Next council meeting and important updates

Reminder Notice of Trades Council EC meeting - open to ALL TU members

The November meeting of the Executive Committee of Brighton, Hove & District TUC will be held on:

Wednesday 4th November, 8pm at The Stag, Upper Bedford Street, Brighton.

The main item of business will be organising support for workers in dispute. Mark Turner (GMB Branch Secretary) and Pete Sinnott (CWU Divisional Rep) have confirmed that they will be at the meeting, and there will also be reports from B&H Council Unison Branch.

Please make every effort to attend this important meeting. (The text of a message from Unison is attached below.)

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Public meeting in support of strikers - STRIKERS SPEAK OUT
Brighton postal worker, refuse collector and Brighton Housing Trustworker - all on strike - all to speak at a public meeting.
Tuesday 17th November 7.30pm
Brighthelm Centre

This meeting has been organised by the Support Group which meets on Wednesdays 8pm at the Albert Pub in Trafalgar St. It is sponsored by the Town Hall Unison Branch.

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RMT Conference on Working Class Political Representation
Saturday 7th November
11am to 3pm
Camden Centre, London WC1

The Trades Council and National Shop Stewards' Network are supporting this Conference, and urge all those interested to attend. The conference is open to all, but please register in advance via the RMT website.

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Statement from B&H City Council Unison

As you will probably have heard, the GMB's ballot has resulted in a 94% vote in favour of strike action on a 76% turnout. It is a massive mandate and GMB members will strike for a week from 9th November, and a work to rule will start from the 5th. Brighton and Hove UNISON is in full support of the GMB and we are instructing our members not to cross picket lines or pick up GMB members' work.

It is increasingly likely that UNISON will also be balloting for action as the true extent of the Council's incompetence and duplicity in the pay negotiations becomes clear - appearing to negotiate with us whilst at the same time preparing to impose pay cuts on large numbers of our members.

UNISON is sponsoring a meeting on 17th November at the Brighthelm at which strikers from the mail, cityclean and Brighton Housing Trust will be speaking. Tonight UNISON issued this statement:

UNISON IN FULL SUPPORT OF GMB COLLEAGUES

The GMB ballot result announced at lunchtime today (29th October 2009), of 94% of members in Brighton and Hove Cityclean in favour of strike action, is welcomed and fully supported by UNISON (Brighton and Hove Branch). The central issue of the Council seeking to impose massive salary cuts of up to £8,000 on these staff is an issue also faced by many UNISON members in the Council. Whilst our members are not concentrated in one workplace, like the Cityclean workforce, overall it is the case that we will have in total many more staff across the Council who are faced with pay cuts of varying amounts.

These totals reflect the fact that UNISON has in membership some 60% of the entire Council workforce, 3,800 in all, and those affected are in a whole range of posts including, frontline care services, ICT, Planning and so-called "back-room" services. A large proportion of these are relatively low-paid women workers - the very people that Equal Pay legislation was meant to positively benefit.

UNISON cannot be clear what the scale of pay cuts will be, because the Council employer cannot, or will not provide accurate figures to us, despite repeated requests. In addition, the employer has frequently altered its negotiating position, cancelled meetings at short notice and in the last few days managers have told staff in a central part of the Council that they will be "dismissed" if they refuse to sign new, worse pay contracts.

Today, at the "eleventh hour", the City Council have made a further offer in respect of which UNISON is seeking urgent clarification and further negotiation. However, the core pay cuts still remain, along with a plain threat to ignore the two Trade Unions and go straight to staff with these proposals.

This is no way to negotiate or reach agreement. The Single Status Agreement into which these negotiations fall, came into place in 1997 - the Council has prevaricated and delayed for 12 years and now wants to rush new grades into place.

UNISON in a letter today has indicated to the City Council at political and senior officer level, that we will not accept an imposition of new contracts. The Branch will proceed to an immediate Strike ballot in such circumstances. Our membership will also support in every possible manner our colleagues in the GMB when they take action - there will be no division between the two Branches who already work very closely at a local level.

Alex Knutsen, UNISON Branch Secretary said: "A situation which should have been resolved through negotiation over the last 12 years, has now reached a point where confrontation appears to be inevitable. This is very regrettable but even at this time could be recovered. However, if the Council leadership continue along this very dangerous path, UNISON members will vote for strike action to defend their colleagues in their Branch. Members are not militants butcommitted public sector workers forced to respond to an inept, disorganised and threatening management."

For further information please contact Alex Knutsen on 01273 249076 0r 07961025930

Yours in Solidarity
Bill (General Secretary BH&DTUC)

Next meeting: 8pm Wednesday 7 October

The next Brighton, Hove and District Trade Union Council meeting will take place at 8pm on Wednesday 7 October at The Stag public house on Upper Bedford Street, Brighton. This meeting is open to all interested trade unionists living and/or working in the area who want to get active in strenghtening trade union movement.

At tonight's meeting we will be discussing the local council workers' dispute over pay and conditions along with how we can help support their fight. We hope to see you there.

PUBLIC MEETING: Time for a new workers' party

Meeting called by the RMT, Campaign for a New Workers Party, Socialist Party and Socialist Resistance amongst others. Focusing on the potential for a new union-based left wing electoral project and how this may affect us in Brighton in the upcoming general election. Speakers from RMT, PCS, Unison and the CNWP.

3pm, Sunday 27 September at The Iron Duke pub, Waterloo Street, Brighton.
(50 metres from the end rally against New Labour)

DEMONSTRATE AGAINST NEW LABOUR

JOIN THE DEMONSTRATION OUTSIDE THE LABOUR PARTY CONFERENCE this Sunday 27 September. Assemble 12.30pm at Madeira Drive, Brighton.

Supported by NUT, RMT, UCU, NUJ, PCS, and Brighton Trades Council. Bring your union banners!

Brighton Housing Trust workers' strikes

On Monday 14th September, UNISON gave notice to the BHT Board and Chief Executive of further industrial action, on a rolling basis.

21st-23rd September (inclusive) – members will strike at Queen’s Road and EHALC
29th-1st October (inclusive) – members will strike at First Base
5th-9th October (inclusive) – members will strike at Phase One
6th-8th October (inclusive) – members will strike at First Base.

For the 21st – 23rd, there will be a picket / demonstration at Queens Road each morning form 8.30am to 11.30am, and a demonstration outside 144 London Road form 12.30pm-2pm. All trade unionists are asked to support these activities whenever they are available.

Next meeting: 8pm Wednesday 2 September

The next Brighton, Hove and District Trade Union Council meeting will take place at 8pm on Wednesday 2 September at The Stag public house on Upper Bedford Street, Brighton. This meeting is open to all interested trade unionists living and/or working in the area who want to get active in strenghtening trade union movement.

At tonight's meeting we will be discussing the demonstration and action that is being organised for outside the Labour Party conference coming up at the end of this month along with helping to publicise for the Brighton Vestas Workers Support group public meeting. We hope to see you there.

Brighton Housing Trust Strike Action! Members need your support!

An urgent message from Brighton & Hove Unison:

BRIGHTON HOUSING TRUST EMERGENCY STRIKE ACTION!
MEMBERS NEED YOUR SUPPORT!

On Wednesday the 19th August, up to 125 branch members employed by BHT will be taking strike action.

They have been forced to this last resort by an employer who is hell-bent on ripping up and imposing new contracts of employment. All staff will be removed from NJC Conditions of Service and will have working hours increased, for less pay! For half of our members there will be a pay cut of up to £6,000!

This is not as bad as the original proposals to slash sick/maternity pay and other conditions, which Unison successfully fought off.

But some of our members, who work with homeless people, will face the loss of their homes due to these proposals. Bluntly, BHT, once an “employer of choice”, has moved to one of the most heartless, aggressive and bullying organisations of the 80 the branch has members within.

What you can do!
On 19th August 2009, join one of the following events
1) 8-11am: demonstration at 144 London Road (opposite Hobgoblin Pub)
2) 11.30-12noon: march from London Road to Barts Square (outside Brighton Town Hall), followed by a rally.
3) 1.30pm: demonstration at Community Base, Queens Road.

Financial
Our members are low paid, facing large cuts in salary, and for some strike action losses will cause financial hardship. The branch is appealing nationally for support, but if you want to make a contribution (cheques payable to Brighton & Hove Unison) please send this to the Branch Office, Town Hall, Brighton, BN1 1JA.

What we want
Simply, a suspension, of the threat of dismissals, and talks, to reach a negotiated settlement – nothing more, nothing less.

On the 19th please, please turn up to support your colleagues in what is a key dispute for Brighton and Hove UNISON members.

Alex Knutsen,
Branch Secretary - Brighton and Hove Unison