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North - United action on pay
 Smash Brown's pay restraint - Build for a one day public sector strike
The Socialist

Public sector workers are determined to resist Gordon Brown’s attempt to hold down wages. Brown wants a limit of 2.5% on public sector pay rises.

A growing mood of militancy is developing in opposition to the miserly rises now on offer. This has been shown most dramatically in the postal workers’ dispute. Postal workers have been rock solid in the days of strike action called by their union in July and August.

This action was suspended when Royal Mail management offered talks on the pay issue and on the strings – their proposals to slash jobs and cut the service.

Postal workers are now on standby to resume and escalate their action should the talks break down (see below).

Smash Brown's pay restraint - Build for a one day public sector strikeThey are not the only group of workers preparing for action. Over a million local government workers – and others on NJC conditions - are in the process of rejecting a below inflation 2% pay offer. The biggest union representing these workers, UNISON, has conducted a workplace consultation on this. The result was an 81% rejection.

The union is now considering a proposal to ballot for industrial action and there is no doubt that the mood of members is to proceed with this without delay.

Health workers have been offered between 1.9%-2.5% and again there is a clear mood that this must be rejected. Health delegates at the UNISON conference made their opposition to this type of offer clear and there is a mood for action to achieve a better deal (see below).

Civil servants who are members of PCS are also involved in a long running battle over pay and against cuts in jobs and services. Locally, Classroom Assistants are in revolt over a pay deal being imposed by the Assembly that effectively cuts their hourly rate.

They are balloting for escalating industrial action that would quickly lead to all out action not long after the schools get back in the autumn.

That there is a growing mood for action is beyond doubt. The only question is whether the trade union leaderships are as up for a fight with Gordon Brown – and with the Assembly here – as are their members.

Rank and file members should keep up the pressure through branch and workplace structures to make sure there is no backsliding or hesitancy by any section of the trade union leadership.

They should also press for these struggles to be co-ordinated as far as is possible. All these developing disputes may be different but there is a common theme – they are against government imposed pay restraint and the government policy of cuts and privatisation of public services.

A date should be set for a one-day public sector strike to bust Gordon Brown’s attempt to hold down pay and to defend public services and the jobs and conditions of public sector workers.

The links that unions like UNISON, the T&GWU and the CWU have with the Labour Party should be broken. So should any overly friendly ties between the unions here and the right wing sectarian parties in the Northern Ireland Executive.

Instead the resources of the unions should go into the building of a new party that can genuinely represent the interests of working class people.
Royal Mail
 Postal strikes suspended for talks
The Socialist

The strike action by Royal Mail workers has been suspended for negotiations. The series of strikes that were held in July and the start of August were solid in Northern Ireland and throughout Britain.

In response to this, and to plans to escalate the action, the Royal Mail management backed off from their previous no negotiation stance. Management and the CWU leadership have agreed to go into talks with both sides saying they are prepared to resolve the issue by 4 September.

This will not be easy. The dispute centres on pay, with workers opposed to the miserable 2.5% offer and on the completely unacceptable “strings” which would mean cuts in the service, 40,000 job losses and open the way to privatisation.

An acceptable settlement would mean a decent pay rise and no changes that involve job losses, cuts or worsened conditions. If this is not achieved in the negotiations, postal workers must be prepared to resume the industrial action and  other workers should be prepared to give them full support.
Health workers pay offer
 2.5% is not enough!
Pat Lawlor, RVH Unison Convenor

The new NHS pay offer has been put on the table for workers to discuss whether they wish to accept or reject and prepare for industrial action. It is clear the health executive of Unison believes it is the best they can achieve through negotiation. 

The UNISON leadership are arguing the offer will put extra cash in the pockets of the lowest paid workers in the NHS, no matter which country they are in. In Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, staff will get the full 2.5% increase immediately, backdated to 1 April 2007. But the award will still be staged in England, with staff getting 1.5% payable from 1 Apr and the remaining 1% from 1 November equalling 1.9% pay award overall.

UNISON argue there will be more money for the lowest paid with a £400 flat rate increase for those on Bands 1 and 2 while Bands 3 and 4 will receive an additional £38 as well as the 2.5%. 

Although the reversal of the staging is a welcomed development we should not leap for joy just yet. The proposal by UNISON leaders to limit our fight to the miserly 2.5% with a few extra coins thrown in is in contrast to ever-increasing living costs from basic necessities, increased housing prices, never mind the proposed introduction of water charges. Healthcare workers must not be steered from the basic demand for an overall fair pay rise far beyond the miserable 2.5% inclusive to all staff no matter the region.

We must demand the UNISON leadership holds fast to the promises made at the national conference where Jane Carolan from the NEC stated “UNISON will mount a vigorous campaign for fair pay, which could result in strikes.”
Play Review
 Strike by Vincent Higgins
Owen McCracken

Owen McCracken reviews a performance of Vincent Higgins’ short play “Strike” at the Harland and Wolfe Welders Club in East Belfast.

Originally commissioned by I.C.T.U. to commemorate the centenary of the 1907 Dockers Strike, Vincent Higgins’ new play examines the relevance of the strike for workers today.

Higgins contrasts the experience of 1907 with that of a present day capitalist trying to suppress a strike by migrant workers in his construction company.

The dialogue comments on a wide range of issues facing working class communities such as sectarianism, racism, gender inequality, housing and the environment. Crowbarred into this ambitious Brecht-inspired production are also quotations, songs, even a demonstration of surplus value using a French Baguette!

In truth, with all roles performed by two actors, Abbey McGibbon and Higgins himself, the rapid montage of these elements could leave you a little disorientated at times.

However, considering the herculean task of compressing 100 years of history into a half hour play, it held together remarkably well. The only down point on the night was a rather dry introductory lecture on the history and role of the Independent Orange Order by David Hume. Otherwise, given the dearth of committed left wing theatre at present, it was impressive to see a production like this at a worker’s club in Belfast.