Plymouth Socialist Party members
On 22 July, trade unionists in the South West came together for the first time under the banner of the National Shop Stewards Network (NSSN).
After supporting an RMT rail picket line, we met in the Plymouth Railway Club to launch a regional group of the NSSN. We agreed to set up a steering committee, endorse the NSSN model motion on anti-trade union laws, support the lobby of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) in Liverpool on 10 September, and campaign to get local branches to affiliate.
The meeting was chaired by Alex Moore, National Education Union (NEU) Plymouth district chair (in a personal capacity) and Socialist Party member.
Key speakers included Robbie Woodlands, president of BFAWU bakers’ union Kernow. He explained that they are campaigning for better pay and conditions and for BFAWU recognition at Ginsters and all Samworth Brothers sites nationwide, which include brands such as Soreen and Melton Mowbray. Samworth Brothers has a turnover of over £1 billion, but doesn’t pay its workers a living wage, full sick pay or recognise a trade union.
Robert Kitley, Aslef Exeter branch chair (in a personal capacity) and Dave Goard of the RMT executive also spoke, on the overtime ban and national action taking place on the railways. Dave Roberts, regional secretary of the Fire Brigades Union drove the two-hour journey from Weston-Super-Mare to join the meeting, and will encourage more local FBU reps to participate in future South West NSSN events.
From the floor, UCU member Duncan Moore reported on the campaign to gain union recognition for lecturers, formerly in the further education sector but now outsourced and facing redundancies.
