Now -read the book!

Here is a link to my memoirs which, if you are a glutton for punishment, you can purchase online at https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/an-obscure-footnote-in-trade-union-history.
Men fight and lose the battle, and the thing that they fought for comes about in spite of their defeat, and when it comes turns out not to be what they meant, and other men have to fight for what they meant under another name. (William Morris - A Dream of John Ball)

Sunday, October 12, 2014

Support Manchester UNISON!

http://www.unisonmanchester.org/national-news/branch-response-to-the-new-pay-proposals

I haven't read back over the whole of this blog to check, but I'm fairly certain this is the first time I've used this particular headline.

The custodian of the twitter feed of our Manchester branch has, however, put themselves at considerable risk of a Work Related Upper Limb Disorder this weekend by sending the link above around local government branches.

Manchester are entirely correct (again these are four words I probably haven't previously used in that order). The pay proposals from the local government employers are disgraceful and should be rejected.

We could spend time becoming angry about the shenanigans which went on to overturn the previous decision of the NJC Committee and to secure the calling-off of our strike action.

And I am angry - but I see that as a leisure activity.

When it comes to work - we must work for the rejection of the disgraceful pay proposals. We need to share, between branches, the text for leaflets, ideas for the use of social media, suggestions for campaign activities and every good idea anyone has to maximise turnout to reject this insult.

I confess to being impressed with the use of Twitter by the comrades in Manchester - it stands alongside (or rather races ahead of) the slightly slower and more traditional approaches (such as soliciting signatures on a statement from office holders).

I shall venture two suggestions, one for the twenty first century and one for us old timers.

We need a hashtag - how about #rejectNJC14?

We need leaflets to share between branches, and a slogan to use, next Saturday in London. 

"Pay Proposals: Just Say No!"?

Sent from my BlackBerry 10 smartphone on the EE network.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

this says the new pay proposals came from the unions http://www.local.gov.uk/web/guest/media-releases/-/journal_content/56/10180/6607341/NEWS

Jon Rogers said...

I have asked about this and will publicise any response. It could be a reference to the process whereby the proposals were (marginally and pitiably) "improved" after first being thrown out I suppose.

Jon Rogers said...
This comment has been removed by the author.