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NUT STRIKE ON 24 APRIL -
23-04-2008 |
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NUT are taking national strike action on April 24. Their web site - www.nut.org.uk - carries the arguments behind their action.
PRIVATE SECTOR PAY
There is no two per cent limit in the private sector. Average earnings are rising by 4.3 per cent. Chief executives’ pay is up by 37 per cent, reaching 100 times average earnings, while bonus payments are up 30 per cent this year to £14 billion pounds.
FAIR PAY FOR TEACHERS…
The NUT thinks teachers’ pay should be sufficient to recruit and retain a quality workforce and avoid teacher shortages. It should be comparable to that of other graduate professionals. There should be no cuts in living standards.
Instead, teachers have suffered pay cuts in real terms every year since 2005 and now face threats of further below-inflation pay increases for 2008 to 2011.
Teachers’ pay is already lower than other professional workers. Starting pay is below other professions and pay progression is slower.
The Government threatens to create a return to “boom and bust” in teachers’ pay.
A BREACH OF TRUST
The Government and STRB agreed a pay review mechanism for 2006 and 2007 in case inflation averaged 3.25%+ over 12 months.
Inflation averaged 3.7 per cent. The Government refused the STRB a remit for 2006 & 2007, telling it to reflect its concerns in 2008 recommendations.
The NUT has called on the STRB to act independently. Its report is awaited.
IF PAY HAD ONLY MATCHED INFLATION…
NQTs’ starting pay would be £700 a year higher. Experienced teachers would be earning over £1000 more and primary heads over £1500 more. Cumulative pay losses are far higher – UPS3 teachers have lost over £2000 and this figure is rising.
2008 AND BEYOND
The Government’s public sector pay limit means it wants to limit teachers’ pay increases to 2% for 2008 to 2011. Other public sector workers have already faced a 2% limit in 2007.
THE NUT’S CAMPAIGN
The STRB’s report on teachers’ pay is due in November 2007.
The TUC has agreed to oppose the 2% limit and “co-ordinate a joint campaign of opposition … including co-ordinated joint industrial action”.
The NUT plans to ballot members later this term. You should vote YES when the ballot takes place. In the meantime, visit www.teachers.org.uk – tell your story about how your living standards are being harmed and use the facility to email your MP.
The NUT achieved success in its recent campaign on pensions. All members of the Teachers Pension Scheme had their pensions protected and new teachers retain access to a quality pension scheme. This was achieved by united campaigning across the public sector.
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ETUC ON GAZA & SOUTHERN ISRAEL -
05-03-2008 |
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05/03/08
Gaza and Southern Israel:
ETUC demands respect for international law and a return to peace negotiations
Following a report from the Palestine General Federation of Trade Unions (PGFTU) the ETUC Executive Committee today called for an immediate cession of violent actions by Israel and Hamas, and for a return of Israel and the Palestinian authorities to the negotiating table.
The Executive Committee condemned the disproportionate use of force by the Israeli military in Gaza in recent days that has caused the deaths of over one hundred Palestinians – many of them civilians, women and children among them. It is a collective punishment of the population of Gaza which violates international law.
The Executive Committee urged Israel to refrain from all activities that endanger civilians and to respect their obligations under international law and the Fourth Geneva Convention. At the same time the Committee condemned Hamas violations of international law by firing of rockets into Israel, causing civilian casualties, and called for it to be ended immediately, so that negotiations can resume.
The Executive Committee expressed their continuing concern at the blockade of Gaza that has contributed to escalating unemployment and poverty in the territory. Negotiations are the only way to reach a lasting peace agreement based on international law and relevant UN resolutions.
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JUSTICE FOR SHREWSBURY PICKETS -
11-02-2008 |
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TUESDAY 26TH OF FEBRUARY 08. 7.30 CONWAY HALL. RED LION SQUARE, HOLBORN.
Nrest Tube Holburn.
A steering group is being organised to generate support for an inquiry into the events surrounding he arrest and conviction of Pickets arising from the 1972 building workers strike.
Currently in the South East only building workers have shown an noticeable interest in this campaign. As this is an issue that touches the whole of the Trade Union Movement and the Justice system in this country, we hope to involve a wider participation from other areas of the movement.
We are hoping to develop a steering group to take the Campaign forward and we request that if possible you can spread the word of this meeting among as many sources as you can.
If you need further information please contact me.
Solidarity
Mick Dooley
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Agreement reached in BBC dispute -
23-01-2008 |
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Following all night talks the BBC and the joint unions have reached an agreement in principle over the current dispute.
The statement below was issued to the press at 5.30pm today.
Joint statement by the BBC, BECTU,
the NUJ and Unite
After extensive overnight talks, the BBC and the Joint Unions (BECTU, the NUJ and Unite) have reached agreement in principle in the current dispute.
The agreement is subject to acceptance by a consultative ballot of the joint unions’ membership.
All the parties welcome the progress made so far on jobs, allowances and pensions and will continue to work together to achieve an acceptable final settlement.
Director of BBC People, Stephen Kelly, said: “The negotiations with the trade unions have been very constructive given the complexity of the issues and the BBC’s financial position. We are hopeful that the proposed agreement will settle the dispute and enable the BBC to make the necessary changes required for the benefit of our audiences.”
BECTU General Secretary, Gerry Morrissey, said: “This set of negotiations with the BBC has been particularly difficult given the financial constraints on the BBC and the number of areas targeted for cuts, all of which impact significantly on many staff. After extensive talks overnight we have an agreement in principle which we hope will pave the way for a final settlement of the dispute. Talks in BBC Vision will continue up until the opening of a consultative ballot in March.”
NUJ General Secretary, Jeremy Dear, said: “We’re pleased the imminent threat of compulsory redundancies has been addressed and that all staff required to work unpredictable hours will continue to get a fair deal. These negotiations now give us a basis on which we can address further changes proposed by the BBC.”
from www.bectu.org.uk
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Strike ballot over BBC cuts -
23-11-2007 |
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 BBC unions have voted unanimously to ballot for national strike action, in protest at compulsory redundancies and other changes.
Representatives of BECTU, NUJ, and Unite, meeting in London today (November 22) voted for industrial action ballots after hearing that the BBC planned compulsory redundancies, despite the emergence of hundreds of volunteers.
The meeting followed a BBC-wide day of action on 5 November, with meetings and pavement gatherings at buildings across the UK.
BBC Vision staff on strike earlier this year over job cuts in Childrens TV (see photo)
Representatives heard that talks had been held earlier in the week with BBC Vision and BBC News over Director General Mark Thompson’s proposals to slash a total of 2,500 jobs across the corporation, which were announced on 18 October.
Unions were informed that 343 staff had volunteered for redundancy in News, and 303 staff in Vision. The BBC’s target for cuts was 328 in News and 440 in Vision.
However, management would not guarantee that those who have come forward as volunteers will be allowed to go. Adding to union anger, management in BBC Vision, the TV production division, announced that the process of selecting staff for compulsory redundancy while at the same time considering the volunteers – in effect cherry-picking staff – as soon as possible.
Further compulsory redundancies are threatened in BBC Scotland and other parts of the corporation including the World Service, and the Thompson cuts plan also affects Nations & Regions, Future Media & Technology, and Audio & Music.
Unions are demanding that the trawls for volunteers should be extended, and that more effort should be made to retrain and redeploy threatened staff in the 700 new jobs that the BBC plans to create in the next five years.
On top of the 2,500 job cuts, the BBC plans to withhold unpredictability allowances (UPA) from new staff from 1 January 2008 and implement changes to the pension scheme from April 2010 - plans that the unions have rejected.
Gerry Morrissey, BECTU’s General Secretary reacted by saying: “The BBC has left us with no option than to ballot our members for strike action. I am confident that we will get an overwhelming ‘Yes’ vote and that very successful strike action will take place at the beginning of January.”
He added: “The current financial shortfall of £2.2bn is a shortfall based on the BBC’s wish list to government which was not agreed as part of the licence fee settlement. Rather than continuing with this wish list, we believe that BBC management should be using the available resources to deliver quality programmes across Factual, Drama News and Sport. This is what the general public wants, not the BBC’s expansion plans.”
Luke Crawley, Assistant General Secretary said: “The BBC appears to believe that compulsory redundancies will solve the problem it faces. In doing so it displays a lack of imagination and fails to see that a demoralised workforce will find it harder to produce the high quality programmes needed to justify the licence fee. BECTU members are ready and willing to take strike action to oppose these cuts.”
Meanwhile, Supervisory Official Helen Ryan commented: “We have been outraged by BBC management’s attempt to run rough-shod over national agreements, especially in relation to the cherry-picking that has been proposed in Vision. Our members are extremely concerned that the changes to UPA and pensions, if pushed through, will lead to the gradual degradation of terms and conditions across the board and this must not be allowed to happen.”
Ballot papers will go out to members after 30 November and the ballot will close on 9 January 2008. If members vote to strike, industrial action could take place seven days after this.
from www.bectu.org 22/11/07
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BBC CUTS - UNION FIGHTBACK -
18-10-2007 |
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from BECTU website - www.bectu.org.uk
Strike action threat at BBC
Unions have called on the BBC to halt a mass redundancy exercise and enter negotiations, or face industrial action.
“The BBC must honour its agreements with the joint unions or face the fact of an immediate industrial action ballot”
A meeting of BECTU, NUJ, and Unite representatives in London today, 18 October, voted to issue an ultimatum to BBC management after hearing details of a cost-saving plan which could cut up to 2,600 jobs.
Unions have threatened to run industrial action ballots if the BBC refuses to suspend the redundancy exercise and enter full negotiations at a senior level. Management have until noon on 19 October to respond.
Representatives at the London meeting heard that officials had been told of 2,600 potential redundancies, along with unilateral changes in allowances and pensions, at an early morning briefing with Director General Mark Thompson.
Unions were told that from January 2008 Unpredictability Allowances for irregular working would no longer be paid to new staff, and from April 2010 staff over 50 being made redundant would no longer be entitled to enhanced pensions.
Management had also given notice that the process of identifying volunteers would begin two days later, before any discussions had taken place with unions about the scale of the cuts package.
Mark Thompson was warned that a premature start to the redundancy process would undermine the management's claimed desire to work constructively with unions on the cuts plan.
Managers have been accused by the unions of ignoring their legal obligation to consult unions before implementing redundancies, and breaking union agreements by giving insufficient notice of the pension and allowances changes.
BECTU Assistant General Secretary Luke Crawley said: "The BBC must honour its agreements with the joint unions or face the fact of an immediate industrial action ballot. It is unacceptable to trawl for volunteers without agreeing a national framework covering the treatment of staff facing redundancy."
The savings which the BBC anticipates from the job cuts are intended to offset a £2.2 billion shortfall in BBC funding over the next six years.
Television Centre, planned to be sold as part of the cuts (Picture: Tony Scott)
During talks about renewal of the BBC's Royal Charter last year, the Corporation made commitments to introduce new services and extend the range of content available on digital platforms like mobile phones.
Despite welcoming these plans, the government later rejected the BBC's claim for a funding formula which would provide annual increases above the rate of inflation to pay for them.
Under the cuts plan announced today, roughly £700 million will be saved over the next six years though a combination of a reduced wage bill and a £100 million annual cut in TV programme-making.
Even if all these savings were achieved, they would fall £1.5 billion short of the original £2.2 billion spending target, leaving the long list of proposed new services unfunded.
Union officials are concerned that the staff who remain after any redundancies would be expected to take on onerous new duties to help deliver the promised new services, leading to stress and illness.
One issue that the unions believe must be settled before the redundancy exercise can begin is a guarantee that there will be opportunities for re-skilling and resettlement for staff threatened with redundancy.
In a previous job cutting exercise which began in 2004 and resulted in over 3,000 post closures, managers were criticised for putting too little effort and imagination into finding alternative employment for redundant staff.
In one area, Childrens' Factual TV, union members took strike action after compulsory redundancy notices were issued, despite the existence of many staff in the same job categories who were willing to volunteer to leave the BBC.
Unions have called for an immediate freeze on recruitment at the BBC to create redeployment opportunities as an alternative to redundancy for threatened staff. Under the new cuts plan, 700 new posts are expected to be created, and unions believe that these should all be available to existing staff who are seeking resettlement.
Officials have emphasised that the unions are willing to negotiate over all aspects of the latest cuts round, but will not hesitate to call for strike action if the BBC refuses to agree to suspend the redundancy process to allow talks to take place.
Letter from Joint BBC Unions to Mike Gooddie, BBC Employee Relations and People Strategy Director
I am writing on behalf of the Joint BBC Unions in relation to the announcement of 2,500 redundancies at the Corporation.
We believe that, given the number of proposed job cuts and the five-year time frame, compulsory redundancies can, and should, be avoided by the BBC.
In failing to consult with the recognised Trade Unions the BBC is in breach of employment legislation and existing union agreements.
A meeting of the joint unions in response to the announcement has passed the following proposition unanimously:
The BBC must agree a national framework which will cover how the divisions will process the redundancies, and crucially, what they will do to assist staff to be retrained and redeployed. Until the national framework is in place, no divisional talks should take place, and the process of consultation should not start. This means that the clock will not start ticking for those either identified or selected for redundancy until agreement is reached on the national framework.
The joint unions will regard it as a hostile act if the BBC starts the process by calling for volunteers before a national framework is in place. The unions require an assurance from the BBC, no later than noon tomorrow October 19th, that no trawl will begin. In the event of the BBC conducting a preference exercise seeking volunteers for redundancy without union agreement, the unions will immediately begin ballots for industrial action.
The agreement from ACAS which provides five months from the date of seletion for staff to allow them to be redeployed expires in March 2008. The BBC needs to extend this agreement long enough to cover all redundancies included in this round of cuts.
There should be an external recruitment freeze for the duration of this round of cuts.
Any new jobs created should be reserved for those at risk of redundancy.
The BBC must provide an agreed financial incentive to divisions to ensure that staff selected for redundancy are redeployed rather than be forced to leave the BBC.
This meeting notes that the Health & Safety Executive has informed the BBC that it is breach of existing laws concerning stress management. The BBC should carry out an immediate stress-specific risk assessment across the BBC to ascertain the impact of the changes on the workers who remain, and should put in place control measures to reduce risk of increased stress to a minimum
The BBC would be in breach of its agreements with the unions by trying to withdraw Unpredictability Allowances without giving the currently-agreed notice period. This is unacceptable, and the BBC should withdraw the threat. The unions would be willing to discuss this at national level, but not against the threat of the allowance being automatically withdrawn in January 2008.
The proposal to withdraw pension augmentation from 2010 also needs to be discussed at national level well in advance of any changes.
Full information on the BBC's proposed spending plans for the next six years should be provided to the Joint Unions, who would welcome an opportunity to discuss them with the Director of Finance.
In view of the Director General's commitment, expressed earlier, to work closely with the Joint Unions on the restructuring plan announced today, I look forward to a positive response.
Luke Crawley, BECTU Assistant General Secretary
BECTU Press Release - 18 October 2007
BBC unions to ballot for strike action over 2,500 job cuts
The BBC unions (BECTU, the NUJ and Unite) today voted unanimously to commence ballots for strike action in the event that the BBC does not agree to a national framework to promote re-skilling rather than redundancy.
This emanates from BBC Director General Mark Thompson’s announcement earlier today that the BBC intends to make 2,500 staff redundant. The proposed cuts will mainly affect BBC Vision and News departments. However, he also announced there would be 700 new jobs created.
Under his proposals, the bulk of the redundancies will take place in the first two years and he gave notice to terminate unpredictability allowance (UPA) for all new staff from a date to be agreed early next year. At the same time, he also gave notice that the current preferable discounting arrangements on pensions for staff being made redundant would terminate on 6 April 2010.
Mark Thompson said the 2,500 job losses and the changes to UPA and pensions were necessary to balance the books after a very unsatisfactory licence fee settlement. In addition, he announced the BBC would be spending £100m a year less on original production than is currently the case – equivalent to a 10% cut of its original production budget. In addition there would be less pages on its website and less frequent updating.
Union reaction
Senior representatives from the three joint unions met Mark Thompson prior to him addressing BBC staff. When the proposals were reported back to union reps there was a clear feeling of outrage that the BBC was failing to abide by its national agreements and many members said they felt they were paying for management’s incompetence with their jobs. The unions unanimously rejected the BBC’s request for divisional talks on the cuts until such time as there is a national framework agreement in place.
BECTU’s BBC supervisory official Helen Ryan commented: "We do not believe there can be productive negotiations at divisional level until we have a framework to ensure that wherever you work in the BBC you will be treated fairly and consistently throughout this process."
When confronted on Wednesday morning, Sir Michael Lyons ensured the unions there would be meaningful negotiations on the proposals. However, the unions are now being informed by management that a trawl for voluntary redundancies will begin tomorrow, Friday 19 October. The joint unions have made it clear that this is a provocative act and unless letters to staff are withdrawn before 12 noon tomorrow will lead to an immediate ballot for strike action.
National Framework Agreement
The unions’ demands as part of a national framework agreement are principally as follows:
An agreed percentage of all newly created positions are to be given to those staff at risk of redundancy.
Divisions of the BBC are only to be given money from the corporate centre to cover the net number of redundancies, rather than the gross number. Ie., if a department needs to recruit and they choose not to redeploy existing staff, that department will have to fund the extra redundancy costs involved.
The BBC commits to doing a risk assessment of each area including a stress assessment before implementing any redundancies.
No recruiting will occur while redundancies are taking place.
Luke Crawley, BECTU’s Assistant General Secretary said: "We are extremely concerned that the pressures on staff left behind will lead to increased stress and strain, which is why we are demanding that the BBC implements a programme of risk assessments before any redundancies take place. Destructive cuts like these will damage programme quality."
Gerry Morrissey, BECTU’s General Secretary commented: "We were expecting redundancies as a result of the poor licence fee settlement, but this magnitude is far greater than we expected, or is required. We are concerned that the salami slicing proposed by management will damage quality as well as put unreasonable demands on staff.
"Staff do not want the BBC damaged in this way. Failure to heed these demands will lead to a strike ballot and will receive strong support from staff and the general public."
He concluded: "The Director General today said many fine words about skilling current staff for the future. The demands that we are making of him will prove whether or not his words are just lip service."
ENDS
Notes to editors:
UPA (Unpredictability Allowance) is an additional shift allowance payment given for working unsociable hours.
Preferable discounting arrangements for pensions govern how much a person will suffer in abatement if they choose to retire early. Under Mark Thompson’s proposals, this abatement will be waived if a member of staff is made redundant. [NB: This coincides with the BBC’s decision to move the retirement age to 55 from 2010. So, anyone born after 6 April 1960 will not now be able to retire until 55 unless they are prepared to take an abatement.]
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REMPLOY PETITION HITS WESTMINSTER -
17-10-2007 |
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 MARCH AND PETITION - OCT 17th REVERBERATES AROUND WESTMINSTER
A PETITION calling for jobs for disabled people to be safeguarded has been delivered to Westminster after a 114-mile overnight march from a Poole factory. Scores of Remploy employees from the Alder Hills plant struggled with the weighty 8,000-signature document before handing it over to a team of six runners spearheaded by Newtown ward councillor Mike Plummer.
The team delivered the papers - which made up the last segment in a national 60,000-signature petition - to work and pensions secretary Peter Hain.
Cllr Plummer said: "It is very rare for a minister to accept a petition in person, so it was very reassuring.
"He was very interested in one of our suggestions to appoint a disabled person as a Remploy director.
"We want all 43 threatened factories to stay open, every one of the 2,270 disabled jobs to be guaranteed and more recruitment into Remploy factories."
Mr Hain threw Remploy a lifeline of sorts at last month's Labour party conference in Bournemouth.
He said government was working to land more public procurement contracts and promised no factory would close without ministerial say-so.
Unions have been at loggerheads with Remploy management, who want to close 32 factories - including the Alder Hills plant - and merge 11 as part of modernisation plans.
Cllr Plummer said: "When you tour the factory the workers come up to you in tears.
"They are desperate to stay on. It is more than just a place of work, it is their family."
The Poole factory makes lifejackets for the MoD and employs 47 people, including 42 with disabilities.
Of his march to Westminster, Cllr Plummer said: "It is fair to say I am pretty tired today, especially after spending five hours in casualty last night.
"As I got out of the support car to start my leg on the A31, some idiot had thrown rubbish out of his window and I tripped over it.
"I fell over, fracturing my elbow, but in the spirit of true grit, picked myself up and continued with the journey.
"I will continue to fight for Remploy workers."
from REMPLOY WORKERS WEBSITE -www.gmbremployworkers.info/
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PENTONVILLE 5 MEETING MAKES IMPACT -
30-07-2007 |
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 The 35th anniversary meeting of the Pentonville 5 , commemorating their being got out of jail by mass working class action, made a big impact in London on Saturday 28 th July.
The tone was set by Martin Gould, SERTUC President who said that although we needed to remember our history we needed to learn the lessons so we could effectively campaign for trade union frredom today. This was echoed by he other speakers Ann Field National Officer AMICUS with a print background and TGWU Region 1 Secretary Steve Hart. A strong statement of how the spirit of the working class would triumph over the attacks being made on it came from Vic Turner, one of 5 jailed dockers.
Extracts from the Cinema Action film about the events in 1972 made a powerful impact on the audience as it showed the print workers closing down Fleet Street and the march up to Pentonville prison when the dockers were released. Copies of the DVD sold like hotcakes. |
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Public Services meeting Harrow Wednesday 25th July 2007 -
10-07-2007 |
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Public Services not Private Profit meeting at 7pm on Wednesday 25 July 2007 at Harrow Baptist Church, College Road, Harrow HA1 1BA
Speakers - BRIAN CATON POA GS
JUDY McKNIGHT NAPO GS
JOHN McDONNE;LL MP
MARK SERWOTKA PCS GS.
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PENTONVILLE 5 COMMEMORATION MEETING 28 JULY -
10-07-2007 |
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PENTONVILLE 5 COMMEMORATION MEETING
SATURDAY 28 JULY 2007
14.00-17.00
TUC, CONGRESS HOUSE, GREAT RUSSELL STREET, LONDON WC1
(NEAREST TUBE – Tottenham Court Road)
In the last week of July 1972 mass working class action got the Pentonville 5 out of jail. The 5 dockers, imprisoned under Tory anti-union laws, were released due to mass solidarity strike action by workers across Britain.
This meeting marks that important victory but also uses its lessons to look at the need to fight for trade union freedoms today.
Looking at what happened in summer 1972. Its position alongside the Upper Clyde Shipbuilders work-in, the miners strikes of 72 and 74, the engineers fight over hours with occupations and sit-ins, the building workers struggle, Fakenham womens work-in, equal pay struggles, internment in Ireland, Vietnam War and much more.
Looking at the importance of solidarity action in union struggles and the need to remove the anti-union laws in 2007.
STEVE HART Regional Secretary TGWU No1/Unite
ANN FIELD National Officer Amicus/Unite
VIC TURNER one of the Pentonville 5
Chair – Martin Gould President S&ERTUC
Plus special guests
Video, photos, posters.
Celebrating and learning from the past in the cause of today and the future.
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MARK THIS IMPORTANT DATE IN BRITISH WORKING CLASS HISTORY WHICH IS A LESSON FOR TODAY
Organised jointly by
UNITE/TGWU No1 Region & CITIES OF LONDON & WESTMINSTER TRADES COUNCIL
Supported by S&ERTUC & GLATUC
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MAY DAY CARDS -
19-04-2007 |
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INTERNATIONAL WORKERS DAY
A Celebreation of Workers Solidarity
MAY DAY GREETING CARDS
A small community project now in its 14th year of production
£7.00 for ten
from
Northampton Connolly Association
5 Woodland Avenue
Abington
Northampton NN3 2BY
Tel. 01604-715793
Part of our alternative voices series – we distribute…
1. “HIDDEN WOUNDS” Brutalised soldiers are coming home to brutalise…
About the rehabilitation / psychological problems that Northern Ireland veterans experience on their return to civvy street and the number who end up in HM prisons. Also comment on Vietnam veterans. By former soldier
Aly Renwick. £4.99. (nb. Between 1984 and 2006, 687 serving soldiers committed suicide-MoD statistics)
They ask me where I’ve been
And what I’ve done and seen.
But what can I reply
Who knows it wasn’t I,
But someone just like me
Who went across the sea
And with my head and hands
Killed men in foreign lands...
Though I must bear the blame,
Because he bore my name. Wilfred Gibson 1WW vet
2. “NOTHING BUT THE SAME OLD STORY” – the roots of anti-Irish racism by Liz Curtis.
“I welcome this book and feel it will help play a valuable part in helping to remove the negative and racist stereotyping which so often adversely effects the Irish community in Britain.” Ken Livingstone, now Mayor of London. £2.50
Part of our Irish Studies series – includes books and videos. Ask for separate leaflet.
3. An Interlude with Seagulls - Memories of a Long Kesh internee by Bobby Devlin. ‘I went into Castlereagh a poor, humble postman, but according to information received, I was a brigadier-general in the Irish Republican Army. This dramatic promotion must have even eclipsed General Custer’s meteoric rise in the American civil war. £1.50
4. …LAST NIGHT ANOTHER SOLDIER…by Aly Renwick. A novel written by an ex-soldier. Not for the
faint hearted, it deals with the reality of British soldiers experience in Northern Ireland. £3.95
5. Cormac Strikes Back – resistance cartoons from the North of Ireland. Cormac is a radical and very popular Belfast cartoonist. Introduction by Guardian cartoonist
Steve Bell. £2.50
6. British Soldiers Speak Out on Ireland. 1969-198? A real exposé by ex squaddies. Some then on the run.
Only a few left. £1.00
7. THEY SHOOT CHILDREN – between April 1972 and April 1986, 16 people, seven of them children, were killed by plastic and rubber bullets. £1.00
8. Selected Short Stories Of Donall MacAmhlaigh. – Northampton based writer and chronicler of the Irish working experience in Britain, author of An Irish Navvy, Schnitzer O’Shea, An Dialann Deoraí etc. £6.00
9. Iish Poetry BEYOND THE SHORE
A poetry anthology by the first and later generations living in Britain, France and the USA. 47 poems by 32 internationally acclaimed poets. Fergus Allan, Linda Anderson, Samuel Beckett, Brian Farrington, Nigel Gray, Desmond Greaves, Sean Hutton, Derry Jeffares, Richard Kell, Brendan Kennelly, Thomas Kinsella, Tom Leonard, James Liddy, Eddie Linden, Roger McGough, Edward Mackin, Joe Malone, Gerard Mangan, Ewart Milne, Aiden Murphy, Hayden Murphy, Michael P O’Connor, Desmond O’Grady, Michael O’Neill, Derry O’Sullivan, Tom Paulin, Cyril Leslie Riley, Padraig Rooney, Deirdre Shanahan, Matthew Sweeney, Shaun Traynor, Robert Welsh. £3.80 including postage UK. $9.00 USA airmail – only a few left.
10. Rebel Cards – a celebration of our heroes - most cards have a picture on the front with a short biography or quote on the inside left. Wolfe Tone + Bastille day card – 3, Jamie Hope, Henry Joy McCracken, James Connolly – 3 Countess Markievicz, Padraig Pearse, Roger Casement, Maud Gonne MacBride, Jim Larkin, Chartist Leaders, Feargus O’Connor, Bronterre O’Brien, Michael Davitt, Robert Emmet – 2, Jim Connell + The Red Flag, Charles Bradlaugh + I was there quote, Anne Besant, Terence MacSwiney, John MacLean, William Morris, Robert Tressell, Sylvia Pankhurst, G.B.Shaw, Charlotte Despard, Keir Hardie, Tom Paine, Robert Owen, Martin Niemoeller quote, Eva Gore-Booth, Shelley red poet, John Clare poet, Scotland Go Bragh, Erin Go Bragh, Irish Proclamation - facsimile edition, Revolution means Change, The Minstrel Boy, The Training Ground, etc + May Day Cards - 8 designs-The Solidarity of Labour, Tolpuddle Martyrs etc. Peace Cards (anti-war)-6 designs, Bookmarks etc.
11. The Missing Piece in the Peace Process by Ken Keable. Why British people must campaign for Britain to withdraw from Northern Ireland. Forward by Tony Benn. £3.00
12. The Irish Republican Congress Revisited by Patrick Byrne (former joint Secretary with Frank Ryan) £2.00
13. Video – ‘The Irishmen’ social commentary made in 1965. Music by Ewan Macoll and Joe Heaney. £18.00
From;-Northampton Connolly Association 5 Woodland Avenue Abington Northampton NN3 2BY Tel. 01604-715793 e-mail: pmcelt@aol.com
Also – we attend community festivals.
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HARROW TUC MEETING 19 OCTOBER -
16-10-2006 |
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Harrow Trades Union Council
Defend Public Services- Not Private Profit
Speakers;
Paul Kenny, General Secretary GMB
Mark Serwotka, General Secretary PCS
Dr John Lister London Health Emergency
7.30pm
Harrow Baptist Church College Road, Harrow
For more information contact HTUC Secretary
John Rattray 07956 828280
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BRENT TRADE UNION COUNCIL HOLD IMPORTANT GRUNWICK COMMEMORATION 17 SEPTEMBER -
21-08-2006 |
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PENTONVILLE 5 COMMEMORATION -
26-07-2006 |
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 WE COMMEMORATE THE PENTONVILLE 5
The last week in July 1972 saw the successful freeing of the Pentonville 5 (5 imprisoned dockers) by mass workers’ action. July 26 was the day they were released as a mass demonstration reached the prison.
Combined with all the other mass actions going on during the early 70s this led to the defeat of the Tory anti-union laws in the Industrial Relations Act (which had been foreshadowed in Barbara Castle’s “In Place of Strife” document for the previous Labour Government). The Miners Strike of 74 brought it all to a head and the defeat of the Heath Government.
The example of the Pentonville 5 struggle was how united trade union action could defeat attacks on workers rights. The anti-Trade Union laws we now face – brought in by the Thatcher but enthusiastically continued by Blair – have to be defeated. They are the key attack on civil liberties – denying workers the right to support each other. The shackling of unions was the necessary precursor to the mounting attacks on civil liberties that have followed.
The spirit of Pentonville lives on in the struggle of workers to improve their conditions and to maintain the bond of solidarity. We must build on that to defeat the anti-union laws.
COMMEMORATE PENTONVILLE WITH US
ORGANISE/AGITATE/EDUCATE
DEFEAT THE ANTI-TRADE UNION LAWS
Cities of London & Westminster Trades Council
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SPECIAL OPEN MEETING ON FIGHTING ANTI-TRADE UNION LAWS TUESDAY 4 JULY 2006 18.00 -
29-06-2006 |
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CITIES OF LONDON & WESTMINSTER TRADES COUNCIL
CLWTC, c/o GFTU,
Central House,
Upper Woburn Place,
LONDON WC1H 0HY
President: Jim Smith (PCS)
Secretary: Roger Sutton (TGWU) 0207-388-0852w
roger@gftu.org.uk
Treasurer: Malcolm Key (UNISON)
07721-060737w
NEXT TRADES COUNCIL MEETING IS A SPECIAL OPEN MEETING ON
FIGHTING ANTI-TRADE UNION LAWS
- THE CAMPAIGN FOR A TU FREEDOM BILL
Speakers include -
JOHN USHER
Institute of Employment Rights
HECTOR WESLEY
PCS National Executive
TUESDAY 4 JULY 2006 18.00
PCS London /SE Region Offices Douglas Houghton House
231 Vauxhall Bridge Road
London, SW1V 1EH
(nearest tube Victoria)
The legal stranglehold on unions needs to be broken Britain is in breach of ILO Conventions on workers rights. Last year the TUC adopted the call for a campaign to remove these restrictions. On May 1st the TUC gave a first boost to the campaign. It also began a discussion on a Trade Union Freedom Bill with unions and organisations like the IER..
We all need the removal of these anti-union laws to enable a more effective trade union fight for members. We need to build the campaign which has been led by the United Campaign and the Liaison Committee over many years.
We need to build the campaign locally. If you want to help build the campaign come to this meeting. All welcome.
We urge you to get activists and branch members to come and hear what the campaign is doing and what needs to be done to get unions fully involved, |
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IRISH NEGOTIATIONS ON NATIONAL AGREEMENT -
31-05-2006 |
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trade union and employers' representativess are due to meet later today to consider an outline proposal put forward tto break the deadlock in talks on a new national partnership agreement.
The talks adjourned May 30 after 12 hours of negotiations. The proposals allow for general pay increases of 10% over 27 months but unions and employers have yet to reach agreement on pensions.
The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, said the proposals represented a fair balance between the need to secure the living standards of those at work, and the pressures of the enterprise sector of the economy.
The increases would be paid with an initial increase of 2%, followed by 3% six months later. Another 2% would be paid after a further six months with 3% six months later again.
There would be a special 0.5% additional increase for the low paid. However, there would be no provision for local bargaining in profitable sectors.
Speaking after the talks, Turlough O'Sullivan of the employers' group, IBEC, said he was reasonably happy with the proposals.
However, David Begg of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions said he was not happy with proposals put forward to address the issue of pensions.
Sources - RTE, ICTU |
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NI LECTURERS JOIN NATFHE STRIKE ACTION -
25-05-2006 |
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lLcturers' jn Northern Ireland strike over pay toda
y.
Lecturers have said they have run out of patience with their employers.
They want "equal treatment" with school teachers, who on average earn £2,500 more than college lecturers.
Almost 1,900 college staff in NI are members of the union, Natfhe, which has voted for three separate day-long strikes and a work-to-rule.
Jim McKeown, the union's regional officer, said there would be little teaching done on Thursday.
"The action short of strike is aimed at mainly frustrating the administration of the colleges not directly at hitting students," he said.
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CWU Conference: Strike Call On Post Office Pay -
24-05-2006 |
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The prospect of strike action across the Post Office as well as Royal Mail was raised by the passage of a second emergency motion at this week’s Annual Conference.
The vote, which could affect counters and clerical staff plus those who work in the Cash In Transit division, followed hot on the heels of a unanimous call for strike action in letters business Royal Mail.
The motion - moved by the CWU’s Postal Executive - called on Post Office Limited to re-open stalled pay negotiations with the aim of reaching a settlement. If such negotiations fail to materialise the union’s executive is empowered to conduct a consultative ballot with a view to holding an immediate industrial action ballot among members.
A series of speakers derided the 2.9 per cent ‘final offer’ placed on the table by POL. “The time has come to take POL on,” said assistant secretary Andy Furey. “We will take our argument for the future of the network to Government. We can do this if we put the hard work in and do the best for members.”
Chris Osborne, of London No7 branch, said stress levels had gone up 70 per cent over the past two quarters, affected by the demands of a new sales culture. “People are dropping like flies,” said Chris.
Territorial Counters rep Jim Reeves pointed out how POL was offering £1.4 million across 6,000 workers, resulting in an average bonus of £200 while 500 managers were receiving £2,000 each.
Greg Charles, of London South West Postal, called on the NEC to ensure minority grades were not picked on or left out. “If they won’t recognise the contribution being made we must use an industrial action ballot,” he said.
POL must now engage in serious negotiations around the future of the Crown Office network, pay parity for the new CSA grade and the future of external contract work for the Cash In Transit division. If they fail to do this, the union will engage members in a consultative ballot, with a possible industrial action ballot to follow, the motion said.
from www.cwu.org/news |
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TRADE UNIONIST ASSASSINATED IN COLOMBIA -
07-04-2006 |
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FROM JUSTICE FOR COLOMBIA
Dear Friends,
Last Sunday 2nd April trade union activist Daniel Cortez, from the Colombian electricity workers’ union SINTRAELECOL, was assassinated near the city of Barrancabermeja by an army-backed paramilitary death squad. According to the Colombian TUC, Mr Cortez, who had been active in the union for 16 years, was shot twice in the face and died instantly.
Despite claims to the contrary made by the Colombian Government the situation faced by trade unionists is still extremely critical with at least 70 trade union activists assassinated last year. Justice for Colombia is also aware of a further three trade unionists who were forcibly disappeared during 2005.
Please send messages of protest about this latest killing, and demanding a full and open investigation, to the following:
Colombian Vice-President Francisco Santos
fsantos@presidencia.gov.co
Colombian Minister of Defence Jorge Alberto Uribe
mdn@cable.net.co
Head of the Presidential Human Rights Program Dr Carlos Franco
cefranco@presidencia.gov.co & fibarra@presidencia.gov.co
Please also consider sending a message of protest to the above named people regarding the continuing threats against two activists of the Colombian agricultural workers’ union FENSUAGRO – a union with which Justice for Colombia has a human rights project.
In recent weeks the two activists – Oscar Salazar and Hubert Ballesteros, who is also the national Vice-President of the union – have been regularly followed by military intelligence officers in the city of Popayan where both are based. The military are using a blue Mazda 323 jeep with tinted windows and a Honda motorbike to shadow the two men. Five FENSUAGRO activists have been assassinated in recent months after being followed in a similar manner.
Although both Hubert and Oscar have been offered armed bodyguards by the Colombian Government, they are not allowed to choose who these guards will be. The bodyguards they have been offered are in fact members of the Colombian DAS secret police. The DAS have been involved in numerous assassinations of trade unionists and the FENSUAGRO General Secretary, Luz Perly Cordoba, was unjustly imprisoned for eleven months after her DAS bodyguards provided false testimony against her. Not surprisingly, Hubert and Oscar are not willing to accept DAS bodyguards.
Please write to the Colombian authorities mentioned above demanding that the lives of these two trade unionists be respected and asking that they are offered bodyguards that are not employed by the DAS secret police service.
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Council staff back mass strikes -
15-03-2006 |
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Supplied by Citiesof London & Westminster Trades Council -
Council workers have voted for industrial action in protest at pension changes.
Up to 1.5 million staff will stage a walkout on 28 March following a ballot .Unions cover cooks, refuse collectors, home helps and manyothers.
The unions are angry at government plans to scrap a rule that allows some to retire on a full pension at 60.
Councils say that costs mean this must rise to 65 for all employees.
About four-fifths of the members of eight trade unions - including Unison, the Transport and General Workers Union and the GMB - who took part in a national ballot voted for strike action.
UNISON says -Members vote for pensions action
(15/3/06) UNISON members have voted Yes to strike action over pensions by an overwhelming majority.
Some 80% supported strike action to demand fair treatment over pension rights in the Local Government Pension Scheme.
The union’s industrial action committee today endorsed the first day of strike action on 28 March. UNISON will be joined in the action by nine other unions.
General secretary Dave Prentis said: “Civil servants, teachers, police, firefighters and the NHS have all been given protection for existing members over changes to their pension scheme. There is absolutely no rhyme or reason in singling out LGPS members for such unfair and unjust treatment.
“Our members deserve the pensions they have already paid for.” |
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Colombiam trade unionist assassinated on 2 March 2006 -
10-03-2006 |
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Sent by: The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme with the World Organisation against Torture (OMCT and the International federation of Human Rights (FIDH)
The Observatory has been informed by the Barrancabermeja branch of the Central Trade Union Federation (CUT) about the assassination in this city, Santander department, of Sr Hector Diaz Serrano, affiliated to the Oil Workers Union (USO) and an employee of the Colombian Oil Company (ECOPETROL) in Camp Casabe for the past 11 years.
According to information, on 2 March 2006, towards 10 at night, Sr Hector Diaz Serrano, 43 years old, was waiting for his transport to work in El Cincuentenario district in the south of the city (according to reports, an area totally under the control of paramilitaries) when he was shot several times by a hitman (paid assassin) who approached the victim and shot him without saying a word.
This assassination occurred amid prevailing insecurity in the region, especially since the publication on 2 March 2006 of the following threat in the daily newspaper Vanguardia Liberal: “Our armed organisation maintains that it will continue with the demobilisation process of the Uribe government. However, we will continue with the struggle until we have eliminated every last terrorist guerrilla and their accomplices.” This published communication was signed by commander Taraza, whose organisation calls itself “Magdalena Medio Regional Command.” According to information, the threat is directed specifically towards trade union candidates standing for election to the House of Representatives and the Senate who belong to the CUT, the Association of Departmental Workers (ASTDEMP), the Santander United Workers Union (USITRAS), the Metropolitan Displaced Peoples Organisation and the USO.
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GMB FIGHTS FOR JOBS AT SUPPORTED WORKSHOP IN CROYDON -
20-01-2006 |
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GMB is leading the fight against Croydon Council's plan to close its Crosfield supported factory with the loss of 100 jobs, including 85 local disabled people of which 60% have learning disabilities.
Croydon Council directly employs some 10,000 workers but less than 2% of its workforce is disabled.
Crosfield is a supported employement factory and its disabled workers represent 47% of the Council's disabled workforce. So nearly half of the Council's disabled workers spent Christmas with the fear of redundancy hanging over their heads.
For all latest news go to GMB Site and click on Crosfield button
http://www.gmb.org.uk
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NUJ protest supports Eileen on her last day -
16-01-2006 |
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Tower Hamlets Council NUJ chapel held a protest lobby against the sacking of Eileen Short on her last day as an employee as the council refuses to reverse their decision to sack her.
The protest took place outside the Town Hall and NUJ members went along to support a fellow member facing victimisation of the worst kind.
Eileen Short, a joint NUJ/UNISON member, has been deselected from her job at Tower Hamlets council. She is a key figure locally and nationally in opposing housing stock transfers and members in Tower Hamlets are convinced that is why she is being victimised.
Eileen was told she was redundant as part of a review, despite there being four suitable vacancies she could be transferred to.
The chapel sent an open letter to councillors asking them to reinstate Eileen Short but has so far received no reply.
The letter calls on the councillors to resolve the dispute before it becomes necessary for the case to be taken to an industrial tribunal – which her legal team are confident she would win.
The Tower Hamlets NUJ chapel went out on strike in late November and for two days in mid-December and have held well-supported lunchtime rallies addressed by the local MP George Galloway and councillor Oliur Rahman.
NUJ General Secretary Jeremy Dear said: “We are calling on NUJ members to come and be there with Eileen so that she knows she is not alone on what will be an extremely difficult day for her.
“She has our total support and our admiration for her courage and determination in the face of the most outrageous treatment. We will not let this matter rest until there is a just solution.
"It is still not too late for the council to rectify the situation. Eileen is an experienced employee and an asset they cannot afford to lose. They must act now before it is too late."
More than fifty MPs have signed an Early Day Motion (EDM 797) opposing Eileen's victimisation.
Please send messages of support to Eileen c/o Tower Hamlets Unison, 41/47 Bow Road, London E3 2BS Fax: 0207 364 5033 or towerhamlets@unisonfree.net
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RMT WIN IBIG IMPROVEMENT ON DLR PAY OFFER -
22-12-2005 |
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RMT members have won a a "massively improved pay offer" from the Docklands Light Railway after the threat of strike action over Christmas.
RMT s Executive will consider the offer which is a 2-stage no strings package worth 5.25%, big advances in travel concessions and a £100 New Year's bonus.
There would be a 3.5% increase from January 1 and a further 1.75% in July. The deal will also mean on completion of training staff will get full-pay rather than a year on reduced rates. |
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Threshold of decency defended in Irish Ferries dispute -
19-12-2005 |
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14 December 2005
Brendan Hayes
Agreed settlement terms in the dispute between SIPTU and Irish Ferries have been negotiated, according to SIPTU Vice President, Brendan Hayes.
"The Union has been successful in ensuring that the threshold of decency has been defended and that vulnerable migrant maritime workers have the protection of Irish law," said Mr. Hayes.
"The settlement terms will provide a framework for the protection of workers in the company and for the viable operation of the ferries business into the future.
"One of our key objectives was the payment of the Irish minimum wage and this has now been achieved," he said. "SIPTU has secured substantial increases in the rates of pay originally proposed by management, which will bring wages up to and above the Irish national minimum wage.
"The protection of the terms and conditions of employment of Irish Ferries staff who wish to remain working for Irish Ferries has been secured.
"The redundancy offer will be reopened to those staff who did not respond to the original deadline unilaterally set by management in September of this year.
"Crewing ratios will now be substantially higher that those originally proposed and will guarantee reasonable periods of rest.
"The terms and conditions for both officers and ratings will far exceed those originally proposed.
"A framework agreement which will legally protect all employees - irrespective of the flag under which the company registers its vessels - has been agreed.
"SIPTU will meet the contract company Dobson to agree the details of a collective bargaining agreement covering new employees.
"The full terms of the agreement will now be put to the members and we anticipate that this dispute will be settled.
"The negotiating team would like to thank the general public for the massive support they have shown throughout this dispute and we particularly want to thank the general members of SIPTU and the international trade unions - through the International Transport Workers Federation - for their solidarity over the past several months.
"We are now calling on the Government to enforce and enhance our labour legislation to ensure that a situation such as that which occurred in Irish Ferries never happens again," he concluded.
from SIPTU website |
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NUJ FIGHT IN TOWER HAMLETS -
17-12-2005 |
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Protestors were out in force last night (14/12) to lobby Tower Hamlets council as part of the growing campaign to oppose the victimisation of press officer and NUJ member Eileen Short.
The lobby coincided with strike action by 20 members of the council’s Communications Department in support of Eileen’s redeployment. Eileen, a respected journalist and tenants activist is facing compulsory redundancy after being forced to reapply for her own job.
Despite 14 years’ excellent service and despite being the only permanent staff member eligible for four vacant Communications Officers posts she has been refused redeployment under a reorganisation of the Department carried out by outside consultants believed to be being paid £250,000.
Campaigners believe Eileen is being victimised as a result of her active participation in opposing the transfer of council housing stock.
At last night’s rally NUJ General Secretary Jeremy Dear joined local campaigners, Unison representatives and councillors in pledging support for Eileen.
Jeremy said: “The reality is Eileen is not redundant, she does not lack the skills necessary to do her job, she does not lack experience and she does not have a poor record. She is being victimised and it is time the council ended this scandal and redeployed her into one of the vacant posts.”
More than 50 MPs have already signed a protest motion backing Eileen, and John McDonnell and Austin Mitchell, secretary and chair of the NUJ Parliamentary Group have written to the Minister for London and council leaders demanding urgent talks to resolve the dispute.
15/12/05
nuj website |
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MASSIVE SOLIDARITY ACTION IN IRELAND -
12-12-2005 |
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Well over 180,000 people have taken part in protests across Ireland in support of Irish Ferries workers.
The national day of protest on 9 December was called by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, shoewing solidarity with the threatened workers and demanding Government action to combat exploitation of migrant workers and the displacement of jobs.
There were rallies in Dublin, Cork, Waterford, Shannon, Wicklow, Limerick, Galway, Sligo, Athlone and Rosslare. Bus and rail services were disrupted during the protest.
The workers on board the Isle of Inismore in Pembroke and the four engineers occupying the ships control room have said they were overwhelmed by the level of support shown by marchers in today's rallies.
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DUBLIN TRADES COUNCIL CONDEMNS US ATTEMPT TO EXTRADITE SEAN GARLAND -
17-10-2005 |
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Dublin Council of Trade Unions condemn extradition attempt
The following Motion was proposed at the Monthly Delegate Meeting of Dublin Council of Trade Unions on October 11th by Mr. Jack O'Connor, President of the country's largest trade union, SIPTU and passed by a vote of the Trades Council:-
"This Trades Council notes with concern that the Court in Northern Ireland has placed serious restrictions on Sean Garland, President of the Workers Party, prohibiting him from leaving that jurisdiction pending the Hearing of an application for his extradition to the US.
Moreover, the Council is also concerned that no evidence has been advanced in support of the application, despite suggestions that an invstigation has been underway for fifteen years.
The Council also notes that Sean Garland, who is 71 years old and in declining health, has not been charged with any crime and is concerned that his rights under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights may be violated in that he has not been offered the right to a fair trial".
The Dublin Council of Trade Unions has sent a copy of this motion to the Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Bertie Ahern.
Sean Garland arrest raised in Dail Eireann
The arrest of Sean Garland and the demand for his extradition to the United States was raised on the Order of Business in Dail Eireann (Irish Parliament) this week by Ruairi Quinn TD (former Finance Minister and Leader of the Labour Party) and by John Gormley TD of the Green Party. While the matter was ruled out of order on procedural grounds the deputies will attempt to raise it again shortly.
Major demonstrations in Greece
The Communist Party of Greece were one of the first international parties to come onboard our campaign with strong expressions of support for Sean Garland and condemnation of the US attempts to extradite him. The party held a number of large demonstrations at the US Embassy in Athens and several other Greek cities.
The following Greek organisations have also added their voice in support of Sean Garland:-
- Greek Federation of Pensioners
- Trade Union of Workers in Pharmaceutical And Cosmetics Industries of Attica – Piraeus & Islands
- Federation of Workers in Pharmaceutical Stores
- Trade union of professional accountants of Athens
- Students’ Association of the Faculty of Law of the University of Athens
- Students’ Association of the Faculty of Economy of the University of Athens
- Student’s Association of the Faculty of Physics of the University of Athens
- Student’s Association of the Faculty of Biology of the University of Athens
- Student’s Association of the Athens University Of Economics And Business
- Student’s Association of the Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences
- Athens’ Committee for International Peace and Détente
- Labour Centre of Agrinio
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CWU RALLY AGAINST PRIVATISATION -
07-09-2005 |
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 CWU Rally today 7/9/05 in Friends House London opposing privatisation. With leading CWU figures including GS Billy Hayes, DGS Dave Ward and London Officer Norman Candy plus speakers from PCS, FBU, RMT, NPC etc. |
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SOUTH AFRICAN MINERS NATIONAL STRIKE -
08-08-2005 |
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Over 100,000 South African gold miners are on on strike for the second day of the SA's first national stoppage in 18 years.
members of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), are protesting about both pay and living conditions.
The employers' offer of about 5-6% pay rises are not aceptable to the miners. The union says this fails to take into account rising profits as gold prices go up.
The NUM may be joined by the Solidarity union.
Most Solidarity members are white and this would be a an important move in the it is rare for it to take industrial action.
South Africa is the world's biggest producer of bullion - accounting for around 15% gold output - and the sector accounts for approximately 8% of the country's gross domestic product.
Negotiations
The strike started on Sunday as the NUM rejected the aqpproach iof the emplyers.
A key part of the union's position is that the largest mining firms - AngloGold Ashanti, Gold Fields and South Deep - have yet to address long-standing problems with miners' living conditions.
Under apartheid laws miners were forced to live in barracks, leaving their families in townships far away.
Even though the racial zoning laws were struck down by 1991, ahead of 1994's landmark multi-racial elections, about three out of four of South Africa's 200,000 miners still live in hostels.
AngloGold Ashanti says there is an average of six men per room in its hostels, down from 12 a decade ago. Harmony says its hostels average 4.2 men per room.
The union now wants the "living-out allowance" for finding family accommodation to be doubled, whereas the mining firms are offering only a 10% rise.
The employers say they are working to improve hostels, but cannot move faster without jeopardising jobs. The NUM says the crowded hostels are a breeding ground for tuberculosis.
It also warns that South Africa's Aids pandemic is worsened by the system, since miners far from home are more likely to visit prostitutes.
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Hundreds of Thousands of Australian Workers Rally Against Anti-Union Laws -
01-07-2005 |
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ICFTU ONLINE...
Hundreds of Thousands of Australian Workers Rally Against Anti-Union Laws 1/7/2005
Brussels, 1 July 2005 (ICFTU OnLine): More than 250,000 people have taken part in public protests over the past two days against the conservative Australian Federal Government’s plans to remove protection from unfair dismissal for most workers, impose heavy restrictions on union organising and collective bargaining rights, push workers onto individual employment contracts and weaken mechanisms for setting minimum wages.
Around 100,000 people took part in rallies throughout the state of New South Wales today, following yesterday’s 100,000-person demonstration in Melbourne and protests in cities and towns around the country involving tens of thousands more.
“This is about whether or not working people will be treated like commodities and that is the international principle - no worker should be treated like a commodity." said Sharan Burrow in Perth where some 20,000 took part in a rally. Burrow is President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) and of the ICFTU.
The ICFTU Executive Board at its meeting last week pledged to generate international support for the Australian trade union campaign, recognising that if the laws proposed by Prime Minister John Howard are implemented, then Australia would find itself at the bottom of the OECD ladder in terms of rights and protections for working people. A case will also be brought to the UN’s International Labour Organisation, which has already criticized existing anti-union measures introduced by the Howard government.
The ACTU is also running an extensive advertising campaign to bring home the full impacts of the government’s plans, and community and church groups from around the country have expressed serious concern over the prospect of lower wages and even less protection, especially for the most vulnerable and lowest-paid workers.
“Respect for fundamental workers’ rights, and the social and economic benefits which stem from this, are the cornerstones on which every country should build its economy. Joining a race to the bottom can only harm Australia’s position in the global economy, and will seriously damage its international reputation”, said ICFTU General Secretary Guy Ryder.
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COLOMBIAN UNION ORGANISER ASSASSINATED -
27-05-2005 |
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Dear Friends,
A paramilitary death squad has assassinated peasant organiser Jose Maria Maldonado in the Loma Arena area of the municipality of Pondera in Atlantico department. According to witnesses two men on a motorbike approached Mr Maldonado and shot him dead on the morning of May 17th.
For a long period a paramilitary death squad has been operating in the municipality of Ponedera where they have carried out a systematic campaign of assassinations against local union organisers. Local people say that the paramilitary unit acts under the orders of local landowners and that they use terror to force people from their land allowing the landowners to take over their property. Recently the legal officer of the agricultural workers union, Seferino Padilla, was forced to flee his land and the region after the paramilitaries said they would kill him.
Please send a message of protest condemning this latest murder and calling for a full investigation to the following:
Dr. Álvaro Uribe Vélez
President of Colombia
Fax: 57 1 566 2071
Jorge Alberto Uribe
Minister of Defence
E-mail: siden@mindefensa.gov.co; infoprotocolo@mindefensa.gov.co; mdn@cable.net.co
Dr. Carlos Franco
Director of the Presidential Human Rights Program
E-mail: cefranco@prsidencia.gov.co; fibarra@presidencia.gov.co
Dr. Luis Camilo Osorio
Attorney General
E-mail: contactofiscalia@fiscalia.gov.co; denuncie@fiscalia.gov.co
Please also copy your message to the Justice for Colombia office on info@justiceforcolombia.org and the UN High Commission for Human Rights on oacnudh@hchr.org.co |
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Colombian Army Massacres Community Leaders and Children -
25-02-2005 |
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JUSTICE FOR COLOMBIA
Dear Friends,
On Monday 21st February soldiers from the 11th Brigade of the Colombian Army massacred two community leaders, their partners and three children in the Rio Mulatos area of Uraba region in the department of Antioquia.
Those murdered were Luis Eduardo Guerra, a regional peace and human rights activist and community leader, his partner Bellanira Areiza Guzman, their 11-year-old son Deiner Andres Guerra, Alfonso Bolivar Tuberquia Graciano, another regional peace activist and community leader, his partner Sandra Milena Munoz Pozo and their two children 2-year-old Santiago Tuberquia Munoz and 6-year-old Natalia Andrea Tuberquia Munoz.
Although the whereabouts of the victims was in doubt the bodies of all seven have now been found. Most of them, including the children, had been mutilated and chopped up by the soldiers.
The killings come not long after Colombian Vice-President Francisco Santos gave public guarantees that the rights of civilians in this ar | | | |
