National Shop Stewards Network

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

External links

• Official website