IER News Brief 21/07/17 Follow us on Twitter news brief Friday 21st July 2017 Wales this week repealed the Trade Union Act as it pertains to public sector workers in the devolved nation. Those workers who would have fallen under legislation affecting "important public services", will no longer have to meet the 40% support threshold on industrial action ballots; and will not face restrictions to their check-off systems or facility time. Local Government Secretary Mark Drakeford explained: "We always said that the Trade Union Act was unnecessary and would lead to more confrontational relationships between employers and workers, undermining rather than supporting public services and the economy." A spokesperson for the UK government said Westminster stands by its view that industrial relations is not a devolved area of the law and that it "will act at the next available opportunity" to make all public services in great Britain comply with its divisive Act. The Institute of Employment Rights argues that the Trade Union Act 2016 must be repealed across the UK. Reducing trade union powers further weakens workers' ability to have a democratic voice in the workplace - an issue the government's own Taylor Review recently highlighted as critical to protecting workers from exploitation. Lastly, a correction from last week's News Brief: A typo in the text reported that the European Convention on Human Rights would not be brought into UK Law. This should have read the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. Our apologies for this error. Subscribers receive all of our publications free and discount rates on our conferences. Subscribe now

Barts Hospital Workers Strike The cleaners, porters and other SERCO workers at Barts Health, including Whipps Cross Hospital, are involved in an historic dispute. They are striking again this week to improve working conditions and to get a pay rise from £9.70 to £10 an hour. The next round of strike days begins on Tuesday July 11th and runs until Tuesday July 18th at 6am Solidarity demo Unite the Union demonstration Saturday 15 July, 12 noon, the Royal London (Whitechapel) to Mile End hospital Meet on Turner Street, E1 2AD. The branch banner will be on the demonstration, please join us if you can.   Statement from UNITE: We the cleaners, porters, and security who are members of Unite the Union at the St Barts NHS Trust are going on strike to defend our jobs and the integrity of our work. Since December 2016 – ‘soft services’ (catering, cleaning, security and portering) SERCO has been given the privatised contract so we work for the private sector not the NHS. This is a deal that will cost taxpayers £600m and lead to Serco making large profits from our hard work. Since Serco have taken over they have: 1) Planned job cuts at Whipps Cross Hospital. 2) Attempted to abolish tea breaks for hard-pressed workers at the Royal London Hospital. 3) Increased the workload to unsustainable levels affecting workers physical and mental well-being. 4) Continued zero-hours contracts despite a commitment not to. Serco profits from our NHS. Their CEO alone earns almost £2m a year. A cleaner would have to work for almost 100 years to receive this sum. Unite members have called for: 1) A pay rise of a 30p per hour to cover rising costs in London. 2) An end to proposed job cuts. 3) An end of an ever increasing workload that is affecting our health. Serco have refused to listen. We have now been forced into taking industrial action. From the 4th of July we will be on strike. This is a last resort for us and we hope that both Serco and the Barts NHS Trust do the right thing.

"gig economy"

IER News Brief 07/07/17

Follow us on Twitter

news brief Friday 07th July 2017

New, damning evidence from several sources has been released on the gig economy this week, just ahead of the expected publication of the Taylor Review. Yesterday, former Committee Chair for Work and Pensions Frank Field released a report that contained interviews with "gig economy" workers at Parcelforce, DPD and British Car Auctions. He found that workers were being paid less than £2.50 per hour and getting fined hundreds of pounds for being ill. A quote from a DPD driver republished by the Guardian said: "This isn't self-employment, or employment either. It's a living hell, a nightmare scenario and the government needs to bring in legislation to stop these crooks from ripping off vulnerable people." Both Taylor and government sources have come out in support of the gig economy by saying that many workers enjoy the "flexibility" it offers them, but further evidence of exploitation this week puts this argument into question. One study found that people on zero-hours contracts and shift workers are at a greater risk of mental health problems than their peers in stable employment. Meanwhile, ACAS reported that zero-hours contracts are being used to silence workers who might otherwise assert their rights, and many have been forced onto the contracts rather than choosing insecure work. The government itself has also been accused of attempting to silence workers this week, as the Justice Secretary applied to the High Court to permanently ban prison officers from industrial actions.

UCU London Region Solidarity

UCU  London Region Solidarity to 

Lewisham& Southwark, 

College of  NW London

Ealing Ham W London

No Job Cuts! No TU Victimisation

Please support the London Region UCU Day of Action this Wednesday 28^th June  to show solidarity with all those branches in the region who are in dispute.

Ø Support College of North West London – on strike THIS WEDNESDAY to Defend sacked UCU Rep Indro Sen!

Ø Support Lewisham and Southwark College – lunchtime protest THIS WEDNESDAY against massive job cuts!

Ø Support Ealing, Hammersmith and West London College - on strike THIS THURSDAY against redundancies!

What you can do:

·      Visit picket lines, send delegations and banners to branch protests – all dates, times and addresses below

·      Send messages of support to CNWL: Colin.Purkey@cnwl.ac.uk,   Lewisham & Southwark: Pascale.Herreman@lscollege.ac.uk and Ruth FishmanRuth.Fishman@lscollege.ac.uk, EHWLC:  Matthew Cookson m.cookson@wlc.ac.uk

Full details of disputes:

College of North West London

• You will recall Sen addressed the UCU congress and informed you then that the Branch was then in the middle of an ERS ballot. We are happy to inform you that following a favourable ballot with 83% prepared to take strike action under the new draconian law, union has called our branch for two days strike action in support of Sen. This is despite our members having to face uncertainties over their jobs due to the impending merger planned to take place on 1 August 2017, subject to ministerial approval. 

• We will be striking on Wednesday 28th  June 2017 and Saturday ( enrolment day) 1 July 2017. The addresses for picket lines on the 28 June are College of North West London, Brent NW10 2XD ( nearest tube Dollis Hill Lane ( main campus) and at wembley Park , HA9 8HP. For 1 July picket will only be at Willesden Campus.  

• This will be the third and fourth day of strike action that members have been called on to take strike action in support of Sen. Members remain resolute despite receiving threatening and intimidating letter from our Principal Andy Cole.

• Following Sen's address to Congress, we would like to thank all those Congress delegates who has supported our campaign by signing our petition and making donations at the conference which was over £500.

You can support us further by: 

·        Signing the petition, which is now 1238  strong at : https://www.change.org/p/college-of-north-west-london

·        Sending messages of Support to our branch Chair Colin Purkey, at:Colin.Purkey@cnwl.ac.uk

·        Donations from your branches can be made at : https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/isabelle-rah-1

·        Sending messages of Protest to : the Principal,  Andy.Cole@cnwl.ac.uk and copying it to Sen at senkingsland@hotmail.com and Colin at Colin.Purkey@cnwl.ac.uk You may find some of the comments put down by the petitioners useful in deciding what to write. 

·        Hold lunch time demonstration in support of our fight and send us pictures that we can then pass on to our members. 

·        Send delegates to our picket lines on the strike days to College of North West London Brent NW10 2XD and let Colin Purkey know if you can send a delegate on either of the days.

SATURDAY 1 JULY - NATIONAL DEMONSTRATION: The People's Assembly Against Austerity

The General Election result was devastating for Theresa May and the Conservatives. She called it to gain a bigger majority in Parliament but failed spectacularly to deliver on that. Now the Conservative Party are in chaos, forced to try to prop up a Government with the deeply conservative and regressive DUP. Even if they can get a Queens Speech through Parliament this arrangement is unsustainable, it won't last for long. 

SATURDAY 1 JULY - NATIONAL DEMONSTRATION
Not One Day More #ToriesOut 

Assemble 12pm, Saturday 1 July 2017 
BBC Broadcasting House
Portland Place, London W1A 1AA
March to Parliament

INVITE YOUR FRIENDS ON FACEBOOK 



The Election result represents a rejection of Tory policies. They no they have no mandate; already the Government has suggested they may have to ease their austerity plans because of huge opposition. We need to make sure the full force of that opposition is felt. If we continue to mobilise in huge numbers we can deepen the crisis for the Conservatives and force big concessions on the NHS, education, housing and jobs. There is already talk of another General Election in the next few months which would likely see the Tories loose further support and be unable to form a Government. 

Protests have sprung up across the country and there are many more planned in the next few days, we're supporting all actions and events against Theresa May's attempt at forming a Government. On Saturday 1 July we want to invite everyone - from campaigns and community groups all over the country, from the trade unions, from political parties, and any individual - to come together in one massive show of strength. We're marching against another 5 years of a Troy Government committed to austerity, cuts and privatisation. And we're marching for a decent health service, education system, housing, jobs and living standards for all. Join us, bring your friends and spread the word. 

For publicity materials please contact office@thepeoplesassembly.org.uk

Transport is being arranged from across the country - full details available soon. If are organising transport please let us know and we will publicise. Keep checking our website for updates. 

INVITE YOUR FRIENDS ON FACEBOOK 

The People's Assembly Against Austerity
http://www.thepeoplesassembly.org.uk/

The Rio Cinema in Dalston will be showing a film on Grenada called The House on Coco Road on Saturday 24th June at 12.30 in the afternoon. The House on Coco Road A man pays tribute to his mother and reflects on the social turmoil of his childhood, set amidst the Grenada Revolution. More details of the film...

WHO STOLE THE TOWN HALL?

SERTUC Public Service Committee welcome Dr Peter Latham Book Signing: WHO STOLE THE TOWN HALL? - Tuesday 13 June 2017

Share this page

inShare

Date and time of event: 

Tue 13 Jun 2017 - 13:30 to 15:30

Venue and town/city: 

TUC Congress House, 23-28 Great Russell Street, London

Costs: 

FREE ADMISSION (please register)

About this event: 

SERTUC PUBLIC SERVICES COMMITTEE welcome  Dr Peter Latham Book Signing: WHO STOLE THE TOWN HALL?

Joined by:  Dr Jane Lethbridge

TUESDAY 13 JUNE 2017, 1.30 – 3.30pm (Lunchtime refreshments)

 

 

In his new book, Dr Peter Latham argues that the UK Conservative Government’s devolution agenda conceals their real intention: to complete the privatisation of local government and other public services. Using illustrative examples from across the UK, including the so-called ‘Northern Powerhouse’ and the Midlands, the book explains the far-reaching implications of the reorganisation of local government that is already affecting vital public services, including education, health, housing and policing. Proposing an overhaul of the taxation system to include land value taxation, a wealth tax and more progressive income tax to fund an increase in directly provided services, the author argues that a new basis for federal, regional and local democracy is vital. 

 

Books available for purchase at event - special SERTUC Public Services Committee discounted price £6.99 

 

Book Orders: pp-info@bristol.ac.uk  or 0117 954 5940

 

Online Book Orders

Information about the venue: 

Congress House is a fully accessible building  

Please refer to Map and Directions to TUC Congress House 

Contact for further information: 

PLEASE REGISTER

Queries: 020 7467 1220 

Attachments: 

Map and Directions to TUC Congress House.pdf