uk.indymedia.org Workers' Movements features

Liverpool 2009: Capital of Crisis?

Neon Black — 2009-01-06T21:55+02:00

As Liverpool hands the Capital of Culture baton over to Vilnius and Linz, the city’s economy is in for an extremely tough year. Top council leaders claim Liverpool is in particularly good shape to ride out the global economic collapse, but statistics and analysis show they could not be further from the truth.

Wirral Against Service Cuts

Neon Black — 2008-12-11T23:32+02:00

A crowd of two hundred or more Wirral residents gathered at Wallasey Town Hall last night, to show their anger at the council's planned cuts to vital services.

New Nerve Examines Work

Catalyst Media — 2008-12-03T21:08+02:00

The latest edition of Nerve - Liverpool's social issues and culture magazine - is out now. This time the focus is on definitions and experiences of work.

Workers go on strike at Nottingham Trent University

Notts IMC — 2008-10-22T19:56+02:00

Staff members belonging to the University and College Union (UCU) at Nottingham Trent University (NTU) were on strike yesterday, in protest against the university's derecognition of their union and plans to cut facility time for union representatives. Derecognition is an extreme move by the university authorities and is seen by the strikers as an attack on their right to organise independently.

Over three-quarters (77%) of members voted for the strike, which is supported by the UCU nationally. The action follows a rally on 6th Oct attended by UCU members from across the country which challenged the university's vice-chancellor's address to new students.

Newswire: Workers on strike at Nottingham Trent University | Demo by University & College Union, derecognised at Nottingham Trent University | UCU members vote for industrial action at Nottingham Trent University | UCU to ballot on strike action at Nottingham Trent University

Previous Features: Local Government Workers in Notts Join National Strike | Notts Workers Join National Strike | Public service workers out to protect pensions

Links: UCU Nottingham Trent Branch | Nottingham Trent University | UCU (national) | Notts Indymedia Workers Movements topic page

Pall Mall protest in solidarity with National Physical Laboratory cleaners

Richard Whittell — 2008-09-26T19:46+02:00

Activists picketed the Institute of Directors on Pall Mall this lunchtime to protest against the suspension of cleaners working for Amey PLC at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) in Teddington.

Pots and pans, dustbin lids, whistles and voices created a wall of noise outside the ‘Nanofinance 2008’ event, held at the Institute and attended by representatives of the NPL, as activists handed out leaflets and talked to participants, including NPL staff, some of who expressed solidarity with the cleaners.

Birmingham School rejects ARK as Academy sponsor

IMC Birmingham — 2008-09-15T23:06+02:00

The Governing Body and the Head Teacher at Harborne Hill School, Birmingham, have rejected Absolute Return for Kids (ARK), the controversial sponsors of the proposed Harborne Academy, from taking over their school.

The Governing Body unanimously voted to stop ARK after it emerged that they were intent on destroying vital educational ties with local partnerships and organisations built up by the school over years. They were also shocked to find out that, despite Birmingham City Council saying that staff terms and conditions were ‘sacrosanct’, ARK refused to give any meaningful guarantees to their prospective employees. This means that ARK can refuse to acknowledge unions or any national agreements on pay and conditions. Their short track history so far has shown their contempt for their employees.

Newswire Reports: Harborne Hill School rejects ARK as Academy sponsor – so should St Alban’s! | Oppose Orimiston Academy!

Previous Feature: Teachers Occupation Defends Wembley Sports Ground From Privatisation

Local Government Workers Strike Over Pay

IMC-UK — 2008-07-21T16:16+02:00

On Wednesday 16 and Thursday 17 July, local government workers in Unison and Unite took part in a 48 hour strike. The action was in response to the "final" 2.45% pay offer made by the employers (which, given the current rate of inflation, constitutes a real terms pay cut) and part of a wider struggle being waged across the public sector against what the government call "pay restraint."

Support for the strike seems to have been patchy. Nevertheless, there were pickets at council offices across the country and thousands of schools were closed as teaching assistansts, caretakers, midday supervisors and admin staff walked out. Larger towns and cities saw a number of rallies and marches.

Newswire: Local Government Strike: Day Two | Patchy Support for Public Sector Strike | I'd Rather Be A Cyclist Than A Scab: UNISON Strike Birmingham | Local authority workers walk out over pay cut | Local Government Strike: Day One | UNISON Local Government Members Strike Over Pay | Public service Strike 16-17th July and rally at Guildhall on 16th | Council workers to strike over pay | Local government workers to strike over pay

Regional Feature: Local Government Workers in Notts Join National Strike

Links: Unison | Unite: Amicus | T&G | Indymedia UK Workers' Movements topic page

Local Government Workers in Notts Join National Strike

Notts IMC — 2008-07-19T14:30+02:00

On Wednesday 16 and Thursday 17 July, local government workers in Unison and Unite took part in a 48 hour strike. The action was in response to the "final" 2.45% pay offer made by the employers (which, given the current rate of inflation, constitutes a real terms pay cut) and part of a wider struggle being waged against the public sector against what the government call "pay restraint."

In Nottinghamshire there were picket lines at various council offices and 82 schools were shut as caretakers, teaching assistants, admin staff and midday supervisors walked out. There was a march from the Forest Recreation ground to a rally in the Market Square on the first of the two days.

Newswire: Local Government Strike: Day Two | Local Government Strike: Day One | Council workers to strike over pay

Previous Feature: Notts Workers Join National Strike

National Feature: Local Government Workers Strike Over Pay

Links: Notts Unison | Unison | Unite: Amicus | T&G | Notts Indymedia Workers' Movements topic page

UK Celebrates Mayday

2008-05-11T14:27+02:00

Mayday has been celebrated in one form or another for thousands of years. Pagans marked the day as the end of the hardships of winter. Following the struggle amongst American workers for the eight hour day and the murder by the US state of four anarchists involved in that struggle in 1886, the day has come to be marked as International Workers' Day.

Mayday in the UK has generally been a restrained affair compared to some European celebrations. Nevertheless, there are trade union marches across the country. In recent years, issues of immigration and free movement have become increasingly prominent on these demonstrations.

Regional Features: Nottingham Celebrates Mayday | May Day On Merseyside

Previous Features: Mayday 2007 | Mayday Weekend 2006

Links: EuroMayDay | Wikipedia on Mayday

Nottingham Celebrates Mayday

Notts IMC — 2008-05-05T18:18+02:00

In Nottingham this year, there were two Mayday events, both organised by the Mayday Organising Committee, an off-shoot of the Nottingham Refugee Campaign Group. As has happened for the past few years, there was a march and rally, starting and ending at the Brewhouse Yard on the Saturday May 3. The second event was a public meeting held on May 1 itself, addressed by local asylum seeker Amdani Juma and former Guantanamo Bay detainee Moazzam Begg.

Newswire: Nottingham May Day 1 Pictures - Event | Nottingham May Day 2 Pictures - Parade | Mayday march and rally in Nottingham | Nottingham Celebrates Mayday with Moazzam Begg

Previous Features: Mayday! Mayday! Celebrations in Nottingham (2007) | Mayday in the East Midlands (2006)

Links: Nottingham Refugee Campaign Group | Wikipedia on Mayday

May Day On Merseyside

Liverpool IMC — 2008-04-28T16:31+02:00

This week, people on Merseyside and around the world celebrated International Workers' Day - or May Day - an event that has been held every year since 1890. It was originally established as a strike day, commemorating the 'Haymarket martyrs', who were framed and then killed by the state of Illinois for their part in the struggle for the eight hour working day.

Notts Workers Join National Strike

Notts IMC — 2008-04-26T17:46+02:00

On April 24, teachers, further education lecturers and civil servants took coordinated national strike action against the public sector pay freeze. The decision by the National Union of Teachers (NUT) to call the first national teachers' strike in twenty-one years, attracted the most interest, but they were also joined by the University and Colleges Union (UCU) and the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS).

The strikes follow a central government directive to keep annual cost of living pay increases below 2% at a time when the Retail Price Index places inflation at over 4%, meaning in effect that public sector workers are expected to take a pay cut.

In Nottinghamshire, dozens of schools were closed by strike action, with many more partially closed. While their were few pickets of schools, there was a presence at a number of colleges and outside government offices in the city. A march from the Forest Recreation Ground to the Congregation Hall, Church Gate for a rally was well attended despite the inclement weather

Newswire: Photos of April 24 Strike in Nottingham | Strike to close one third of Nottingham schools | Interview with NUT activist | Notts Indymedia Worker's Movements Topic Page

Previous Features: Public service workers out to protect pensions | All-out unofficial strike at Cottam Power Station near Lincoln

Links: Nottingham City NUT | Nottinghamshire NUT | NUT | PCS | UCU

Library Staff Speak Out Against Uniforms and Management Bullying

Notts Indymedia — 2008-03-12T08:31+02:00

Over a year ago, a rumour was doing the rounds in Nottingham libraries about the introduction of uniforms for library staff. The union reps looked into it and it was brushed aside as 'not going to happen for ages'. A couple of months ago they were surpised to hear that the uniforms would suddenly be introduced by March. No consultation, no advanced notice. So why does the council feel there is a need for uniformed staff in our libraries? And why does it threaten its own staff members with dismissal if they were to speak openly about these changes?

One library assistant did decide to speak out. Barbara, who's identity we cannot reveal, has worked in Nottingham's libraries for many years. She told Notts Indymedia in an interview about her anger over the decision by the City Council to introduce uniforms. In addition, she talked about the depletion of library service resources and the bully tactics employed by City Council managers to keep its staff in line.

Interview: Nottingham Library Assistant Speaks Out About Uniforms And Bully Tactics

From the newswire: Changes To The Library Service | Nottingham Library workers still resisting uniforms | Make nottingham Real, not PR stunts, uniforms & pool closures

Hands Off Iraqi Oil!

IMC UK Features — 2008-02-26T09:04+02:00

On Saturday 23rd February, a number of actions took place in the UK and Netherlands, in solidarity with the Iraqi peoples' struggle against the plunder of their oil reserves. The callout for action by the Hands Off Iraqi Oil Campaign resulted in actions in, London, Liverpool, Wrexham, Coventry, Bristol, Southend, Amsterdam and Washington [video]

In February 2007 the Iraqi cabinet approved an oil law which, if passed into law, would allow the likes of Shell, BP and Exxon to take over control of most of Iraq's oil reserves, depriving ordinary Iraqis of scores of billions of dollars. Shell and BP, with the help of the UK Government have been actively pushing for this law and these contracts since 2003.

Action reports: 1 | 2 | 3 |4 |5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Audio reports: London tour

Indian court orders 'arrest without bail' of Dutch activists

features list — 2007-12-05T20:36+02:00

A court in Bangalore has issued an order for the 'arrest without the possibility of bail' of seven campaigners over their websites postings about labour conditions of an Indian supplier of fashion label G-Star. The activists are from the Clean Clothes Campaign and the India Committee of the Netherlands; the director of their Netherlands based ISP, Antenna, is included.

The case could have implications for activists posting anything on the web, with the court using the Convention on Cyber Crime to call for extradition. It all happens with the backdrop of the continuing campaign about labour conditions and particularly the huge number of child workers in India coming up against the religion of 'free trade'.

The case has been running for some time now. As the legal threats get worse the campaign are asking for solidarity. As G-Star is the only remaining buyer from the jeans manufacturer at which the CCC and ICN have highlighted the labour rights violations they are asking people to make demands of them listing things you can do [cleanclothes.org]. In the UK No Sweat! have called a picket of G-star [nosweat.org] focusing on their Covent Garden store. There are lots of outlets around on their store locator [g-star.com].