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Sunday 20 January 2013

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.

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