US: new fast food strikes

US workers employed by fast food chains including McDonalds, Burger King, Pizza Hut, and Wendy's will launch a national strike on 29 August as part of their ongoing fight to win a $15/hour minimum wage.

Most fast food chains currently pay well below $10 per hour (some as little as $7.50), and workers have organised a series of citywide strikes over the past year, involving workers in New York, Detroit, Chicago, St. Louis, and elsewhere.

High Court blow for unions

A High Court Judge has ruled that two of the actions in an RMT campaign of industrial action "short of a strike" at East Midlands Trains are unlawful, as they technically compromise strike action and are therefore not covered by the union's ballot for action short.

RMT balloted its East Midlands Trains members for the action in a dispute over a range of issues relating to major upgrade work at Nottingham station. As part of the action, members refused to work various turns and duties outside their agreed rosters - effectively a form of "work to rule".

Police colluded with bosses to blacklist workers, says ex-cop

Peter Francis, a former undercover police officer turned whistleblower, says information he gathered was later passed to the "Consulting Association", the shadowy company funded by 40 major firms to help them blacklist potential union organisers.

Francis says that information he gathered while posing as a member of the Youth Against Racism in Europe group was passed onto the Consulting Association. Senior figures involved with the CA have admitted to a parliamentary committee investigating the issue that they had regular contact with the police.

Ex-Royal Mail manager: "Bullying and harassment is rife"

Simon Walshe, a former Royal Mail manager who retired in March 2012, wrote to striking postal workers in Bridgwater to express his support for their fight against bullying bosses.

In a series of emails, Walshe condemns a bullying and harassment culture he says is "rife".

He writes: "I hope that more units follow the example of [Bridgwater]. They are showing that intimidation, bullying and harassment is a real issue within Royal Mail and I just hope that the publicity demonstrates to the public what is going on within the business.

Bridgwater posties stay strong

Bridgwater postal workers show no signs of flagging in their fight against bullying bosses. They concluded their ninth strike day on Monday 19 August, and will seek the green light from their union, the Communication Workers Union (CWU), to launch a week-long strike from 2 September.

The strike has become a beacon for postal workers nationally, as burgeoning local disputes provided momentum for a national fight against the government's planned sell-off of Royal Mail.

London transport info for 29 September demo at Tory party conference

Central London

Joint trade union coach leaves 7am, Eversholt St, by Euston station. (Contact Camden Unison on 020 7974 1633)

Peoples Assembly train leaves around 7.30am from Euston book here.

Train for Unite members: contact 0203 617 2719 or email le29sept@unitetheunion.org

Hackney

For Peoples Assembly coach text Gareth on 07764 616 960,

Tower Hamlets

James Connolly's The Legacy

Come here my son, and for a time put up your childish play,
Draw nearer to your father’s bed, and lay your games away.
No sick man’s ’plaint is this of mine, ill-tempered at your noise,
Nor carping at your eagerness to romp with childish toys.
Thou’rt but a boy and I, a man outworn with care and strife,
Would not deprive you of one joy thou canst extract from life;
But o’er my soul comes creeping on death’s shadow, and my lips
Must give to you a message ere life meets that eclipse.

Dozens arrested at anti-fracking protests

Update

A number of activists, including Green Party MP Caroline Lucas, were arrested on protests at the Balcombe site. As of 4.50pm on 19 August, the No Dash for Gas Twitter feed was reporting that 19 activists had been arrested, "with more to be confirmed".

Activists also protested at Cuadrillo's Sheffield headquarters, and the central London offices of Bell Pottinger, the PR firm used by Cuadrillo. For updates, see the No Dash for Gas website.

Cinema workers launch living wage fight

Workers at the Curzon cinema chain have launched a campaign to win living wages.

The hourly rate for most workers is £6.62, well below the £8.55 "London Living Wage" figure most official bodies, including Boris Johnson's GLA, agree is needed to get by in the capital (most of the chain's locations are in London).

According to the workers' petition, "On a current wage of £6.62 an hour, it would take workers two days to afford a bottle of one of the wines sold at the cinemas." Workers also face a reduction in their hours.

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