30 June round-up

Submitted by Matthew on 29 June, 2011 - 1:03

Public sector pensions strikers will be joined on June 30 by workers taking action in a number of local disputes.

In south London, journalists continue to strike over job losses at Newsquest. 33 workers took to the picket line in Sutton on 27 June, the second strike in a month.

Teachers’ unions NUT and ATL will be striking at Strode’s College in Egham. Students from Royal Holloway will be going to the pickets, and students in the college will be walking out of classes. Then in the afternoon, hundreds of strikers from across Surrey, including representatives from Save Our Services in Surrey, and all 16 unions that work in Surrey County Council, will be meeting in Camberley to discuss future industrial action over the summer. This will culminate in a demonstration outside Education Secretary Michael Gove’s office.

A Doncaster Unison strike ballot found 66% in favour of striking on June 30. The ballot was in response to proposed local cuts of £70 million — including 700 job losses. The Unison strike will involve classroom assistants, lunchtime supervisors, cleaners and other non-teaching school staff, as well as other council workers such as grounds maintenance workers, council drivers, and social workers.

Unison members in the repairs and improvements section of Camden Council’s Housing & Adult Social Care directorate will be striking on June 30. Over 80% voted in favour of striking in the ballot. Camden branch secretary George Binette said: “The overwhelming Yes vote reflects the anger felt by members at the dismissal of their colleagues, especially when two-dozen or more agency staff are undertaking work those at risk could well be doing and when numerous posts in the new structure are still vacant.” He added: “The impact on black staff of this restructure and the cuts programme as a whole seems to have been very disproportionate. At least half of those at risk of redundancy in repairs and improvements are black.”

Unite members working at Fujitsu in Crewe will be sriking over the victimisation and sacking of union representative Alan Jenney.

Strikers are also rejecting offers from a pay review which would give them a 3.3% pay cut — despite having had a pay freeze in 2009, and recent news that many managers have received “Fujitsu Stars” holidays on company expense.

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