AROUND 130 postal workers in Bridgwater, Somerset, are on all-out, indefinite, unofficial strike. They are taking action in protest against management's broken promises and relentless harassment.
OVER 150 Norwich bus drivers attended an emergency union branch meeting on Sunday and rejected their employer Firstgroup's latest offer. Firstgroup has imposed new conditions which mean up to £18.50 per week loss of pay for many drivers because of cuts in paid breaks and working periods of up to 5.5 hours behind the wheel.
AT A packed chapel (union branch) meeting last Friday, Express and Star NUJ union members unanimously called for a strike ballot. This is part of our fight to prevent our boss Richard Desmond sending up to 100 of our jobs to Broughton, Lancashire. We believe this is an attempt at a Wapping-style operation aimed at shifting production to Lancashire.
THE EXECUTIVE committee of the Aslef rail union has suspended further planned 48-hour strikes by drivers on First North Western (FNW) while members ballot on an offer from the company. "The problem is none of us know what the offer is," says Steve West, a First North Western driver. The details were to be revealed when people got their ballot papers this week. There's been no sign of any movement from management. Aslef is not recommending acceptance of the deal. So all we can assume is that it contains the same unacceptable attacks on conditions that we have already rejected."
AROUND 60 people lobbied Hackney Teaching and Learning Centre this week in support of maths teacher Indro Sen. Sen was sacked from Kingsland School in September by a governors' panel. The demonstration was organised by his supporters and Kingsland NUT, and supported by Hackney NUT.
SELECTIVE STRIKE action is continuing in boroughs across London as part of the campaign for £4,000 London weighting. At Tower Hamlets council, east London, pickets were out again throughout the week, blocking post deliveries at the two buildings where post is dealt with. The pickets were enlivened by petitioning and leafleting for the firefighters and for home care workers whose jobs are threatened by privatisation.
THE government is desperate to avoid a confrontation with 55,000 firefighters and emergency control room staff. That's why it went from accusing the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) of "Scargillism" on Wednesday of last week to sending deputy prime minister John Prescott into talks with union leaders the following day.
TONY BLAIR is putting lives at risk. But trade unionists the length of Britain are organising to protect the safety of themselves and the public, while standing in solidarity with the firefighters and control room staff. Even the government virtually admits that its "alternative fire service" run by the army is wholly inadequate.
BUS WORKERS in London were the latest group to join the revolt against low pay as they marched through the capital on Tuesday of last week. Up to 300 workers in the TGWU union from different bus companies marched behind banners from depots across the region. They are demanding the same pay as tube workers.
