The Socialist 11 February 2009

Bankers' bonuses - daylight robbery!

Vendetta continues against socialist fighter

JCB owner - still shovelling in the cash

Lindsey oil refinery strike: Workers score important victory

Construction workers' battle to defend jobs and conditions

Welcome to the JIB!

Motherwell Bridge bosses declare war on striking workers

Stop GSK job cuts

Defend youth services

College students - keen to fight back

Save Charlotte Turner school!

Tyneside Metro: Workers' action to stop privatisation

Carbon trading crisis creates bonanza for polluting firms

Exeter: Mobilising to stop the far right

Fast news

Fight for jobs at Ford

Car industry in crisis - national meeting

Wirral cuts: We need a new party

Victory for Salford Unison

Defend jobs at Salford University

Usdaw presidential election

Protest against the Unison witch-hunt

Greenwich council: An injury to one is an injury to all

Nationalise Waterford Crystal!

United Socialist Party members remanded on trumped-up charges




Link to this page: http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/566/6900

Google search the site	Printable version	email to friend

Home | The Socialist 11 February 2009 | Join the Socialist Party

Subscribe | Donate | Bookshop

Victory for Salford Unison

Local government unions in Salford, led by Unison, have secured important concessions from Salford council in relation to job evaluation (JE).

Steven North, Central Manchester and Salford Socialist Party

When it announced its job evaluation proposals in September, Salford City council decided to withdraw all shift allowances for unsociable hours for its staff. This meant that staff required to work nights and weekends as part of their job would be denied the enhancements they are currently paid.

This was correctly condemned by Salford Unison, the largest union branch within the council, but with an absence of a campaign strategy on how these allowances could be reinstated. Left stewards within the branch proposed demonstrations and the threat of an industrial action ballot to fight the dispute and this was agreed at the branch committee.

After three demonstrations and with the threat of a ballot over their heads, the council has decided to reinstate the allowances. This concession is important and is rightly being celebrated by council staff, but the battle for a decent JE settlement is far from over.

The Unison branch leadership originally adopted the same position as Unison nationally - that JE is bound to produce losers. But under pressure from members and left activists, including a motion to the union's annual meeting drafted by a Socialist Party member, the branch has now vowed to fight against any pay cuts. As it currently stands, over 800 workers will lose money. The fight for equal pay without loss goes on, but an important victory has been secured.

In this issue

Bankers' bonuses - daylight robbery!