Workplace news in brief


Greenwich

As we reported last week, Socialist Party member Onay Kasab (Kaz) has been expelled from Unison for allegedly encouraging Greenwich branch members to leave Unison and join Unite.

There will be a full report of this on the Socialist Party’s website but Kaz told the Socialist: “In Greenwich we have taken the absolutely correct decision. We have regrouped the organised workers in Greenwich and we are providing an alternative to a branch run by bureaucrats. Far from putting personal feelings first, we have put the workers first by prioritising the fight against cuts, which the Unison bureaucracy was preventing us from doing. This is not the same as saying there should be a mass exodus from Unison. Instead a decision was made locally to allow us to continue to fight the council’s vicious austerity programme.”


South Yorks

NUJ members at South Yorkshire Newspapers (SYN) who have been on indefinite strike over job cuts, office closures, reduction of quality to their titles, and workload, returned to work on 8 September after 55 days out on strike.

The chapel unanimously agreed to formally suspend the strike to allow talks to take place with management.

At a strikers’ breakfast meeting held before returning to work, NUJ official Chris Morley said what an inspiration the two dozen strikers have been for NUJ members around the country. Their solidarity and determination not to be cowed into accepting cuts has already spurred NUJ members in Newsquest North West and the Newcastle Chronicle to also vote for strike action against job losses. Chris also thanked the Socialist Party for its support for the strikers in Doncaster.

Please email your support for and congratulations to the DFP NUJ Chapel to rep Darren Burke at [email protected] or text 07972 091299

Alistair Tice

Remploy

Remploy workers and their supporters in Swansea will be campaigning against the threatened closure of the Remploy factories on 17 September, 11.30 am, Oxford Street Swansea.

The Remploy Support Group is meeting on Wednesday 21 September, 7.30pm, Railmen’s Club, Wind Street, Swansea.

Les Woodward, GMB convenor told the Socialist: “The fact that we choose to work with other disabled people is our choice. We were not forced into Remploy and we will not be forced out. We are proud of our skills, proud of our products and believe it or not we are proud of our company. Since 1946 it has transformed the lives of many thousands of disabled people, who, without the opportunity of employment with Remploy would have struggled to find employment.” More in a future issue.