UNITE members at Shelter plan to strike again

Shelter stewards say:

Union members in Shelter had two days of well-supported strike action last week.
On Thursday 24th April we not only picketed our own Shelter offices, but also marched with colleagues in the NUT, PCS and UCU in protest against pay freezes and Government attempts to secure services on the cheap.We spoke on a number of platforms around the country and held lobbies of MPs / MSPs in both the House of Commons and the Scottish Parliament.

Shelter union members will be striking again on Wednesday 30th April and Thursday 1st May. Details of the picket lines will follow. Please support us by visiting us on our picket lines.

You can also help us by sending messages of support and by making donations to our strike fund. You can also forward the attached leaflet to those who may not be aware of our dispute.

Many thanks for your ongoing help.

In solidarity,

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UNITE names more strike days at Shelter

According to a message sent to members of the Facebook group "Defend Shelter Staff! Defend Shelter!", UNITE has named the next strike days as 24-25th April, following members' rejection of the measly offer from management.

I think it's a really smart move to time the strike to coincide with national strikes by NUT, PCS and UCU (as well as members of UNITE and other unions at Birmingham City Council). People are always nervous that their message will get lost in something bigger, but as we found out last year when we at Fujitsu went on strike at the same time as PCS and UNISON health workers in Manchester, doing things together makes us all stronger and boosts everyone's confidence.

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Shelter staff reject measly offer

UNITE members in Shelter have rejected a miserly offer from management that was the outcome of ACAS talks after their initial two days of strike action.

As far as I know no further strike days have been announced yet, but everyone should get behind these members so they have the confidence to win.

They are asking supporters to:

1. Donate to the strike fund. Cheques payable to “Shelter Strike Fund” can be sent to Shelter Shop Stewards, c/o 48 Swindon Close, Gorton, Manchester, M18 8JQ
2. Invite a speaker to your meeting by contacting shelterstewards@googlemail.com
3. Send messages of protest to Adam Sampson, Shelter, 88 Old Street, London, EC1V 9HU or adam_sampson@shelter.org.uk asking for it to forwarded to the Board of Directors
4. Send copies to letters of protest and messages of support to shelterstewards@googlemail.com
5. Contact your MP about the issue and ask them to support Early Day Motion 1016 (http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=35214)

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A busy few weeks in Manchester

There’s lots going on in Manchester in the next few weeks, with the big strikes on 24^th April at the centre of it.

Tue 8 April: Public Service Not Private Profit public meeting

Debate the future of public services with speakers: Janice Godrich (PCS National President), Dai Hudd (Prospect General Secretary) and Avis Gilmore (NUT Regional Secretary).

6:30-8:30pm, Tuesday 8^th April, Mechanics Institute, Princess Street, Manchester M1 6DD

Mon 14 April: “Reinstate Karen Reissmann” Public Meeting & Free “Thank You” Social

Timed to coincide with UNISON Health Conference in Manchester, the meeting will be addressed by Karen Reissmann, Graham Pink (whistleblower from 17 years ago) and Alan Hartman (Manchester User Network).

7:15pm, Monday 14^th April at the Radisson Hotel, Peter Street, Manchester (the old Free Trade Hall building).

More info, including leaflets from www.reinstate-karen.org.

Tue 15 April: Fair Pay For Teachers

Pay rally with Bill Greenshields (NUTE Vice-President), Linda Newman (UCU President), Bernadette Gallacher (UNISON NEC), Dave Owens (PCS DWP Group Exec).

7:30pm, Tuesday 15^th April, Mechanics Institute, Princess Street, Manchester M1 6DD.

Sat 19 April: National Shop Stewards Network north-west conference

OFFU Manchester is supporting this conference, which will be an opportunity to bring together activists from across the movement to debate and build solidarity.

11am-3pm on Saturday 19^th April at the Mechanics Institute, Princess Street, Manchester M1 6DD.

More info, including leaflets, from www.shopstewards.net.

Thu 24 April: National strikes by NUT, UCU, PCS +

Thursday 24^th April will be a major focus for anger against pay restraint, cuts and privatisation. As well as the national strikes, a number of other groups intend to take action on the same day.

Please do what you can in your own workplace (even if you aren’t on strike), and take people down to show support on the picket lines.

Most big towns and cities are having rallies etc on the day - I hope Manchester will be among them.

Mon 5 May: May Day in Manchester

Assemble 11:30am, bank holiday Monday 5^th May at All Saints, Oxford Road, Manchester. International Workers’ Day march to a rally in St Peter’s Square. The themes are “Healthcare for all”, “Peace”, “Justice for Refugees” and “Trade Union Rights”.

This will be followed by a meeting 2pm-6pm in the Friends Meeting House, Mount Street, Manchester (behind Central Library). Provisional programme:

1. 'Workers of the World Unite' with Paul Mason, BBC Newsnight journalist and author of 'Live Working or Die Fighting, how the working class went global'

2. The Flying pickets. Manchester launch of 'The Flying Pickets the 1972 builders' strike and the Shrewsbury trials' with authors Dave Ayre, Reuben Barker, Jim French, Jimmy Graham & Dave Harker

3. Will Kaufman 'Woody Guthrie: Hard Times and Hard Travellin' (see www.uclan.ac.uk/facs/class/humanities/staff/kaufman1.htm)

Shelter Strike

UNITE members at housing charity Shelter have already taken two days strike action against the imposition of worse pay and conditions. The strikes were sufficient to force the employer to talks at ACAS, which resulted in a new offer. The Shelter shop stewards are recommending rejection of the offer, which members are currently being balloted on. They are asking supporters to:

1. Donate to the strike fund. Cheques payable to “Shelter Strike Fund” can be sent to Shelter Shop Stewards, c/o 48 Swindon Close, Gorton, Manchester, M18 8JQ
2. Invite a speaker to your meeting by contacting shelterstewards@googlemail.com
3. Send messages of protest to Adam Sampson, Shelter, 88 Old Street, London, EC1V 9HU or adam_sampson@shelter.org.uk asking for it to forwarded to the Board of Directors
4. Send copies to letters of protest and messages of support to shelterstewards@googlemail.com
5. Contact your MP about the issue and ask them to support Early Day Motion 1016 (http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=35214)

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Members at Shelter on strike again

The general public image of the "Not For Profit" sector is pretty "fluffy", yet the reality of employment practices is often pretty grim. Bosses (often pretty well paid) often expect those at the bottom of the pile to put up with anything if it helps achieve the organisation's objectives. Low pay and bullying are rife.

It's sad to see members at Shelter being forced to take a second day's strike action today to resist attempts to force them to sign up to new employment contracts.

I popped down to the Shelter office in Manchester this morning before work to show some support for the members braving the storms on the picket line.

Just because they're doing a useful job, why should they have to put up with being treated so shoddily?

If the government continues to block council house building - driving up the cost of housing - we're likely to see even more repossessions and homelessness in coming months.

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