Latest news from Trades Council
Lewisham
Trades Council met on 15/01/13. It agreed to donate £400 to the Save Lewisham
Hospital Campaign, arrange public meeting with the FBU to fight the proposed
closure of New Cross Fire Station and
another to discuss a campaign on
Welfare.
Delegates
also gave reports about campaigns in various union branches in the borough:
RMT have two current campaigns. The
first concerns station security. Management are considering reducing staff
numbers approaching nightly closure. This increases the security risk to both
customers and staff. The union will rightly oppose any such proposals.
RMT are also recruiting cleaners in
order to help them gain decent working conditions and pay. A lot of cleaners
are unaware that employers have a legal obligation to pay the minimum wage for example.
UCU are dealing with a raft of issues
arising from the merger of Southwark and Lewisham colleges. The union aims to
resist redundancies, protect conditions and maintain services.
The newly
formed Lewisham NUJ branch has 600
members in the borough. Their industry like most is affected by austerity. The
union is campaigning for all journalist interns to be paid and not exploited.
CWU has a major campaign on its hands
thanks to the disgraceful antics of Virgin Media who have derecognised the union.
A number of different companies provide installation services for Virgin. Many
of these communication workers belong to the union and want it to remain.
UNISON at Goldsmith's college await yet
another restructure plan, which they fear could involve privatisation of some
services. The union has resolved to fight any such proposals.
PCS and NUT are gearing up for industrial action over pay and conditions in
March, but a strike in jobcentres planned for January has been called off
because DWP have backed away from
compulsory redundancies. At least 12 months work has been guaranteed for 43
workers threatened with the sack in six months time.
