BREAKING NEWS!! RMT calls for urgent talks with Mayor (28 Feb) – Mayor to make good on his own words over pensions and cuts. On the eve of strikes that will shut down the Underground, RMT called for talks with Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan calling on him not to turn his back on tube workers by siding with a government he knows is wrong over pensions and cuts read more
RMT: Tube strike goes ahead – London Mayor blocks progress in ACAS talks. LONDON TRANSPORT UNION RMT confirmed that members will be taking strike action next week as planned over LU’s continuing refusal to give assurances on jobs, pensions and working conditions in the midst of an on-going financial crisis driven by central Government. The union says that the Mayor stands accused of talking the talk over the financial meltdown engulfing transport in the Capital while failing to walk the walk by backing his own staff. In ACAS talks which concluded yesterday RMT negotiators set out a framework which could have enabled the union’s executive to consider a suspension of the action but LU have dragged their heels and blocked a clear route to progress leaving the union with the distinct impression that staff are being used as pawns in a funding battle between TFL and the Government. During the talks LU confirmed all the union’s worst fears that nothing is off the table in terms of the threat to jobs, pensions, conditions and safety. The action itself comes in the wake of a recent ballot of over ten thousand members across all grades of LU staff with 94% of members voting to strike – a clear indication of the anger across the combine at the way the employees feel they are being played. The strike action next week will be taking place as follows:-
- All LUL members are instructed to refuse to book on for any duty that commences between 00:01 on Tuesday 1st March 2022 and 23:59 on Tuesday 1st March 2022.
- All LUL members are instructed to refuse to book on for any duty that commences between 00:01 on Thursday 3rd March 2022 and 23:59 on Thursday 3rd March 2022 read more
Watch RMT video: NEC member Jared Wood updates members as TfL funding extension agreed
Read RMT Upfront strike bulletin
TUC demonstration – Britain Needs A Pay Rise: March and rally in Blackpool
Start: Saturday, March 19, 2022 • 11:00 AM
Blackpool• Bank Hey Street, Blackpool , FY1 4BJ GB read more
NSSN news
BREAKING NEWS!! NSSN Conference 2022 will be on Saturday 2nd July 11am-5pm. Venue to be confirmed
Get your trade union branch or trades council to affiliate to the NSSN – it only costs £50. Already affiliated? Please think about renewing it. Also, many of our supporters pay a few pounds a month. You can set up a similar standing order to ‘National Shop Stewards Network’, HSBC – sort code 40-06-41, account number 90143790. Our address is NSSN, PO Box 54498, London E10 9DE. Feel free to use this affiliation letter.
And if you can, come to one of our regional Conferences. If there is not one in your area, get in touch to either assist in organising or have a speaker at one of your meetings or events. Contact Rob or Linda on [email protected]
Union News
RMT
Rail and Tube strikes to go ahead this weekend (25 Feb) – RMT says strike action goes ahead this weekend on rail and tube and confirms additional action on TPE. RAIL AND TUBE UNION RMT said today that strike action will go ahead this weekend as planned in disputes on both rail and tube involving members on TPE and London Underground drivers. On TransPennine Express conductor members will be out for 24 hours on Sunday in the third phase of a fight for pay justice. Due to the abject failure of the company to address the issues at the heart of the dispute RMT has today confirmed an additional programme of action through to June as follows:-
TPE Conductor members to take further industrial action. Members are instructed not to book on for any shifts that commence between:-
- hours until 23.59 hours on Sunday 13th March 2022
- hours until 23.59 hours on Sunday 20th March 2022
- hours until 23.59 hours on Sunday 27th March 2022
- hours until 23.59 hours on Sunday 3rdApril 2022
- hours on Saturday 16th April 2022 until 23.59 hours on Sunday 17th April 2022
- hours on Saturday 30th April 2022 until 23.59 hours on Sunday 1st May 2022
- hours on Saturday 4th June 2022 until 23.59 hours on Sunday 5th June 2022
Driver members will be striking on the Night Tube again from this evening to protect work/life balance and stop the wholly unnecessary imposition of night shift working read more
99% Opposed to ScotRail ticket office cuts (24 Feb) – As Passenger Watchdog reveals that 99% of 1550 consultation responses opposed cuts to ScotRail ticket offices, RMT calls for Scottish Government to shelve cuts plan entirely. As the Passenger Watchdog Transport Focus today revealed that just 1% of the 1550 respondents to the ScotRail ticket office consultation were in favour of the proposed cuts, RMT says it will be writing to the First Minster and Transport Minister calling for the Scottish Government to listen to the widespread opposition and shelve the plans entirely. The response also references RMT’s petition which has nearly 3000 signatures opposing the cuts. ScotRail had been consulting on proposals to reduce ticket office opening hours at 117 stations, including the complete closure of three stations read more
RMT renews call for Go-Ahead Group ban (24 Feb) – With a month to go before rail contract expires, RMT renews call for Government to do its public duty, ban ‘unfit’ Go-Ahead Group and nationalise Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern franchise. RAIL UNION RMT has today called once more on the Secretary of State for Transport to nationalise the Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern franchise as, with one month to go before the DfT has to make its decision on the future of the services, the Go-Ahead Group announced that it has repaid almost £50 million to the government for money that it owed from the Southeastern franchise. Go-Ahead expects to pay back more and has also set aside £30 million for a potential fine read more
West Coast train cleaners to strike again (24 Feb) – Fight for pay justice. RAIL UNION RMT confirmed today that heroic train cleaners working to keep Avanti West Coast trains clean and safe for passengers will be taking further strike action from this evening and into the weekend in pursuit of their campaign for fair pay. The cleaners, who have worked throughout the pandemic to keep essential transport services running, are employed by Atalian Servest Limited, a multi-national outsourcing company based in France. The outsourced cleaners are paid £9.68 per hour, less than the Real Living Wage and have no company sick pay, meaning that they frequently come into work when sick because they cannot make ends meet. Atalian Servest have refused to make an offer that would raise pay above the Real Living Wage rate of £9.90, with their latest offer amounting to an insulting additional 6p per hour for most staff (especially those outside London). The union has called the following two 48 hour strikes, members are instructed NOT to book on for any shifts between:-
- 19:30 hours on Thursday 24th February 2022 to 19:29 hours on Saturday 26thFebruary 2022
- 19:30 hours on Thursday 10th March 2022 to 19:29 hours on Saturday 12th March 2022 read more
Biggest ever rail cleaners strike (23 Feb) – Hundreds of rail cleaners are out in force on picket lines this morning. Hundreds of rail cleaners are out in force on picket lines this morning in the biggest ever coordinated wave of strike action in the fight for pay justice. The cleaners, who are all employed by the outsourcing company Churchill and have worked throughout the Covid-19 crisis to clean trains and stations on Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern, Southeastern, Eurostar and HS1 services, have walked out for a 24 hour strike in the largest such action by rail cleaners yet. The cleaners will also be taking their message to Parliament today, holding a rally opposite Old Palace Yard at 1045am where they will be joined by MPs and other supporters read more
TSSA
BREAKING NEWS!! TSSA Slams ‘Stupid’ Rail Fares Rise (28 Feb) – Railway tracks with platform in view and lighting on. Early morning sky. TSSA General Secretary, Manuel Cortes, has slammed the government over a ‘staggeringly stupid’ decision to raise rail fares as of tomorrow, Tuesday 1 March. The eye-watering 3.8 per cent hike, the biggest in almost a decade, was announced in December last year. It comes amid an escalating cost of living crisis which has seen food and energy prices continue to soar. Cortes believes the move is counterproductive, doing little to encourage commuters away from car use after two years of the Covid pandemic read more
Government “strangling the life” out of TfL (25 Feb) – TSSA has slammed the government for micromanagement “strangling the life” out of Transport for London (TfL), following today’s latest short-term funding settlement for the capital’s transport network. The deal is worth a reported £200million and runs until 24 June 2022 with government providing money to support TfL services in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. TfL remains the only city on the world reliant on fare revenue for financial stability, rather than receiving guaranteed central funds from government, and has received a succession of short-term funding arrangements attached to conditions from government over the last two years read more
TSSA backs face coverings despite London removal (23 Feb) – Travel and transport union TSSA will continue to support the wearing of face coverings across public transport. The move comes after Transport for London (TfL) announced that passengers will no longer have to wear face coverings to use services across the capital, as of tomorrow (Thursday) read more
Unite
BREAKING NEWS!! Serco outsourced workers at Barts postpone industrial action to enable further negotiations (28 Feb) – Serco outsourced workers at Barts postpone industrial action to enable further negotiations. Hundreds of key NHS workers, employed by the giant outsourcing company Serco at Barts Health NHS Trust have postponed industrial action for a week to enable negotiations to continue. The strike was due to begin today (Monday 28 February). The union is pressing for an end to the inequality and exploitation faced by workers on a daily basis. The Barts Health NHS Trust board meets on Wednesday 2 March. Unite is calling on the board to bring the soft services contract in-house and to transfer the workers on to Agenda for Change terms and conditions from day one. Unite General Secretary, Sharon Graham said: “This coming Wednesday Barts has a golden opportunity to end the inequality and exploitation that our members face on a daily basis. The workers face the same risks as NHS employed staff but they are being mistreated. Our demands are simple. Give the workers a proper pay rise and bring the workers back into NHS employment read more
Donations to strike fund: Barts Heath NHS LE/7384L – Unity trust 20344885 sort code 60-83-01. Pay online or post cheques to Len Hockey, 242 Willingale Road, Loughton IG10 2BX. Send messages of support to [email protected]
BREAKING NEWS!! Unite to stage targeted industrial action as council workers express disgust at 1.75% pay offer (28 Feb) – Unite’s local government members will stage targeted industrial action at councils in England, Wales and Northern Ireland in March, after rejecting a 1.75 per cent pay offer in a ballot of more than 300 local authorities. More than 80 per cent of Unite’s 70,000 members, who voted in nearly 400 separate ballots, were in favour of industrial action over the 1.75 per cent offer made by the Local Government Association (with 2.75 per cent for those on the bottom pay point) for 2021/22. Council workers from Belfast to Bath to Ipswich have said loud and clear: ‘We are worth more’. The union said that the employers’ offer was and remains ‘completely unacceptable’, given that the RPI rate of inflation has raced ahead to 7.8 per cent. (A list of councils, where the legal threshold for industrial action has been met and where action will be taken, will be unveiled soon) read more
BREAKING NEWS!! Envases Liverpool Ltd printers to strike over dismissal of Unite rep (28 Feb) – Members of Unite employed as printers by Envases Liverpool Ltd will take 12 days of strike action next month following the dismissal of the union’s rep. Unite believes that its rep John Williams was dismissed on the false charges as a direct consequence of him standing up for the Unite members at the factory. Envases had sought to use misleading information and a false statement to try to drive a wedge between Unite and another union at the factory. After Mr Williams exposed the company’s actions he was dismissed read more
Industrial ballot held over Glasgow City Council’s ‘broken promises’ on Equal Pay (28 Feb) – Unite the union confirmed today (28 February) that its members involved in the Equal Pay dispute at Glasgow City Council are to be balloted for industrial action in response to ‘broken promises’ by the local authority. Trade unions including Unite have accused Glasgow City Council of reneging on previous commitments given to the predominantly female claimants involved in the estimated £500million Equal Pay dispute. Glasgow City Council now face potential strike action in the coming weeks due to what Unite states are ‘unnecessary delays’ in the process of settling the equal pay claims. Despite progress being made for around 5,000 claimants who have had no settlement for the period up to March 2018, around 18,000 claimants are still waiting for a settlement for the period after March 2018. The delays are being blamed on a new pay and grading system which will not be fully implemented until 2024. Unite along with the other trade unions representing the claimants are demanding that Glasgow City Council make the payments now. The ballot on industrial action will open on 28 February and is set to close on 14 March. If the ballot is successful then Unite’s members involved in the dispute could take strike action from the end of March onwards read more
Unite and NHS campaigners take fight against Health and Care Bill to 100 cities and towns across the country (25 Feb) – Unite members will stage a series of actions up and down the country as part of the union’s NHS day of action on 26 February, which it is holding with SOS:NHS. Members of Unite’s Community section, along with activists in Unite in Health, which represents over 100,000 health service workers, will be holding rallies and stalls in high streets and outside hospitals in cities and towns throughout the English regions to talk to locals and encourage voters to tell their MPs to oppose further privatisation of our NHS by the Health and Care Bill. Billboards, ad vans and bus stops already carry direct messages to voters in many constituencies asking them to tell their MP to vote against the Bill. The majority of Saturday’s actions will be targeted at Tory MPs who voted in favour of the Bill last November read more
Union expresses revulsion at decision by Belfast Regina Coeli House management committee to sack hostel workers (25 Feb) – Five workers sacked despite employer assurances they would not receive a decision until next week. Unite question if dismissal was designed to avoid paying meagre redundancy to employees. Workers at Regina Coeli House who are now into the seventh week of their work-in to save the facility were this afternoon sacked by their employer. The news came despite assurances during a meeting with the Chair and a trustee of the management committee at a disciplinary hearing yesterday [February 24th] that they would not have any decision before next week. Regional Coordinating Officer Susan Fitzgerald condemned the decision to dismiss the five workers which came two days before their date of redundancy [27th February] read more
GE Aviation workers in Gloucester to strike over pay (24 Feb) – Workers employed by GE Aviation Systems Limited’s subsidiary Dowty Propellers are to begin strike action next week in a dispute over pay. The 90-plus workers, who are based at the company’s factory in Hurricane Road, Gloucester, are taking industrial action after rejecting a two year pay offer worth just 4.5 per cent, even though the real level of inflation (RPI) currently stands at 7.8 per cent. The first strike will take place on Friday 4 March, with further strikes scheduled for every Friday until 20 May read more
Workers at Teesside chemical plants being balloted for strike action over ‘insulting’ pay offer (24 Feb) – More than 270 workers at the Sabic chemical plants on Teesside this week started voting in a ballot for industrial action after rejecting the company’s ‘insulting’ two per cent pay rise for 2022, Unite the union said today (Thursday 24 February). Production technicians, managers and engineers at Sabic Teesside North Tees and Sabic Wilton International are voting on whether to take strike action or industrial action short of strike action after overwhelmingly rejecting the highly profitable company’s pay offer. The ballot closes on Tuesday 8 March. Unite warned that should industrial action occur in the spring, the UK’s ethylene distribution between Sabic and Ineos Grangemouth would be disrupted as these two companies produce the vast majority of ethylene in the UK and a pipeline connects the two sites. (Ethylene is a key component in a number of industries, such as rubber and plastics as well as being used as a refrigerant) read more
Unite vows to keep fighting NHS privatisation as judge dismisses ‘lack of consultation’ on US takeover of London GPs (24 Feb) – The campaign against the relentless tide of NHS privatisation will continue, despite a judicial review dismissing the campaigners’ case that there was a lack of patient consultation when GP practices in London were taken over by US health insurance giant Centene Corporation. Doctors in Unite said today (Thursday 24 February) that it was ‘deeply disappointing’ that this case was dismissed, but that it was even more imperative to campaign against the accelerating pace of NHS privatisation under the Johnson government. Campaigners had argued at the High Court that there had been a lack of consultation with patients, following the takeover early in 2021 by Centene’s UK subsidiary Operose Health of the privately-owned AT Medics set up in 2004 by six NHS GPs and which runs 37 GP practices across London read more
Stagecoach bus drivers in Gloucestershire and Wiltshire to strike during Cheltenham Festival in low pay dispute (23 Feb) – Over 380 bus drivers employed by Stagecoach West and based throughout Gloucestershire and Wiltshire have announced a month long strike in a dispute over chronic low pay. Strike action, which was backed overwhelmingly by the drivers who are members of Unite the union, will begin on Thursday 10 March and continue until Saturday 9 April coinciding with the Cheltenham Festival. The strike is set to cause considerable disruption to the event as Stagecoach has the contract to take festival goers to and from the racecourse. With many drivers paid under £11 per hour, Unite has been pressing for an increase in line with real inflation, currently at 7.8 per cent. However, Stagecoach has tabled offers that are in effect pay cuts. It is the first time ever that the drivers have voted for industrial action read more
Swindon bus workers overwhelmingly vote to join Stagecoach dispute over low pay (22 Feb) – Over 80 bus drivers employed by Stagecoach West in Swindon have overwhelmingly voted in favour of strike action, joining their colleagues in Gloucestershire in a dispute over low pay. The drivers recorded a 98 per cent yes vote in favour of industrial action. They are seeking a pay rise to help address the rapidly rising cost of living, but have instead been offered only a one-off £400 cash payment, in effect a pay cut. The vote by the Swindon drivers means that over 380 bus drivers employed by Stagecoach in Wiltshire and Gloucestershire are on the brink of taking strike action. If strike action occurs it will be the first time ever that these workers have taken industrial action read more
Lerwick Port faces imminent disruption over attacks on pay (23 Feb) – Unite the union today (23 February) confirmed that its members working at the Lerwick Port Authority are taking part in an industrial action ballot over pay, terms and conditions. The workers included within the ballot at the main port in the Shetland Islands have already unanimously backed industrial action in a consultative ballot. Strike action by the workers, who include engineers, electricians, joiners and General Operatives, will severely disrupt shipping at the harbour which will include cruise liners, and oil and gas vessels, as well as general shipping…The ballot on industrial action is set to close on 9 March. If the ballot is successful then the Port Authority could face strike action, and an overtime from the end of March onwards read more
Eclipse Blinds workers seek cost of living pay deal or strike could follow (23 Feb) – Members of the trade union Unite employed by Eclipse Blinds in Inchinnan are taking part in a strike action ballot from today (Wednesday 23 February) in an escalating dispute over pay. More than 50 Unite members at the Renfrewshire-based company rejected a recent 4.3 per cent pay offer with the workers demanding 6 per cent as inflation soars to reach a thirty-year high. Production workers at the factory, predominantly female, earn just above the national minimum wage at £9.62 (the NMW rate will rise to £9.50 per hour in April). The company, which trades under the name Turnils UK Limited, recently banked a post-tax profit £2.1m. The ballot on industrial action is set to close on 9 March read more
Unite says Bailey blew a hole in BoE’s neutrality when he targeted workers’ pay (23 Feb) – Unite says Bailey blew a hole in BoE’s neutrality when he targeted workers’ pay. Union claims Andrew Bailey politicised the Bank of England when he singled out pay, not profits. Ahead of the Governor of the Bank of England’s appearance before the Treasury select committee today (Wednesday 23), Unite says Andrew Bailey blew a hole in the Bank of England’s pretence of neutrality by targeting workers in the grip of a crippling cost of living crisis read more
Unite demolishes Coventry council claims about refuse drivers’ pay (22 Feb) – Unite, the UK’s leading union, has demolished Coventry council’s claims that its refuse drivers are paid the same as others in the region. The union reveals today (Tuesday 22 February) that workers doing the same job in neighbouring councils are paid at least £5,500 more than the striking drivers receive. Coventry council has claimed repeatedly that its rates for refuse collection drivers are above or in line with what other local authorities in the region pay. And, in an extraordinary move last week, council leader George Duggins also claimed that to pay the drivers appropriately for their skills could trigger equal pay claims by other council employees. However, Unite has learnt the starting rate for refuse collection drivers in Birmingham is over £5,500 above the £22,183 per annum that Coventry drivers earn, a rate that has not triggered equal pay claims. In nearby Dudley, some refuse collection drivers start on £28,673, nearly £6,500 more than Coventry council currently pays. Unite also found that private refuse collection providers in the region have pay rates generally well above the Coventry’s rates read more
Follow @UniteWestMids on twitter. Coventry bin worker’s strike fund – Unity Trust Bank; Name of Account: Unite WM/7116 Branch Coventry Local Government; Account number: 20302665 Sort code: 60-83-01; send messages of solidarity to [email protected]
Threat to flights as HGV drivers at top Heathrow airline catering company to strike in March over pay and employment conditions (22 Feb) – About 100 HGV drivers at premium aviation catering firm DO & CO at Heathrow will strike on 4 and 5 March over pay and employment conditions, following scrutiny of its stewardship of workers’ pensions. Unite the union said that its members had voted by 94 per cent for strike action which would cause major disruption to mainly BA flights, particularly long haul, as food has to be on board for pilots and cabin crew as part of their employment contracts. As a result, Unite warned that flights could be cancelled. The strike, which runs from 04.00 on Friday 4 March until 23.59 on Saturday 5 March, is over the refusal to award an acceptable pay increase for 2021; and the refusal to recognise Unite for collective bargaining purposes on behalf of all DO & CO. Event & Airline Catering Ltd employees read more
Rugby pay strikes begin at GE Steam Power’s historic factory – Workers at GE Steam Power’s historic factory in Rugby will begin pay strikes on Thursday (17 February), Unite, the UK’s leading union, has said. More than 75 Unite members, comprising nearly the entirety of the factory’s workforce, will take 12 days of strike action between 17 February and 2 May. The dispute is over GE Steam Power’s refusal to negotiate over flexible working payments and the expectation that workers will take on new roles without extra pay read more
Support the Scunthorpe Scaffolders: Follow @UniteNEYH & @UnitedScaffs on twitter
Donate to strike fund:-
Either via bank transfer – sort code: 60-83-01 account number: 20173962, account name: Unite North East Region 1% Fund, reference: Actavo Limited and your branch number
Or by cheque made payable to ‘Unite the Union’ and forwarded to the Leeds Regional Office, Unite the Union, 55 Call Lane, Leeds LS1 7BW marked for the attention of the Regional Secretary (Actavo Limited Dispute). Letters of support can be sent to the Regional Office
BREAKING NEWS!! This week’s Unite strike at the Barts NHS Trust in London has been suspended due to an offer from the Trust – Support the striking Serco outsourced workers at Barts NHS Trust – The workers are fighting against low pay and exploitation. Unite members who are cleaners, porters, security, catering and reception staff across St Barts, Royal London Hospital, and Whipps Cross will take strike action between Monday 31 January and Sunday 13 February and are calling more action from Monday 28 February to Sunday 13 March read more
DONATIONS TO STRIKE FUND: Barts Heath NHS LE/7384L – Unity trust 20344885 sort code 60-83-01. Pay online or post cheques to Len Hockey, 242 Willingale Road, Loughton IG10 2BX
SEND MESSAGES OF SUPPORT TO [email protected]
Support striking Manchester Chep workers – the workers, members of Unite the union, have been on strike since December – and recently renewed their mandate for strike action into the spring by a majority of 94 per cent – over the management’s failure to improve on their offer of two per cent, when the RPI rate of inflation is running at 7.5 per cent. Chep UK, which is based in Trafford Park, Manchester, repairs and supplies pallets for supporting and transporting goods to a host of prominent companies including InBev, Heinz, Heineken, A&B Containers, Encric and TDS. Unite is dedicated to advancing the jobs, pay and conditions of its members and will fight back against any efforts to diminish workers’ living standards read more
Economic forecasters to strike in a row over inflation – Economists and researchers at the world famous NIESR (National Institute of Economic and Social Research) will stage a two week strike in a row over two years of below inflation pay offers. The strike begins on Friday 21st January and ends on Friday 4 February. The action means that there is a very real possibility that the forthcoming forecasts for the UK and global economies, which have been published quarterly since the 1980s, will not go ahead. NIESR staff will be unable to deliver on project work for external partners and funders, and will be unable to participate in events and other dissemination activities. The RPI reached 7.1 per cent at the end of 2021 but NIESR bosses are sticking to their decision to give staff 0% for 2020-21 and just 2% for 2021-22. The pay offer fails to keep up with the rising cost of living and represents a significant pay cut in real terms read more
Strike action set to hit Dalkeith based FLB print firm – Unite the union has today (10 January) confirmed that around 110 workers at print and publishing firm FLB Group in Dalkeith, which owns the Filofax and Letts brands, will take strike action this week in a dispute over pay. The strike action will take place on Wednesday (12 January) at 6am and conclude at 05:59am on Thursday. It is the first of a series of 24 hour stoppages commencing every Wednesday into Thursday until 31 March. Some 95.7 per cent of the eligible workforce previously voted in support of strike action in late November on an 84.4 per cent turnout. The pay dispute originates from early 2021 when Unite’s members were informed by FLB that there would be no pay rise. Due to pressure from Unite, the company made several unsatisfactory offers that ended with a below inflation two-year offer of 2.75 per cent. Unite is demanding a six per cent pay increase at a time when the cost of living is at a ten-year high. The Retail Prices Index stood at 7.1 per cent in November 2021 read more
Strike action by Turners of Soham logistic drivers set to impact major aviation companies – Logistic drivers working for Turners of Soham based out of Grangemouth are set to begin strike action tomorrow (6 January) in a dispute over pay. The logistic drivers work on the Q8 Aviation Deliveries contract which provides fuel services for a number of major aviation companies. The strike action follows 100% of Unite members voting to take strike action, on a turnout of 100% at the end of December 2021, following a lack of progress after months of negotiations with the company. The current wave of strike action ends on 14 January at 24:00 hours with further dates to be planned in the coming weeks. Unite’s members based at Grangemouth have been offered an 8.7% increase, despite the same company awarding its drivers in the North West of England 17.5% in October of last year read more
Transport for London bosses ‘declare war’ as seven workers suspended at crisis-hit Woolwich Ferry – Transport for London (TfL) bosses were today (Tuesday 21 December) accused of ‘declaring war’ on the Woolwich Ferry’s workforce by Unite the union, as seven workers were suspended with no reason given. Unite also said that there needs to be an urgent investigation into so-called ‘technical issues’ that mean the troubled ferry operation will be out of action until the New Year. The union has, therefore, called off planned strike action in the first fortnight of January, due to start on Monday 3 January. Unite regional officer Onay Kasab said: “We are also demanding an investigation into the on-going technical difficulties with the ferry which means there will be no ferry service until sometime in the New Year. As a result, we will be suspending at least the first two weeks of our industrial action in January. The strikes, once they commence, are due to run until the end of March…” read more
East Lancashire NHS Trust intransigence forces new period of strike action by biomedical scientists – East Lancashire NHS Trust intransigence forces new period of strike action by biomedical scientists. Bosses at East Lancashire NHS Trust must shoulder the blame for a new 12 week strike which starts today (15 December). Blackburn and Burnley biomedical scientists will re-start strike action today (Wednesday 15 December) in a dispute over unpaid wages. Union negotiators met with the Trust on Tuesday (7 December) last week in an attempt to identify a solution to the dispute. It was an opportunity to avoid further strike action and to re-establish union / Trust relations. On the eve of the strike, the Trust had still failed to take up the opportunity to end the dispute read more
Evonik workers at historic Manchester chemicals site strike over pay – Evonik workers at a 130-year-old Manchester chemicals site are to strike over pay, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today (Wednesday 13 October). Around 25 production and warehouse operatives at Evonik’s Clayton site, which has been a chemical plant since 1892, are taking industrial action after rejecting a 1.5 per cent pay offer read more
PCS
PCS 2022 pay claims in departments and national ballot – see here for HM Land Registry, DCMS, Cabinet Office, Scottish Sector, BEIS, Home Office, Department of Health and Social Care, DWP, MOJ, Attorney General’s Office, Department for Education, DfT, Welsh Government and Senedd Commission, Defra, Ministry of Defence, Met Police, Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, HMRC
Join PCS to vote in national ballot (21 Feb) – Join by 4 March to have your say on pay, pensions and the cost-of-living crisis. Our national consultative ballot of our public sector members runs from 14 February to 21 March to ask what action they would be prepared to take in support in our campaign to raise pay, pensions and living standards. It’s not too late to join and have your say read more
Atos members to take industrial action on 28 February – The members working for Atos IT Services will take a day’s strike action followed by an overtime ban. PCS members working for Atos IT Services on the National Savings & Investment, PiP, BBC and Tax Free Child Care contracts are to start industrial action on 28 February. Atos have not made an improved offer since our members overwhelmingly rejected the 1.5% pay offer. Our claim is for 5% or £1300 underpin plus a £600 one off payment in recognition of the contribution our members made throughout the pandemic. The industrial action is twofold with a strike on 28 February followed by action short of a strike, which will include an overtime ban across all the accounts. If we do not receive a significantly improved offer we will be continuing the action short of a strike and also moving to all out selective strike action read more
Fujitsu members vote for strike action over pay – PCS members in Fujitsu have voted strongly in favour of industrial action. PCS members who work for Fujitsu Services have voted by 77.1% to take strike action and by 90.7% to take action short of a strike on a turnout of 80.4%. Members are furious at being offered 1.5% after a pay freeze last year and due to the current cost of living crisis spiralling out of control. This is in effect a 0.75% pay offer per year and goes no way near to meeting our very reasonable and justified pay claim of a consolidated 4% increase or a £1500 underpin whichever is greater. PCS has written to Fujitsu to inform them of the result and ask them if they want to reopen the pay negotiations. We have made it clear that only a significantly increased offer will prevent the union moving to industrial action read more
GMB
Worker vote to strike at Fox’s Glacier Mints, Mint Humbugs and Poppets factory (25 Feb) – Workers have voted to strike at the factory where Fox’s Glacier Mints, Mint Humbugs and Poppets are made. Staff at sweet manufacturer Valeo, in York, are ready to walk out in a dispute over terms and conditions. Despite the cost-of-living crisis – and rampant inflation – bosses have offered below inflation pay rise. Lowest paid workers are also excluded from a one-off payment, while others are set to lose two days holiday a year. The company has also given notice to GMB they want to end collective bargaining at the York site. GMB will now meet with members to discuss potential strike dates read more
Asda bonus no substitute for proper pay rise (25 Feb) – GMB has said a one-off bonus payment announced for Asda workers today is no substitute for a proper pay rise. The supermarket has enforced a real terms pay cut on almost 150,000 predominantly women retail workers. Now they’ve offered workers a one-off bonus of between £250 and £400 read more
Asda bosses slammed over pay cut for 150,000 workers (24 Feb) – GMB Union has written to Asda bosses criticising them for forcing a real terms pay cut on almost 150,000 retail workers. The supermarket giant has imposed a pay increase of just 3.25 per cent on retail workers – far below the current inflation rate of 7.8 per cent. It has also made a pay offer for next year which runs the risk of taking workers below the national minimum wage, which the low pay commission predicts could reach £10:18 in 2023 on the current trajectory. Asda is now behind the curve on pay compared to other supermarkets, GMB says in a letter to the company’s senior vice president read more
Asda strike looms after thousands turn down pay offer (21 Feb) – An Asda strike has moved closer after thousands of distribution staff turned down a pay deal. Almost 70 per cent of the 8,000 GMB members polled turned down the below inflation pay offer. And nearly 80 per cent of the warehouse and clerical workers and LGV drivers said they were ready to take industrial action over pay. GMB will now meet with members to discuss next steps read more
Wiltshire bin strike suspended after improved company offer, says GMB (25 Feb) – A GMB bin strike across Wiltshire has been suspended after an improved offer from the company. Refuse workers, employed by Hills Municipal Collections Ltd, were due to walk out for 14 days starting on Monday 28 February. But following a new offer, GMB has agreed to suspend the first week of action to allow members to vote on whether to accept it. The ballot will run from 28 February to 2 March read more
GMB calls on Cygnus Academy Trust to pay up unpaid wages to low paid female staff (25 Feb) – GMB is calling on all six schools within the Cygnus Academies Trust to properly compensate employees who have term-time only contracts for an underpayment of their wages. Following a landmark agreement with Kent County Council to compensate affected staff, with funding available for all Kent schools back to September 2016, Cygnus have decided to only pay back compensation to September 2017 read more
Family fun day for Birmingham’s equal pay crisis (24 Feb) – Dozens turned out for a family fun day to raise awareness of Birmingham City Council’s looming Equal Pay crisis. Revellers enjoyed face-painting, food and music at the event in outside Aston Hall, Aston. At the event, GMB shared information about the council’s admission that key roles had been evaluated wrongly, opening the door to possible legal proceedings and industrial action, being considered in response. GMB has urged its 7,000 members at Birmingham City Council not to sign any equal pay settlement offers from their employer read more
NHS pay recommendation ‘final push for many to leave service’ (23 Feb) – GMB has responded to the Government’s recommendation of a maximum pay rise of 3% this year for NHS workers in England read more
Hastings and Rother bin strike called off after GMB members accept ‘whopping’ pay deal (23 Feb) – A Hastings bin strike has been called off after members accepted a ‘whopping’ deal. GMB members working for Biffa Municipal Ltd in East Sussex were due to walk out in a pay dispute. Instead, they’ve signed a one year deal which will see them get a pay increase of between 11 and 19.5 per cent – as well as a guaranteed bonus payment of £500 to £600 before 1 April read more
Adur and Worthing bin strike dates announced (23 Feb) – GMB Union has announced the Adur and Worthing bin strike will begin on Monday 14 March. Industrial action – set to last at least 14 days – will continue until March 27. The council’s Chief Executive and Director for Digital, Sustainability and Resources now have three weeks to avoid disruption to 82,000 homes, the union says. More than 60 refuse, streets and recycling operatives and drivers will walk out after their demands for a pay increase, increased rates for overtime and shift patterns, plus a review of operating and management practices were ignored by management read more
North Somerset faces bin strike as GMB ballots members (23 Feb) – North Somerset faces a bin strike after GMB balloted members for industrial action. The ballot, which closes on 4 March, covers almost 100 workers at recycling centres and refuse collection services run by North Somerset Environment Company. If it goes ahead the strike could affect 88,000 homes. Workers are angry after North Somerset Council, who set up the company last year, have only provided funding for a meagre 1.75 per cent pay award – amounting to a massive real-terms pay cut. Following negotiations with GMB, the board of the company requested North Somerset Council boost funding for an improved offer – but the council continues to drag its heels read more
Barrow bin strike confirmed as refuse collectors vote for industrial action – A Barrow bin strike has been confirmed after GMB members voted for industrial action. More than three quarters of the refuse collectors working for FCC Environment voted unanimously to walk out. The strikes will take place on six days from 9 – 11 March and then 16 – 18 affecting more than 33,000 households read more
Solihull bin strike looms as ballot begins – A bin strike in Solihull could affect more than 86,000 homes as GMB began balloting members today over a pay dispute. More than 100 refuse collectors working for Amey Services Limited will take part in the ballot, which begins today [7 February 2022] and ends on March 4. Amey are refusing to negotiate collectively with GMB Union on workers’ pay. If the strike goes ahead, refuse and recycling services for Solihull Metropolitan Council – including Bickenhill waste tip and recycling centre, local cemeteries, street cleansing, parks and more than 86,000 households will be affected read more
Unison
UNISON slates government plans for English university education (24 Feb) – Union warns that increasing the length of time graduates will have to pay back loans will disproportionately affect lower earners and those from disadvantaged backgrounds read more
Miserly government NHS pay proposal won’t clear the backlog or help patients, says UNISON (23 Feb) – Pay proposal is a wage cut in all but name read more
Pay and pensions issues prompt higher education strike (21 Feb) – Decent wage offer needed and pensions preserved. Staff are striking at 11 universities and higher education institutions from today (Monday) over a range of issues including pay and pensions, UNISON says. Action will take place on several days over the next fortnight at Birkbeck, SOAS, City, King’s College London, Goldsmiths (all University of London), Trinity Laban, Brighton University, Edinburgh Napier University, Gloucestershire University, Leeds University and Queen Margaret University read more
Further industrial action at Sandwell Leisure Trust – UNISON members set to take to the picket lines for a sixth time in continued fight against their employer’s fire and rehire tactics. Workers at Portway Lifestyle Centre and Tipton Leisure Centre in the West Midlands will take strike action on Thursday 24 February. This follows last month’s strike on 28 January, which received widespread support read more
NIPSA
Education Welfare Officers (EWO) Dispute (17 Feb) – Industrial Action Education education welfare officers. Education Welfare Officers are escalating their strike action next week. This will involve 2 days of strike on 24th and 25th February. There will be 6 pickets each day. I attach to this bulletin a poster showing the locations, all pickets will be there from 08:45am. NIPSA tabled proposals to resolve this dispute with the Education Authority on 9th February. We met with the employer to discuss them, and they are now considering their response. A further meeting will take place on 28th February read more
RCN
Nursing graduates will be among hardest hit by proposed student loan repayment changes in England, warns RCN (25 Feb) – The government is consulting on plans to lower the student loan repayment threshold to £25,000 and increase the repayment period from 30 to 40 years read more
Government’s view on NHS pay shows it’s not serious about fixing nursing workforce crisis (23 Feb) – RCN responds to government evidence to NHS Pay Review Body (PRB) which suggests staff in England get a 2-3% pay rise this year read more
CWU
CWU to Paul Scully: ‘Postmasters had sleepless nights for years!’ (25 Feb) – Andy Furey responds to Post Office Minister Paul Scully’s comment to the Commons yesterday that the Horizon scandal ‘keeps him up at night’ read more
Openreach RPE dispute – step closer to positive outcome (24 Feb) – After 15 days of strike action, Openreach repayment planning engineer members are looking forward to a resolution of their grading claim. A year ago today, around 170 RPE members walked out on strike in opposition to management plans to move their jobs into the professional management structure and devalue the highly-skilled work they do. They took strike action for 15 days over the following period, determined to achieve fairness and justice and united in their endeavours. Stung by the members’ action, the company contacted the CWU and asked for negotiations to seek a mutually acceptable resolution to the issue read more
Capita retains TVL contract – but makes ‘unacceptably low’ pay offer to workers (22 Feb) – A ‘mixed bag’ of news for our members working for service provider Capita this week, as good news on job security is tempered by a disappointing wage proposal read more
Horizon – keep the pressure on Post Office to win justice for all victims (21 Feb) – Our nation’s biggest-ever miscarriage of justice became one of the biggest headline news stories over this past week, as Sir Wyn Williams’s Inquiry began taking evidence form some of the scandal’s victims read more
FBU
18 firefighter jobs threat from Cumbria PFCC three fire station closures risk (24 Feb) – Fire Brigades Union analysis has revealed that 18 firefighter positions could be under threat if Cumbria Police and Crime Commissioner Peter McCall decides to move ahead with a plan to become Cumbria Police Fire and Crime Commissioner, due to the three fire station closures that could result from this change read more
Grenfell Tower Inquiry: government knew that cladding shouldn’t have been used from September 2002 (21 Feb) – Central government knew that the type of cladding used on Grenfell Tower should “never ever” have been used above 18 meters from the middle of September 2002, evidence at the Grenfell Tower Inquiry today confirms read more
BFAWU
We have a right to food by BFAWU General Secretary Sarah Woolley (27 Feb) – Over the last year the Bakers Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU) has been busy continuing our work on the ‘Right to Food’ campaign. An extensive members’ survey conducted last year produced shocking results. 40% of respondents said that due to a lack of money they had eaten less than they thought they should have at some point during the pandemic. Over 35% said they had gone without enough food to make sure others in the house could be properly fed and 19% reported that there had been a time during the pandemic when their household had run out of food because of a lack of money. And it goes on, more than a fifth of members said they have had to rely on the support of friends and for food with 7% reporting that at least once they have had to rely on a food bank to feed their household. These statistics do not lie. They tell the story of real people. The very people who worked in factories, bakeries and food processing plants all through the pandemic keeping the country fed. These workers need a pay rise read more
POA
POA 2022 submission to the Prison Service Pay Review Body (23 Feb) – POA Members need a proper pay rise to end the recruitment and retention crisis. Please find the POA 2022 submission to the Prison Service Pay Review Body read more
NAPO
Government’s latest Covid announcement – no change to employers Health and Safety obligations (25 Feb) – It is entirely understandable that our members have raised questions about their safety in the workplace following this week’s ‘Living with Covid’ announcement by the Prime Minister. Since then, engagement has taken place with senior Probation management to explore the implications of the Government’s change in direction. This has attracted widespread criticism from independent commentators who have questioned the timing, and lack of scientific data to justify the lifting of the rules around self-isolation for individuals who have tested positive for Covid read more
Joint Unions Dispute on Incremental Progression (25 Feb) – Last year the Probation trade unions (Napo, UNISON, GMB SCOOP) lodged a national dispute over the failure of the Probation Service to honour the entitlement of newly appointed staff to receive a pay progression increment after six months service in their post read more
NEU
Covid Restrictions Eased (21 Feb) – Once again an announcement has been made by the Prime Minister without any guidance for schools in place read more
Strike details for Girls’ Day School Trust (GDST)’s independent schools in England and Wales from 10 February – Countdown to strike action at GDST’s 23 independent schools. In one week from now, teacher members of the National Education Union in Girls’ Day School Trust (GDST)’s independent schools in England and Wales will go on strike to defend their pensions. Six days of strike action have been announced – 10 February 2022, 23 February, 24 February, 1 March, 2 March, 3 March read more
Wales: Strike action at Howells School over pensions – from 10 February, teacher members of the NEU at Howells School will go on strike to defend their pensions. Four days of nationally co-ordinated strike action have been announced across the Girls’ Day School Trust’s independent school in the Wales – 10 February 2022, 1 March, 2 March, 3 March. A single formal ballot, which closed last week, resulted in 95% of teacher members at the 23 schools voting in favour of discontinuous strike action on a turnout of 84%. (1) This is an unprecedented and overwhelming ‘yes’ vote for action, and the strike action will be the first in the Trust’s entire 149-year history. Howells School will not take part in the strike days planned for 23 February and 24 February due to it being half term read more
Support these strikes:-
Abbot’s Hill School / Herts (TPS)
1-3 March
Girls Day School Trust Schools (TPS)
1-3 March
Kester Brewin c/o Emily Scurrah
Bobby Moore Academy / Newham (Terms & Conditions)
3 March
Ipswich School / Suffolk
1 March
NASUWT
Revised offer fails to meet tests on pay (25 Feb) – A revised pay offer for teachers tabled today still represents a real-terms pay cut, says NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union. The latest offer is only a marginal improvement on those made previously and completely fails to address the rising cost of living or to make headway in tackling the decade of real-terms erosion of teachers’ salaries. The NASUWT will now consider the offer, but is warning it is unlikely to be sufficient to be accepted read more
London teachers strike over attack on pensions (22 Feb) – Members of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union at Forest School in North East London are starting the first of six planned days of strike action tomorrow (Wednesday), over adverse plans for their pensions, all of which have the potential to leave teachers worse off in future read more
Norwich teachers strike over pensions – Members of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union at Norwich High School for Girls, are starting the first of six days of planned strike action tomorrow (10 February) in protest at plans to downgrade their pensions, which would leave them significantly worse off in retirement. The Girls Day School Trust (GDST), which runs the school, is planning to withdraw from the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS) and impose an inferior scheme on its teachers. Staff have been threatened with dismissal from their jobs if they refuse to sign up to new contracts which include the downgraded pension entitlement. The NASUWT does not believe there is any financial justification for GDST to seek these cuts to teachers’ pension entitlements. GDST has enough funds to offer teachers fair pensions. The Trust’s finances are in a healthy condition with total funds of £461.9 million and available reserves of £43.1 million as of August 2020 read more
UCU
Strike action over pay and conditions continues at UK universities (25 Feb) – University and College Union (UCU) members at 63 universities will continue strike action from Monday 28 February in their fight against deteriorating pay & working conditions. This dispute is over a 25.5% real terms pay cut over the past 13 years, unmanageable workloads, pay inequality and the use of exploitative and insecure contracts, which are rife across the sector. Staff, who have already taken two days of strike action over pay and working conditions this year, will walkout on Monday 28 February, Tuesday 1 and Wednesday 2 March. The final day of strike action next week has been called to coincide with the student strike on Wednesday 2 March, organised by the National Union of Students (NUS). The NUS is supporting UCU’s industrial action and is calling for better working conditions, pay and pensions for staff. Staff are also engaged in action short of a strike (ASOS) which involves working strictly to contract, not covering for absent colleagues, not rescheduling lectures or classes cancelled due to strike action, or undertaking any voluntary activities. To resolve the pay & working conditions dispute UCU is demanding a £2.5k pay increase for all staff, as well as action to tackle unmanageable workloads, pay inequality and the use of insecure and exploitative contracts. Staff at 68 universities have been taking strike action over pay and working conditions and cuts to pensions. The full strike dates, with numbers of institutions involved, are:-
- Last week (USS pension dispute only, 44 institutions): 5 days; Monday 14 to Friday 18 February
- This week (both the pension and the pay & working conditions dispute, 68 institutions): 2 days; Monday 21 and Tuesday 22 February
- Next week (pay & working conditions dispute only, 63 institutions): 3 days; Monday 28 February, Tuesday 1 and Wednesday 2 March read more
Further industrial action is also on the cards, including:-
- rolling regional and UK wide action in pay & working conditions: dates to be confirmed
- preparations made for UK wide marking and assessment boycott.
The final day of strike action in week 3 has been called to coincide with the student strike on Wednesday 2 March, organised by the NUS. The NUS is calling for higher and further education to be free at the point of use for students and for staff to get better working conditions, pay and pensions
Dispute ‘far from over’ says UCU as employers force through pension cuts (22 Feb) – UCU has told university employers to expect more industrial action, including a marking and assessment boycott, as UUK’s proposals that would lead to devastating cuts to USS pensions were ratified at a meeting of the JNC today read more
Strike warning over low pay in North West colleges (25 Feb) – The University and College Union (UCU) today warned the leaders of colleges in the North West that strike action is on the cards unless staff pay demands are met. Over 1,000 UCU members at Hopwood Hall, Bury, Burnley, Oldham, The Manchester, and City of Liverpool colleges were asked in a consultative ballot whether they were willing to take strike action in support of an ‘inflation plus’ pay claim. They overwhelmingly turned out to vote yes. A consultative ballot is the first step on the path to industrial action. UCU will move to a statutory industrial action ballot, and potential strike action, unless its demands are met. If strikes were to take place over 40k students could be impacted. UCU is demanding that the colleges increase pay by at least the level of inflation for 2021/22. This would mean pay increases of at least 8.5%. Since 2009 pay in further education has fallen by 35% in real terms and the gap between school and college teachers stands at around £9k read more
Strikes begin today at Goldsmiths in jobs row – Industrial action by University and College Union (UCU) members will begin today (Monday 7 Feb) at Goldmiths University as part of an ongoing dispute over plans to sack 46 members of staff. Goldsmiths wants to make the cuts as part of a ‘recovery plan’ after years of financial mismanagement have left the university with a £12.7m deficit. The union says the ‘recovery plan’ is a deal struck with Lloyds and Natwest banks to use redundancies to improve the university’s finances. Following a failure by the university last week to reduce the number of compulsory redundancies staff have been left with no option but to take industrial action in defence of jobs. Staff will walk out today (Monday 7 February) and tomorrow, and follow this up with strike action alongside that taking place as part of UCU’s national pay and pension disputes later this month. The full dates that Goldsmiths staff will be on strike over this dispute are – Week 1 Mon 7 & 8 Feb; Week 2 Wed 16 – Fri 18 Feb; Week 3 Mon 28 Feb – Fri 4 March
The university has already been hit with a global boycott which means UCU is asking its members, other trade unions, labour movement organisations and the international academic community to support its members at Goldsmiths in any way possible read more Follow @GoldsmithsUCU on twitter
UCU fighting fund: the link is here and donations to the fund are spent on supporting members involved in important disputes.
NUJ
NUJ supports Chris Mullin as he defends the right to protect his sources (25 Feb) – The union reaffirms its support for Chris Mullin as he contests an order in court, requiring him to reveal source material. On Friday 25 February, Chris Mullin, journalist and former MP, appeared at the Old Bailey to challenge an order under the Terrorism Act brought against him by West Midlands Police. Supported by his NUJ legal team, Mr Mullin is contesting the order forcing him to reveal source material related to the 1985-1986 Birmingham pub bombings read more
Prospect
Prospect negotiate Working week reduction for members in NatureScot (24 Feb) – Prospect union has successfully negotiated a reduction in the working week for staff at NatureScot read more
Prospect ‘reluctantly’ accepts Soulbury Pay Agreement for 2021 (24 Feb) – Following protracted negotiations which has taken more than half a year, Prospect has agreed to accept a 1.75% increase to all Soulbury pay points, which will be backdated to September 2021 read more
Equity
Equity responds to changes to Covid restrictions in Scotland (23 Feb) – On 22 February, the Scottish Government announced changes to Covid restrictions in Scotland. See the new rules for Scotland in Living safely with Covid – gov.scot (www.gov.scot) read more
Equity responds to UK Government ending Covid restrictions in England (21 Feb) – The UK Government has today (21 February) announced plans to lift Covid-19 restrictions in England from 24 February. Equity is concerned about the impact of this on the entertainment industry and its workers, especially our clinically vulnerable members, and have issued the statements below in response to the announcement. See a list of the changes announced today on pages 22-23 of the Government document Living with Covid-19 read more
Sign the petition to save Stratford Circus! https://www.change.org/p/save-stratford-circus
USDAW
#ReinstateMax Week of Action March 12th-18th – defend sacked Tesco USDAW rep Max McGee
3 months on from exhausting all appeals, Max McGee is preparing to take Tesco to an Employment Tribunal over his trade union victimisation and sacking. A GoFundMe page has been set up to donate to Max’s reinstatement campaign and trade union comrades are encouraged to raise the campaign at their Trade Union branches and Trades Councils over the coming weeks. Link to the page below:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/reinstate-max-usdaw-rep-socialist
To keep the pressure on Tesco in the run up to the upcoming Employment Tribunal we will be using the funds raised to produce a run of leaflets drawing attention to his case. We are asking that where comrades can, distribute leaflets outside their nearest Tesco and take photos of themselves holding posters with #ReinstateMax on them in the week of March 12th-18th.
Messages of solidarity and photos can be sent to [email protected]
Government sweeps away Covid rules in England by ending self-isolation and free Covid tests/community PCR testing – a move that could hit low-paid workers hard says Usdaw (22 Feb) – Current Covid restrictions were due to expire in England on 24 March but the Government announced it will be ending Covid rules a month early on 24th February. In a speech given to the House of commons the prime minister Boris Johnson scrapped the remaining Covid legal restrictions in England and said he wanted to shift the onus from state mandates to personal responsibility. Under the Living with Covid plan, from Thursday, the legal requirement to self-isolate after testing positive for Covid will end, as well as free tests read more
UVW
UVW GOSH strike protest: Friday 4th March – 12.00pm
📍Meeting point: North end of Queen Square, London WC1N 3AU
There are some restrictions within 50 metres of the hospital which we will clarify to anyone joining us. 🚫
See this map of where we’re meeting and the rough area where the restrictions apply. 🗺️
UVW stewards will be on hand to answer any questions.
Let’s make sure the wealthy GOSH trustees see us and hear us! 🎺 We won’t give up the fight for equality! ✊🏾
Support the six-week GOSH security guards strike, every Friday
IWGB
Longest Gig-Economy Strike Escalates as Sheffield Couriers Blockade McDonald’s – Yesterday 30th January, striking food delivery couriers, employed by the JustEat subcontractor Stuart Delivery, demonstrated outside of the Sheffield Archer Road McDonald’s. 60 drivers and supporters, joined by Paul Blomfield MP, blockaded the entrance to the McDonald’s, shutting down all orders for 45 minutes. Speeches were given by drivers and local business owners who came out to support the action. Couriers began strike action on 6 December 2021, after Stuart Delivery cut the minimum delivery pay by 24%, from £4.50 to £3.40, following a gradual decline in pay and conditions. Couriers have been declining orders from McDonald’s between 5-8PM every evening for 40 days, and have recently started targeting Greggs and other restaurants. Strike action has also taken place in Sunderland, Chesterfield, Blackpool, and Huddersfield read more
Write to Stuart Delivery, JustEat: END THE STRIKE, PAY RISE NOW!
Other news
March against racism for UN Anti-Racism Day – Saturday 19 March 2022
BBC Portland place, London, 12noon
Kelvingrove park, Glasgow, 11am read more on Stand Up To Racism website
Waltham Forest Trades Council Public Meeting: Support the Strikes – Tuesday March 1st at 7pm – William Morris Community Centre
International news
From NUJ website: Ukraine: journalists security and ethical reporting must be guaranteed (24 Feb) read more
From NUJ website: Northern Cyprus: criminal charges against President of Cyprus Turkish union must be dropped (23 Feb) read more
From NUJ website: Turkey: journalist Güngör Arslan killed in gun attack (22 Feb) read more
Fight blacklisting and victimisation of union reps
Donate to the reinstatement campaign of Declan Clune RMT bus driver in Southampton (on behalf of Declan Clune and all RMT Southampton District Bus and Coach Branch members). Email message of support: [email protected]
Support GARY CARNEY, TRAIN OPERATOR – LONDON UNDERGROUND
Defend Adrian Mitchell RMT driver on London Underground
Donate to solidarity campaign of Moe Muhsin Manir Unite bus rep Email messages of support to Moe: [email protected]
Trade union rep victimisation at Woolwich Ferry reaches ‘obscene levels’, says Unite
Unite: Ealing’s Labour council ‘actively helping’ Serco ‘hound’ union rep from civil enforcement job
St Mungos management escalate dispute by suspending Unite rep – sign petition: End the culture of fear at St Mungo’s – model motion
St Mungo’s: Unite will not tolerate victimisation and bullying
Sign petition: Reinstate Gary Bolister sacked GMB rep at Islington Council
Watch Reel News video: Victimised union reps: Act like it’s you and fight back
Reinstate John Boken Shropshire NEU rep – For more details and send solidarity messages, email [email protected]
Sign petition to support Redbridge NEU Rep Keiran Mahon
Watch Reel News video: Huddersfield teachers strike to defend Louise Lewis
Victimised Tesco warehouse rep Max McGee fighting for reinstatement read more. There is now a GoFundMe to support the campaign (https://www.gofundme.com/f/reinstate-max-usdaw-rep-socialist) and Max can be invited to speak at Usdaw and other union branches plus trades councils ([email protected])
Blacklisting Investigation – Unite the Union has commissioned an independent investigation into alleged involvement of any past of present union officers or officials in the operation of blacklists in the construction industry. The independent investigation will be conducted by Jane McNeill QC in accordance with the attached Terms of Reference. Evidence for the investigation is now being compiled by Thompsons Solicitors LLP. Any documentary evidence which any individual wishes to provide should be submitted to Thompsons either by email to [email protected] or by post to Unite Blacklisting Inquiry, Thompsons Solicitors LLP, Congress House, 23-28 Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3LW, reference L213003/RH. All evidence to be considered for the purpose of the independent report must be received by Thompsons by 9 November 2021 read more
#SPYCops Inquiry exposes state surveillance of workers movement
Keep up with developments and read and watch campaigners’ statements on the Campaign Opposing Police Surveillance (COPS) and Undercover Policing Inquiry websites and spycops info Facebook group
Builders Crack: The Movie
In the current situation, this long lost film from the 1990s about rank and file union organising in the construction industry is intended to lift the spirits, but also to spark a debate in our movement. Hope the youngsters in this film put a smile on your face.
Watch – Share – Discuss https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VZ-QMA1FMg
Blacklist Support Group
Book: http://newint.org/books/politics/blacklisted-secret-war/
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNcgrNs6pB8
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/groups/blacklistSG/
Blog: www.hazards.org/blacklistblog
Blacklist Support Group financial appeal: the Blacklist support group is desperately short of funds, to continue the incredible work we need more finance, would you please consider making a donation, raise it at your branches and trade councils. Please make cheques payable to Joint sites committee and send to 70 Darnay Rise Chelmsford Essex CM1 4XA. Please forward onto your contacts many thanks Steve Kelly (JSC Treasurer)
Blacklisted t-shirts available at: https://shop.hopenothate.org.uk/component/hikashop/product/78-blacklisted-t-shirt
International news
From NUJ website: Somalia: concern over increasing threats to journalists and media freedom (15 Feb) read more
Cambodia: Release jailed union leaders and drop all charges unconditionally read more
The NSSN is continuing to report on how workers are organising during the coronavirus pandemic
The NSSN is opening up our weekly email bulletin, website and social media platforms of Facebook and twitter to provide a public forum for workers during the Coronavirus/COVID-19 crisis. We want to be a place where we can all share queries and experiences that workers are facing in their workplaces. These include reports of action taken by workers to defend themselves from their employers.
You can read about many of these actions in our weekly bulletin and out social media groups, especially our Facebook group: NSSN – defend workers’ rights under Coronavirus.
You can also send the NSSN your reports and queries via our website, twitter – @NSSN_AntiCuts and email – [email protected]
We welcome the information being sent to union members concerning the spread of coronavirus, including the Accord, Advance, AEP, AFA-CWA, ASLEF, BDA, BECTU Sector of Prospect, BFAWU, BOS-TU, College of Podiatry, Community, CSP, EIS, Equity, FBU, FDA, GMB, HCSA, MU, NAHT, NASUWT, National Society for Education in Art and Design (NSEAD), Nautilus International, NEU, NGSU, NUJ, PFA, Prospect, RCM, SoR, TSSA, TUC, UCU, UNISON, Unite, URTU, USDAW, WGGB and the RCN
But it is absolutely vital that unions retain their ability to organise and act independently in defence of their members and workers generally. This includes the right of unions to take industrial action. We are already aware of workers being forced to take unofficial action on health and safety grounds. We also believe that unions should have oversight of any government bans on protests and picketing. This is the same Tory government that tabled more new anti-union laws in the Queens Speech in December 2019 and cannot be trusted and is now attacking the right to protest through its Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill.
We believe that it is essential that workers are protected during this worrying period and are not impacted, whether in terms of their safety as well as their pay and employment rights. The Tory government have announced measures that include some workers receiving 80% of their wages. This furlough scheme was due to finish but has now been extended because of the 2nd lockdown. But it’s clear that the Tories are looking to end it asap.
However, we believe that no worker should pay the price for any spread of the virus. We say: work or full pay. Any worker who is required not to attend work or is unable to do so because of COVID, childcare or transport closures should receive full pay and not be forced to take annual leave. But unions have to remain vigilant that any government payments actually happen and also covers all workers, including those in precarious employment such as zero-hour contracts and in the gig economy.
We have drafted this model motion which we’ve made into a bulletin that can be downloaded and printed off to be distributed. Feel free to use in your union and trades council, in totality or partially to highlight the issues that need to be addressed.
Keep an eye out for other Facebook and social media groups and pages that are being created. The Coronavirus Support Group for Workers has been set up on Facebook and is a useful forum and you can catch up on disputes at Strike Map UK
Diary
March
19 TUC demonstration – Britain Needs A Pay Rise: March and rally in Blackpool
July
2 NSSN Conference 2022 11am-5pm. Venue to be confirmed
CONTACT US
PHONE 07952 283 558
EMAIL mailto:[email protected]
TWITTER – https://twitter.com/NSSN_AntiCuts
FACEBOOK NSSN GROUP or STOP The CUTS Likes page
ADDRESS NSSN, PO Box 54498, London E10 9DE
