 2 is to maintain the accumulation of private profits for the Tories’ friends in big business, not to help ordinary workers and their families. This is most clearly seen in the decision to keep open educational establishments despite mounting evidence that […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, austerity, blacklist, bob crow, budget day, bullying, cleaners, condems, coronavirus, COVID, COVID-19, CWU, Education, EIS, Fast Food Rights, fbu, general strike, housing, Jeremy Corbyn, John McDonnell MP, lobby, lockdown, Miners, napo, NASUWT, NEU, nhs, no cuts, nssn, Pay, pcs, pensions, rmt, schools, Scotland, Strike, terms and conditions, TUC, tupe, UCU, Unite, Yorkshire
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508: Lancashire Rolls Royce workers striking to save their plant!

October 27, 2020 in Bulletins

We headline this week’s NSSN bulletin to send solidarity to Rolls Royce workers in Barnoldswick in Lancashire. The Unite members have called strike action over three weeks as part of their campaign to save the factory. The NSSN believes that any plant threatened with closure should be taken into public ownership to save jobs and communities. Unite: Three weeks of strike action announced at Rolls-Royce’s Lancashire factory in battle to prevent jobs being offshored (26 Oct) – Workers at the historic Rolls-Royce factory at Barnoldswick in Lancashire will embark on three weeks of targeted strike action beginning next month, as […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, Barnoldswick, BFAWU, blacklist, bob crow, bullying, cleaners, CWU, fbu, general strike, GMB, housing, John McDonnell MP, Lancashire, Miners, napo, NASUWT, NEU, nhs, no cuts, nssn, Pay, pcs, poa, rmt, Rolls Royce, Scotland, Strike, terms and conditions, TUC, tupe, Unison, Unite
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NSSN 507: Unite members prepare to strike in North West

October 20, 2020 in Bulletins

We headline this week’s NSSN bulletin with two disputes from the North West involving Unite members. We send our solidarity to fuel tanker drivers employed by Hoyer Petrolog UK who are based at the Stanlow oil refinery and Rolls Royce workers in Barnoldswick in Lancashire. The NSSN believes that any plant threatened with closure should be taken into public ownership to save jobs and communities. Rolls-Royce workforce give resounding yes vote for strike action in battle to save historic Lancashire factory (16 Oct) – Rolls-Royce workers at Barnoldswick in Lancashire have overwhelmingly voted for industrial action in a battle […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, Barnoldswick, BFAWU, bob crow, Cheshire, cleaners, CWU, Fast Food Rights, GMB, housing, Hoyer Petrolog UK, John McDonnell MP, Lancashire, napo, no cuts, north west, nssn, Pay, pcs, Rolls Royce, Scotland, Stanlow, terms and conditions, TUC, tupe, UCU, Unite, Yorkshire
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NSSN 506: Support RMT strike for safety on Caledonian Sleeper

October 13, 2020 in Bulletins

Second 48 hour strike on SERCO Caledonian Sleeper rock solid this evening (Oct 11) as RMT members fight for safe working conditions. RAIL UNION RMT said today that the second of two scheduled 48 hour strikes on SERCO Caledonian Sleeper is rock solid again this evening with pickets out in force at key locations as RMT members fight for safe working conditions‎. The action started at 1730 hours. RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said; “RMT members are standing firm again in their strike action on the Caledonian Sleeper this evening but it remains a scandal that SERCO have wasted a […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, BFAWU, blacklist, bob crow, bullying, Caledonian Sleeper, cleaners, CWU, Fast Food Rights, fbu, general strike, GMB, housing, John McDonnell MP, lobby, Miners, napo, NASUWT, NEU, nssn, Pay, pcs, pensions, poa, rmt, Strike, terms and conditions, TUC, tupe, UCU, Unite, Yorkshire
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505: Celebrate Black History Month – support workers’ struggles

October 6, 2020 in Bulletins

This week’s NSSN bulletin highlights this year’s Black History Month (BHM), which takes place every October. Black and Asian workers have played a vital role in the labour and trade union movement – from the Bristol Bus Boycott in the 1960s to Grunwicks in the 1970s to the strikes that are taking place every week. We cover them all in our weekly bulletin and this week to mention just two – the industrial action ballots of Unite Hackney drivers and escorts of disabled children and the UVW care workers, cleaners and maintenance workers SAGE nursing home in North London. […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, BHM, Black History Month, blacklist, bullying, cleaners, CWU, Fast Food Rights, fbu, general strike, housing, John McDonnell MP, lobby, napo, NASUWT, NEU, no cuts, nssn, pcs, pensions, poa, Racism, Scotland, tupe, Unite, Yorkshire
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NSSN 504: Stop jobs slaughter as Tories end Job Retention Scheme

September 29, 2020 in Bulletins

The NSSN pre-TUC Rally on September 13th, called on the TUC Congress to organise a day of demonstrations and protests in every town and city on Saturday October 24th to demand the furlough Job Retention Scheme, scheduled to end a week later, was continued and upgraded – we say ‘work or full pay!’ The Tory Government have now said that it will be replaced by a lesser and more targeted Job Support Scheme. Tory Chancellor Sunak admits that this will mean many workers face losing their jobs. Union activists will have therefore been even more shocked that when he announced […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, blacklist, bob crow, bullying, cleaners, COVID, CWU, Fast Food Rights, fbu, furlough, general strike, GMB, housing, IKEA, Job Retention Scheme, John McDonnell MP, lobby, Miners, napo, NASUWT, NEU, nhs, no cuts, nssn, Pay, pcs, pensions, poa, rmt, Strike, terms and conditions, TUC, tupe, UCU, Unite, Yorkshire
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NSSN 503: Support the strikes!

September 22, 2020 in Bulletins

This week’s NSSN bulletin shines the spotlight on the increasing number of union disputes as bosses attack jobs and pay, terms & conditions. An increasing number are using brutal ‘fire and re-hire’ methods. These actions include the indefinite strike by PCS members at Tate continues, which will next week go over 40 days. Leigh and Wigan rehab workers in Unison have started a further 10 days of strike action this week as will GMB members in Brighton & Hove Council from next Monday. The Debenhams workers in Ireland are now well over 150 days of action in their fight for […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, blacklist, bob crow, budget day, condems, coronavirus, COVID, COVID-19, CWU, fbu, general strike, GMB, housing, John McDonnell MP, lobby, Miners, NASUWT, NEU, no cuts, nssn, Pay, pcs, pensions, poa, Scotland, Strike, strikes, terms and conditions, TUC, tupe, Yorkshire
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NSSN 502: Watch Sunday’s NSSN TUC Rally

September 15, 2020 in Bulletins

The NSSN held its 11th annual pre-TUC Rally on Sunday September 13th. TUC Congress this year is truncated and is mainly online, due to restrictions because of COVID our event was also virtual. But it was an excellent meeting, with a mix of fighting union leaders and rank & file union reps and members. Watch the video of the NSSN TUC Rally here. Alongside Sarah Woolley BFAWU, Dave Ward CWU, Amy Murphy USDAW, Steve Hedley RMT and Howard Beckett Unite, we heard about many disputes, including the indefinite PCS Tate strike, the NUJ action at Bullivant in the West Midlands […]

Tags: nssn, TUC
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NSSN 501: Come to NSSN TUC Rally 1pm this Sunday Sept 13

September 8, 2020 in Bulletins

The NSSN is holding its annual pre-TUC Congress rally at 1pm this Sunday. The TUC have been forced to adapt congress because of COVID and this year, our rally will be online on Zoom and shared live on Facebook. We will be hearing from a number of union leaders and will also be holding an open mic, giving a platform to workers and reps in disputes and on the frontline to speak. NSSN Chair Rob Williams said, “TUC Congress has never been more important. Workers are fighting for our lives and livelihoods. We need workers’ control over workplaces to make […]

Tags: coronavirus, COVID, COVID-19, Debenhams, nssn, TUC
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NSSN 500th weekly bulletin: Still fighting union-busting!

September 2, 2020 in Bulletins

NSSN 500th weekly bulletin: Still fighting union-busting! Come to NSSN TUC Rally 1pm Sunday Sept 13 This week’s weekly NSSN bulletin is our 500th. It shows that we have a proud longstanding history of supporting unions taking action, going back to 2006 when the RMT rail and transport union, under the leadership of the late great Bob Crow, initiated the Network. During that time, we have built up the reputation of our weekly bulletin as a place for rank and file union members and reps to appeal for solidarity for their disputes and support other workers in struggle. But another […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Appeal, austerity, BFAWU, blacklist, budget day, bullying, cleaners, condems, CWU, Fast Food Rights, fbu, FCC, general strike, GMB, housing, IKEA, John McDonnell MP, lobby, Miners, napo, NASUWT, NEU, nhs, no cuts, nssn, One Housing Group, Pay, pcs, pensions, poa, Scotland, Strike, terms and conditions, tesco, TUC, tupe, UCU, Unite, Yorkshire
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499: Come to Online NSSN TUC Rally 1pm Sunday Sept 13

August 25, 2020 in Bulletins

NSSN TUC Rally – 1pm Sunday September 13th Facebook event The National Shop Stewards Network is holding its annual rally at the time of the TUC Congress, which because of the COVID-19 pandemic has been truncated. This year’s NSSN event will be virtual but it has never been more important given the threat to workers’ lives and their jobs and income and the fighting programme needed from the TUC and the unions. There have been countless struggles by workers to make their workplace safe. Now workers are fighting the bosses’ attacks to defend their livelihoods. Already, we’ve seen workers from […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, BFAWU, blacklist, bullying, cleaners, CWU, Fast Food Rights, fbu, general strike, GMB, John McDonnell MP, lobby, mandate, Miners, NEU, NIPSA, nssn, rmt, Tate, TUC, Unison, Unite, USDAW
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NSSN 498: Victory! Student protests force Tory A-Levels U-turn

August 18, 2020 in Bulletins

The NSSN salutes the students whose protests around the country have forced the Tory government to retreat. They were rightly furious that through no fault of their own because of the pandemic, many had their A Level results downgraded, threatening their futures. The system that was being used appeared to be to the disadvantage of students from working-class backgrounds. If necessary, university places must be found for all those who need them. But this crisis has lifted the lid on how unfair and class-ridden education is. The NSSN has always fought against tuition fees and demands that they are […]

Tags: 24 General strike, A levels, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, blacklist, bob crow, bullying, cleaners, coronavirus, COVID-19, CWU, EIS, Fast Food Rights, fbu, general strike, housing, John McDonnell MP, lobby, Miners, napo, NEU, nhs, no cuts, nssn, Pay, pcs, pensions, rmt, Scotland, Strike, Students, terms and conditions, Tories, TUC, tupe, u turn, UCU, Yorkshire
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497: PCS consultative ballot of jobcentre and UC workers

August 11, 2020 in Bulletins

We headline this week’s NSSN bulletin on PCS’s consultative industrial action ballot that will begin on August 17th. We send our full support to PCS and its members and reps in DWP. We also send our solidarity to PCS members on Merseyside, outsourced cleaners working for ISS in HMRC who are on a month-long strike as well as striking staff at Tate Commerce as well as workers at the Southbank Centre in London who are also holding a consultative ballot on redundancy pay. PCS consultative ballot of jobcentre and Universal Credit workers From PCS website (7 Aug): The government’s plans […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, ballot, BFAWU, blacklist, bullying, cleaners, CWU, DWP, Fast Food Rights, fbu, general strike, GMB, HMRC, ISS, jobcentres, John McDonnell MP, lobby, Miners, napo, NEU, nhs, no cuts, nssn, Pay, pcs, pensions, poa, rmt, Scotland, Southbank, Strike, Tate, terms and conditions, TUC, tupe, UC, UCU, Unite, Universal Credit, Yorkshire
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NSSN 496: Join the NHS Pay protests on Saturday August 8th

August 2, 2020 in Bulletins

NHS workers are on the march for a 15% pay rise that starts to close the income gap caused by a decade of pay freezes. Please join the protests that are taking place, with many on Saturday August 8th. Details of some of these can be found here in the Nurses and Midwives say NO! to Public Sector pay inequality Facebook group and on the Keep Our NHS Public website. Also visit the website of Health Campaigns Together. Please join these events. We support the call of many health workers for industrial action ballots, co-ordinated across all the health […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, BFAWU, bob crow, British Airways, budget day, bullying, cleaners, coronavirus, COVID-19, CWU, Fast Food Rights, fbu, GE, GMB, health, housing, lobby, NEU, nhs, NIPSA, nssn, Pay, ReelNews, rmt, social care, TUC, Unison, Unite, UVW, Yorkshire
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495: Victory at Sheffield Papa John’s & job cuts fight at GE & Tate

July 28, 2020 in Bulletins

NSSN 495: Victory at Sheffield Papa John’s as workers fight redundancies at GE & Tate Modern We headline this week’s bulletin with news of a great victory for workers at pizzeria Papa John’s in Sheffield after protests organised by Sheffield Needs A Pay Rise and BFAWU Bakers’ Union. We also highlight the fight by Unite and PCS at GE in Caerphilly and Tate Modern respectively. Please support these struggles. Sheffield Needs A Pay Rise & BFAWU Bakers’ Union: Workers and Community protest wage theft at Sheffield Papa John’s (25 July) – Workers and ex-workers at Papa John’s were joined […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, BFAWU, blacklist, bob crow, Builders Crack, bullying, cleaners, CWU, Fast Food Rights, fbu, GE, general strike, GMB, housing, John McDonnell MP, lobby, Miners, napo, NASUWT, NEU, no cuts, nssn, Papa John's, Pay, pcs, rmt, Scotland, Sheffield, Spirit of 45, Strike, Tate Modern, terms and conditions, TUC, tupe, Unison, Unite, Wales, Yorkshire
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494: NSSN South West meeting – 11am Saturday July 25th

July 21, 2020 in Bulletins

National Shop Stewards’ Network South West regional meeting – 11am Saturday July 25th Facebook event The National Shop Steward’s Network is an organisation bringing together rank and file trade unionists to help build our movement. We are having a regional meeting in the South West which will include discussion of the struggles for workers’ health and safety and opposition to job cuts and attacks on pay and conditions. We are meeting via Zoom – Meeting ID: 817 2876 3520. Password: 678028 Contact Tom on 07986 951 527 or [email protected] The NSSN is continuing to report on how workers are […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, BFAWU, blacklist, bob crow, budget day, bullying, cleaners, coronavirus, COVID, COVID-19, CWU, Fast Food Rights, fbu, general strike, GMB, John McDonnell MP, lobby, Miners, NEU, nhs, nssn, One Housing Group, pcs, poa, rmt, Scotland, south west, Strike, terms and conditions, TUC, UCU, Unison, Yorkshire
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493: TfL funding rally July 15 & Nissan pension fight

July 14, 2020 in Bulletins

Joint London union TfL funding rally – 6pm Wednesday, 15th of July ’20 – you can join the rally on Zoom here – https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85329026471?pwd=WW9DTkpQNGxZME5XUzkyNVFGYm42dz09 The COVID-19 pandemic has caused massive financial challenges for Transport for London. The slump in passengers numbers and suspension of fares during the height of the lockdown has sucked £600m a month from its finances, which pushed it to the brink of collapse. TfL workers should not have to pay for the coronavirus crisis! TRADE UNIONS DEMAND: > No cuts to services. A fully funded, green, integrated and accessible public transport system to deliver London’s economic […]

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NSSN 492: Support Tower Hamlets Unison strike

July 7, 2020 in Bulletins

The NSSN sends our solidarity to Unison members who are striking against attacks on their terms and conditions. Hundreds of union reps and members at our annual conference on Zoom last Saturday supported this call. It is an outrage that a Labour council is using the worst methods of private sector bosses to impose detrimental changes. We also salute the binworkers, mainly in Unite, who refused to cross picket lines. They have recently been on strike themselves against their former employer Veolia before being brought back in-house Unison have now called three further days of strike action from July 15-17 […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, blacklist, bullying, cleaners, CWU, Fast Food Rights, fbu, general strike, GMB, housing, John McDonnell MP, lobby, Miners, NEU, nhs, no cuts, nssn, pcs, Strike, terms and conditions, Tower Hamlets, TUC, tupe, Unison, Unite, Yorkshire
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NSSN 491: Organise for the fight of our lives – NSSN Conference

June 30, 2020 in Bulletins

The NSSN Conference as always, is a vital forum for trade unionists to come together to discuss our experiences during these crisis-ridden times and forge a strategy that protects our safety in the workplace and defends our jobs and income. It’s never been more important for trade union members and reps to come together to discuss the strategy we need to fight for a future that secures our safety, jobs, income and pensions. The economic and health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic is showing on a daily basis that fighting union organisation is a necessity for workers. Come and take […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, BFAWU, blacklist, bob crow, budget day, bullying, cleaners, Conference, coronavirus, COVID-19, CWU, Fast Food Rights, fbu, general strike, GMB, housing, John McDonnell MP, lobby, Miners, napo, NEU, no cuts, nssn, Pay, pcs, pensions, poa, Strike, terms and conditions, TUC, UCU, Unite, Yorkshire
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NSSN 490: Zoom in to NSSN Conference on Saturday July 4th

June 23, 2020 in Bulletins

This year’s NSSN conference is a virtual event on the Zoom platform because of restrictions due to COVID-19 The agenda will be in next week’s NSSN bulletin but it will begin with a main session at 11am, followed by a number of workshops The link to join the Zoom meeting is – https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85386731306?pwd=azRmZXExTGJJZXpMMXV3NDUvUFhwdz09 Facebook event Email [email protected] to register in advance The COVID-19 pandemic has seen workers in the UK realise the importance of the unions. Even before lockdown, an annual net increase in membership of 91,000 was reported, which while appearing modest, is a reversal of the […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, CWU, fbu, general strike, GMB, housing, lobby, Miners, napo, NEU, nhs, no cuts, nssn, NSSN Conference, pcs, pensions, poa, rmt, terms and conditions, tupe, UCU, Yorkshire
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NSSN 489: Stop the BA Betrayal!

June 16, 2020 in Bulletins

We headline this week’s NSSN bulletin with the fight by unions against the offensive by British Airways against its workers. We send our solidarity and support to these workers and the many others who are facing redundancy across the economy. The NSSN believes that workers must not pay the price for this crisis. If necessary, companies should be nationalised to save jobs and communities. Unite has launched its #BAbetrayal campaign:- British Airways is the only company proposing to fire all its 42,000 staff and re-hire those that survive on inferior terms and conditions of employment. Unite General Secretary […]

Tags: BA, Black Lives Matter, British Airways, coronavirus, COVID-19, nssn
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488: Postponed NSSN-Tamil Solidarity Zoom meeting this Saturday

June 9, 2020 in Bulletins

Tamil Solidarity and the National Shop Stewards Network have reluctantly decided to postpone our public Zoom meeting, which was due to take place this coming Saturday June 13th. We have come to this decision because a number of further Black Lives Matter anti-racism demonstrations have been called on Saturday against the killing of George Floyd in the US and we want to encourage as many people as possible to attend them One of the main themes of our proposed meeting was to highlight the vital role that trade unions can play in uniting workers from all backgrounds to oppose racism […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, cleaners, condems, coronavirus, COVID-19, CWU, general strike, George Floyd, GMB, housing, John McDonnell MP, NEU, nhs, no cuts, nssn, Orgreave, Pay, pcs, pensions, Racism, Strike, terms and conditions, UCU, Yorkshire
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487: Come to virtual NSSN Conference Saturday July 4th

June 2, 2020 in Bulletins

2020 NSSN Conference: via Zoom 11am-2pm on Saturday July 4th It’s never been more important for trade union members and reps to come together to discuss the strategy we need to fight for a future that secures our safety, jobs, income and pensions. The economic and health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic is showing on a daily basis that fighting union organisation is a necessity for workers. Come and take part in the biggest annual event that brings together rank and file union members with fighting unions alongside campaigners such as the parents who have organised with education workers […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, BFAWU, blacklist, bob crow, bullying, cleaners, Conference, coronavirus, COVID-19, CWU, Fast Food Rights, fbu, general strike, George Floyd, housing, John McDonnell MP, lobby, Miners, napo, NEU, nhs, no cuts, nssn, Pay, pcs, rmt, Strike, terms and conditions, tupe, USA, Yorkshire
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486: Defend jobs & contracts – fight bosses’ offensive

May 27, 2020 in Bulletins

This week’s NSSN bulletin highlights a new sinister stage of the Coronavirus pandemic: an increasing number of companies taking advantage of the economic paralysis to announce closures, redundancies and the threat of these to demand reductions of workers’ pay and worsening of terms and conditions. This shows the reality of so-called ‘national unity’ during COVID – bosses’ profits come before the safety and job security of workers. We support workers and their unions fighting across the economy from British Airways looking to sack 12,000 workers and force new inferior contracts on many of those who remain to the 1000 […]

Tags: British Airways, coronavirus, COVID-19, jobs, Nationalisation, nssn, P&O, Redundancies, Rolls Royce
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485: Support teachers & schools staff fighting Tory June 1 re-opening

May 19, 2020 in Bulletins

The NSSN sends our support and solidarity to education workers, their unions and an increasing number of parents as they look to resist the Tory government’s plans to move to a much wider opening of schools in England on June 1st. We believe that this reckless plan is clearly connected to Boris Johnson’s intention to lift the lockdown and get people back to work, before the government get the COVID-19 pandemic under control. They are putting bosses’ profits before the safety of workers, children and their families. At our very successful 2nd NSSN Zoom public meeting last Saturday, teachers […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, blacklist, cleaners, coronavirus, COVID-19, CWU, general strike, Miners, NASUWT, NEU, no cuts, Pay, pcs, schools, Unison
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484: NSSN public meeting – Workers’ Safety before Profit

May 12, 2020 in Bulletins

Workers are confused and angry after Boris Johnson’s announcement the Tories want to ease the COVID-19 lockdown while deaths are rising, test targets are missed and imported PPE fails to meet NHS safety standards. In fact, if many workers and their union branches hadn’t made their intention clear not to accept a wholesale ‘return to normal’ message, it is quite probable the government would have been even more reckless in their pursuit of profits for their big business friends. Workers have difficulty understanding Boris Johnson’s bumbling announcements, never mind trusting him, his government or the bosses to guarantee our […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, BFAWU, blacklist, bob crow, bullying, cleaners, coronavirus, COVID-19, CWU, Fast Food Rights, fbu, general strike, GMB, housing, lobby, Miners, napo, NEU, nhs, no cuts, nssn, Pay, pensions, rmt, Scotland, terms and conditions, TUC, tupe
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NSSN 483: CWU force Royal Mail bosses back

May 5, 2020 in Bulletins

The NSSN sends solidarity to the CWU and its members in Royal Mail. Just after our weekly bulletin went out last Tuesday, postal service management notified workers that the Saturday letter delivery would be temporarily stopped. The CWU immediately warned members that this move, coming with no consultation with the union, could become permanent and threaten some 20,000 jobs. The CWU immediately mobilised members in opposition to this decision, calling a series of postal executives, Facebook Live and workplace report backs. They had the option on the table of naming dates of strike action, invoking the mandate of their […]

Tags: coronavirus, COVID-19, CWU, nssn, Royal Mail
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NSSN 482: Make this May Day a red flag day for workers’ safety

April 28, 2020 in Bulletins

The NSSN believes that the message of May Day as the international day of workers’ struggle is emphasised more than ever this year, during the coronavirus pandemic. As the government and big business look to lift the lockdown, it is vital that the labour and trade union movement draws on the history of May Day of collective workers’ struggle as the most powerful means of ensuring that our workplaces are safe places of work. That is why we are supporting the call by a number of trade unionists that we make May 1st this Friday a ‘red flag day’, where […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, austerity, blacklist, bob crow, budget day, bullying, cleaners, CWU, Fast Food Rights, fbu, general strike, GMB, housing, IWMD, John McDonnell MP, lobby, May Day, Miners, napo, NEU, nhs, no cuts, nssn, Pay, pensions, poa, rmt, Scotland, Strike, terms and conditions, TUC, tupe, UCU, Unison, Unite
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481: Join NSSN Zoom public meeting & IWMD April 28

April 21, 2020 in Bulletins

Join the NSSN public Zoom meeting to share experiences of how workers are fighting for PPE in the NHS and care system, posties are walking out to make Royal Mail management adhere to agreed safety practices and how London bus drivers sealed the front doors in response to the tragic deaths of their workmates. 3pm Sunday April 26th Facebook event – NSSN public meeting: workers fighting for safety during Covid-19 The meeting will also be discussing how we build for what is looks like becoming a global day of protest and action on the annual International Workers Memorial Day, this year […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, austerity, blacklist, bob crow, bullying, cleaners, condems, coronavirus, COVID-19, CWU, Fast Food Rights, fbu, general strike, GMB, John McDonnell MP, lobby, napo, NEU, nhs, no cuts, nssn, pcs, pensions, poa, UCU, Unite, Yorkshire
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NSSN 480: Clap for workers’ safety and rights this Thursday

April 15, 2020 in Bulletins

NSSN supporters will be taking part as usual in the weekly #ClapForOurCarers at 8pm this Thursday to salute all those emergency and key workers caring and providing essential services for us at this time during the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. But it’s clear from the many reports, including in our weekly bulletins, that workers’ anger and frustration is increasing on a whole range of issues that affect our health and safety as well as jobs and income. This has been brought home by the tragic deaths of frontline workers, including in the NHS and care sector and public transport. As […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, BFAWU, blacklist, bob crow, bullying, cleaners, coronavirus, COVID-19, CWU, Fast Food Rights, fbu, general strike, GMB, housing, lobby, Miners, napo, NEU, nhs, no cuts, nssn, Pay, pcs, pensions, poa, rmt, Strike, terms and conditions, TUC, tupe, UCU, Unite, Yorkshire
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479: Hull workers force bosses to shut down site over COVID-19

April 7, 2020 in Bulletins

The NSSN is continuing to report on how workers are organising during the coronavirus pandemic. The NSSN is opening up our weekly email bulletin, website and social media platforms of Facebook and twitter to provide a public forum for workers during the Coronavirus/COVID-19 crisis. We want to be a place where we can all share queries and experiences that workers are facing in their workplaces. These include reports of action taken by workers to defend themselves from their employers. You can read about many of these actions in our weekly bulletin and out social media groups, especially our Facebook group: […]

Tags: coronavirus, COVID-19, Hull, nssn
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478: Workers organise & fight bosses’ attacks during Coronavirus

March 31, 2020 in Bulletins

As the Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic continues, workers are fighting to defend their health & safety, their employment and income. Reports are coming through to us of action, mostly unofficial, that workers are taking. We will publish this in our weekly website and social media platforms. This includes our new Facebook group: NSSN – defend workers’ rights under Coronavirus, which as it is private, workers may understandably feel more comfortable to post there. We’ve also made a brief video from NSSN Chair Rob Williams to give an update on how workers are organising during the current crisis. Join the weekly #ClapForOurCarers […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, BFAWU, blacklist, bob crow, coronavirus, COVID-19, CWU, Fast Food Rights, fbu, general strike, GMB, housing, Miners, napo, nhs, no cuts, nssn, Pay, pensions, poa, rmt, Strike, TUC, UCU, Unison, Unite
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477: Join NSSN forum to defend workers’ rights under Covid-19

March 24, 2020 in Bulletins

The NSSN is opening up our weekly email bulletin, website and social media platforms of Facebook and twitter to provide a public forum for workers during the Coronavirus/COVID-19 crisis. We want to be a place where we can all share queries and experiences that workers are facing in their workplaces. These include reports of action taken by workers to defend themselves from their employers. Join our new Facebook group: NSSN – defend workers’ rights under Coronavirus You can also send the NSSN your reports and queries via our website, twitter – @NSSN_AntiCuts and email – [email protected] We welcome the information […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, BFAWU, blacklist, bob crow, budget day, bullying, cleaners, coronavirus, COVID-19, CWU, Fast Food Rights, fbu, general strike, GMB, housing, John McDonnell MP, lobby, Miners, napo, NEU, nhs, no cuts, nssn, Pay, pcs, pensions, poa, rmt, Scotland, Strike, terms and conditions, TUC, UCU, Unite, Yorkshire
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NSSN 476: Fight victimisation of union reps

March 16, 2020 in Bulletins

Since the new year, a whole number of union reps and members have been sacked, suspended or disciplined. This is becoming a pattern. So much for ‘all being in this together’ during the coronavirus pandemic”. This comes on the back of the Tories’ planned new anti-union laws. The NSSN will continue to highlight every such case and build support and solidarity so that these workers and others get their jobs back. Please send a message of support to those being attacked and invite them to your union branch and trades council. Keep letting us know about any other acts of […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, aslef, austerity, BFAWU, blacklist, bullying, cleaners, coronavirus, COVID-19, EIS, Fast Food Rights, general strike, housing, lobby, mandate, Miners, napo, NEU, nhs, no cuts, nssn, NUT, Pay, pcs, pensions, pickets, poa, Shrewsbury 24, terms and conditions, TUC, tupe, UCU, Unison, Victimisation, Yorkshire
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NSSN 475: Protest against the Tories on Budget Day

March 10, 2020 in Bulletins

Budget Day events March 11th This coming Wednesday, new Chancellor Rishi Sunak will deliver Boris Johnson’s Tory budget. Such is the crises affecting the government, up until a few weeks ago, they weren’t certain if the budget would go ahead on March 11th after Sajid Javid’s resignation. This is an opportunity to protest against continuing Tory austerity and their planned new anti-union laws, and continue building the campaign against them. Join the PCS Budget Day Downing Street protest (5 Mar) – PCS members are urged to join general secretary Mark Serwotka at our Budget Day protest outside 10 Downing Street […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, BFAWU, blacklist, budget, budget day, bullying, cleaners, coronavirus, CWU, Fast Food Rights, fbu, general strike, GMB, lobby, NEU, nhs, no cuts, nssn, NUT, Pay, pcs, pensions, poa, rmt, Scotland, Strike, terms and conditions, TUC, tupe, Unite, Yorkshire
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NSSN 474: Workers shouldn’t pay the price for Coronavirus

March 3, 2020 in Bulletins

The NSSN welcomes the information being sent to union members concerning the spread of coronavirus, including from the TUC, Unison, Prospect, Unite, RMT and the GMB. We believe that it is essential that workers are protected during this worrying period and are not impacted, whether in terms of their safety as well as their pay and employment rights. We have drafted this model motion. Feel free to use in your union and trades council, in totality or partially to highlight the issues that need to be addressed:- This union organisation/conference notes with great concern the spread of coronavirus, […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, budget day, bullying, cleaners, coronavirus, CWU, Fast Food Rights, fbu, lobby, napo, NASUWT, NEU, nhs, no cuts, nssn, Pay, poa, rmt, Scotland, Strike, terms and conditions, TUC, UCU, Unison, Unite, Yorkshire
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NSSN 473: Support the strike wave!

February 25, 2020 in Bulletins

In the last fortnight, the NSSN has held two impressive rallies in Coventry and London to ‘Fight the new Tory anti-union laws! Support the strikes’. In both meetings, we have given a platform to workers and union reps currently taking action. It is clear from the number who have spoken that there is a strike wave taking place. Some of it is localised but there are also national action, such as in universities, 6th form colleges and of course, the impending re-ballot by the CWU in Royal Mail. Many of these disputes are winning victories. The NSSN will continue […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, BFAWU, blacklist, bob crow, bullying, cleaners, CWU, Fast Food Rights, fbu, general strike, GMB, housing, John McDonnell MP, lobby, Midlands NSSN, Miners, napo, NEU, nhs, no cuts, nssn, NUT, Pay, pcs, pensions, rmt, terms and conditions, TUC, tupe, Unite, Yorkshire
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NSSN 472: NSSN rallies against the Tory anti-union laws!

February 17, 2020 in Bulletins

NSSN supporters in Coventry organised a successful public meeting last week to ‘Fight the new Tory anti-union laws! Support the strikes’. Speakers included RMT NEC member Jared Wood and reps from the CWU and FBU, alongside Clive Walder, a Unite rep at National Express who has been dismissed (see details below). The NSSN is calling for the TUC and the unions to call a national Saturday demonstration in London to mobilise workers against the Tories and their planned laws. No union should be left to fight alone. The NSSN is organising more of these events and supporting those organised […]

Tags: nssn
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NSSN 471: Support the UCU HE strikes!

February 11, 2020 in Bulletins

UCU announces 14 strike days at 74 UK universities in February and March – Seventy-four UK universities will be hit with 14 days of strike action in February and March, UCU announced today. The action will start on Thursday 20 February and escalate each week, culminating with a week-long walkout from Monday 9 to Friday 13 March. The disputes centre on the sustainability of the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) and rising costs for members, and on universities’ failure to make significant improvements on pay, equality, casualisation and workloads The full strike dates are: Week one – Thursday 20 & Friday 21 […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, blacklist, cleaners, condems, CWU, Fast Food Rights, fbu, general strike, HE, Heart Unions, housing, John McDonnell MP, lobby, Miners, napo, nhs, no cuts, nssn, Pay, pcs, poa, rmt, Strike, terms and conditions, tupe, UCU, Yorkshire
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NSSN 470: Victories show that workers can win!

February 4, 2020 in Bulletins

We headline this week’s NSSN bulletin with the tremendous news of victories for workers taking action. Unite members in Bromley libraries have finally resolved their eight-month long dispute. They have been on indefinite strike action since November. Unite members also forced back attacks from management in Newham and Ealing. We send congratulations and solidarity to all these Unite members, as well as those outsourced workers at St Mary’s hospital in West London who are being taken back in-house after a three month dispute with the United Voices of the World union. These wins show what is possible when unions take […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, BFAWU, bob crow, Bromley, bullying, cleaners, Ealing, general strike, housing, lobby, Miners, NEU, Newham, nssn, pcs, pensions, rmt, St Marys, Strike, strikes, terms and conditions, TUC, tupe, UCU, Yorkshire
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NSSN 469: Support PCS strike to Save Ealing Tax Office

January 28, 2020 in Bulletins

We headline this week’s NSSN bulletin with the continuing action by PCS members in HMRC to stop the closure of Ealing Tax Office to defend jobs. This week, members are on strike over 3 days. Please give your support. PCS: Bring your banner to support Ealing strikers (27 Jan) – We’re urging trade union members, supporters and campaigners to come to Ealing on Thursday (30) to show solidarity with our striking HMRC members by bringing their banners for a rally. Our members, who work at International House in Ealing, are facing huge uncertainty as HMRC plans to close their office. […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, blacklist, bullying, Ealing Tax Office, Fast Food Rights, fbu, general strike, GMB, housing, John McDonnell MP, lobby, Miners, NEU, nhs, no cuts, nssn, Pay, pcs, terms and conditions, TUC, tupe, Turkey, UCU, Unite, Yorkshire
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468: Support the CWU & the posties as union re-ballots in Royal Mail

January 21, 2020 in Bulletins

The NSSN sends solidarity to the CWU as they move to re-ballot members in Royal Mail. As readers of this bulletin will know, the union overwhelmingly smashed the undemocratic voting thresholds in the Tory anti-union laws in their national strike ballot last October – a 97% vote for action in on a 76% turnout. Scandalously however, one unelected High Court judge dismissed the ballot and the action, planned for during the general election and the busiest time of the year for the company. Now after attempts by the union to resolve the dispute, they feel no option but to again […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, cleaners, CWU, Fast Food Rights, fbu, hovis, John McDonnell MP, Miners, napo, NASUWT, NEU, nhs, no cuts, nssn, pcs, Royal Mail, Scotland, Strike, terms and conditions, TUC, tupe, UCU, Unison, Yorkshire
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NSSN 467: New year opens with workers’ victories

January 14, 2020 in Bulletins

The NSSN is delighted to report that just two weeks into 2020, there have been significant victories in a number of disputes. We look forward to many more during the rest of the year. Please give support and solidarity to all the other workers and their unions taking action, the details of which you can find every week in this bulletin. This week, we headline with three – by Unite in Hackney, United Voices of the World in Greenwich and GMB in Sandwell. Unite: Hackney school bus staff dispute ends with pay and agency worker win (8 Jan) – A […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, austerity, blacklist, bullying, cleaners, CWU, Fast Food Rights, fbu, France, general strike, GMB, Hackney, Miners, napo, NASUWT, NEU, no cuts, nssn, NUT, Pay, pcs, pensions, poa, RCN, rmt, SEND, TUC, tupe, United Voices of the World, Yorkshire
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NSSN 466: Donate to the RMT strike fund on SWR

January 7, 2020 in Bulletins

The NSSN sends our New Year greetings to all our supporters and affiliates and commit ourselves to continue to support workers taking action and unions under attack. We are therefore proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with the RMT, who along with the other rail and transport unions are being targeted by the Tories with even more anti-union legislation – effectively a ‘scab’s charter’. On December 19th, we stood with the RMT on Parliament Square in a rally against the laws proposed in that day’s Queens Speech. RMT general secretary Mick Cash warned Boris Johnson that this protest was the […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, BFAWU, blacklist, bob crow, bullying, cleaners, CWU, Fast Food Rights, fbu, general strike, GMB, housing, John McDonnell MP, lobby, Miners, napo, NASUWT, NEU, nhs, no cuts, nssn, NUT, Pay, pcs, pensions, poa, rmt, Scotland, Strike, SWR, terms and conditions, TUC, tupe, UCU, Unison, Unite, Yorkshire
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NSSN 465: Fight the new Tory anti-union laws!

December 17, 2019 in Bulletins

The General Election has seen Boris Johnson win a majority. But the NSSN calls on the whole trade union movement to prepare for the fight ahead against his Tory government. Despite his populism, this is no worker-friendly government. As usual, the Tories will continue to serve the interests of big business. Even during the election, we saw Johnson stand with the Establishment High Court judge who ruled out the CWU’s Royal Mail national strike ballot despite a massive 97% yes vote on a 76% turnout. Now, Johnson has announced plans to introduce yet more anti-union laws, specifically targeting rail […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, anti-union laws, Appeal, BFAWU, blacklist, bob crow, cleaners, Fast Food Rights, fbu, General Election, general strike, GMB, John McDonnell MP, lobby, Miners, napo, NEU, nhs, nssn, Pay, pensions, poa, rmt, Strike, terms and conditions, Tories, Tory, TUC, tupe, Unison, Yorkshire
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464: Tories out! Support Corbyn’s pro-worker programme!

December 10, 2019 in Bulletins

The NSSN have been campaigning to get the Tories out in the general election. It was the main theme of both our annual conference in July and TUC Rally in September. Even during the election, we’ve seen the CWU’s Royal Mail national strike ballot ruled out in the courts despite a massive 97% yes vote on a 76% turnout. Now, Boris Johnson has announced plans to introduce yet more anti-union laws, specifically targeting rail unions. We are an organisation of rank and file trade unionists supported by ten national unions. We’re not affiliated to any political party but Jeremy […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, BFAWU, blacklist, Boris Johnson, bullying, cleaners, condems, CWU, Fast Food Rights, fbu, General Election, general strike, GMB, housing, Jeremy Corbyn, John McDonnell, John McDonnell MP, lobby, Miners, napo, NASUWT, NEU, nhs, no cuts, nssn, Pay, pensions, poa, rmt, Royal Mail, Tayside, terms and conditions, Tories, UCU, Yorkshire
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NSSN 463: RMT strikes to Keep The Guard On The Train

December 3, 2019 in Bulletins

We headline this week’s NSSN bulletin with two strikes by RMT members to maintain the safety critical role of the guard – On West Midlands Trains and South Western Railway. The RMT has fought this attack over the last few years on a whole number of train companies. The NSSN gives the union and its members our full support. It won’t be lost on RMT members that the Tories have announced their plan to introduce new anti-union legislation, specifically for the rail industry, if elected. At the same time, Jeremy Corbyn has promised to repeal Tory anti-union laws, including […]

Tags: General Election, rmt, South Western Railway, Trump, West Midlands Trains
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NSSN 462: Stop Boris Johnson’s new Tory anti-union laws!

November 27, 2019 in Bulletins

The Tories have revealed their General Election manifesto and despite Boris Johnson’s populism, it serves the interests of Big Business. This is shown particularly with the planned introduction of even more Tory anti-union laws, on the back of that of Thatcher, Major and Cameron. They say, “We will require that a minimum service operates during transport strikes. Rail workers deserve a fair deal, but it is not fair to let the trade unions undermine the livelihoods of others.” This is a scabs charter. Mick Cash, RMT general secretary, said: “Banning strikes is the hallmark of the right-wing junta, not a […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, BFAWU, blacklist, bob crow, bullying, cleaners, CWU, Fast Food Rights, fbu, General Election, general strike, GMB, housing, Jeremy Corbyn, John McDonnell MP, labour, lobby, Miners, napo, NEU, nhs, no cuts, nssn, Pay, pcs, poa, rmt, Royal Mail, Scotland, Strike, terms and conditions, Tories, Trump, TUC, tupe, UCU, Unite, Yorkshire
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NSSN 461: Support the 8-day UCU HE pay and pension strike

November 21, 2019 in Bulletins

In this week’s NSSN bulletin, we headline with the 8-day strike by members of the UCU union in higher education. The NSSN gives our full support and solidarity. We remember the incredible 14-day action taken by over 40,000 academic staff at 64 universities to defend their pension from attack by the employers. UCU members are striking again UCU: UCU announces eight days of strikes starting this month at 60 universities – Sixty UK universities will be hit with eight days of strike action from Monday 25 November to Wednesday 4 December, UCU announced today (November 5). Last week UCU members […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, BFAWU, blacklist, bob crow, bullying, cleaners, CWU, Fast Food Rights, General Election, HE, housing, Jeremy Corbyn, John McDonnell MP, Miners, napo, nhs, NUT, Pay, pcs, pensions, poa, rmt, Royal Mail, Scotland, Strike, terms and conditions, TUC, tupe, UCU, Unison, uss, Yorkshire
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NSSN 460: Solidarity with the CWU – defend the right to strike!

November 13, 2019 in Bulletins

This week’s NSSN bulletin comes out just after the High Court judgement that has ruled against the CWU and its members in Royal Mail. The NSSN gives our total support and solidarity to the CWU and the postal workers. The NSSN national chair Rob Williams said: “This is an absolute disgrace! The CWU smashed the undemocratic voting thresholds in the Tory anti-union laws – 97% yes vote on a 76% turnout. Yet an establishment judge declares it void, so that an official strike couldn’t take place in the run-up to Christmas, the busiest time of the year for Royal Mail […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, BFAWU, blacklist, bob crow, Bromley, bullying, CWU, Fast Food Rights, fbu, General Election, general strike, GMB, housing, Jeremy Corbyn, labour, lobby, McDonald's, Miners, napo, NEU, nhs, no cuts, nssn, Pay, pcs, pensions, poa, rmt, Royal Mail, Strike, Tayside, terms and conditions, Tories, TUC, UCU, Unison, Unite
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459: Tories out – support Corbyn’s pro-worker programme!

November 5, 2019 in Bulletins

Finally, the general election has been called – for December 12th. As our supporters know, we have been campaigning for the TUC and the unions to mobilise for this – in order to get rid of the Tories. It was the main theme of both our annual conference in July and TUC Rally in September. As with the one two years ago, there is a clear choice in this election. The NSSN is an organisation of rank and file trade unionists. We aren’t affiliated to any political party but Jeremy Corbyn’s pro-workers policies that include the following would be […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, BFAWU, blacklist, bob crow, bullying, cleaners, CWU, Fast Food Rights, fbu, General Election, general strike, GMB, housing, Jeremy Corbyn, John McDonnell MP, lobby, McDonald's, Miners, napo, NEU, nhs, no cuts, nssn, Pay, pcs, pensions, poa, rmt, Royal Mail, Scotland, Strike, terms and conditions, Tories, TUC, tupe, UCU, Unison, Unite, Yorkshire
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458: BFAWU Nov12 McStrikes & UVW ‘autumn of discontent’

October 29, 2019 in Bulletins

This week’s NSSN bulletin headlines with two co-ordinated strikes by low-paid workers. This Thursday October 28th, hundreds of outsourced mainly migrant workers in the United Voices of the World union (UVW), will strike together over five different employers – Royal Parks, University of Greenwich, St Mary’s Hospital, Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and 200 Gray’s Inn Road, the headquarters of ITV and Channel 4. This is part of a series of strikes in these locations. The UVW also have ongoing industrial action ballots at two others: the. UVW is also balloting members at St. George’s University and University of East […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, BFAWU, blacklist, bob crow, bullying, cleaners, CWU, Fast Food Rights, fbu, general strike, housing, John McDonnell MP, McDonald's, Miners, NASUWT, NEU, nhs, no cuts, nssn, Outsourcing, Pay, pcs, pensions, rmt, Strike, terms and conditions, tupe, UCU, Unison, Unite, United Voices of the World, UVW, Yorkshire
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NSSN 457: PCS wins again in BEIS!

October 22, 2019 in Bulletins

The NSSN sends congratulations to PCS and its outsourced members in BEIS who have won another victory. Weeks ago, it was workers in Aramark and now those working for ISS have won. We echo PCS’s call for all outsourced workers to be brought back in-house. PCS: ISS staff win London Living Wage at BEIS after months of indefinite strike action (21 Oct) – ISS staff working at BEIS have won “gold standard” terms and conditions, including the London Living Wage after 3 months of indefinite strike action. PCS members employed by outsourcing contractor ISS at BEIS have won the […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, BEIS, blacklist, Bromley, cleaners, CWU, Fast Food Rights, fbu, general strike, housing, ISS, libraries, lobby, Miners, napo, NEU, nssn, pcs, pensions, poa, rmt, Royal Mail, Strike, terms and conditions, TUC, tupe, UCU, Yorkshire
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NSSN 456: Support the postal workers after massive strike vote!

October 15, 2019 in Bulletins

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 […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, ASDA, austerity, BFAWU, blacklist, bob crow, bullying, CWU, Fast Food Rights, GMB, NEU, nssn, NUJ, Parcelforce, pcs, Prospect, Royal Mail, Strike, Unison, Unite, USDAW, Yorkshire
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NSSN 455: Victories at Harland & Wolff, Hull and BEIS

October 7, 2019 in Bulletins

The NSSN sends our congratulations and solidarity to workers in three important disputes who last week secured welcome victories as a result of taking action. After 9 weeks of occupation, shipyard workers in Unite and GMB at Harland & Wolff in Belfast have seen a new owner take over the business. At the same time, construction workers at the wood chip processing plant at Saltend Chemicals Park in Hull walked out for a week against the blacklisting of GMB and Unite shop stewards. We also salute the win by catering workers, working for Aramark at BEIS who have finally won […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, BALPA, BEIS, blacklist, cleaners, CWU, Fast Food Rights, fbu, general strike, Harland and Wolff, housing, Hull, John McDonnell MP, napo, NEU, nhs, no cuts, nssn, NUT, Pay, poa, rmt, Royal Mail, Saltend, Scotland, Strike, terms and conditions, Thomas Cook, Tony Mulhearn, TSSA, TUC, tupe, UCU, Unite, Yorkshire
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454: Demonstrate against Tories in Manchester

September 24, 2019 in Bulletins

The NSSN is supporting the demonstration this Sunday in Manchester against the Tories at their conference. The ruling of the Supreme Court against Boris Johnson’s suspension of Parliament shows how weak and divided the Establishment is. The labour and trade union movement should step up the fight for a general election. The TUC should now name the date for a mass demonstration to demand an election to get all the Tories out. For a Jeremy Corbyn-led Labour government on a pro-worker, anti-austerity manifesto. Sunday September 29 End Austerity Now! Protest the Tory Party Conference 12pm Oxford Road, Manchester, M1 […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, BFAWU, blacklist, bob crow, Boris Johnson, bullying, cleaners, condems, Conference, CWU, Fast Food Rights, fbu, general strike, GMB, housing, lobby, Miners, napo, NEU, nhs, no cuts, nssn, NUT, Pay, pcs, pensions, poa, prorogation, rmt, Scotland, Strike, terms and conditions, Tories, Tory Party, tupe, UCU, Unison, Unite, Yorkshire
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NSSN 453: Support the September 20th Climate Strikes

September 17, 2019 in Bulletins

The NSSN is supporting this Friday’s Earth Strike against climate change. We are calling on unions to support action that many school and college students will be taking around the country (protest details here). We echo the call by education unions that students should not be disciplined for protesting. Last week’s TUC Congress voted to support the call, made initially by UCU for trade unionists to take part in 30 minute protests on the day. We made this issue a major part of our rally at the TUC Congress on September 8th, alongside fighting for a general election and supporting […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, austerity, bullying, cleaners, Climate change, CWU, Earth Strike, Fast Food Rights, fbu, GMB, housing, John McDonnell MP, lobby, Miners, napo, NEU, nhs, no cuts, nssn, Pay, pcs, terms and conditions, TUC, tupe, UCU, Unison, Yorkshire
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452: NSSN TUC Rally says: “general election to get Tories out!”

September 12, 2019 in Bulletins

For the 10th successive year, hundreds of TUC Congress delegates, union members and anti-cuts campaigners along with climate change activists attended the National Shop Stewards Network rally in Brighton before the start of TUC Congress. The main issue was the need for a general election to replace Boris Johnson’s Tory government with one led by Jeremy Corbyn and the policies for workers’ rights that he outlined in his speech at the TUC. The main speakers were Dave Ward CWU General Secretary, Howard Beckett Unite Assistant General Secretary, Amy Murphy USDAW President, Ronnie Draper BFAWU General Secretary, Mick Cash RMT […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, bob crow, bullying, CWU, Fast Food Rights, fbu, General Election, general strike, housing, Jeremy Corbyn, labour, lobby, Miners, napo, NEU, nhs, no cuts, nssn, Pay, pensions, poa, rmt, Scotland, Strike, TUC, tupe, Unite, Yorkshire
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451: NSSN TUC Rally Sunday Sept 8th – fight for general election

September 3, 2019 in Bulletins

From Rob Williams NSSN Chair:- “TUC Congress really is taking place at a critical time. The day after it starts, Boris Johnson’s intended suspension of Parliament begins. This undemocratic manoeuvre is clearly to limit time to debate an alternative to a no-deal Brexit. The labour and trade union movement must put its stamp on these crucial events, otherwise we risk whole sections of workers being won over to this Tory false prophet. For the 10th year, the National Shop Stewards Network is holding a rally at TUC Congress. We will be calling on the TUC and the unions to […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, blacklist, Boris Johnson, Brexit, bullying, CWU, Fast Food Rights, fbu, general strike, GMB, housing, Jeremy Corbyn, John McDonnell MP, labour, lobby, Miners, napo, NEU, nhs, no cuts, nssn, NUT, Pay, pcs, pensions, rmt, Scotland, Strike, terms and conditions, Tories, TUC, tupe, Unison, Unite, Yorkshire
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450: CWU Royal Mail strike ballot & Unison Bradford NHS victory

August 28, 2019 in Bulletins

This week’s NSSN bulletin starts with the news that the CWU, one of our oldest affiliated unions, has launched a national strike ballot in Royal Mail. The NSSN will give them our full support and solidarity. The CWU General Secretary Dave Ward will be speaking at the NSSN TUC Rally in Brighton on Sunday September 8th. This is from Gary Clark, secretary of CWU Scotland No.2 branch who was at the union’s national reps meeting last week:- “Over the last 2 days, the CWU have held briefings around the national situation. These where held firstly with the Parcelforce reps […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, BEIS, blacklist, Bradford, Bromley, CWU, general strike, GMB, Harland and Wolff, John McDonnell MP, libraries, lobby, Miners, NEU, nhs, no cuts, nssn, NSSN TUC, Pay, pcs, poa, Royal Mail, Scotland, Strike, terms and conditions, TUC, tupe, Unison, Yorkshire
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NSSN 449: Support indefinite Bradford NHS strike

August 20, 2019 in Bulletins

We headline this week’s NSSN bulletin with the Unison strike by NHS workers in Bradford. As one of our Yorkshire NSSN supporters says:- “The escalation of the strike at Bradford Teaching Hospitals Trust to all-out strike action from August 26th marks a significant intensification by Unison union members in estates and facilities at the trust. They are fighting to defeat the proposed transfer of their jobs out of the NHS and into a ‘wholly owned subsidiary’ – a private company owned by the trust. The NSSN continues to fully support their action after 3 weeks of strikes which has […]

Tags: BEIS, Bradford, Bromley, Harland and Wolff, library, nhs, nssn, TUC
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448: Come to 2019 NSSN TUC Rally Brighton Sun Sept 8

August 12, 2019 in Bulletins

Boris out! Fight together for a General Election to get all the Tories out Support the strikes Why unions should support the September 20th climate strike This year’s TUC Congress in Brighton takes place in the aftermath of the Tory leadership contest. It’s already clear that Boris Johnson will act in the interests of big business not workers and their families. We need to mobilise for a general election that can oust this weak and divided government. Workers are showing on a daily basis in the increasing number of disputes that they are prepared to fight, particularly if a lead […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, BALPA, BEIS, BFAWU, Bradford, Bromley, bullying, cleaners, Fast Food Rights, fbu, general strike, GMB, Harland and Wolff, housing, John McDonnell MP, library, lobby, Miners, napo, NEU, nhs, no cuts, nssn, pensions, Peterloo, poa, Rally, rmt, Scotland, terms and conditions, TUC, tupe, UCU, Unison, Unite, Yorkshire
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447: Support Harland & Wolff occupation – renationalise!

July 30, 2019 in Bulletins

We headline this week’s bulletin by giving our full solidarity and support to the workers in the Harland & Wolff shipyard in Belfast, in Unite and the GMB, who have gone into occupation to fight to secure their future. We support their call to re-nationalise the shipyard to save jobs. 10 years ago, Belfast Visteon workers occupied their plant when the company went into administration. They fought for their jobs alongside their brothers and sisters in Enfield and Basildon but won enhanced redundancy when facing mere statutory terms. In 1971, workers in Upper Clydeside Shipbuilders in Glasgow undertook a working […]

Tags: #SaveOurShipyard, 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, BALPA, Belfast, BFAWU, blacklist, bob crow, cleaners, CWU, Fast Food Rights, general strike, GMB, Harland and Wolff, John McDonnell MP, Miners, NEU, nssn, NUT, Pay, pcs, pensions, poa, rmt, Strike, terms and conditions, TUC, tupe, UCU, Unison, Unite, Yorkshire
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NSSN 446: Support NIPSA civil servants’ July 26 pay strike

July 16, 2019 in Bulletins

This week, the NSSN headline our bulletin with the impending civil service strike by the biggest union in Northern Ireland NIPSA (Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance). You can follow news about the action on the union’s website This statement is from Carmel Gates – NIPSA Deputy General Secretary:- “Up to 20,000 civil servants across Northern Ireland are set to strike on Friday 26th July. NIPSA achieved a magnificent 68.5% YES vote in favour of strike action which was particularly significant because we were forced to ballot within a 3 week window before the summer leave season. The strike has been […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, austerity, civil service, cleaners, general strike, housing, Ireland, Miners, NEU, NIPSA, Northern Ireland, nssn, Strike, terms and conditions, TUC, USDAW, Yorkshire
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NSSN 445: NSSN Conference shows the mood for struggle

July 10, 2019 in Bulletins

Hundreds of union reps and members attended the 2019 National Shop Stewards Network last Saturday in London to discuss defending jobs, fighting for a pay rise and stopping the cuts. Throughout the day, in the main sessions and workshops, the increasing number of strikes and disputes were reported, in many cases by strikers themselves. Many talked about how we must fight for a General Election to kick out the Tories, whoever wins the leadership contest. Conference reserved a special welcome for Lyn Marie O’Hara, one of Glasgow Unison’s historic and victorious equal pay strikers. She spoke alongside Mick Cash RMT […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, BEIS, blacklist, bullying, cleaners, Conference, FCO, housing, John McDonnell MP, lobby, Miners, Nigeria, nssn, Pay, pcs, pensions, poa, rmt, Strike, terms and conditions, TUC, tupe, Unison, Unite, USDAW, Yorkshire
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NSSN 444: Come to NSSN Conference this Saturday July 6th

July 3, 2019 in Bulletins

‘May’s gone – now get rid of ALL the Tories!’ ‘Support the Strikes!’ Come to 2019 NSSN Conference in London on Saturday July 6th 11am-4.30pm Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL – confirmed speakers: Mick Cash RMT General Secretary, Dave Ward CWU General Secretary, Sharon Graham Unite Executive Officer, Ronnie Draper BFAWU General Secretary and Amy Murphy USDAW President, Lyn Marie O’Hara Glasgow Unison Equal Pay striker and Paddy Brennan Honda Unite Convenor This year’s National Shop Stewards Network Conference takes place as the Tory crisis reaches a new stage with the resignation of Theresa May. But […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, austerity, blacklist, bob crow, Bridgend, cleaners, climate, Conference, CWU, Fast Food Rights, fbu, Ford, general strike, housing, napo, NEU, nhs, no cuts, nssn, Pay, pcs, poa, rmt, Scotland, terms and conditions, Unite, Wales
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NSSN 443: Support the strikes – come to NSSN Conference July 6th

June 27, 2019 in Bulletins

This year’s NSSN Conference takes place at a time of rising workers’ struggle. A whole number of industrial disputes have been breaking out. Increasingly, many of these are resulting in victories. NSSN supporters have been getting down to the picket lines to give solidarity as well as calling for support and financial assistance in union branches and trades councils. You can keep in touch with many of these disputes in our weekly bulletins. But you can also find out in person by attending our annual conference in London on July 6th, when reps and workers from some of these […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, Bridgend, cleaners, Conference, CWU, Fast Food Rights, fbu, Ford, Miners, napo, NEU, nhs, no cuts, nssn, One Housing Group, Pay, poa, rmt, terms and conditions, TUC, tupe, UCU, Unison, Unite, Yorkshire
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442: June 24 NSSN Solidarity Meeting: Save Ford Bridgend

June 20, 2019 in Bulletins

Last week, we headlined our bulletin with the news that Ford intend to close the Bridgend Engine Plant. This would be a disaster for the 1700 workers in the plant and many others in the supply chain and related industries, as well as the working-class communities in South Wales will be affected. The NSSN gives our full support and solidarity to the Ford workers and their unions Unite and the GMB. We are holding a public meeting this coming Monday in Bridgend in solidarity with the Ford workers. NSSN chair Rob Williams, a former convenor at the now closed Swansea […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, BFAWU, blacklist, bob crow, Bridgend, bullying, cleaners, CWU, Fast Food Rights, fbu, Ford, housing, John McDonnell MP, napo, NEU, no cuts, NUT, Pay, pcs, Strike, terms and conditions, TUC, tupe, UCU, Unison, Unite
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NSSN 441: Stop the closure of Ford Bridgend

June 7, 2019 in Bulletins

This week, we headline our bulletin with the horrendous news that Ford intend to close the Bridgend engine Plant. This would mean that over 1700 workers in the plant and many others in the supply chain and related industries are directly affected. But in addition, working-class communities in South Wales will be affected. The NSSN gives our full support and solidarity to the Ford workers and their unions. NSSN chair Rob Williams, a former convenor at the now closed Swansea plant said, “This is a catastrophe for these workers, their families and communities and the whole Welsh economy. It comes […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, BFAWU, blacklist, bob crow, Bridgend, bullying, cleaners, Fast Food Rights, fbu, Ford, lobby, NEU, nhs, rmt, terms and conditions, TUC, tupe, Unite, Yorkshire
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NSSN 440: RMT SWR strike back on over guard guarantee

June 5, 2019 in Bulletins

RMT announces five days of strike action on SWR (30 May) – RAIL UNION RMT today announced five days of strike action on South Western Railway – accusing the company of dragging their heels in protracted talks over the guard guarantee after the union suspended action back in February in good faith based on written assurances over the rolling out of driver only operation. As a result of SWR’s failure to move forwards on an agreement RMT members will take action as follows: We instruct our SWR Guard, Commercial Guard and Driver members to take industrial action by not […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, BFAWU, blacklist, bob crow, cleaners, CWU, general strike, napo, NEU, nhs, nssn, One Housing Group, pcs, poa, rmt, Scotland, South Western Railway, Strike, SWR, terms and conditions, TUC, Unite, Yorkshire
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439: Support the South London Unite strikes in Woolwich & Bromley

May 29, 2019 in Bulletins

We headline this week’s NSSN bulletin with two Unite disputes in South London. Woolwich Ferry workers are in the middle of 10 days of strikes while library staff in Bromley will be going on infinite strike action from June 6th. Please give your solidarity and send messages of support and any financial assistance via Unite regional officer Onay Kasab [email protected] Woolwich Ferry staff strike for 10 days in Groundhog Day safety dispute, says Unite – Workers, who operate the Woolwich Ferry used by an estimated 2.6 million passengers a year, are to strike for 10 days in a dispute over […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, BFAWU, blacklist, bob crow, Bromley, cleaners, CWU, Fast Food Rights, fbu, General Election, general strike, GMB, housing, John McDonnell MP, library, lobby, London, Miners, napo, NEU, nhs, no cuts, nssn, Pay, pcs, pensions, poa, rmt, Strike, terms and conditions, Theresa May, Tories, TUC, tupe, UCU, Unison, Unite, Woolwich Ferry, Yorkshire
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NSSN 438: Come to NSSN Conference 2019 on July 6th

May 24, 2019 in Bulletins

This year’s National Shop Stewards Network Conference is on Saturday July 6th in London. It is open to everyone in the labour and trade union and anti-cuts movements. Come and take part in the biggest annual gathering of rank and file trade unionists. Hear from some of the biggest union struggles such as the victorious Glasgow Equal Pay strikers and the Birmingham Bins and Homecare Workers as well as the Swindon Honda shop stewards, fighting to save their plant from closure. There will also be militant union leaders addressing conference. This is a vital time for trade unionists with […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, BFAWU, blacklist, British Steel, Conference, CWU, EIS, general strike, housing, Miners, napo, Nationalisation, NEU, nhs, no cuts, nssn, Pay, Probation, Scunthorpe, Strike, tupe, Unite, Yorkshire
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437: Breakthrough for Birmingham Homecare workers – save Honda

May 14, 2019 in Bulletins

We headline this week’s NSSN bulletin with what appears to be a major success for the Birmingham Home care workers in Unison. We hope that this can be confirmed and consolidated. We also report on the catastrophic news that senior Honda management have announced that they intend going ahead with the closure. We have been proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with both groups of workers and will continue to do so. In the last few months, we have organised NSSN meetings in both areas to give a platform to the workers’ struggles. We invite them both to speak at […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, Birmingham, cleaners, CWU, Fast Food Rights, fbu, general strike, honda, housing, Miners, NEU, nhs, no cuts, nssn, pcs, poa, Strike, swindon, terms and conditions, Unison, Unite
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NSSN 436: Pay rise victory for privatised NHS workers

May 8, 2019 in Bulletins

From the GMB website: Striking NHS catering workers at two hospitals have won a huge victory today [Friday May 3, 2019] after a £1.2 billion outsourcing giant agreed a wage rise. The low-paid workers – mainly women working in the kitchens at Doncaster Royal Infirmary and Bassetlaw hospital – had been on strike since May 1 after French company Sodexo refused to match the pay rise other members of staff across the hospitals have received. But today, Sodexo bosses agreed to pay the award in full and backdate it to April last year. The agreement is a big win for […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, austerity, Bassetlaw, blacklist, bullying, cleaners, CWU, doncaster, Fast Food Rights, general strike, GMB, housing, Miners, napo, NEU, nhs, nssn, NUT, Pay, pcs, pensions, poa, rmt, Sodexo, Strike, terms and conditions, tupe, Unison
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435: Southampton teachers & support staff defeat school cuts

May 2, 2019 in Bulletins

Teachers and support staff at Valentine Primary School, members of the National Education Union (NEU), are celebrating an important victory following strike action. Union members reached an agreement with Southampton’s Labour-run city council for a two-year freeze on cuts. This report is from local NSSN supporters who have been prominent in giving solidarity to striking teachers and support staff alongside campaigning and parents. “A united campaign of school staff, the NEU, the head teacher, the senior leadership team, governors and parents, stood solidly together over months of organising. We fought to ensure the damaging cutbacks were not inflicted through staff […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, blacklist, bullying, cleaners, Cuts, CWU, Fast Food Rights, fbu, general strike, GMB, housing, John McDonnell MP, lobby, Miners, napo, NEU, nhs, no cuts, nssn, Pay, pcs, poa, School, Southampton, Strike, terms and conditions, TUC, tupe, UCU, Unison, Unite, Valentine
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NSSN 434: #WeStandWithLyra

April 25, 2019 in Bulletins

The NSSN stands in solidarity with the family, friends, workmates and comrades of Lyra McKee and her union the National Union of Journalists (NUJ). Lyra was killed while reporting on rioting in the Creggan area of Derry on April 18th. Our supporters took part in vigils and remembrances in Northern Ireland, Ireland and the UK yesterday on the day of her funeral as well as protests, including by many trade unionists, in the last week. In a statement Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ General Secretary, said the murder has shocked colleagues in Northern Ireland and expressed sympathy to her partner and colleagues […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, BFAWU, bob crow, cleaners, CWU, Derry, Fast Food Rights, fbu, general strike, housing, Lyra McKee, NEU, NIPSA, no cuts, Northern Ireland, nssn, NUJ, pensions, poa, TUC, Unison, Unite
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433: PCS members fight back in Ealing Tax Office and BEIS

April 15, 2019 in Bulletins

As PCS undertakes a national strike ballot against the continuing pay cap, members of the union took 3 days of strike action last week in two different disputes – to stop the closure of Ealing Tax Office and for low-paid outsourced workers to get the London Living Wage in BEIS. Please support both disputes as well as the national ballot. As you can read below, PCS members in Wolverhampton are also going to be balloted to fight the proposed closure of their tax office General secretary tells HMRC strikers: “HMRC don’t care about Ealing” (10 Apr) – PCS members in […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, BEIS, blacklist, bullying, cleaners, CWU, Ealing, general strike, housing, napo, NEU, nssn, pcs, Tax Office
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432: Victory for Unison Strikers at Liverpool Women’s Hospital

April 9, 2019 in Bulletins

From North West Unison website: The staff will no longer be paid just the legal minimum wage but receive the NHS rate for the job. UNISON members who work as domestics, catering staff, porters and security staff at Liverpool Women’s Hospital have won their campaign to secure NHS rates of pay. The staff will no longer be paid just the legal minimum wage but receive the NHS rate for the job. This is worth more than £1 an hour, and over £2,000 a year for full-time staff. Staff will also as part of a 3 year deal get the same […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, bullying, cleaners, CWU, Liverpool Women's Hospital, lobby, Miners, napo, nhs, no cuts, nssn, NUT, Pay, pcs, poa, rmt, Scotland, Strike, terms and conditions, tupe, UCU, Unison, Unite, Yorkshire
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NSSN 431: Honda workers march – “This is the fight of our lives!”

April 2, 2019 in Bulletins

The streets of Swindon were filled last Saturday with Honda workers, their families and supporters from the trade union movement. Thousands marched against the planned closure of the car plant in 2021. 3,500 Honda workers’ jobs are on the line and up to 10,000 more affected in related industries. Amongst the speakers at the rally were Unite general secretary Len McCluskey and plant convenor Paddy Brennan. Speaking alongside his shop stewards, Paddy said, “This is the fight of our lives.” The NSSN will support any action taken by the workers to defend their jobs. We call for the plant to […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, cleaners, general strike, honda, John McDonnell MP, Miners, NEU, nhs, nssn, NUT, poa, rmt, Scotland, swindon, terms and conditions, tupe, Unite
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430: Join demo to stop the Swindon Honda closure!

March 26, 2019 in Bulletins

The NSSN will be joining thousands in Swindon this Saturday March 30th on the demonstration called by Unite the union against the closure of the Swindon Honda plant. The plan is for this to happen in 2021, with 3,500 Honda workers’ jobs on the line and up to 10,000 more affected in related industries. This will be devastating for the community. We give our full support to the union and its members. The NSSN has built up a longstanding relationship with the Honda shop stewards. Plant convenor Paddy Brennan successfully won his reinstatement after being suspended in 2011. Paddy calls […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, BFAWU, blacklist, bob crow, cleaners, CWU, fbu, general strike, GMB, honda, John McDonnell MP, lobby, napo, nhs, no cuts, NUT, pcs, pensions, Prospect, swindon, terms and conditions, tupe, UCU, Unite, Unite the Union
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NSSN 429: PCS launches national pay strike ballot

March 19, 2019 in Bulletins

We headline this week’s bulletin with PCS’s national industrial action ballot on pay, which opened yesterday. PCS is one of our longstanding affiliated unions and we give them and their members our full support and solidarity. The NSSN vice-chair Katrine Williams is a member of the PCS NEC:- “To challenge the Government’s pay restraint it is vital that we break through the 50% threshold in our current PCS ballot of 125,000 mainly Government Department members. So that we can demand the full funding for a 10% pay rise that is needed to increase pay to decent levels in the civil […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Bins, Binworkers, Birmingham, cleaners, housing, lobby, Miners, nhs, no cuts, nssn, Pay, pcs, pensions, poa, rmt, TUC, tupe, Unison, Unite
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428: NSSN Birmingham Rally to build solidarity for strikes

March 12, 2019 in Bulletins

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 Facebook event Unite Birmingham bin strikes suspended as new offer on the table (7 March) – Unite, Britain and Ireland’s largest union has […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, BFAWU, Birmingham, bullying, cleaners, condems, Fast Food Rights, fbu, Miners, nhs, no cuts, nssn, NUT, Pay, pcs, pensions, rmt, Scotland, tupe, Unison, Unite the Union, Universal Credit, Walsall, Wolverhampton, Yorkshire
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NSSN 427: #IWD2019 – support the ‘Women’s Lives Matter’ campaign

March 6, 2019 in Bulletins

NSSN 427: IWD2019 – support the ‘Women’s Lives Matter’ campaign This Friday is International Women’s Day. This year we are highlighting ‘Women’s Lives Matter’ – the campaign against cuts to domestic violence services. Please take this to your trade union and trades council and table it for discussion and debate to help build the campaign:- The union notes that: Domestic violence kills women. On average two women a week are murdered by a male partner or ex-partner in the UK and a further three women a week kill themselves to escape abuse. Services for women and children fleeing domestic violence […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, austerity, blacklist, bullying, cleaners, condems, general strike, honda, International Women's Day, IWD, IWD19, IWD2019, John McDonnell MP, NUT, pcs, Unison, Women, Women’s Lives Matter
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NSSN 426: Support the Swindon Honda workers – stop the closure

February 26, 2019 in Bulletins

The NSSN sends our full solidarity and support to the Honda workers in Swindon after the company announced plans to close the plant in 2021. In addition to the 3,500 workers directly employed at the plant, over 12,000 jobs in component and related industries are on the line. We hope that the union and the workers’ campaign forces Honda to reverse their decision. But as when the Port Talbot steelworks were threatened three years ago, the NSSN believes that if necessary, such vital industrial plans should be taken into public ownership to ensure jobs and communities are protected. The NSSN […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, austerity, blacklist, cleaners, CWU, general strike, honda, napo, NEU, no cuts, NUT, Pay, pcs, pensions, poa, rmt, Scotland, tesco, Unite, Yorkshire
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NSSN 425: Victories show action works!

February 18, 2019 in Bulletins

This week, we headline our bulletin with news of recent successes after long running disputes – by women workers in Glasgow fighting for equal pay and the RMT fighting Driver Only Operation on Northern Rail. We send our solidarity and hope that both will be finally settled acceptably to both sets of workers and their unions Unison & GMB ‘We won’ – Glasgow women celebrate equal pay (7 Feb) – City Chambers rally greets council’s ratification of £548m deal to compensate for years of unequal pay. “We won!” was the cry as underpaid women workers held a celebratory rally […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, BFAWU, blacklist, cleaners, CWU, Equal pay, Fast Food Rights, fbu, general strike, housing, Miners, napo, nhs, no cuts, Northern Rail, nssn, NUT, rmt, Scotland, terms and conditions, Yorkshire
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NSSN 424: Birmingham binworkers get ready to strike again

February 5, 2019 in Bulletins

The NSSN sends solidarity to the binworkers who were on strike in 2017 and are being forced to take action again. From the Unite website:- Birmingham bins dispute escalates as council ignores deadline for peace deal (4 Feb) Unite, the UK and Ireland’s largest union, has announced that over 300 refuse workers employed by Birmingham council will begin two days of strike action a week, starting Tuesday 19 February, in an escalation of the ongoing industrial dispute. The two days a week of strike action, will be in addition to the overtime ban and the work to rule which the […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Appeal, BFAWU, Binworkers, Birmingham, blacklist, bob crow, cleaners, CWU, Fast Food Rights, Homecare, housing, INMO, mandate, Miners, Pay, pcs, poa, rmt, Scotland, Strike, terms and conditions, TUC, tupe, UCU, Unison, Unite
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NSSN 423: Support the Ireland Nurses and Midwives strike!

January 29, 2019 in Bulletins

Nearly 40,000 health workers in Ireland are due to start strike action tomorrow against wage restraint. The National Shop Stewards Network gives our full support and solidarity to Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) and its members. “Ireland’s nurses and midwives will go on strike for 24 hours on January 30th, it was announced. The union is legally required to give one week’s notice, but has given three to allow for safety planning. Should the dispute go unresolved, there will be further 24-hour strikes on 5th and 7th of February, and then the 12th, 13th and 14th. The strike […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, bob crow, cleaners, CWU, Fast Food Rights, general strike, housing, INMO, Ireland, lobby, Midwives, NEU, nssn, Nurses, pcs, Strike, tupe, Yorkshire
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422: Glasgow women workers step closer to equal pay victory!

January 22, 2019 in Bulletins

Last October, thousands of Glasgow council workers sent on a 48-hour strike to demand equal pay. We are delighted to report that a potentially decisive step has been reached in talks with the employer:- GLASGOW EQUAL PAY UPDATE from Unison Glasgow City Branch:- Earlier this week the claimants’ campaign gave Glasgow City Council a revised proposal on a “Take it or Leave it Basis”. The proposal kept all the principles that the campaign has been built on: Value Equality inclusion Parity Consistency Clarity Transparency Protection Unity The council negotiators agreed to take the proposal to Councillor Aitken with a recommendation. […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Equal pay, fbu, general strike, Glasgow, housing, INMO, Ireland, Miners, NASUWT, no cuts, nssn, NUT, pcs, PNA, USDAW
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NSSN 421: Support the striking Durham bus drivers!

January 15, 2019 in Bulletins

From Unite website:- Unite in talks on Durham bus pay dispute, as new strike dates announced (11 Jan) – Unite, Britain and Ireland’s largest union, is to hold talks with Arriva Durham County Ltd on Thursday (17 January) in a bid to resolve the long-running pay dispute. But at the same time, the union announced a further ten days of strike action by its 650 bus drivers from 00:01 on 27 January until 23:59 on 5 February. The bus drivers, based at Darlington, Durham, Redcar, Stockton and Whitby, are currently on strike for a week in the pay dispute. The […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, blacklist, bullying, Bus Drivers, cleaners, CWU, Durham, EIS, general strike, Ireland, Midwives, Miners, nhs, no cuts, Nurses, pcs, pensions, Strike, terms and conditions, tupe, Yorkshire
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NSSN 420: March this Saturday for a General Election to get the Tories out!

January 9, 2019 in Bulletins

The NSSN is supporting this Saturday’s ‘Britain is Broken – General Election Now’. It is vital that the trade union movement mobilises to force out the Tories and fight for a government led by Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell on the pro-worker anti-austerity Labour manifesto from the 2017 General Election. This is the best way to unite workers and not allow them to be divided. Saturday 12th January – Britain is Broken – General Election Now! Demonstration in London hosted by The People’s Assembly against Austerity. Assemble 12pm BBC Portland Place near Oxford tube station Facebook event […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, blacklist, bullying, Fast Food Rights, fbu, general strike, INMO, napo, Peoples Assembly, terms and conditions, Tories Out, tupe, Unite
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NSSN 419: Happy New Year – get the Tories out in 2019!

January 3, 2019 in Bulletins

The NSSN sends solidarity greetings to our supporters and affiliates as we enter 2019. Let’s make this the year that we get rid of this Tory Government. Saturday 12th January – Britain is Broken – General Election Now! Demonstration in London hosted by The People’s Assembly against Austerity Facebook event 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 […]

Tags: 2019, 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, blacklist, bullying, CWU, EIS, housing, lobby, mandate, Miners, napo, NASUWT, New Year, nhs, no cuts, nssn, Pay, pcs, pensions, Peoples Assembly, poa, rmt, terms and conditions, Tories, Turkey, Unite, Yorkshire
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