Monday, 21 March 2011

Video defending public services and promoting 26 March demo

Protect Public Services from PCS Union TV on Vimeo.



This video, filmed in London and Liverpool, was produced by the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS).

Saturday, 19 March 2011

Be inspired by Lorraine on the bus - one last push for March 26



Lorraine from south London tells her fellow bus passengers in Croydon about the Trade Union Congress march for an alternative economic policy taking place in London on Saturday 26 March.

With a week to go there's still time to persuade people to join the march.
Send them the link to Lorraine's video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l490VFv2PBE
Print out some leaflets to hand out where you live
Find transport to the demo from where you live

Tuesday, 8 March 2011

Complain about the train in vain

A train company asked passengers for their views about plans to slash jobs and close ticket offices - but gave them unobtainable contact details.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport union says it was a sham and the redundancy consultation process should be halted.

London Midland railways want to axe 122 full time jobs, slash the opening hours at 86 out of 90 ticket offices and close nine ticket offices completely.

Posters displayed at London Midland stations asking passengers their views were found to contain incorrect contact information - making it impossible for the public to record their opinions.

The union says information about jobs and grades in the firing line has not been made available, and existing agreements on redeployment are not being followed.

RMT has warned of a ballot for industrial action if the proposals are not withdrawn.

Regional transport organisation Centro opposes the planned cuts.

Read the RMT press release with comments from Bob Crow

Monday, 7 March 2011

Transport to the TUC March for the Alternative in London on Saturday March 26

The Workers United presents the most comprehensive list of links available for transport to the trade union organised march against cuts and austerity in London on Saturday March 26 2011.

There are 20 trains and 78 coaches from all over Britain - including Benfleet, Birmingham, and Bournemouth - listed on the Public and Commercial Services Union website.

The trade union supported Fale Economy website has a travel map with 215 transport options including 100 from the south west of England.

Unite the union is offering transport for members and their families. There are 11 regional contacts on the union's website.

Coaches and trains from all over the country - including Mansfield, Oxford and Runcorn - are listed on the Right to Work website.

For details of transport organised by the union Unison ring 0845 355 0845.

If transport from where you live is organised by a particular union, and you are not a member - don't worry. Contact them anyway. Don't forget they want as many people to go as possible.

Feel free to add details of transport you are organising in the comments. Don't forget to include contact details.

Saturday, 5 March 2011

Mark Serwotka plays left winger for Cardiff

Public and Commercial Services union leader Mark Serwotka is one of the speakers at an anti-cuts rally in Cardiff today (Saturday March 5).
Mark, a keen Cardiff City fan, will join Welsh first minister Carwyn Jones on the platform at Sophia Gardens.
Mark is likely to be the most left-wing speaker on show for the people of Cardiff.
Here are the details

Friday, 4 March 2011

Striking speech therapists save some jobs

Speech therapists in Southwark went on strike for one day in early February over a reorganisation that was leading to job cuts.
This statement - issued on behalf of the strikers earlier today - says the local authority has had "second-thoughts" and some jobs have been saved.
"Dear friends and supporters ,
"Speech and Language Therapists were celebrating in Southwark yesterday when the reduction in funding to SALT services announced by Southwark Council was far less than had been anticipated and Unite members are now well placed to defend jobs and services , following their one day strike against redundancies in February.
"Thanks to a high profile campaign which had fantastic support from parents , schools the local community and trade unions , the local authority has obviously had second thoughts about taking the axe to a popular and essential front-line service for vunerable children.
"Although funding from Southwark Council will be cut by 30 % , this represents a smaller reduction in service than had been predicted, and should allow Southwark Primary Care Trust to create some new SALT posts, which would be prioritised for the eleven Southwark SALTs at risk of redundancy should they wish to apply for them. Where staff at risk of redundancy have found other jobs and wish to move on , Unite will be campaiging to protect their posts and the services they provide.
"Southwark SALTs are linking their campaign with colleagues across the country, and when they met with shadow health minister John Healy this week, he gave his support to Unite's plan to hold an evidence - gathering session at the House of Commons , where SALTs from across the country will be invited to provide information about the impact of cuts on SALT services.
"Unite's campaign to save speech and language therapy jobs and services goes from strength to strength and Southwark SALTs are calling on other NHS staff and service users to join them outside the Department of Health in Whitehall on Wednesday March 9 at 4pm , when Southwark SALTs will hand in over 2,000 petitions against the redundancies.
"Following this we will be joining other NHS staff and the public on the march to defend NHS jobs at the Royal London in Whitechapel at 5pm , going through the City of London and finishing at Barts.
"While we are aware that there is still much to fight for , SALTs in Southwark have shown that if you are prepared to speak up and stand up for your clients and your jobs , it is more than possible to stop the cuts, and are very grateful for the tremendous support we have received.
"Our dispute is not over yet , so please keep sending messages of support to speakupspeech@gmail.com .
Tell your friends join the other two thousand signing the online petition ."
COMMENT:
Congratulations to this brave group of speech therapists.
A one-day strike by a small group of workers wins concessions. Just think what a big strike by a big group of workers could do.