All International subcategories:
Europe keywords:
Northern Ireland
Highlight keywords |
Print this article
Search site for keywords: Trade union - Ireland - Northern Ireland - Post Office - Strike - Southampton - Pay - NHS - RMT - Medirest - Manchester - Jobcentre
Workplace news in brief
Southampton
Medirest NHS cleaners returned to the picket line on 7 March for a three-day strike in their ongoing battle over unpaid wages and sick pay. The failure to implement the NHS job evaluation agreement Agenda for Change in 2006 has left the workers without their right to NHS terms and conditions.
"We are not going away and will be here for as long as it takes!" was the angry and determined message from the pickets.
Stewards Jo Spear and Jacek Cholewicki demanded the chief executive meet to resolve the outstanding issues and are due to have face to face talks on 9 March.
- Send messages of support to Unison steward Jo Spear 07899 087957.
Post office strike ballot
Workers in the Crown post office network have voted for strike action by nine to one, with a 66% turnout. The dispute is over pay and job security for the 4,000 staff in the 373 Crown post offices. In spite of making increased profits last year, the Post Office is refusing a staff pay rise for this year and is considering closing more Crown offices. The union is seeking further negotiations.
Jobcentres
Around 7,000 workers in Jobcentre Plus call centres are balloting for strike action over intolerable working conditions. The PCS members are fighting a bullying management who are obsessed by hitting targets, rather than providing a good public service. 2,000 staff went on strike in January over the same issues and the battle has now been widened to include all staff affected by these conditions.
Victimisation
Manchester RMT activist of 21 years Chris Smart has been sacked on trumped up charges by Network Rail. Network Rail has a history of attacking RMT reps and Chris is the latest example.
Chris visited blacklisted electrician Steve Acheson at Fiddlers Ferry, where he spoke to the Socialist: "I was sacked on 14 February 2011 for allegedly bullying my manager in the course of my union duties.
"It is completely untrue. I would never use my union position to bully anyone. It would not even occur to me.
"But other reps need to be aware of my case. As a union rep you are on a knife edge. If you are effective the company can accuse you of bullying their managers. Even the Tribunal judge said it is going to be unique - he had never seen a case before of a manager being bullied by a subordinate."
Andy Ford Warrington Trades Council
Northern Ireland
In recent elections the left has scored a major victory in Northern Ireland's largest trade union, NIPSA. Three Socialist Party members topped the poll on the executive, with the left winning 12 out of 25 seats.
Website
For more information on workplace and trade union issues, see www.socialistparty.org.uk. For more on NIPSA see the CWI website: socialistworld.net.
Donate to the Socialist Party
Finance appeal
The coronavirus crisis has laid bare the class character of society in numerous ways. It is making clear to many that it is the working class that keeps society running, not the CEOs of major corporations.
The results of austerity have been graphically demonstrated as public services strain to cope with the crisis.
The government has now ripped up its 'austerity' mantra and turned to policies that not long ago were denounced as socialist. But after the corona crisis, it will try to make the working class pay for it, by trying to claw back what has been given.
- The Socialist Party's material is more vital than ever, so we can continue to report from workers who are fighting for better health and safety measures, against layoffs, for adequate staffing levels, etc.
- When the health crisis subsides, we must be ready for the stormy events ahead and the need to arm workers' movements with a socialist programme - one which puts the health and needs of humanity before the profits of a few.
Inevitably, during the crisis we have not been able to sell the Socialist and raise funds in the ways we normally would.
We therefore urgently appeal to all our viewers to donate to our Fighting Fund.
LATEST POSTS
12 May Stop Israeli state brutality
 |
9 May Post-election meetings
15 May Birmingham Socialist Party: How can we fight for socialist change and a new workers' party?
17 May Oxfordshire & Aylesbury Socialist Party: The role of the state
18 May Bristol North Socialist Party: Liverpool - history of socialist struggle
CONTACT US
Phone our national office on 020 8988 8777
Email: [email protected]
Locate your nearest Socialist Party branch Text your name and postcode to 07761 818 206
Regional Socialist Party organisers:
Eastern: 079 8202 1969
East Mids: 077 3797 8057
London: 075 4018 9052
North East: 078 4114 4890
North West 079 5437 6096
South West: 077 5979 6478
Southern: 078 3368 1910
Wales: 079 3539 1947
West Mids: 024 7655 5620
Yorkshire: 078 0983 9793
ABOUT US
ARCHIVE
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999