NSSN Bulletin 183 – Bob Crow: A fighter for the working class

 

Bob Crow’s profoundly shocking death on Tuesday 11 March at the young age of 52 deprives RMT members of the most inspirational and effective leader in the trade union movement at a time when workers across the world face economic attacks and imperialist aggression to an extent not seen since the 1930s.

 

Perhaps this partly explains why his friends, colleagues and comrades have been deluged by messages expressing solidarity, condolence and almost inconsolable sadness from workers’ representatives from Cuba to Iraq and all points in between. This is no media-concocted emotional frenzy. Bob’s brilliance as a media performer, whether as more ...........

NSSN Bulletin 174 – Happy New Year…the resistance has already started in 2014!
NAPO affiliates to the NSSN - checkout  the latest union to join the NSSN
http://shopstewards.net/2014/01/napo-affiliates-to-the-nssn/

For full NSSN e-bulletin 174 with listings of union & anti-cuts disputes and information, national & international  -  http://shopstewards.net/2014/01/nssn-174-happy-new-yearthe-resistance-has-already-started-in-2014/

2014 has started in the same way as 2013 ended – yet more stories on an almost
> daily basis about the economic catastrophe facing working people. Food banks,
> pay-day loan shark companies, bedroom tax, living standards slashed, yet
> Osborne claims that another £25billion cuts has to be found…and it has to come
> yet again from the poorest in society, while the rich continue to prosper.
>
> But just as last year ended with a swathe of strikes, we have already seen
> action this year – PCS members were on strike on New Year’s Eve and January
> 2nd! And the fantastic action by barristers and solicitors on Monday against
> the attacks on legal aid show once and for all that if the mass joint strike
> action that we’ve been campaigning for is organised this year – it would have
> huge support from all those facing these brutal cuts.
>

> The NSSN will continue to campaign for a 24 hour general strike this year as
> well as support all workers in struggle. Our national steering committee that
> met last Saturday therefore was proud to offer our total support to the RMT,
> whose strike ballot against attacks on jobs and terms & conditions on London
> Underground closes this Friday. We’ll be at the flashmob outside Euston
> station at 3pm this Friday and the public rally on January 16th to show our
> solidarity. Come and join us! The resistance has already started in 2014!
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
>
> NSSN News
>
> Your New Year’s resolution – I want to get more involved in the NSSN!
> Brilliant! Then we’d love you to work with us, in your union branch, local
> community and on some of the regional or national initiatives we support.
> Anything you can assist with or would like to develop? Give us a shout.
> Contact details at the bottom of this bulletin.
>
> Get your trade union branch or trades council to affiliate – 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 Stewards Network’, HSNC – sort code 40-06-41, account number
> 90143790. Our address is NSSN, PO Box 54498, London E10 9DE.
>
> And if you can, come to one of our regional Conferences. If there is not one
> in your area, get in touch to either assist in organising or have a speaker at
> one of your meetings or events. Contact Rob or Linda on info@shopstewards.net
>
> January 18 2014 Southern NSSN conference (hosted by UNITE Bracknell) ‘Building
> the Fightback against Austerity’ – 2pm to 5pm, Priestwood Community Centre,
> Bracknell read more
>
> The 8th Annual NSSN Conference will be on Saturday 5th July in Conway Hall –
> 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL – delegate/visitor fee £6

University staff: second coordinated strike over pay offer 

Reports from universities nationwide:

Pickets were out today on both entrances to Keele University.

One picket complained at the way in which, “Over years Keele has introduced a system where managers are paid more than myself to tell me to do what I was already doing successfully in the first place! And now they want us to except a 1% pay increase.”



A picket who was bravely standing in the middle of the road (!) told us, “We need to plan where we go next with this strike”.

The need for a 24 general strike went down well with all those we spoke to and the majority thought Labour were no different than the Tories or Lib Dems.

Npower’s plan to scrap 550 jobs in Stoke-on-Trent must be fought!

 Npower have now announced what they have had planned for almost twelve months that it’s call centre in Fenton, will close next June as part of a total of 1,400 workers nationally being thrown on the scrap heap.

The plan is to outsource the 550 Stoke-on-Trent jobs to India under the ‘management’ of Tata Consultancy Services. 

Npower offices in Fenton where 550 jobs are in danger

Npower say it is being done, “to improve our customer services and keep our costs down at a time of external pressure on customer’s bills”
Does anyone believe this crap? Npower are so concerned about ‘customer’s bills’ that they are increasing prices by 10.4% in December.
As for keeping “costs down” they should look at what they are paying their chief executive Paul Massara. Despite ‘earning’ £450,000 this year he refused to give up his £150,000 bonus saying to do so would be just a ‘gimmick’. This is some ‘gimmick’ – £150,000 is almost NINE times the average Stoke-on-Trent worker’s annual income! If this was not enough he will also save £22,500 as a result of George Osbourne’s tax break for millionaires.

Fight together against Npower

Npower are trying to turn customers against their workers by saying that sacking 1,400 will reduce bills for customers. But it will be the top employees and shareholders who will pocket any ‘savings’ not hard pressed customers.
One worker who has been at the Fenton site for over ten years told us, “I’m disgusted that Unison seem to be just accepting the redundancy package. They should be fighting to save our jobs and keep the Fenton site open”
Npower have now announced a 60 day ‘consultation’ period. Unison, representing Npower workers at Stoke, should make sure that this ‘consultation’ includes building a campaign to defend all these jobs.
They should link up with other Npower workplaces faced with job losses and closure in Oldbury, West Midlands and elsewhere.

Open the books

In 2012 Npower posted a 25% increase in profits to a bumper £390 million just four months after increasing prices for customers by 9% and followed that with a further 8% increase in profits in the first nine months of this year.
As part of the ‘consultation’ Unison should demand that the books of Npower are opened up to public scrutiny so we can see exactly where these profits are going.

Renationalise Npower and other major energy companies

As one of the top six privately owned energy companies, Npower is in business, like the others, to make maximum profits for it’s top earners and shareholders. This includes sacking workers and increasing bills when it suits them.

But this is not what workers or customers want. A recent Mirror online poll found 94% would like to see energy returned to public ownership.

Energy industry unions should draw the necessary conclusions from Npower’s attempt to sack more workers while still increasing prices for customers as a warning of what the future holds if their plans are not fought and stopped. If Npower get away with it then the other five top companies will do the same to remain ‘competitive’.

Unison and other unions involved should fight this latest round of job cuts and launch a campaign for the immediate renationalisation of the major energy companies to be run in the interest of the majority. Only in this way could jobs be saved and customer prices be kept down now and in the future.

There would be no need to compensate the fat cat owners, although small shareholders would be compensated in cases of proven need.

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SUPPORT WORKERS IN STRUGGLE

Over the next week there will be a number of strikes taking place with picket lines locally;

 

• Thursday this week staff at Keele University, Staffs Uni, Stoke-on-Trent College and Newcastle College will be on strike. There will be a picket line on the front and back gate at Keele from 8am onwards. No details yet for Staffs Uni or colleges 

• Friday - Firefighters will strike again at 6.30pm - 11pm at Longton, Hanley, Newcastle and Sandyford (if you go to the picket to offer support I recommend you are there at 6pm sharp
• Monday next week 4 Nov - Firefighters will again be on strike at 6am (but again you would need to be there at 6am)
• Monday also postal workers will also be on strike with picket lines at postal depots in Biddulph, Leek, Cheadle, Uttoxeter, Newcastle, Kidsgrove, Burslem, Stoke, Stone, Stafford and elsewhere. Picket lines will be in place from 6.15am onwards.
• There will also be a picket at Customer Services at 7am and MDec at 5.30pm both near old Sentinel depot on Festival Park.

Workers on strike are always pleased to get visitors to their picket lines to show support. Tell them you are from the National Shop Stewards Network. I have leaflets for the various disputes you can take along to hand out.

 

Please call/text me on 07845893607 if you want leaflets or if you want any advice or to discuss further about going to the pickets

Lobby the TUC Congress on Sunday September 8^th All out Together in November!

The struggle to defend the NHS from being dismantled and privatised is becoming increasingly important. It's vital therefore that the TUC demonstration outside the Tory Party Conference in Manchester on 29 September is massive.

It has been called to ‘Save our NHS – Defend Jobs & Services. No to Austerity’. For more details, including transport – TUC Unite  Unison  The NSSN will be having a contingent behind our banner: ‘for a 24 hour general strike to stop the Tory cuts!’ March with us!

However, we also believe that co-ordinated industrial action is a key part of the strategy to save the NHS and fight austerity overall and it is urgent. Therefore we will continue to lobby the TUC now and also at TUC conference on Sep 8^th.

Please join us! 

We are pleased to announce this lobby is now supported by five TUC Joint Consultative Committee (TUCJCC) Regional Representatives, the Campaign for Trade Union Freedom and the TUC National Unemployed Centres Combine.

Lobby TUC Congress on Sunday Sept 8^th – All out Together in November!

NSSN rally at the TUC Congress at Bournemouth on September 8th followed by a lobby of Congress.

Confirmed speakers:  

• Bob Crow, Mark Serwotka, Steve Gillan, Ronnie Draper and Ian Lawrence (RMT, PCS, POA, BFAWU and NAPO general secretaries respectively)
• Alec McFadden (North West representative on TUCJCC for trades councils and also President Merseyside County TUC)
• Teresa MacKay TUCJCC & Ipswich Trades Council
• Linda Taaffe (NSSN).

A rally will take place between 12.30pm-2.30pm Hardy Suite, Hermitage Hotel, Exeter Rd, Bournemouth (opposite Bournemouth International Centre, TUC Congress venue).

NSSN Lobby of TUC Conference Sunday 8 Sept

Urgent message to all NSSN supporters across Staffordshire;

We need to find out as soon as we can how many are likely to be going to the NSSN lobby so that we can pool transport to reduce costs as much as possible

Can you let us know asap if you are definitely going or are thinking of going or would like more info before making up your mind. It would help also if you can let us know if you will not be attending.

Call or text on 07845893607

 

NSSN Bulletin 154 - ZERO TOLERANCE FOR ZERO CONTRACTS

EBulletin 154- Zero tolerance for zero-hour contracts!!

August 7, 2013

 

NSSN e-bulletin 154 – Zero tolerance for zero-hour contracts!! Zero-hour contracts have hit the headlines over the last week, with 24,000 (80%) of JD Wetherspoons staff and 20,000 (90%) of Sports Direct all on such contracts. Even Buckingham Palace and the Coalition Government use them! Zero-hour contracts offer no guarantee of hours or pay, and are regularly used to stop people organising at work. Many workers who do try to organise to improve their conditions have their hours cut as punishment. Youth Fight for Jobs (YFJ) has been campaigning against zero-hour contracts, with protests outside Sports Direct up and down [...]