Sheffield TUC says: We don’t accept there is no money to pay the workers a cost of living increase

So the Government says that inflation-linked pay rises for nurses and other public sector workers cannot be afforded. Is that because Liz Truss’ Government lost £30B when she wrecked the economy? Or is it because Boris Johnson wasted £37B on a Test and Trace system that didn’t work? And over £8B on dodgy PPE contracts to their mates which either wasn’t delivered or was unusable?

Listen to Jonathan Pie on the Strikes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gljtvwhcdhc&authuser=1
Or maybe it’s because so much wealth has transferred to the rich elite over the last few years that there really is nothing left for the workers?!
Excellent blog by Richard Murphy on why it’s madness not to give public sector workers an inflation-matching pay rise.

https://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2022/12/15/we-need-inflation-matching-pay-rises/

 
Are the Pay Review bodies really independent?
Let’s be clear – there is no collective bargaining for UK public sector trade unions. All they can do is make their submissions to the PRB and wait for the outcome. The Government claims they are independent – but the Government makes all the appointments to the PRBs and set the parameters of what can be afforded. Funnily enough, there was no-one on the Health Pay Review Body who argued for a cost of living plus 5% increase for the nurses!
 

 
Strike updates this week:
 
RCN strikes take place today in various parts of the country – but not Sheffield. Nearest RCN strikes are in Leeds and Nottingham. Approx 2 thirds of the population agree the nurses deserve a big pay rise so the Government (and the mainstream media) are going to struggle to win over public opinion on this one. A 4.5% pay offer looks derisory if not downright mean to most people. The RCN has pitched their media messaging on the collapse of the NHS and the huge loss of nursing staff which will get even worse if low pay and overwork continues to get worse. Thus they are making  a powerful case for saying their strike is about saving our NHS
 
Ambulance workers take strike action Wednesday 21st December. There are 3 unions involved: UNITE, UNISON and GMB whose members all voted overwhelmingly for strike action. UNITE is not taking strike action in Yorkshire but UNISON and GMB are. GMB is also taking strike action next week on 28th December. All three unions are rejecting a 4% pay increase imposed on them by the Government. There are three ambulance station in Sheffield on strike tomorrow and supporters are asked to attend their picket lines which are open from 12 noon till midnight, tomorrow Wednesday 21st December
UNISON Yorkshire Ambulance pickets 21st December from midday to midnight at:
Longley, 9 Crowder Road, SHEFFIELD, S5 7PJ
Middlewood, 621 Middlewood Rd, Sheffield, S6 1TT,
Batemoor, Batemoor Road, SHEFFIELD, S8
 
See attached info from UNISON and GMB about the disputes in the NHS:
 
CWU Royal Mail strikes continue with further strikes dates announced from Friday and Saturday this week 23-24 December.

Sites include
Pond Street Central Office, and Brightside Lane (Main Sorting Office);
Local Royal Mail: South Delivery Office – Woodseats Road; West Delivery Office – Tapton Hill
Road, Crosspool; North Delivery Office – Burton Street, Hillsborough. South East delivery
office – Pitt Lane off Mansfield Road

Looking ahead to the strikes planned for the 23rd and 24th, Ian said: “Our morale is up, our spirits are up and we’re going to try to give it a festive feel next week – let’s just say we’re working on a few ideas.”

Sheffield’s steel, Midlands magnificent & South West awesome…

“The feeling is that there’s just no alternative,” said North East divisional rep Steve Warren, when asked what the overall mood was among members about the dispute at the moment. “The company’s position is unacceptable and we just have to carry on with the action. That’s why it’s keeping absolutely solid.”

As well as keeping up his tour of workplace picket lines, our general secretary is also communicating via live broadcasts with other locations and yesterday, one of them was Sheffield CDO and Steve said that this is a large unit in the centre of the city. “There’s around 200 members there and it was executive member Steve Haliwell who did the broadcast with Dave – it went very well. And also one of our members from that unit, Rohan Kon, was interviewed on BBC news yesterday morning. So we’re definitely getting our message across.”

In the interview, Rohan was asked to explain what the strike was about and she replied: “Put simply we’re here to save Royal Mail. If the CEO Simon Thompson had his way, all this would be gone” and went on to say that the CWU had received “huge support from the public and from small businesses.”

On the company’s latest attacks on sick pay, Steve said that, in his opinion, “it’s part of a Royal Mail strategy – a  kind of intimidation. People need money for either heating or eating. And to be threatened with not having any pay when they’re genuinely off sick is very stressful. But if management thought this was going to force people back to work, they’re mistaken – it’s making people more determined than ever.

“As for next week, I’ve already been invited to picket lines with turkey on the menu!”

In Sheffield, as in many other towns and cities around the country, CWU strikers have met up with and showed their support for other groups of striking workers, taking our union’s banners and placards to their picket lines and giving solidarity to their struggles for fair pay and in defence of terms and conditions. Yesterday, Sheffield CWU strikers stood together with nurses from the RCN and on Wednesday, our members in various parts of the UK visited picket lines of the rail workers from the RMT.”

PCS Civil Service Union  has announced a series of targeted strikes across the country. In Sheffield PCS members on strike this week include Driving and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) employees at DVSA Sheffield – Handsworth, and DVSA Sheffield – Middlewood Road who are on strike all this week
4 driving test centres in our area out 19-24 Dec inclusive.
DVSA Sheffield Handsworth, Orgreave Way, S13 9LT
DVSA Sheffield Middlewood, 508 Middlewood Rd S6 1TQ
DVSA Barnsley, West Rd, S75 2DH
DVSA Rotherham, Mangham Way, S61 4RL
Also on strike this week are PCS DWP staff at Doncaster Job Centre on Wood Street, Doncaster who are out on strike all week
See attached info from PCS about civil service strikes: PCS Dates announced in first wave of civil service strikes
You can make donations to the Sheffield TUC Strike Fund via bacs as follows: Account name:Sheffield Trade Union Council. Sort code: 60-83-01 Account number: 59109499. Please use reference “Strike Fund”
We have made £500 payments to local RMT and CWU branches already and will be making further similar donations shortly. We have cioncentrated on these two branches because neither union pays strike pay and they have already taken a number of days of strike action so hardship is becoming an issue. We can’t give this vital support without your help!