Shop Stewards Network Staffordshire Bulletin

30th November - Now only 35 days away!

We are now just 35 days way from what is likely to be the biggest single day of coordinated strike acion in British history. Despite their bluster the Con Dem government are weak and worried by this prospect. Their 'strategy' of economic growth providing jobs in the private sector for those lost from our public services are in tatters.

Rally in Support of Strike Action!
Wednesday 30th November
Assemble 12 noon at Kings Hall Car Park, Stoke

At a public meeting organised by North Staffs TUC on 12th October it was agreed to hold a strike rally at 12 noon on 30th November at the Kings Hall Car Park in Stoke. The Shop Stewards Network Staffordshire welcomes this rally and is already busy building support for it.
But we also think that it should include a march to the rally from Hanley to ensure that we reach as many people as possible with our message of why we are taking strike action.

Our next NSSN Staffordshire meeting will take place on Monday 7th November at 7.30pm in the Sacred Hearts Social Centre, Downey Street (off Regent Road) Hanley ST1 3BY

All welcome

At the meeting we will have one main item on the agenda - building support for the strike action among union members and among working class people in general. We want to do all we can to help those unions holding ballots to get the biggest yes vote possible and to build for strike action on the day.

But don't wait until this meeting! We have N30 NSSN leaflets that are already going out across Staffordshire. You can download them here;

http://www.shopstewards.net/PDFs/NSSNOctsmall_2_.pdf

West Midlands NSSN conference

Around 30 trade unionists attended the West Midlands conference of the National Shop Stewards Network (NSSN) held in Birmingham on Saturday. It marked another positive step forward for the NSSN.

The first session of the day heard introductions from Rob Williams, chair of the Network, and Sian Ruddick chair of the PCS in the Midlands.

Both speakers outlined the current situation, with unions gearing up to take action on 30th November.

A wide ranging discussion followed, with activists from many different unions reporting on the struggles taking place, and the role the NSSN has played in fighting for coordinated action, and what we can do to make 30th November a success.

After the lunch break, the conference split up into two workshop sessions - one on strengthening unions where they already exist, and the other on building unions where there are none.

These were excellent discussions - activists from the shop floor exchanging ideas, experiences and practical advice on organising.

The conference then came back together for the final session - building the NSSN for the battles ahead.

The NSSN has come into its own and is gaining increasing authority in both the public and private sector unions.

This was an excellent conference with activists from the following unions attending: Unite, Unison, CWU, NUT, PCS, RMT, ASLEF, FDA.

A delegation of Unite members from Remploy in Stoke formally thanked the NSSN for the support they have received.

The NSSN looks forward to continuing to support the Remploy workers, as well as all workers in struggle, and helping to build and rebuild union organisation as we fight every attack on terms and conditions, every job loss and every cut thrown at us.

NSSN supporters in the lunch break and after the conference also visited the Occupy Birmingham protest showing solidarity and making links.