Strike!

[dennisr]

Stagecoach South Yorkshire strike day 11: Management getting desperate!
http://www.shopstewards.net/news.245.htm

Over 300 bus drivers in Barnsley and Rotherham, members of Unite, are now on their 11th day of strike action for decent pay. Their £9/hour claim has been met but they are sticking out for back-pay from last year and will not accept a pay freeze for the next year.

Messages of support should be emailed to Barnsley Unite branch secretary Tony Rushforth at:
a-rushforth@sky.com. Cheques should be made payable to TGWU 9/9 Barnsley and sent to A Rushforth, 45 Tune Street, Wombwell, BarnsleyS73 8PX

 

[dennisr]

UNISON strikers to leave picket lines to help local charity Thursday
http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/768

On Thursday 9 February UNISON members working for Barnet Council will be taking strike action.

A decision has been made that a team of UNISON strikers will leave the pickets lines to donate their labour to the 'Larches Community'- a local Charity in Edgware which provides services for adults with Learning Difficulties. Our members are committed public servants and have this to say

“We have withdrawn our labour from the Council but we have not withdrawn our commitment to our community which is why a team of UNISON strikers is heading off to donate their labour to help out a local charity providing services for adults with learning difficulties in Barnet!”

Reel News: Solid strike by Barnet Council workers following ballot by UNISON:
http://reelnews.co.uk/solid-strike-by-barnet-council-workers-following-ballot-by-unison/

Barnet UNISON members take their 4th day of strike action on Thursday 9 February in response to the One Barnet Project, which seeks to transfer the majority of the staff out of the Council. The total cost of these projects will look to exceed £2 Billion, which is why the Big Private Sector Fat Cats are all lined up to try and win the contracts! Email support to contactus@barnetunison.org.uk

 

[dennisr]

PCS national executive committee has just voted unanimously to consult members on rejecting the government's miserable pensions proposals to make us pay more, get less and work longer and to support a campaign of industrial action to win concessions. If there is a positive vote, and we are very confident there will be, and if other unions agree the programme of action we will call a national strike on 28th March. The NUT national executive is also meeting today. We must do all we can to build an alliance that can stop the pensions robbery and today is a significant step in that direction. Check the PCS website later today for full details.

and

NUT joins PCS in launching consultation to build support for ongoing pensions campaign - starting with plan for joint strike action on March 28
http://electmartin1.blogspot.com/2012/02/nut-and-pcs-launch-consultative-surveys.html

http://union-news.co.uk/2012/02/breaking-unite-to-ballot-health-service-members-over-pensions/

 

[dennisr]

I know its in the Republic - but hope you can forgive me for using this thread as an excuse for mentioning this ongoing impressive occupation in Cork:

Support the Vita Cortex Workers
http://vitacortexworkers.wordpress.com

Former workers at the Vita Cortex plant in Cork are staging a sit-in protest. The company, which manufactures foam packaging, closed its plant on the Kinsale Road before Christmas. Workers, including several people with more than 40 years of service to the company, were let go without redundancy payments. … Since then the 32 staff members have been staging a sit-in at the plant.

The level of community support is something else to see (regular updates on the occuiers facebook page
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Support-the-Vita-Cortex-Workers

 

[dennisr]

RMT secures £500 Olympics payment and protection of living standards for Virgin Rail staff
http://www.rmt.org.uk/Templates/Internal.asp?NodeID=155164

RAIL UNION RMT confirmed today that it has secured a £500 Olympics and Paralympics payment for Virgin Rail staff as part of a package which will also see wages and allowances rise by 4.6% or £950 (whichever is the greater) from April this year and a £500 flat rate payment for all staff covered by collective agreements for additional pressures on services throughout the Olympics period.

 

[dennisr]

Electrical Contractors Annual Awards Dinner - Sparks say "EAT THIS" PROTEST
Wednesday, 15 February 2012 18:00 until 20:00

London Rank n File Sparks Invitation:
The BESNA 7 are gonna be winning awards, patting themselves on the back and quaffing champagne at their annual awards dinner.
Meanwhile: Our money is cut - Our industry deskilled - Our families suffer. Let them eat BESNA

Spread the word - lets make this MASSIVE

http://www.eca.co.uk/training-news-and-events/eca-annual-dinner/

 

[dennisr]

VICTIMISATION
Len Hockey (UNISON) Joint Branch Sec and Hospital Porter was to be disciplined by Initial services on 30th Jan in connection with his role as lead rep. At the same time Unison Greater London sent a letter to his members to attack and discredit him. it has now been withdrawn after a solid campaign by branch members

John Brookes (PCS) Rep sacked for highlighting job and service cuts on the work programme. http://tinyurl.com/7m6zssn

Pat Markety (NUT) Summarily dismissed on the 17th of Jan. NUT members at the school voted to take strike action in Pat's defence. Unfortunately, the ballot was "timed out," and a new indicative ballot is now in progress.

Alberto Durango (IWW Cleaners and Allied Grades Branch Secretary) was sacked from his job at the Heron Tower by the contractor Incentive FM Group Ltd.10th Feb protest 5-8pm

 

[dennisr]

And further dates for your diaries:

Fri 10th Feb
Save Remploy Factories - Lobby outside DWP office Sheffield (Steel City House) 12.30 and then march and rally at Town Hall.

Mon 13th Feb
NSSN Staff "Solidarity with workers in struggle!" 7.30pm Unilever - striking against attacks on their private sector pensions, Remploy - fighting to save their jobs & PCS & NUT - 2 of the unions leading the fight to defend public sector pensions. Sacred Hearts Social Centre corner of Downey St & Regent Rd, Hanley ST1 3BY

Wed 15th Feb
Southampton Unite & Unison lobby of the Council meeting 1.00 p.m - 2.00p.m

Sat. 25 Feb
Leeds Against the cuts (LATC) with the support of the Trades Council is organising a Demo & Rally at the Tory local government conference on the 24/25 Feb. Meet 10:00 Rally in City Squire at 12:30. Rally to co-inside with Pickles keynote speech! Contact Kevin Pattison 0113 266 6730 or Leeds TUC.

Wed 29th Feb
Lambeth SOS Demo at Council meeting 6pm
Lambeth Town Hall, Brixton

Wed 7 March
6pm All Together for the NHS campaign workers and patients join together in Central Hall Westminster for a 6pm 'Save our NHS' rally.

That enough for now I think...

 

[dennisr]

... if this was Greece we would be about to go into 2 x 48 hour general strikes... Here's hoping...

 

[frogwoman]

We're about to set up our trades council again in bucks

 

[dennisr]

UCU agreed today to coincide strike proposals with NUT & PCS for 28 March

 

[quinny518]

UCU post 1992 aka polytechnics will be out again with other teaching TPS pension scheme unions. Provisional date set by NEC 1 march. We need more than one day. Hopefully it well escalate up to 5 days minimum with a rolling programme of action short of a strike, delaying marks, refusal to do research bids, give the 'batemans' in corporate management a head ache and a half. Shane about the USS red brick sell out on industrial action but you can't trust traditional university academic to develop a spine.

 

[quinny518]

UCU agreed today to coincide strike proposals with NUT & PCS for 28 March

good stuff heard nothing on union e mail

 

[William of Walworth]

PCS national executive committee has just voted unanimously to consult members on rejecting the government's miserable pensions proposals to make us pay more, get less and work longer and to support a campaign of industrial action to win concessions. If there is a positive vote, and we are very confident there will be, and if other unions agree the programme of action we will call a national strike on 28th March. The NUT national executive is also meeting today. We must do all we can to build an alliance that can stop the pensions robbery and today is a significant step in that direction. Check the PCS website later today for full details.

Good stuff here, thanks for this update dennis -- which I hadn't yet picked up on .....

 

[Berkeley]

Something very encouraging happened last week in the States. Rick Santorum, (granted, religious zealot) won three States, (Colorado, Missouri, and Minnesota) with almost no money in an election where Romney is awash with money. Just the fact that a message could get through is encouraging. If the United States ever reached the point that we could have a national strike and shut the country down a lot of things could happen. It would seem probably that there would be some rewards for the UK in that too. We hear that the French have done a pretty good job of keeping government and business in line with their strikes. Is this true?

 

[dennisr]

Something very encouraging happened last week in the States. Rick Santorum, (granted, religious zealot) won three States, (Colorado, Missouri, and Minnesota) with almost no money in an election where Romney is awash with money. Just the fact that a message could get through is encouraging. If the United States ever reached the point that we could have a national strike and shut the country down a lot of things could happen. It would seem probably that there would be some rewards for the UK in that too. We hear that the French have done a pretty good job of keeping government and business in line with their strikes. Is this true?

Berkeley - could I ask you to keep you somewhat uninfomed philiosophical american musings off of this thread cheers

 

[BigTom]

Stoke - bin men to vote on *indefinite* strike

http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.u...-Stoke-Trent/story-15177774-detail/story.html

Stoke-on-Trent's waste collectors face having their contracts torn up in council cuts which will see 28 team leaders forced to apply for labouring jobs and take a £90-per-week pay cut. and 24 labouring workers in waste collection will also be forced to drop pay bands at a cost of £45-per-week.

...

A union source told The Sentinel: "The lads are up in arms and want an indefinite strike, not just a one-dayer.

"On top of this pay cut, they are having to deal with Government changes to their pensions and a rise in council tax. The council is pushing its own people into poverty."

 

[dennisr]

Initial cleaners at swanky St Pancras Eurostar terminal strike over poverty pay

http://www.rmt.org.uk/Templates/Internal.asp?NodeID=155312

RAIL UNION RMT announced today a series of strike actions by cleaners working for Initial on a Network Rail contract who are paid peanuts to clean the swanky first class facilities at the St Pancras Eurostar terminal. The cleaners, who look after the St Pancras facilities served by Eurostar, East Midlands, First Capital Connect and Southeastern High Speed, will strike for 48 hours from 0600 on Thursday 16th February and for a further 48 hours from 0600 on the 1st March.

 

[Berkeley]

Berkeley - could I ask you to keep you somewhat uninfomed philiosophical american musings off of this thread cheers

 

[dennisr]

The construction electricians are protesting outside the electrical employers annual awards dinner tomorrow evening. 5.30pm.
Its an official Unite demo and could be big with a national turnout

Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane, London W1K 7TN, nearest tube Marble Arch

Added: 7 day notice today )

 

[dennisr]

RMT - Fantastic support from staff and public as RMT kicks off 48 hour St Pancras Eurostar cleaners
http://www.rmt.org.uk/Templates/Internal.asp?NodeID=155412

"Strike action by Initial cleaners at St Pancras International kicked off at 6am this morning with pickets out in force and rail union RMT reporting fantastic support from the public in the fight against poverty pay. Around seventy pickets and supporters have brought horns, drums and a carnival atmosphere to the London Eurostar terminal."

Guy Smallman's Pics: http://guy-smallman-photos.photoshelter.com/gallery-slideshow/G0000EE3_oNrTeoI/?start

Another report; http://www.shopstewards.net/news.249.htm

 

[dennisr]

Feck me - now everybody is at - first Greece - now Portugal:

General strike announced after biggest workers’ march in 32 years

http://www.socialistworld.net/doc/5590

Its catching...

 

[JHE]

But, with a general strike now announced for 22 March it is being shown that, as in Greece, the working people will shake the system to its foundations in the fight for an alternative road.

A one-day general strike is a protest - nothing more. I don't know how often one-day general strikes happen in Portugal, but in neighbouring Spain there have been many one-day general strikes over the years. Sadly, they are pretty much shrugged off by governments.

Best of luck to the Portuguese workers, but they're not 'shaking the system to its foundations', let alone replacing the system.

 

[dennisr]

A one-day general strike is a protest - nothing more. I don't know how often one-day general strikes happen in Portugal, but in neighbouring Spain there have been many one-day general strikes over the years. Sadly, they are pretty much shrugged off by governments.

Best of luck to the Portuguese workers, but they're not 'shaking the system to its foundations', let alone replacing the system.

Thanks for the advice - I am sure the Portuguese workers would not have worked this out (...through the act of 'doing'...) without your sage like words

(Try and reply to what is said rather than cut and paste contexting to make it look like others have said - straw men don't make effective arguements)

 

[JHE]

It's Brit Trots (not Portuguese workers) who need help calming down and recognising reality.

 

[JHE]

(Try and reply to what is said rather than cut and paste contexting to make it look like others have said - straw men don't make effective arguements)

I'm not sure what you're complaining about. I simply quoted part of the article you linked.

 

[dennisr]

It's Brit Trots (not Portuguese workers) who need help calming down and recognising reality.

ah, the 'voice of reason' stance - that's right you are the only realistic person left on the planet - we bow to your cynical eye - fuck off you poisonous cunt
haven;t you got a muslim to go an talk shite about you twat?

 

[dennisr]

Stagecoach drivers secure pay increase after bitter 4 month dispute
http://union-news.co.uk/2012/02/stagecoach-drivers-accept-pay-increase-after-bitter-4-month-dispute

Stagecoach drivers in South Yorkshire have voted overwhelmingly to accept an improved pay offer in their long-running dispute.
A workplace ballot has been taking place throughout today after a recommendation from the negotiating team.

 

[chilango]

Much as a I hate to say it JHE has a point here. There are general strikes and "general strikes". We've had a number of one day general strikes here in Italy. In fact I've "taken part" in some. These have mostly been token affairs confined to one Union federation at a time. When this shifts to all the Feds and become ongoing then things will get interesting.

...but little steps and all that.

 

[dennisr]

...but little steps and all that.

He is stating the obvious for his usual cynical reasons. As you say - small - but very important steps and all that