ARMS at the UNISON NHS picket line

UNISON members at Liverpool Women's Hospital went on strike today. More than 40 cleaners, catering staff, porters and security officers took action after OCS refused to pay them the NHS rate for the job.

Four members of ARMS Mersey joined the well-attended and good-humoured picket line. Two more days of action will take place on 11 and 13 March if today's strike doesn't get management to move. We'll publish details here when we receive them.

Get involved in the pay ballot

PCS is calling for volunteers to help get the vote out so that the turnout meets the stringent threshold imposed upon trade unions by this government. Last year's vote missed being legally valid by a small margin.

If you are available and willing, please click here to find out ways you can help and to register your interest.

 SAY NO TO AUSTERITY! 

Liverpool Women’s Hospital workers vote 100% for strike action

ARMS to join picket line

Hospital workers in Liverpool, employed by the private company OCS, are set to strike on Monday 25 February after a 100% vote for action in a ballot organised by UNISON.

More than 40 cleaners, catering staff, porters and security officers at the Liverpool Women’s Hospital, Crown Street, Liverpool L8 7SS, will take action on Monday 25 February after OCS refused to pay them the NHS rate for the job.

Click here for a full report of the dispute.

• ARMS Mersey are joining the UNISON picket line from c. 11.00 am. We invite you to join us.
• Buses to Upper Parliament St: 86, 86A & 86C from Elliott St (by Blacklers Wetherspoons).

AGM guest speaker: Chris Baugh

Chris Baugh, PCS AGS

Advance notice
We are pleased to announce that PCS Assistant General Secretary (AGS), Chris Baugh, has accepted our invitation to be the guest speaker at the ARMS Mersey AGM. As you will know, Chris is a candidate in the forthcoming AGS election. He first stood for the post as a rank and file activist in 2004 and was re-elected in 2009.

When the ARMS Mersey group was set up in 2014, Chris came to some early meetings with encouragement and support.

AGM details

• Thursday 11 April.
• 11.00 for 11.30 start.
• The Robert Tressell Room, Jack Jones House, Liverpool.

All ARMS members in Merseyside are invited.

Other meetings
To see full list of meetings in 2019, click here.

Youth strike about climate change

There will be a national strike of all school students on Friday 15 February over the impact of climate change. The Daily Mail has predictably proclaimed "Fury as headteachers BACK pupil strike", and indeed the National Association of Head Teachers has welcomed the day, stating: 'When you get older pupils making an informed decision, that kind of thing needs to be applauded.'

Right-wing journalist, the inappropriately surnamed Toby Young, said: 'Calling this a strike is ridiculous. What are they going to do? Down pencils? This is just truanting.' Such sarcasm about a demonstration by the very people who will suffer from the effects of climate change for far longer than Mr Young will is particularly misjudged.

In Merseyside, assemble 11.00 a.m. at St Georges Hall. Not sure whether this means the Hall or the Plateau but that will doubtless become clear upon arrival.

NHS campaign guest speaker on 14 Feb

Our next meeting is a committee meeting, but all members are welcome - especially as we have a guest speaker to the meeting.

Details:

• Thursday 14 February
• 11.00am coffee & chat - 11.30am start. Please arrive before the start time.
• Lilian Urmston room, PCS office, Jack Jones House, Liverpool

Our guest speaker is Ann Dean of Health Campaigns Together.

She says: "I retired in 2014 after 42 years working in Hospital Laboratories. I got involved with Merseyside Keep Our NHS Public and the Save Liverpool Womens Hospital. Merseyside KONP was affiliated to Health Campaigns Together, an alliance of organisations campaigning to defend NHS services and oppose cuts and privatisation and PFI and including trades union organisations at all levels. I also got involved with Merseyside Pensioners Association..

"The Health Campaigns Together newspaper has been produced quarterly since January 2016, it remains free online, and bundles are bought by affiliates to distribute free. The HCT Conference held in November 2017 at Hammersmith was attended by about 400 campaigners. After Dot Gibson from the National Pensioners Convention had pushed for some space to discuss social care, a workshop was held which packed out the small room allocated - from that the Reclaim Social Campaign began ... to be continued."

Click here to go to the Health Campaigns Together website.

Mandela8 Fundraising Event

PCS is supporting this fundraising event for Mandela8 campaign which is seeking to establish a permanent memorial to Nelson Mandela in Liverpool’s Princes Park.

• Wednesday 13 February 2019
• 7.00 pm
• Devonshire Hotel, Liverpool L7 9LD

Mandela8 in collaboration with Liverpool City Council have arranged for a visit from Dr. Makaziwe Mandela and Mrs Tukwini Mandela, the daughter and granddaughter of Nelson Mandela, to coincide with the 29th anniversary of his release from prison and to formally lay foundations for the Mandela8 memorial. Guests at the event will have a chance to meet and hear from the Mandela family directly, and all funds raised will go toward the memorial. 

The event will celebrate the solidarity shown by our city over the years in its stance against Apartheid and the campaign for the release of Mandela, and will celebrate the principles by which he lived his life. A limited number of tickets are available at a discounted price of £15 please click here to secure your ticket and for further information.