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🔹️ LABOUR UNIONS
There are the 12 trade unions that are part of the Labour Party, bringing the collective voices of 4 million people to its heart. Labour Unions campaign for a Labour Government that will transform the lives of working people for the better. If you are not yet a member of an affiliated trade union, there is a trade union for everyone, and there has never been a more important time to build the movement.
🔸️10 REASONS WHY NOW IS THE TIME TO JOIN A TRADE UNION
https://labourunions.org.uk/take-action/joinunion/
🔸️FIND A UNION
https://www.tuc.org.uk/join-a-union/
🔷️ STOP FIRE AND REHIRE BILL
Barry Gardiner MP Private Members Bill – Employment and Trade Union Rights (Dismissal and Re-engagement)
Back in June, Unite backed Labour MP Barry Gardiner’s Bill to End Fire and Rehire – a Bill to amend the law relating to workplace information and consultation, employment protection and trade union rights to provide safeguards for workers against dismissal and re-engagement on inferior terms and conditions; and for connected purposes.
Everyday workers across Britain are being threatened with being fired and rehired under worse terms and conditions for essentially the same job. Corrupt employers have seized the opportunity of the pandemic to ramp up this unreasonable tactic in order to force staff to accept lower wages, different hours or other exploitative changes to their contracts. In many countries this practice has been banned altogether. Join Barry Gardiner MP in this session as he discusses the Private Member’s Bill he introduced on 16th June 2021 to outlaw Fire & Rehire in the UK and how you can support his campaign.
https://www.stopfireandrehire.org/
🔷️ STRIKE NEWS
🔸️WEETABIX.
Members of Unite the union working as engineers will walk out for 48 hours from 21 September.
This will be followed by strikes on the same day every week throughout the autumn until 30 November.
” Workers at two Weetabix plants are to stage strike action later this month in a dispute over contracts, trade union Unite said”…….“I will absolutely defend our members at Weetabix against the deplorable use of #fireandrehire tactics.” Sharon Graham – General Secretary, Unite the Union.
https://www.facebook.com/175584152579855/posts/2084196851718566/
🔸️ESSENTIAL KEY WORKERS ✊ Solidarity with any coming strike action by #RMT outsourced cleaners, (currently on poverty pay) who are fighting for decent pay and conditions. Here is Bella (RMT) speaking at #TheRaggedTrouseredTroubadors road show event in Hastings last Sunday.
Thank you to Louise from Eastbourne Stand Up to Racism for the video 👇 🙂
https://www.facebook.com/108802124741673/posts/162138516074700/
https://linksharing.samsungcloud.com/91EYXAvuf9lp
🔸️ALPHA UK.
Strikes threatens Coke bottle production
Unite members working for Wigan-based plastic bottle manufacturer, Alpha UK are balloting for strike action after rejecting an insulting 2% pay offer.
With inflation currently running close to 4%, the workers are determined not to see their real-terms wages drop, and questioning why their offer was lower than their colleagues who recently got 3%. They have also taken issue with their employer not fulfilling previous pension pledges.
The company certainly has the dough to cover the increase for the 150 workers as they reported profits of £21 million generated by these workers who haven’t stopped working through the covid pandemic.
🔸️YODEL
Transport workers are in the vanguard in the fight for a New Normal. Yodel deliveries strike looms.
Liverpool-based courier company, Yodel, is facing a pincer movement of employment tribunal claims over unpaid nightshift allowances along with possible strike action over general pay and conditions.
GMB’s Steve Garelick says:
“Yodel’s attempts to avoid obligations and agreements while claiming financial instability show an incredible amount of chutzpah – just weeks ago Yodel was announcing record profits.
“When HGV drivers see hourly rates as high as £40 per hour on a weekend and their pay starts at just over £13 they are bound to be angry.
“It’s no wonder they face strike action and tribunals given the failures of management and HR to act in a collegiate fashion.”
🔸️HANSON UK
Cement strike. Over two hundred lorry drivers at Berkshire-based Hanson UK are threatening strike action over pay. The workers are key suppliers to massive construction projects including Hinkley Point, HS2, Sellafield and Thames Tideway.
Unite’s Adrian Jones says: “Our members are simply not going to accept a pay offer which amounts to a pay cut in real terms. With the ongoing driver shortage, our members are seeking a pay increase which recognises their hard work and dedication.
“If strikes do occur then it will have major implications for the construction industry. Supplies of cement will quickly run out, which will result in projects being delayed.
“Hanson’s is simply not giving its drivers the respect they deserve. This is apparent in their working conditions and their pay.”
🔷️ THE TUC – Unions building dignity at work.
🔸️The TUC exists to make the working world a better place for everyone. They bring together more than 5.5 million working people who make up 48 member unions.
Find out more here
https://www.tuc.org.uk/
🔸️TUC CONGRESS 2021 took place from the 12th to 14th September.
▫️▪️THE FRINGE. A fantastic range of issues were covered. There were 30 fringe events in all, including: – the impact of Covid-19, tackling racism, climate change, pay and pensions, international solidarity and more.
You can play catch up. Here’s a link to a meeting about ” A New Deal For Workers – TUC fringe.
▫️▪️Motions. There was a whole array of motions debated. I’ll draw attention to COMPOSITE MOTION 11 – TORY ATTACKS ON OUR RIGHTS : DEFEND DEMOCRACY, TRADE UNIONS AND THE RIGHT TO PROTEST….(and to picket). The motion was proposed by Taj Salam (Unite) and seconded by Matt Wrack (FBU). Speakers included Karen Reissman (Unison…and People Before Profit). You may remember Karen fought the Government after a £10,000 fine was issued to her for organising a covid safe NHS protest. She won. The Government withdrew the fine. Be proud of our solidarity.
You may also remember the Eastbourne May Day #KillTheBill protest, supported by Eastbourne TUC. This protest was to oppose the Police Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bills that sets out chilling limits on our rights to protest. (You may wish to catch up on some of the speeches and the drone video from this protest – see Eastbourne Solidarity Facebook links below)
An accompanying motion, MOTION 52 – POLICE CRIME, SENTENCING AND COURTS BILL, was proposed by TUC’s Bob Jeffrey. The motion set out opposition to the Bill
Both motions were unanimous passed.
https://www.facebook.com/108802124741673/posts/155751856713366/?sfnsn=scwspmo
AND FINALLY,
🔷️ LABOUR PARTY CONFERENCE
Sorry folks. No time to report. A mixed picture. Some great wins but some disappointing voting from some unions. Of particular note is with Unison delegates voting for the rule change package at the last minute, going against formal Unison Labour Link policy 2018. Details here 👇
https://www.facebook.com/101853135486843/posts/147628887575934/
https://www.facebook.com/TimeForRealChangeUNISON/
Carol Mills
TULO