Workplace news in brief

National Shop Stewards Network Conference

The NSSN 2010 conference is on Saturday 26 June at the South Camden Community School, Charrington Street, London NW1 1RG.

For more information see: www.shopstewards.net

Royal Mail deal accepted

The postal workers' union CWU has announced, as we go to press, that the deal on pay and jobs has been accepted by two to one in a ballot.

Another death at Corus

On 23 April a worker at the Corus steel works in Scunthorpe was killed. Thomas Standerline, a 26 year-old electrician died on Friday morning. This is only a few days after the company was fined Ł240,000 after a lorry driver was crushed to death at its site in Staffordshire.

In March, Corus was also fined Ł100,000 after a worker in Rotherham was injured when a crane overturned.

In 2001, three workers were killed in the furnace explosion in Port Talbot. Safety campaigners are asking why a company with such a poor safety record is only fined after these incidents and workers are still risking their lives at work.

The demand for senior directors to be held personally accountable for these deaths and injuries is being raised by trade unionists once again.

Workers' Memorial Day

On 28 April, trade unionists in many parts of the country will be commemorating workers who have died at work.

Workers at the Olympic site in east London will be marching in memory of the two workers killed during those construction works.

FBU general secretary election result

Matt Wrack has been re-elected as general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU). He got 61% of the vote, against John McGhee's 39%.

Teachers agree to testing boycott

Both the NUT and the headteachers' union NAHT have given the go-ahead for a boycott of the SATs tests for children in their last year at primary school.

The tests were due to take place on 10-13 May.

The majorities for this action in ballots in both unions is an indication of the anger felt by teachers about these damaging tests, which tend to narrow the curriculum, put children under unnecessary stress and are used to compile damaging league tables of schools.

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In The Socialist 28 April 2010:

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