to all NSSN supporters

Please find attached an important leaflet regarding the election in USDAW for the president and NEC.

This important election raises the issue of what should the unions, particularly USDAW be doing about the collapse of Woolworths with 30, 000 workers being thrown on the dole.

Robbie Segal who is standing in this election for president recently achieved 40% of the vote for general secretary. the union refused to even publish the results other than saying the incumbent had been re-elected.

The NSSN does not normally comment on internal union matters but given the severity of the crisis now affecting working people we cannot stand by and watch this without comment.

USDAW in particular seems to be saying little about what to do about this crisis to their members. Robbie Segal says that if the government can bail out the bankers then why cant it take over woolies as well.

I also copy in below a circular from Rob Williams unite convener in Linamar Swansea (ex-Visteon part of Fords) about the threat to his factory. Rob is a vice chair of the NSSN and makes the case also for public ownership of factories under threat of closure.

Please advertise widely:-

The shop stewards committee has organised a public meeting in Swansea to oppose the job cuts

Public Meeting - “No job cuts! No outsourcing of work!“ - Dolphin Hotel (opposite Primark), 7. 30pm, Tuesday December 16th - speakers include Rob Williams (Unite Convenor), Brian Gibbon (Welsh Assembly Member), Andy Richards (Unite regional secretary) invited

Rob

Robert Williams
Subject: Linamar (ex-Visteon)

Comrades

Linamar today ‘offered’ 200 voluntary redundancies at my plant in Swansea. This amounts to about 60% of the workforce.

The shop stewards committee has informed the Company that because the job losses include ones lost because thy are switching some of our production to Mexico, we will be asking our members to ballot for industrial action. In addition, any compulsory redundancies will trigger a ballot.

The stewards committee is meeting on Monday.

If you get this in time, I may be on BBC Wales Today tonight at 6. 30pm.

Also, the Swansea trades council / NSSN meeting last night was successful, attracting about 20 people.