Mark Serwotka@PCS Left Unity

On the 7th January PCS Left Unity held an 'organising conference' aimed at preventing a pensions 'sell-out' by Unions. 

Left Unity is "a democratic organisation that embraces a wide range of socialist opinion in PCS and campaigns for a socialist society that provides for the needs of the many, not the greed of a few". This video appeared on the PCS Sheffield Blog - www.pcssheffieldhqbranch.blogspot.com

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

PCS meetings on NOV30 and beyond...

A email circulated to PCS union members.

"Dear Members, 

We have organised a number of meetings to talk about the coming events in November and beyond. 

Already in our branch, members are feeling the effects of the attacks on public services. We have seen the utter chaos of the selection exercises and alongside, we are expected to pay more, work longer, and get less. Check out the pension’s calculator on the PCS website to find out how much you stand to lose:

http://www.pcs.org.uk/en/campaigns/pensions/pensionscalculator.cfm 

We would urge you all to take a small amount of time out to participate in these meetings. This struggle is not only for our own pensions, jobs, terms and conditions, but a fight to save the dismantling of the welfare state itself. 

This legacy was passed to us from our parents and their parents. Free education, health care, decent housing, jobs, pay and pensions along with decent local services for our communities were established over generations; recent Governments have undermined these basic tenets – we must stop the rot. 

Let’s not be the first generation to pass a handful of nothing to our kids and grandkids. Let’s not go quietly like lambs to the slaughter; let’s fight for our pensions and jobs. Let’s fight for our children’s future and to respect those who have gone before us, who created the welfare state. 

They gamble, you lose? 

Don’t let them get away with it. Try to get along to one of our meetings (details below). Time to stand up and be counted. 

Thursday 24th November 12:30 – 13.15

Sheaf Island pub (Wetherspoons), Ecclesall Road about 5 minutes walk from Kings Court and Porterbrook House. (Speaker tba)

or

Thursday 24th November 12:15-13.00 and 13.15-14.00

Red Deer, Mappin Street about 5/10 minutes walk from Mayfield Court, Rockingham and Steel City House. (Speaker tba)"

Rotherham 'Pension Justice Day of Action' Flyer

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.

______________________________________________________________________________

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,

________________________________________________________________________________

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,

 ________________________________________________________________________________

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)

_______________________________________________________________________________

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.

_______________________________________________________________________________

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.

____________________________________________________________________________ _

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

Unite the Resistance Public Rally