Dear activist
As you are no doubt aware UNISON members have voted in favour of two days of strike action on Wednesday 16th and Thursday 17th July 2008. If the employers do not behave reasonably and come back to the negotiating table there will be escalating further all-out action.
We must build for a strong strike over the coming days. To this end it is us as activists on the ground who are the most important link in the chain. There are three main tasks activists need to focus on in order to build up to the 16th and 17th.
1) Shop Meetings
We need to be out in our shops having meetings and talking to people about the action we're taking. Members will have questions and concerns and you will be the closest source of information. Members will want to know how the day of the strike will be organised (picket line rota etc) and what will be expected of them.
Members need to be clear that their union has democratically elected to take industrial action and as such each and every member of our union should be out on strike and be available for picket lines.
Members of other unions can support us by not picking up work which would have been done by staff who are on strike. I have spoken with the Regional Officer of the GMB who has advised all her members not to cover the work of UNISON members taking strike action. UNITE are also taking strike action alongside UNISON.
Click here for speakers notes to help with your shop meeting: http://www.unison.org.uk/acrobat/LG8702.pdf
2) Picket Line
In order to guarantee coverage it is also vital that you have a picket rota. Members should be made aware that a vibrant well attended picket line is as important as the withdrawal of labour during industrial action. A strike is not annual leave!
It is vital that we show a presence outside of our respective work places. Members should make themselves available to go on the picket rota. It's up to you how you organise your rota (it must fit inside your normal working day) however we suggest at workplaces that operate ‘Normal office hours' the picket should be staffed between the hours of 07:30 and 12:00 and be broken up into two shifts:
07:30 - 09:30
09:30 - 12:00
When holding meetings with members you should allocate a picket shift to each member and take note of their name and contact details. Please forward this information on to the branch office.
Please remember that pickets must be lawful. You must not physically prevent staff from entering their place of work. You can however ask those staff to join the union there and then, if they do then they are legally allowed to join the strike! Staff unwilling to join the union at that time should again be asked not to cross our picket line. If all else fails ask that member of staff if they will be willing to work from home for those two days.
It's vital that we attempt to persuade all staff not to cross UNISONs picket lines.
Materials required to effectively picket your workplaces will be available for collection at the two mass members meetings:
Monday 14th July @ 4PM in City Hall Canteen
Tuesday 15th July @ 4PM in Lisson Grove Canteen
There will be placards, leaflets, posters and armbands all designed to make your picket more successful.
We will be holding a special Strike meeting for Activists only on Thursday 10th July in the City Hall Canteen. This will enable us to provide you all with the materials you will need to form picket lines outside of your workplaces and answer any queries you may have. We know it's short notice but please do your best to attend this meeting.
3) Recruit!
We must use this pay claim as a recruitment tool on the ground, in our workplaces. Talk to non-members, (they will be among the beneficiaries of this action) ask them why they haven't joined, give them an application form. Make it a target to speak to every non-member in your workplace before the 16th. Our strength is our numbers we cannot pass up this opportunity to increase our strength!
For recruitment materials click here.
We will give you a free ipod if you recruit 5 members or more and we are offering the first months subscription for free!
Summary:
- ARRANGE A SHOP MEETING TODAY
- ORGANISE PICKET ROTA AT SHOP MEETING
- ATTEND ACTIVISTS MEETING ON THURSDAY 10TH JULY
- ENCOURAGE MEMBERS TO ATTEND MASS MEETINGS ON 14TH AND 15TH JULY
- RECRUIT NON-MEMBERS
- PICKET AND ENGAGE WITH NON-MEMBERS AND THE PUBLIC
Finally, nobody likes to lose pay, but it is vital that we send a clear message to the employers. We cannot accept yet another below inflation pay increase. We settled last year and now is the time to take up the fight, here in Westminster.
Local Government workers have suffered through this period of efficiency savings and endless reorganisations. Our council has consistently been judged excellent by its peers. It's time for that excellence to be reflected in our cost of living increases.
See you on the picket line!
Phil Vaughan
BRANCH SECRETARY
