‘New Zealand takes rail back into public hands

‘The news that the New Zealand government is to repurchase its national rail and ferry operations is not only good news for passengers in that country – it is also a clear proof that the same could – and can – be done in this country,’ says ASLEF’s Keith Norman. ‘All it needs it the political will – and for the UK government to begin seeking solutions rather than excuses.’

17,000 Network Rail workers balloting for industrial action

Two separate disputes involve maintenance and signalling staff

MORE THAN 17,000 RMT members at Network Rail are being balloted for industrial action in two separate disputes involving maintenance and signalling and other operational staff.

Local Government - Unison to ballot for strike action?

UNISON’s committee covering local government has voted to reject the government’s 2.45% pay offer and to ballot its members for strike action. The branch consultations produced a 54% vote for rejection. The decision has to go to the Industrial Action Committee for ratification (or rejection, of course).

Jon’s comments can be read at:

http://jonrogers1963.blogspot.com/2008/05/local-government-pay-now-what.html

 

Labor Notes impressions

Sheila Cohen reports on her visit to the US Labor Notes conference

Reporting on a Labor Notes conference is as much a matter of trying to convey the incredible atmosphere at these events as it is recording the factual details of attandance, speeches, workshop lead-offs etc - or certainly resolutions, which the conference, as a primarily educational and discussion-based gathering, doesn’t encourage.

SEIU’s internal divisions spill into delegate races

Mark Brenner writes in the US Labor Notes

Mounting conflicts within the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) have spilled into the delegate election process for the union’s convention, scheduled for June 1-4 in Puerto Rico. SEIU opposition activists, particularly from several large locals on the West Coast, are crying foul—denouncing what they say are coordinated interventions by International staff and appointed leaders in the delegate election process.

Reasons to reject the NHS pay offer

Gill George, from the Unite national Executive Committee has put together a detailed response to the NHS pay offer and why it should be rejected.

http://gillgeorge.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/pay-reasons-to-reject-v2.pdf

Irish union members at British Telecomm stage public protest at company Head Office

 

On Tuesday April 22nd a large group of BT Ireland staff, with support from other CWU members, held a public protest at the Corporate Head Office of British Telecom in Dublin.  The protest was held to publicly highlight the fact the British Telecom is refusing to give collective bargaining rights to a large group of its staff simply because they are Irish.  The Company, which runs its business on a 32-county – all Ireland basis, deals with the CWU in Northern Ireland and staff there enjoy the benefits of independent collective representation.

In recent years staff in the Republic have sought equal treatment with their colleagues elsewhere in the business and, through the CWU and internal Company mechanisms, they have asked to be given the same right to collective bargaining as their colleagues.

To date the Company has refused to honour this legitimate request and in doing so is not only denying staff a basic human right but is doing so on the basis that they are Irish.

BT staff felt the Company’s position on this issue was completely unacceptable as it was effectively a form of discrimination. Members wanted to highlight their cause as part of a campaign to try and get management to engage in meaningful dialogue with their Union.                

As part of the campaign, CWU has erected billboard advertisements around the city centre as well as a number of ad mobiles that will be active over the coming weeks with the message – ‘Disconnect Discrimination’.

To send messages of support go to http://www.cwu.ie  

Lambeth Council bans trade union from staff conference

Lambeth’s Labour-led Council has sunk to new depths by refusing the trade union UNISON, which represents more than 2,000 council staff, a stall at its conference for staff in the Regeneration and Housing Department on 6th and 8th May 2008.

South West Trades Unionists support call for Trades Councils’ rights

This is a Bridgwater TUC Press release on a debate which took place at the AGM of the South West TUC.

 

Delegates to the South West Region TUC Annual Conference at the weekend overwhelmingly backed a call to support the re-admission of local trades councils into the Trades Union Congress, with only one large union voting against.

 

The motion, moved by Dave Chapple for Bridgwater Trades Council, noted that

 

“In Wales and Scotland local trades councils have the right to elect delegates and submit motions to their respective national TUC’s. We therefore agree that trades councils should now also have the right to elect delegates and submit motions to the Trades Union Congress, via their own Trades Councils’ Annual Conference, the details to be decided by the TUC General Council once the principle has been established.”

 

Seconder Vicky Nash from the NUT, spoke of the invaluable support trades councils had given to her union, not just in the current dispute, but against Academies and other Private Finance Initiatives.

 

Andy Robertson, Trades Councils’ National Joint Consultative Committee, effectively dismissed objections from UNISON delegates, that trades union delegations accountability could be compromised if trades councils delegates and motions were allowed at Congress.

 

Significant support came from other unions including Rowena Hayward from the GMB, Phil Bialyk, RMT; Kev Beazer, CWU; UNITE /AMICUS and UNITE/TGWU.

 

With only one large union voting against, this vote should increase the chances of the RMT rule change to this year’s TUC, which would re-enfranchise trades councils, being carried.

Defending Thai journalists against Tesco

 

On his blog (http://jeremydear.blogspot.com ) Jeremy Dear, NUJ General Secretary reports of Tesco’s attempt to silence two Thai journalists who have been investigating their business practices. They are suing them for “defamation” for $33 million. They are also suing the Guardian. The NUJ is calling on trades unionists and supporters of freedom of expression to send a message to Tesco’s Chief Executive. Go to:

http://www.nujcampaigns.org.uk/cgi-bin/show_campaign.cgi?c=4