ROTHERHAM MAY DAY MARCH!!!

An A4 leaflet for the Rotherham May Day March on 5th May; Gather at 1030am outside Rotherham Town Hall, march at 11 to a rally in All Saints' Square (1130).
May Day 2012

NAME DAY FOR NATIONAL STRIKE!

PCS Left Unity have called a "organising conference" in order to continue the fight back against the government plans to cut pensions.

“PCS Left Unity is organising an open meeting at Friends Meeting House, Euston Road, London on Saturday 7 January to demand further action on pensions, this meeting will be open to all reps in any union that took action on N30 and is to put pressure on union leaderships to name a further strike day, please pass on to all your contacts in other unions, put the date in your diary and attend, more details will be issued shortly.” - Janice Godrich, President of PCS, on behalf of PCS Left Unity.
 

PCS Left Unity National Committee 

DEFEND PENSIONS - ESCALATE ACTION NAME DAY FOR NATIONAL STRIKE 

Organising Conference Saturday: Friends Meeting House (opp. Euston Station) 

7th January 2012 11am – 4pm 

Chair: Janice Godrich PCS President 

Speaker: Mark Serwotka PCS General Secretary (other speakers to be announced) 

November 30th was the biggest show of strength from Britain’s trade unions in living memory. It shook the coalition government and provided a firm foundation for the escalation of industrial action to defeat the unjustified attack on pensions and to challenge the coalition’s pay freeze, cuts and privatisation programme.

At the TUC’s Public Sector Liaison Group Mark Serwotka on behalf of PCS argued the TUC should set the date for a further day of nationally coordinated strike action to bring the government into serious negotiations. Although there was some support for this position the TUC general secretary Brendan Barber argued that all the unions should sign up to a so-called “Heads of Agreement”, this means the core issues, on which we took action, working longer, paying more and getting less, are surrendered, just as the government have wanted. Dave Prentis, the general secretary of Unison, argued for acceptance of this “deal”.

It is almost beyond belief that when the confidence of the movement is at its highest point in decades as a result of November 30th and with an additional 100,000 recruits due to the action such an abject surrender is being considered. Now is the time to set the date, as early as possible in 2012, preferably January, for a further day of nationally coordinated industrial action which can be escalated by bringing even more unions on board including workers, like those in Unilever, fighting to defend private sector pensions. 

The PCS Left Unity National Committee invites all activists from all unions to an organising conference on the 7th of January to debate how we can build the campaign to defend our pensions and fight the cuts and prevent any unacceptable “deal” that makes us work longer, pay more and get less. 

 

 This will be an organising conference, not just a debating forum. It is intended to arm activists with the issues so they can go back to their workplaces and into their unions in order to build a campaign that will secure justice on pensions. 

To cover costs there will be a registration fee of £5 for waged delegates. 

FAIR PENSIONS FOR ALL - STOP THE CUTS - NO PRIVATISATION

N30 - Day of Action - Pensions Strike / Protest

A video made by Rotherham GMB giving some context for the strikes and then showing Rotherham's finest marching and at the rally!

NOV30! 300+ in Roth!!!

According to estimates, the number of people at the Rotherham March and Rally in support of the pension strike was over 300! Many then joined the thousands in Sheffield! This article taken from the Rotherham Advertiser.

Photo by Jason Emerson

"MORE than 300 striking public sector workers marched through Rotherham today after the biggest mass walkout for decades.

Refuse workers, probation staff, teachers, nurses, lecturers and civil servants were among thousands across the borough who joined nearly three million workers in a one-day strike against government plans to change their pensions.

Scores of pickets were out at Rotherham General Hospital, council buildings and the town’s main college.

 

Speakers from the UNISON, GMB, PCS, NUT and UCU unions addressed a rally in All Saints’ Square.

Photo by Ralph Dyson.

Eric Battey of the GMB said: “The facts are clear—we’ll work longer, pay more and get less.”

Ministers say public sector pensions are unsustainable and condemned the strike as irresponsible because negotiations were ongoing and would cost the economy £500 million."

Many on the march and rally were calling on the TUC to call the next date.

NOV30: Route change!

The route of the March in Rotherham November 30th to support the strikes in the public sector has been changed.

The march in Rotherham has been shortened, though the start time and assembly point is the same: instead of continuing past the RCAT Eastwood building and turning left on to Wharnecliffe Road, the march will turn left after the RCAT Clifton Building, down Howard Street. The map below shows the new route.

10am: After pickets, gather outside town hall.
10:30am: Start the March around Rotherham.
11am: arrive for a rally in All Saints Square
11:15am onwards: Board coaches and head to Sheffield to join the regional demonstrations.

Also this Saturday there will be Union and RAC activists leafletting in Rotherham Town Centre outside Halifax/Boots/Market entrance.

MARCH DETAILS: - March begins outside Rotherham Town Hall
- March behind Job Centre along Stanley street
- Turn left, down the hill, along Mansfield Road
- Turn left and march along Wellgate
- Turn right, up the hill, along Doncaster Gate
- Turn left along Howard Street
- Turn left, down the hill, along Howard Street towards Halifax/Boots/Market entrance
- Turn Left, march along Effingham Street towards All Saints Square
- Rally in All Saints Square

List Of Events in South Yorkshire.

Sheffield Trades Council has circulated a list of events.

The list circulated details the many events that are taking places in South Yorkshire, many of which - though not all - are Anti-Cut related activities.In Rotherham there are weekly meetings - called by Unison - to organise the actions in Rotherham in support of the strikes on the 30th November.

Also, there will be 2 'Days of Action' (Saturday 12th November and 19th November) in Rotherham where RAC will be support Unions in promoting the Nov 30th Strikes.

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7th to 12th November,2011: "Ashes & Diamonds Exhibition."

Wortley Hall. Wortley Hall has been chosen as, like previous ventures, it has past links to

National Union of Mineworkers` Education. John Dunn, the Sponsor writes:"I attended many

Derbyshire NUM weekend and week long schools there as I am sure did many of us.Wortley

Hall is also a valuable Trade Union resource that is celebrating 60 years of ownership by the

Trade Union and Labour Movement (who says workers cannot run a business?). It will also

feature a number of Public Meetings.

THE TIMETABLE IS AS FOLLOWS:-

7th November, 2011: 7.00 P.M.,Wortley Hall. Official opening by Arthur

Scargill, NUM Honorary President,incorporating From The Miners` Strike To The Current

Capitalist Crisis - Ken Capstick, former NUM Yorkshire Area Vice-President. The artist,

Darren Coffield, will also speak on what inspired him to create this tribute.

8th November, 2011: 8.00 P.M, Wortley Hall. "The Media - From the Miners`

Strike to MurdochGate."Speakers: Granville Williams,Campaign For Press and Broadcasting

Freedom and Author of:"Shafted-The Miners` Strike and the Aftermath"; and Peter Lazenby

-Industrial Correspondent, Yorkshire Evening Post, who was arrested during the Strike.

11th November, 2011: 7.00 P.M., Wortley Hall. "Art and The Labour

Movement." By Darrell Cozens, UCU, Coventry Trades Union Council.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Please contact Hilary Cave,

Secretary, North Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Labour History Society, 22 Boythorpe

Avenue, Chesterfield, Derbys S40 2QE, tel: 01246 270628,

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10th November,2011:PUBLIC RALLY, 6,30 P.M.,PONDS FORGE,

INTERNATIONAL SPORTS CENTRE, MAIN HALL, SHEAF STREET,

SHEFFIELD,S1 2BP.

"UNITE THE RESISTANCE! - STRIKE TOGETHER! - DEFEND PENSIONS! -

FIGHT THE CUTS!."

SPEAKERS:Mark Serwotka,PCS General Secretary; Matt Wrack,FBUGeneral Secretary;

Karen Reahy, UNITE Regional Secretary; Peter Davies,GMB Sheffield Regional Secretary;

Sally Kincalds,NUT Wakefield Branch Secretary; UNISON Speaker and other Speakers

invited.

MEETING SPONSORED AT THE TIME OF PUBLICATION BY:- Sheffield Trades Union

Council; Barnsley Trades Union Council; UNITE North East and the Yorkshire and

Humberside Region; NUTSheffield; NUT Barnsley; UCU University of Sheffield; UCU

Hallam University; FBU South Yorkshire; UCU Barnsley College; UNISON University of

Sheffield; PCS Sheffield; GMB S38; NUT Rotherham; UNISON Rotherham Health.. 

________________________________________________________________________________

11th November,2011: INDEPENDENT WORKING CLASS EDUCATION:

can the tradition be revived? DAY SCHOOL .10.00 A.M to 5.00 P.M.,Northern College, Barnsley,

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14th November, 2011:10.30 A.M. to 12.30 P.M. TUC Regional Disabilities

Forum. Venue: TUC Office, 33,Park Place,Leeds,LS1 2RY (Phone 0113 242 9696)

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15th November, 2011:Defend Council Housing. National Protest at Parliament.

A national protest at Parliament will challenge Government attacks on tenants and demand action to

build the homes we need. The Housing Emergency protest on 15 November will oppose attacks on

tenancies, rents and benefits, and demand new Council housing - see leaflet.The national protest follows

lobbies and protests across Britain, rejecting attacks on secure tenancies, up to 80% market rents, and

evictions, and demanding a mass council house building programme to provide desperately-needed secure

and genuinely-affordable rented housing.

MPs next month vote for the last time on the Localism Bill, introducing fixed term tenancies, giving

Councils powers to end homeless access to council housing and remove thousands from housing waiting

lists. Join the National Protest Contact tenants, trade unions, councillors and housing campaigners to make

a joint delegation to Parliament 4pm 15th Nov - bring banners and placards

Arrange to see your MPs and demand they oppose attacks in the Localism Bill. See Localism Bill

Briefing here Come to the meeting 5pm Committee Room 15 House of Commons, with MPs, councillors,

trade unions, tenants and others.

_____________________________________________________________________________

19th November, 2011: Labour Representation Committee Annual Conference

will take place from 10.00 A.M. to 4.30 P.M. in the UCU Offices,Malet Street,London. LRC

Members will discuss campaign strategy for the coming year. The conference will debate and

vote on policy, elect new officers and a national committee, and will hold hustings for LRC

nominees for the centre-left Labour Party NEC slate. If not already a member or need to

renew then join online . Only LRC members are able to speak and vote at conference.For

those who are unwaged or travelling from outside London, the price to attend is £3, Register

online. A free creche will also be available, though please email us to register. Speakers at the

conference include campaigning left MPs John McDonnell, Jeremy Corbyn; and Katy Clark.

Other Speakers: FBU General Secretary Matt Wrack; Haringey community and youth

worker Symeon Brown; and Dot Gibson, General Secretary of the National Pensioners`

Convention.

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22nd November, 2011: Wortley Hall Left Film Club Presents at Wortley Hall:

Black Flash "A Century of Black Sportsmen." The film is based on the Phil. Visili book

"Colouring over the White Lines: A History of Black Footballers in Britain." From the

eccentric Victorian Arthur Wharton who kept goal for Preston North End in 1886 to Cyrille

Regis, John Barnes and beyond. Black Flash celebrates the highs and lows of nearly 120 years

of black involvement in British professional football. .The film will be followed by a

Q.& A. Session.

ITINERARY: 6.00 PM -7.15 PM Food: 7.15 PM -7.55 PM. "Black Flash";

7.55 PM. to 8.10 PM Intermission; 8.10 PM to 8.50 PM "Black Flash".

9.00 P.M. Q.& A. Session.

COST: £6.50 Per Person (INCLUDING Pie and Pea Supper)

REDUCED OVERNIGHT ROOMS AVAILABLE.

CONTACT: Wortley Hall,Wortley Village, Sheffield, S35 7DB. Tel.0114 2882100;

Fax 0114 283 0695; E-mail:unfo@wortleyhall.org.uk Web.www.wortleyhall.org.uk.

_____________________________________________________________________________

22nd November, 2011: Sheffield Trades Union Council Delegate Meeting.

7.00 P.M., Trades & Labour Club. Speaker: Bill Adams, Secretary,TUC Yorkshire & The

Humber Regional Council. The Agenda of this Delegate Meeting will include the Final

Arrangements for the Trade Union Day Of Action on 30th November, 2011.

25th November, 2011: Derbyshire Unemployed Workers` Centres. Present:.

"THE BIG SOCIETY SOCIAL." 7.00 P.M.., The Winding Wheel,Chesterfield.

Tickets: £10 Waged/£5 Unwaged.

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30th November, 2011: Rally, 9.15 A.M.. Herries Road Entrance, Northern

General Hospital. Organised by UNISON Northern General Hospital Branch. Speakers

invited. Jazz Band to be booked.Further information will be given when when available.

______________________________________________________________________________

30th November, 2011: TUC Regional March and Rally in Sheffield of trade

unionists on strike plus their supporters commencing around 1.00 P.M.. Further information

will be gven when available.

_______________________________________________________________________________

30th November, 2011: Day Of Action Social & Rally commencing at 5.30 P.M

organised by the Sheffield Trades Union Council in the Sheffield Trades & Labour Club,

Duke Street,Sheffield, S2. Further information will be given when available.

Nov 30 - March and Rally in Rotherham!

Rotherham is to hold a March and Rally on November 30th to support the stikes in the public sector.

In a meeting organised by Rotherham Unison branches, with representatives from many unions, community groups and campaigning groups, the following action was agreed in order to promote and to support the strikes:

10am: After pickets, gather outside town hall.
10:30am: Start the March around Rotherham (details + map below - red line marks the route of the march).
11am: arrive for a rally in All Saints Square
11:15am onwards: Board coaches and head to Sheffield to join the regional demonstrations.

Also there will be 'Action Days' held on Saturday12th and 19th November, leafletting and promoting the strike and the march. Stalls will be organised in All Saints Square and outside the Market/Halifax Bank/Boots.

MARCH DETAILS: - March begins outside Rotherham Town Hall
- March behind Job Centre along Stanley street
- Turn left, down the hill, along Mansfield Road
- Turn left and march along Wellgate
- Turn right, up the hill, along Doncaster Gate
- Turn left along Howard Street/Eastwood Lane past RCAT
- Turn left, down the hill, along Wharnecliffe Street/ Drummond Street past the Markets and Rotherham Central Library
- Turn Left, march along Henry Street/ Effingham Street towards All Saints Square
- Rally in All Saints Square

Join the Jarrow March in London

The final leg of the Jarrow March will pass through London on the Saturday 5th November, from the Embankment to Trafalgar Square.

There will be a coach going from outside Paternoster Row (near Train Station, outside Showroom Cinema) on Saturday 5th November at 0800 in the morning, so if you fancy joining the marchers please get in touch with Alistair Tice on 07706 710 041!

Here's what the Jarrow March 2011 blog has to say about the 5th November March and Rally.

"After marching 330 miles the Jarrow March for Jobs arrives in London. Following in the footsteps of the 1936 Jarrow marchers who walked to London against unemployment. Assemble Temple Place on Embankment 12noon! Come and join the end demostration and rally in Trafalgar Square. 

Speakers Include: 

Matt Wrack FBU General Secretary 

Bob Crow RMT General Secretary 

Paul Murphy MEP Socialist Party Ireland 

Lizi Gray Great-grandaughter of 1936 marcher 

 Stephen Hepburn MP for Jarrow 

US Occupy Wall Street Activist 

Jarrow marchers

Day-Mer Youth 

Socialist Party 

Young Deacon performing his rap about the riots called ‘Failed by the System’ 

Ed Marsh NUS 

London Slutwalk Activist Maddy Carty performing her track ‘CONDEMn AGE’

Dennis Skinner MP for Bolsover + More!

Meeting for workers and unemployed people

PCS Sheffield are holding "a campaigning and organising meeting for workers and unemployed people at 6.30 pm, Wednesday 19th October at the Quaker Meeting House, St James Street, Sheffield." 

NSSN lobby of TUC Congress: 11 September

NSSN Lobby of TUC Conference

Three quarters of a million went on strike on June 30th in a massive show of strength against a concerted attempt by the Tory and Liberal Democrat partners of this millionaire government to make workers pay for the bankers’ greed. Powerful demonstrations up and down the country brought thousands, including many young workers onto the streets in big cities and small towns, many for the first time, determined to defend pensions, and to stop the immediate huge pay cuts that pension changes would mean.

We believe that 30th June was the opening salvo. To win we need to turn this three-quarters of a million into 4-5 million in the next round of industrial action in the autumn, involving all public sector unions, and thereby scuppering the machinations of the government to drive a wedge into the trade union movement between the NUT, UCU, ATL and PCS and the other three big unions Unison, Unite and GMB. Defence of pensions has proved a unifying factor so far, and one of our best opportunities to all come together and collectively force Cameron and Clegg into a massive U-turn.

We, the undersigned call on the TUC Conference on September 11th and the General Council to agree to call a one-day strike of all public sector unions as the next step in this struggle. We pledge to do all in our power to help make such an action a real success.

This petition will be presented to the TUC at Congress House on 11 September on the eve of their conference. Join us on the march and lobby: Assemble at 1:30pm, Friends Meeting House, Euston Road, London NW1

Manchester for the Alternative: 2nd October!

Strikes - Pickets and Rally report!

RAC activist turned out to pickets at Rotherham College of Arts and Technology (RCAT) as well as the Rotherham Jobcentre.

A fine morning saw RAC activists join the UCU/NUT/PCS/ATL pickets in Rotherham town centre from 7- 9. Although mainly at th RCAT site, activists visit Rotherham Job Centre to lend support and show solidarity.

After the pickets (and a brief coffee break) activists handed out literature and helped gather numbers for the Rally in All Saints Square at 11am.

Around 50 people turned out to the rally, where speakers addressed the crowd standing proudly between Union banners. Messages of determined solidarity and commitment were well recieved before many of the assembled continued over to Sheffield to join the demonstrations there.

Another positive and encouraging turn out for RAC, the unions and all Rotherham folk show that the fight back is growing and solidarity and resistance is growing!

Further reports and pictures to follow!!!

Campaign Stall Report

Activists continue the campaign!

Hundreds of leaflets were handed out last Saturday publicising the forthcoming RAC meeting on the 21st June, to join the Facebook group and to follow the blog, and calling on members of the public to get involved and help build numbers for the demonstrations that will be held on the 30th June.

Campaign Stall Report

Another strong turnout for campaigning in Rotherham Town Centre!

Over half a dozen RAC activists were on the streets of Rotherham town centre today (11/06/2011) handing out leaflets advertising the next RAC meeting, to collect signatures and contact details for the RAC mailing list and to build the resistance to the cuts.

Leaflets produced by ST and TD were handed out in their hundreds whilst Cuban pianist Ruben Gonzalez attracted Rotherhamers in the sunshine... for just over an hour and then the play was rained off!!!

Yet a young movement, RAC can look forward to more and more effective campaign stalls.

Union Lobby of Council Cabinet Report

RAC activists support UNISON Lobby of Council Cabinet

RAC activists gathered outside Rotherham Town Hall with a small number of UNISON members, protesting against "Rotherham Council Plans to close the Cashier Service at four neighbourhood offices at Wath, Kimberworth Park and Munsborough."

UNISON members were happy to sign petitions, but were reluctant to provide email addresses for the RAC mailing list.

The following statement was issued on the UNISON Rotherham website:

"SAVE OUR CASHIER SERVICES

ROTHERHAM COUNCIL PLANS TO CLOSE THE CASHIER SERVICE AT FOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD OFFICES AT WATH, RAWMARSH, KIMBERWORTH PARK AND MUNSBROUGH.

PEOPLE WILL HAVE TO TRAVEL TO PAY RENT AND BILLS, WILL BE AT GREATER RISK OF GETTING INTO ARREARS AND WILL HAVE TO COUNT HUNDREDS OF POUNDS AT OPEN PAYPOINTS IN SHOPS. TWO THIRDS OF STAFF WILL GO AS WILL THE ADVICE AND SUPPORT THAT THEY PROVIDE. ONCE THESE COMMUNITY SERVICES HAVE GONE THEY WILL BE GONE FOR GOOD.

WE HAVE GOT OVER 1,000 SIGNATURES FOR OUR PETITION AGAINST THE CLOSURES IN JUST TWO WEEKS.

PLEASE SHOW YOUR OPPOSITION TO THESE CLOSURES BY MEETING OUTSIDE ROTHERHAM TOWN HALL ON WEDNESDAY 8 JUNE 9.30-10.30AM AS WE LOBBY COUNCILLORS.

IF YOU COULD SPARE JUST AN HOUR OF YOUR TIME IT WOULD BE APPRECIATED. THE MORE PEOPLE THAT ATTEND THE STRONGER OUR VOICE WILL BE HEARD.

FOR ANY FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT UNISON ROTHERHAM ON 01709376933"

June 30th: Posters and Leaflets

Some leaflets and posters for the June 30th strikes.

Campaign Stall Report

First RAC stall held in Rotherham Town Centre!

Saturday 4th June, at 11am, around 10 RAC activist - members of political parties, Trade Union members and non-affiliated participants - gathered in the Town Centre to help build the group...

After some initial hiccups, around 100 leaflets with details of the Tuesday 7th meeting were distributed and a fair number of signatures and contact details were collected. At the meeting, topics for discussion will be; attending the council worker lobby of the Council Cabinet on Wednesday 8th June at 9:30am, the RAC's constitution, building for the Demo on the 30th June and more...

A strong and determined mindset was shared by all, and a common recognition that the RAC campaign was a worthy endeavour and a vital development in Rotherham fight back!

Dates for your Diary! Campaign Stall, Meeting and Lobby details...

Stall: Saturday 4th June - RAC Meeting: Tuesday 7th June - Lobby of Council Cabinet: Wednesday 8th June

This Saturday (4th June) Rotherham Against the Cuts will be petitioning in All Saints Square, Rotherham Town Centre at 11am. Please come down and help build the movement.

The next Rotherham Against the Cuts meeting will be at Talbot Lane Methodist church on Tuesday 7th June at 7.00. More information about speakers etc will follow...

On Wednesday 8th June at 9:30, RAC plans to join council staff who are to lobby councillors over the threat to two thirds of cashier jobs under proposals to remove the service from four neighbourhood offices.

UNISON leaders have warned that the planned changes to council payments services will make it harder to pay bills and result in 17 job losses.

Please help build the movement: Join the Facebook page, come along on Saturday, come to the meeting!

Rawmarsh teachers march against cuts

 An article taken from The Advertiser documenting the first Rotherham Against the Cuts demonstrationinMarch 2011.

TEACHERS fighting job losses at a Rotherham secondary school led a march against the cuts through Rotherham on Saturday.

NUT members from Rawmarsh Community School, who staged a series of strikes earlier this year, were joined by young people protesting at youth club closures, council workers, lecturers and Unison health workers from Rotherham General Hospital.

The march was organised by the Rotherham Against the Cuts campaign and Rotherham Trades Union Council.