NSSN Staffordshire
Public Meeting
No retreat on Pensions!
Battle continues and spreads to
the private sector!
Monday 16th Jan - 7.30pm Sacred Hearts Social Centre
corner Downey St & Regent Rd, Hanley Stoke-on-Trent ST1 2NZ
All Welcome
National Shop Stewards Network Bulletin 73 - Pension battle continues and develops in the private sector!
Yesterday saw a lobby of the TUC public liaison group as it met again over governments ‘offer’, which
basically means still paying more whilst working longer despite most pension pots making surpluses!
NUT, PCS & UNITE has rejected the so-called offer.
However a few unions, led by Unison and the GMB, reiterated their position to 'continue negotiations'.
This is a betrayal of the magnificent strike action taken on 30 November (N30) by over two million
workers, a massive show of determination against a vicious government.
By signing the Con Dems' 'heads of agreement' they have accepted the financial limits or 'cost ceilings'
set by the government. Therefore, any improvements negotiated by the unions will have to be balanced
by concessions elsewhere. It will still be the case that most Unison and GMB members will pay in more
to get out less and work longer to get it. They will be asking the question, how much more is on the table
now than was available on N30. Many will be furious that the momentum created by that incredible N30
strike is now in danger of being lost.
Unison's health executive will be meeting in two weeks to discuss the deal again and a full membership
ballot. Therefore, members of those unions still in the fight should use every opportunity to show support
and solidarity with Unison members, leafleting, joint meetings and debates around the issue to help
them put pressure on their leadership.
In the PSLG meeting Mark Serwotka, general secretary of the PCS civil service union, called on all those
termed the ‘rejectionist’ unions to meet at the earliest possible time to look at planning further united
strike action.
PCS Left Unity hosted an important and very successful open organising conference on Saturday
7 January, which agreed a committee of the lefts in the unions there to help push the campaign forward.
Video: http://www.shopstewards.net/ Full Report: http://www.shopstewards.net/news.229.htm
This weekend the committee of the National Shop Stewards Network will meet and also discuss calling
public debates between those unions who oppose the deal and those who think its acceptable. As part
of the campaign alongside lobbying our leadership and lobbies the NSSN has taken further steps to
develop regional bases to ensure discussion and debate on tactics can be proposed and acted upon.
NSSN Regional Meetings begin. Merseyside meeting opened optimistically, with chair of NW PCS looking
at the success of November 30th and a number of unions still rejecting the government’s “offer”, Martin
said “If someone had said to me a year ago that we’d have 2 million out in November and could have one
million out in early 2012, I’d have bitten their hand off” http://www.shopstewards.net/news.228.htm
OTHER DISPUTES................
Workers occupy La Senza - 1,600 workers from La Senza given 10 minutes not
ice to collect belongings. http://www.shopstewards.net/news.230.htm
UNILEVER Unite, USDAW & GMB workers protest over Pension cuts at shareholders meetings more
strike to follow: strikes will be taking place over 12 days from January 17th at Purfleet, Port Sunlight,
Warrington, Leeds, Crumlin, Gloucester, Norfolk, Leatherhead, Bedfordshire, Manchester, Burton-on-
Trent and Ewloe in North Wales, (dates differ at each site).
http://tinyurl.com/7qjkuak
http://www.gmb.org.uk/newsroom/latest_news/unilever_strike_dates.aspx
SPARKS Continue protests across UK over campaign to defend JIB and stop cuts of 35%. First national
Rank & File meeting Birmingham Sat 14th - Carrs Lane Church Centre.
http://jibelectrician.blogspot.com/ http://www.shopstewards.net/news.227.htm
Video of today’s sparks protest at Grangemouth refinery: http://tinyurl.com/7czqvw6
PCS National Gallery workers will walk out of the major tourist venue between 1pm and 3pm on Thursday,
19 January and between 4pm and 6pm on Saturday, 28 January. More strikes are possible if management
don’t review staffing levels. http://tinyurl.com/7gubkrl NHS UNISON Ambulance workers vote for
industrial action 84%: “This ballot gives a separate – additional – mandate to the existing ballot for strike
action, and does not supersede it” http://news.lasunison.eu/?p=537
REMPLOY Springburn and Chesterfield strike again on 26th Jan.
http://www.gmb.org.uk/gmb_campaigns/other_campaigns/remploy.aspx
BECTU BECTU members at the BBC's Birmingham Mailbox site have voted for strike action. Members are
challenging the BBC's decision to move substantial parts of production for TV and radio away from the
Birmingham site to Bristol, a move announced at the same time as the Delivering Quality First proposals
last October. http://www.bectu.org.uk/news/1423
RMT is to calling two further 24-hour strikes at the West of Scotland Signaling Centre following a total
failure by the management to make any progress in respect of settling the dispute over career
progression. Monday 23rd and Friday 27th Jan
VICTIMISATION.................. QMUL UNISON Branch Secretary Vikhas Chechi was suspended from his
post at the Centre of the Cell, Queen Mary University of London. Management still hasn’t completed
their preliminary investigation. The process started on October 18th - almost 3 months ago. Messages of
support and protest: info@shopstewards.net
PCS Rep John Brookes has been sacked for highlighting job cuts and reduction to services on the Work
Programme. See link on model letters of support. http://tinyurl.com/7m6zssn
MONEY: Please donate or affiliate to support the NSSN – Cheques or online or standing orders all
welcome! Get in touch if you can contribute: http://www.shopstewards.net/affiliate.htm
Comradely NSSN
Web: http://www.shopstewards.net/index.htm
Twitter: NSSN_AntiCuts
Facebook main group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/332519048044/
Facebook anti cuts group: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stop-the-Cuts/169842406395858
Email: info@shopstewards.net
Phone: 07952 283 558
Post: PO Box 54498, London E10 9DE
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