National Shop Stewards Network
| Founded | 7 July 2007 |
|---|---|
| Key people |
Linda Taaffe, secretary Rob Williams, national chair |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Website | www.shopstewards.net |
National Shop Stewards Network (NSSN) is a network of shop stewards launched in Britain in 2007.
Foundation
The NSSN was founded at a conference called by the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) on 7 July 2007. The proposal to re-establish a shop stewards movement came from an RMT sponsored conference to discuss working class political representation held in January 2006.[1]
Campaigns
Anti-Cuts Campaign
Following a unanimous decision of the steering committee, on 22 January 2011, the NSSN held a conference to discuss launching its own anti-cuts campaign.[2] A motion from a majority on the steering committee proposed establishing an anti-cuts campaign "anti-cuts campaign, bringing trade unions and communities together to save all jobs and services", whilst a minority on the steering committee argued against the motion, opposing setting up an anti-cuts campaign and argued for "working with Coalition of Resistance, Right to Work and other groups, to build and launch a single national anti-cuts organisation early in 2011".[3] In the debate both sides had equal speakers and shared responsibility for chairing the debate which lasted 2 1/2 hours, with the conference voting 305 to 89 to establish an anti-cuts campaign committee which was elected immediately afterwards.[4]
Since the conference, the anti-cuts campaign has called on its supporters to lobby local councils against carrying out government imposed cuts and organised a lobby Labour's Local Government conference in London on 5 March 2011.[5]
The NSSN has also been involved in supporting co-ordinated action between trade unions over proposed government changes to public sector pensions and has called a lobby of the TUC in London on 11 September 2011[6]
Car Industry
The NSSN has been involved in helping car workers organise campaigns against closures of car and component plants in Southampton[7] and organised a meeting of car worker shop stewards to build further links.[8] It has also been involved in defending union reps from victimisation at Swansea Linamar[9] and Swindon Honda.[10]
Affiliated Unions
Since its founding the NSSN has found national affiliation from the following unions:
- National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT)
- Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS)
- Communication Workers Union (CWU)
- National Union of Mineworkers (NUM)
- National Union of Journalists (NUJ)
- Prison Officers Association (POA)
- National Association of Probation Officers (NAPO)
- Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU)
As well as individual branches and union representatives from other trade unions.
References
- ↑ Prospects for the National Shop Stewards Network, Socialism Today, September 2008
- ↑ National conference called against cuts in jobs and services, NSSN website, undated
- ↑ NSSN anti-cuts campaign launched, the Socialist, 26 January 2011
- ↑ Anti-Cuts Conference Success, NSSN website, undated
- ↑ NSSN protest at Labours Local government conference, Hackney TUC, 5 March 2011
- ↑ Lobby the TUC on 11 September!, PCS Website, 16 August 2011
- ↑ Meet the men who shared £30m, Southern Daily Echo, 17 September 2008
- ↑ Car workers' jobs slaughter - Begin the fightback!, NSSN website, undated
- ↑ Fight the bosses' offensive, NSSN website, undated
- ↑ http://shopstewards.net/news.130.htm, NSSN website, 28 July 2011