Workplace news in brief

Support Eddie Fleming - lobby the tribunal

PCS member Eddie Fleming's Employment Tribunal is taking place on 25 June, and the union is organising a lobby in his support. Eddie, the chair of the PCS union branch at the Child Support Agency (CSA), was sacked for his union activities on trumped up charges.

He was sacked in spite of an 800-signature petition and protest marches through Hastings on 15 December 2007 and on 3 May this year.

He was also re-elected to his union position after being sacked and barred from entering the CSA building.

The lobby is at 9am on 25 June, at Ashford House, 15 County Square, Ashford.

• Please send messages of support to: eddiesjoint@aol.com. For further information, please contact Keith Johnston PCS Regional Organiser on 07856 110206.

Defend Tommy Sheridan - resolutions needed

Scottish socialist Tommy Sheridan has been targeted by Rupert Murdoch's media empire since winning a defamation case against the News of the World in 2006.

Now Tommy and six others have been the subject of a perjury investigation which has cost at least £1 million so far.

The campaign is asking for resolutions from union branches calling for the end of this witch-hunt and the dropping of all charges. Bob Crow, RMT, Janice Godrich PCS and Kenny Ross FBU have already leant their support.

For model resolutions etc see: www.defendtommysheridan.org

6% pay claim for agricultural workers

Unite has put in a claim for 6% across all grades of agricultural workers, as negotiations at the Agricultural Wages Board get under way.

There is a growing labour shortage in agriculture as young workers are put off a career in farming, because of the low wages, and migrant workers return home.

Consequently half of all farm workers are over 55 and a quarter over 65.

The claim also includes a demand for a pension scheme and improvements in holiday and sick pay.

Science museum staff strike

Workers from the National Museum of Science and Industry, which includes the Science Museum in London and other museums in Bradford, Swindon and York were on strike on 13 June over the imposition of a pay cut.

The PCS and Prospect union members were protesting at the below-inflation pay deal, which has already been delayed for over a year.

Starting salaries are as low as £11,342 so the 3% for 2007/8 and 2.7% for 2008/9 will be worth very little.