Strike!

[BigTom]

cunts - will lose loads of members over this. I do wonder what the Birmingham full timers I know are going to do. Can you imagine if they all moved to Unite? 15,000 members... will be sowing some seeds of thought on that one. But the FTOs won't move unless they have a job at Unite, and they won't get that..

 

[Mr.Bishie]

We have only two unions affiliated with the local authority who we work for, Unison & GMB. If enough members of each wanted to leave, & join another union, say Unite or PCS, how would it work? How would the latter approach the local authority for affiliation? Has it happened before?

 

[BigTom]

We have only two unions affiliated with the local authority who we work for, Unison & GMB. If enough members of each wanted to leave, & join another union, say Unite or PCS, how would it work? How would the latter approach the local authority for affiliation? Has it happened before?

I've just been learning about this for IWW, since we've just been certified, but my memory isn't good, even though it's recent - so someone is bound to correct me.
The employer have to recognise 1 union (if there is one above a certain % of workers).
If there are more unions above that %, then the employer can recognise more than one union if they want, but also restrictions can be placed on what the other unions can do, ie: they might be recognised so their reps can support people on company time, but not be part of pay negotiations.
Given it's the council, I should imagine that if a third union were to get enough members it would be recognised. I don't know how you go about it though.

 

[dennisr]

Sparks updates: "150 #sparks at Immingham blockading roads, causing mayhem by all reports." & via NSSN_AntiCuts (Twitter)
Unite FTO Harry Cowp announces ballot of Balfour Beatty begins today at Blackfriars protest #sparks.

 

[krink]

just sent unite an email see if they're organised at my workplace (the council).

 

[krink]

Sparks updates: "150 #sparks at Immingham blockading roads, causing mayhem by all reports." & via NSSN_AntiCuts (Twitter)
Unite FTO Harry Cowp announces ballot of Balfour Beatty begins today at Blackfriars protest #sparks.

keep forgetting to post updates from up here on this. members of my group have been supporting this struggle just about from day one and go to every action.

 

[dennisr]

just sent unite an email see if they're organised at my workplace (the council).

Still a battle to be had inside UNISON of course - there are too many members to be able to walk away from, much as i understand the sentiment.

http://www.coventrysocialists.co.uk/latestnews_72584.html?mid=576


Here's a bit of recall resolutions:

"Wording for special local government conference:

This Branch requisitions a Special Conference of the Local Government Service Group to consider the policy of the Service Group in relation to the Local Government Pension Scheme.

Only this wording must be used nothing else no add ons or anything. We need to get branches representing 25% membership. Once we get the conference called we can then submit our position for rejection of the deal and for united action to be taken. For other service groups delete local government and insert name of service group."

 

[krink]

Still a battle to be had inside UNISON of course - there are too many members to be able to walk away from, much as i understad the sentiment.

i don't like walking away but what can i do? i'm just one bod in a branch of thousands.

 

[dennisr]

keep forgetting to post updates from up here on this. members of my group have been supporting this struggle just about from day one and go to every action.

yes, same - down at blackfriars this morning as usual. the london lot have led the way for the last six months - I am glad that those outside of london have finally taken up the cudgel though - and the actions there are much more a case of self-organised sparks with a few supporters (in london it have become a few sparks with loads of paper sellers on occasion). I know its hard to keep the momentum up but you cannot replace self-activity with outside activists. I don't quite get the tactics used in london sometimes - all good but why not more effort to getting more in the sites - in whatever way necessary - going to the pubs and cafes and travel routes - rather than demos standing outside. Outside should supplement - it cannot replace. I guess it reflects the nature of the game in the city - rapid turnaround, short contracts. But still... The north are leading the way now. (Hartlepool, Manchester and Wales today, Grangemouth on the 13th, Aberdeen on the 16th - way to go

 

[dennisr]

i don't like walking away but what can i do? i'm just one bod in a branch of thousands.

I'm not judging you mate - like I said - fully understand the reasoning. Is there an effective organised left in your branch you can work with?

 

[krink]

I'm not judging you mate - like I said - fully understand the reasoning. Is there an effective organised left in your branch you can work with?

no mate never thought you were judging me (stupid internet doesn't do prosody) but the unison branch here is ran by dinosaurs forever hitched to labour party. there is no left that I know of and the union never seems to bother engaging with members to be honest.

 

[dennisr]

unison branch here is ran by dinosaurs forever hitched to labour party. there is no left that I know of and the union never seems to bother engaging with members to be honest.

feck em then - unite sound like a better option

 

[krink]

feck em then - unite sound like a better option

sent an email this morning and just had a nice phone call from the regional office, they have a branch in my workplace.

 

[krink]

from one of my pals this morning (sparks):

Good picket this morning at Hartlepool power station for the Sparks' dispute. Managed to cause a bit of gridlock on a busy roundabout, with the police seemingly disinclined to do much about it for the first 20 mins or so. Could also be on ITV news at some point today, cos they had a cameraman there, and a reporter as well this time.

 

[ddraig]

seems like NUNISON are shit in a lot of places
where i work there is no communication anymore at all despite the pensions and other big local issues at the moment. they get their recruitment stall out and post a couple of pics of a banner or 2 on a march claiming great success but no opinion and non fight. i spoke up at a meeting about there being no fight and no communication threatening to leave and got a call at my desk a while later asking me if i was still leaving so they could cancel subs!
so i have joined gmb and so have a few other colleagues as they at least communicate. more to follow no doubt.

 

[Guineveretoo]

All unions are only as good as their local activists/members, so people's experiences are very different. I am a member of the GMB, but never hear anything from them other than the glossy mag, which I tend to ignore.

I am not part of the pensions dispute, though, and i can imagine it is very frustrating not to hear when there is a big campaign/dispute like that going on, and there is no excuse for Unison not keeping its members up to speed with what is going on, and consulting them before making decisions!

 

[dennisr]

All unions are only as good as their local activists/members, so people's experiences are very different. I am a member of the GMB, but never hear anything from them other than the glossy mag, which I tend to ignore.

I am not part of the pensions dispute, though, and i can imagine it is very frustrating not to hear when there is a big campaign/dispute like that going on, and there is no excuse for Unison not keeping its members up to speed with what is going on, and consulting them before making decisions!

Agree with your point about unions generally - but it should be added that their decisions went completely against what Unison's local meetings have shown the membership want

 

[butchersapron]

Here's how an overview of how things stand today - with potentially important meeting later today.

 

[frogwoman]

http://www.usdaw.org.uk/newsevents/news/2012/jan/primarknorthernirelandfaces.aspx fuck me

 

[William of Walworth]

We have only two unions affiliated with the local authority who we work for, Unison & GMB. If enough members of each wanted to leave, & join another union, say Unite or PCS, how would it work? How would the latter approach the local authority for affiliation? Has it happened before?

I pretty sure that PCS don't have any local authority-based presence?? I mean do PCS ever try to get active in local government? Have to say I've never heard of that.

But good luck anyway Mr B -- no doubt others here will know more about your sector than this here 'featherbedded' civil servant

 

[William of Walworth]

Here's how an overview of how things stand today - with potentially important meeting later today.

Very interesting that PCS and Unite have been readmitted to talks, for whatever little that's worth. Thanks for that.

Will bookmark that site, most PCS sources locally here tend to be far less up to date ....

 

[William of Walworth]

Mark Serwotka said: “We welcome the fact that the government has backtracked on its decision to exlcude us and now recognises that unions representing the workers who are affected by its decision have the right to be in talks"

“We will attend every meeting but for any settlement we will need genuine negotiations on the key issues that brought two million public servants out n strike on 30th November – the proposed contributions rise, the increase in retirement age and the imposed switched in indexation.”

Nothing like repeating the important things ....

 

[Guineveretoo]

We have only two unions affiliated with the local authority who we work for, Unison & GMB. If enough members of each wanted to leave, & join another union, say Unite or PCS, how would it work? How would the latter approach the local authority for affiliation? Has it happened before?

PCS are not allowed to organise within local government. This would be in breach of an agreement between unions. Unite, however, already have a presence in local government, although they may not have recognition (which is what I think you mean by "affiliation") in your local authority.

Chances are, I am afraid that, if Unite are not officially recognised by your employer it would be quite difficult to get them to become active. There may be a "recognition agreement" between the employer and Unison/GMB, which would make it very difficult for any other union to get involved. However, it is worth checking, because it is perfectly possible that Unite are also part of a recognition agreement, but simply not very active. In that case, I am sure they would welcome a group of workers seeking to join them, and to make them active.

Contact the regional office of Unite, and ask them, or look in the staff handbook (often on the intranet these days) for a copy of the recognition agreement.

 

[articul8]

After his claim that the LGPS settlement was a "victory for the unions", Cde Newman takes a pop at the left (and confirms much of what was said up the thread):
http://www.socialistunity.com/andrew-fischer-on-trade-unions-wrong-wrong-wrong/

 

[butchersapron]

Fellow party member

 

[articul8]

so is Andrew Fisher - it's a broad church

 

[butchersapron]

Here's a (new?) daily round up of strikes from around the world - don't know much about it beyond that.

 

[butchersapron]

RMT members at Heathrow Express are to strike over the unfair dismissal of a driver and over a campaign of harassment and victimisation against an RMT rep.

Nearly 80% of members voted to strike in a ballot of drivers over the sacking of Zahid Majid and over 80% for strike action in a ballot of all Heathrow Express staff over the continued victimisation of RMT rep Liaqat Ali. There were even bigger votes in both ballots for action short of a strike.

 

[butchersapron]

Barnet council workers to strike against privatisation

On Thursday 9 February, hundreds of Barnet council *UNISON members will go on strike.

Barnet council workers are fighting Barnet council plans to mass-outsource council services and jobs to the private sector.

The council is going ahead with a £750m “support and customer services project” where a private company will be engaged to deliver services like council estates, finance, human resources, information systems, procurement, revenues and benefits and project management services.

What is happening in Barnet is likely to happen across NHS services - private sector companies fighting to win lucrative, guaranteed contracts to provide public services. These contracts are all funded by the taxpayer.

Up to 70% of Barnet council’s workforce could be transferred to the private sector in little more than 11 months’ time.

 

[dennisr]

Jet tanker drivers force employers to negotiate
http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/13716

Following eight days of strike action with another week-long strike called, Jet tanker drivers at Immingham, Stockton and Kingsbury have forced their employer, haulage firm Wincanton, and its client, ConocoPhillips, to commit to talks about securing a long-term future for the workforce.