Link to this page: http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/679/12398
From The Socialist newspaper, 13 July 2011
Workplace news in brief
Leeds college strike
University and College Union (UCU) members at the Leeds College of Building (LCB) mounted a picket outside on 6 July, striking against jobs cuts, demotions and pay cuts.
Michael Howley, the college's UCU branch secretary said: "We're on strike today because the college has decided to impose a restructuring programme to fund a new college building.
"Yet the four college directors who earn almost £400,000 between them don't face any cut. The college has over £10 million in reserves with almost £7.3 million in cash!"
The college is aiming to impose the changes in September. Unfortunately, despite Unison union members at the college facing similar attacks, they have not yet been balloted.
Iain Dalton, Hyde Park and Headingley Socialist Party
Fire service job cuts
Over 1,000 firefighters' jobs have been axed in 12 months, with another one in ten to face the chop in the next three years. The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has said fire and rescue budgets are being cut by 25% over four years.
Meanwhile AssetCo, the company that owns all London and Lincolnshire fire engines, is in talks with a Bahraini banking firm Arcapita to avoid going bankrupt. AssetCo used scabs to try to break the London firefighters' strike in October-November 2010.
The FBU has warned that creditors could seize fire engines and other equipment to recover AssetCo debts.
Staffordshire NSSN
An excellent public meeting organised by Staffordshire Shop Stewards Network (SSSN) took place on 11 July in Hanley. The meeting discussed building for a 24-hour public sector general strike over pensions in the autumn.
The meeting was attended by union reps and members of CWU, PCS, NUT, FBU, GMB, Unison and NUS.
Speakers included Liat Norris from Youth Fight for Jobs, who explained about the 2011 Jarrow march. Marchers would be visiting Stoke-on-Trent on 19 October to highlight the city's 22% youth unemployment rate.
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In The Socialist 13 July 2011:
News International
The media 'lie factory' exposed
Nothing New in the World at Wapping
Socialist Party news and analysis
Hidden by hacking scandal, Cameron seeks wholesale privatisation of services
Socialist Party feature - disability rights
Con-Dem 'reforms' promise misery for disabled people and must be fought!
Socialist Party workplace news
Southampton: Anger grows as workers face the sack
Stop the jobs slaughter at Bombardier, Derby
'Fire and rehire': Shropshire council sacks 6,500 workers
Unison - name the day for action
Socialist Party reports and campaigns
Needed - a workers' alternative in London 2012 elections
Support for Jarrow March at the Durham Miners' Gala
Merseyside Socialist Party - going forward with confidence
Opposing the racist and hooligan EDL
Tamil Solidarity Old Trafford protest
International socialist news and analysis
Greece's debt crisis: No way out for workers under capitalism
Socialist Party review
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