Reports

VIDEO: Sparks blockade Tommy Clarke site in Romford

September 1, 2014 in News, Reports, Strikes, Video

At a Romford rail station site in east London last week, 15 agency construction workers who were suffering being paid via the umbrella company scam called a Unite official to the site. They were seeking help in putting forward their demand that they be employed directly by the building services contractor company T. Clarke. In a meeting between Unite reps and Clarke’s management it was agreed that Clarke would consider the request for the 13 to be directly employed. A Unite steward and deputy steward were elected by the workers. However on Friday morning these two stewards and one other worker were sacked by Clarke. In […]

Tags: Picket, Sparks, Strike, Tommy Clarke Electrical, Umbrella companies, Unite
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Tube strike day 1: Reports from the picket lines

February 5, 2014 in News, Protest, Reports, Strikes

Central London The strike began at Euston station with a pre-strike rally and speeches to the press. RMT London transport secretary and NSSN steering committee member John Reid chaired a line-up of trade union movement speakers: Steve Hedley, RMT assistant general secretary; John Leach, RMT regional organiser; Chris Baugh, PCS assistant general secretary; Hugo Pierre, Camden Unison; Martin Powell-Davies, a member of the NUT executive; and David Ayrton from the GMB. Returning to Central London at 4:30am, we tooted and waved at TSSA pickets setting up at 4:30am as we drove to Kings Cross. “Its guerrilla tactics today” said a […]

Tags: bob crow, condems, GMB, London Underground, nssn, rmt, Strike, terms and conditions, Transport for London, TSSA
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NSSN 176 – Local government cuts: Protest AND then strike

January 21, 2014 in Bulletins, News, Protest, Reports, Strikes

Since May 2010 407,000 jobs have been lost in local government and some of the biggest cuts are yet to bite. In adjoining counties in the east midlands, 2 county councils, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire – both Labour controlled, are planning cuts of £157m and £154 respectively over the next 3 years. These are examples not exceptions. And for those ‘lucky’ enough to keep their jobs, over two-thirds earn below the coalition government’s low pay threshold and £5,500 less than annual median earnings. Over half a million local government workers earn less than £15000 annually and almost the same amount fall […]

Tags: 24 General strike, BFAWU, blacklist, bob crow, cleaners, DLR, Fares, Glasgow, GMB, housing, IWGB, Mitie, napo, nssn, Pay, pensions, poa, SERCO, Strike, terms and conditions, UCU, Unison, Yorkshire
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Victory for CoNEL cleaners

December 18, 2013 in News, Reports

Statement from Steve Sweeney, Regional Organiser GMB, about CONEL cleaners dispute: Cleaners at CoNEL have won an important victory in their fight against 23% cuts to their working time and for the London Living Wage. The cleaners, who are contracted to Ocean have been in dispute over the cuts and have organised a series of demonstrations and lobbies, receiving the backing of sister trade unions, the local community, local Councillors and David Lammy, MP for Tottenham. In a meeting at the College on Friday 6th December, GMB representatives were informed that the cuts were no longer going to be imposed […]

Tags: cleaners, CoNEL, GMB, London Living Wage, Strike
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NSSN166 – Support UCU, Unison & Unite members strikers

October 31, 2013 in Appeals, Bulletins, International, News, Protest, Reports, Strikes

31 October will be a day of coordinated strike action by UCU, Unison and Unite members working in Universities. This is the first UK-wide joint action between these Higher Education unions, demonstrating the anger that their members feel about the employers’ insulting 1% pay increase. Even pro-capitalist commentator Will Hutton, writing in the Observer notes that “The real wages of academics have fallen by 13% since 2008, one of the largest sustained wage cuts any profession has suffered since the Second World War.” This is despite the scandalously high fees charged to students, which have subsidised lavish pay at the […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, blacklist, bob crow, bsg, condems, CWU, fbu, general strike, lewisham, napo, nhs, nssn, NUT, pcs, pensions, privatisation, Strike, TUC, tupe, UCU, Unison, Unite, uss, youth fight for jobs, zero hours
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NSSN 165 Support the Grangemouth workers!

October 23, 2013 in Appeals, Bulletins, International, News, Protest, Reports, Strikes

NSSN 165 Support the Grangemouth workers! The National Shop Stewards Network gives full support to the workers at the refinery against the scandalous scare tactics of Ineos. Our supporters attended the rally at the plant on Sunday read report from NSSN website Events are moving quickly with this morning, Ineos announcing the closure of the petrochemical works on the site with the loss of up to 800 jobs. The effective lock-out at the oil refinery is still continuing. This means that all trade unionists have to step up their support and solidarity, particularly if the workers decide to occupy the site. We salute […]

Tags: 24 General strike, aslef, austerity, bedroom tax, bob crow, council tax, general strike, grangemouth, housing, Miners, napo, NASUWT, nssn, NUT, One Housing Group, Pay, pcs, poa, Rob williams, Scotland, Southampton, Steve Miller, Strike, TUC, UCU, Unison, Unite, visteon, welfare, Yorkshire
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164 – “We’re ALL under attack – so let’s strike together in November”

October 15, 2013 in Appeals, Bulletins, International, News, Protest, Reports, Strikes, Video

NSSN E-Bulletin 164 “We’re ALL under attack – so let’s strike together in November” Last Saturday October 12th, I attended a Steering Committee meeting of the NSSN*, the National Shop Stewards Network, at the RMT’s National HQ. The Steering Committee brings together representatives from trade unions right across the public and private sector to discuss how we can support each other’s disputes, develop a network across the movement and provide individual stewards with support. As you would expect, everyone there wished teachers well for the regional strike action on Thursday this week. The news that NHS workers might not even […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, ambulance, Appeal, bedroom tax, blacklist, bob crow, bullying, city link, condems, council tax, CWU, defend the four, general strike, GMB, housing, Miners, napo, NASUWT, nhs, nssn, NUT, pcs, poa, rmt, stanstead, Strike, TUC, tupe, Unison, Unite, workers, zero hours
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‘Nothings got worse since austerity took hold’ – Really?!

October 11, 2013 in Appeals, Bulletins, International, News, Protest, Reports, Strikes

A BBC survey purported to show that over 40% of those interviewed had not noticed a change to local government services since austerity took hold. Some even thought services had improved! Yet we all know of closures to libraries, swimming pools, reduced council facilities and the rest. Even the BBC website has stories from leading councillors believing councils will run out of money (‘Budget cuts could make councils ‘go bust’ says senior councillor’ here ‘Councils in England and Wales have “run out of money and the system is bust”, said the head of the Local Government Association’ here Liverpool mayor claims ‘city could be bankrupt […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, anti academies alliance, Appeal, austerity, Bakers Union, bbc, bedroom tax, blacklist, blood testing, bob crow, carillion, city link, CWU, defend the four, dubin lockout, first great western, general strike, george osborne, GMB, Gove, housing, hull council, ILF, John McDonnell MP, kazakstan, living wage, maude, Miners, napo, NASUWT, nhs, no cuts, nssn, NUT, overtime ban, Pay, pcs, poa, reel news, rmt, Royal Mail, South Africa, Strike, swindon, terms and conditions, tupe, UCU, Unison, Unite, visteon pensions, Yorkshire, young members
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162 It’s make your mind up time

October 3, 2013 in Appeals, Bulletins, International, News, Protest, Reports, Strikes, Video

Our economy, our society, welfare, schools all reformed, all rebuilt with one aim, one mission in mind – to make this country at long last, and for the first time ever, a land of opportunity for all.” Cameron’s speech to Conservative Party conference confirms that he and the Tory Party faithful minority of 137,000 members, live in a parallel universe to the vast majority in society. Britain may be a ‘land of opportunity’ for the super-rich but it has been on the basis of making an increasing number of people endure a living hell. The Tory ‘rebuilding’ is actually code for […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, Appeal, austerity, Bakers Union, bedroom tax, blacklist, bob crow, budget day, bullying, condems, CWU, general strike, housing, hovis, John McDonnell MP, lobby, NASUWT, nhs, no cuts, nssn, NUT, pcs, poa, rmt, South Africa, Strike, TUC, tupe, UCU, Unison, Unite
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Bulletin 161: STRIKE to SAVE OUR NHS!

September 26, 2013 in Bulletins, International, Protest, Reports, Strikes

NSSN BULLETIN 161 Before we start this weeks bulletin planned to coincide with the NHS protest in Manchester at Tory conference this weekend, we would like to extend our support to FBU in England & Wales, on their action against pension cuts yesterday, photos and more on our website now. If the FBU dispute continues members and reps from all unions should provide guidance for workplaces and reps to demand an updated Risk Assessment. Is it safe to work or provide the services in these circumstances? See some RMTguidance here & see some myth busting ‘How generous are firefighters pensions’Read more STRIKE TO SAVE OUR NHS! The National Shop Stewards […]

Tags: 24 General strike, Affiliate, austerity, bedroom tax, blacklist, bob crow, bullying, cleaners, general strike, housing, hovis, Ian kerr, John McDonnell MP, Labour party, lobby, NASUWT, nhs, no cuts, nssn, NUT, One Housing Group, poa, rmt, save our nhs, Strike, terms and conditions, TUC, Unison, Unite, whipps cross, wigan, Yorkshire
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