TUC National Demonstration – Saturday 18th June 12noon Parliament Square, Westminster, London SW1P 3BD read more
The TUC has called a national demonstration this summer. We will do all we can to help build what needs to be a massive mobilisation that could be the platform for industrial action across the public and private sectors.
In March 2011, 750,000 union members marched through the streets of London on the TUC demonstration against the austerity offensive of the Tory-led government. It led directly to the 2 million strong public sector general strike that November on pensions. This is what is needed now – mass co-ordinated industrial action as workers fight the squeeze on their living standards.
Get on to your union at national and local level to book transport now. Let’s fill the streets of London on 18th June!
Support sacked P&O workers
NSSN supporters have taken part in demonstrations to support the 800 sacked P&O workers and their unions the RMT and Nautilus International and other seafarer unions. We will advertise solidarity protests in this bulletin and we will update it during the week, and on social media when they are announced. We support the calls for P&O to be nationalised to save jobs and defend communities.
RMT: P&O demonstrations continue this week (4 Apr) – RMT will keep the pressure up on the company and government over the sacking of 800 maritime staff last month. Delays at Dover have been compounded by P&O’s ruthless actions and the embattled Dubai owned company says no ship will sail until April 19. The events that we have planned this week are as follows:
Hull – 4pm Tuesday 5 April, King George Dock, Hull HU9 5PR map
Liverpool – 4pm Wednesday 6 April, meet Sandy Rd, Seaforth, Liverpool L21 3TN by Seaforth Autoparts, near Seaforth and Litherland Railway Station map
Cairnryan – 12noon Friday 8 April, Loch Ryan Port, Cairnryan – Belfast, Stranraer DG9 8RG map
Unions demand change to end fire and rehire (1 Apr) – JOINT PRESS RELEASE FROM ITF, ETF, NAUTILUS INTERNATIONAL & RMT:-
Last night, ITF, ETF, Nautilus International and RMT projected a video on to the cliffs of Dover and images on to the headquarters of P&O Ferries, demanding that the company be brought to task for its immoral and illegal actions read more
From RMT website:-
P&O / DP World protest in Portsmouth tomorrow (31 Mar) – RMT will hold a demonstration at the Portsmouth Continental Ferry Port this Friday 1st April 2022 starting at 11.15 AM. Although there is no direct P&O presence in Portsmouth, DP World the parent company are to provide services to the Solent Freeport at Taxpayer expense and Condor Ferries continue exploiting the same disgusting scheme of no minimum wage for overseas seafarers on our door steps read more
RMT calls for decisive and serious government action ahead of expected Commons’ announcement on seafarers (30 Mar) – RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch said; “It is almost two weeks since our members were sacked by P&O’s military style attack and a week since the Prime Minister repeatedly said to Parliament that they would be taking legal action to save these jobs but this has not happened – the government have not even decided to test the arguments in court…” read more
RMT confirms further protests in Liverpool and Scotland in fight to save P&O jobs (30 Mar) – Maritime union RMT said today that it is organising further protests in the fight for workplace justice for the P&O workers sacked by the company in a jobs massacre two weeks ago. Confirmed so far – Thursday 31st March Port of Liverpool L21 1LA at 07.30am and Friday 8th April at Cairnryan Port at 12 noon read more
RMT responds to Shapps P&O statement (30 Mar) – Mick Lynch – RMT General Secretary said: “Despite all the bluster, Grant Shapps has failed to grasp the opportunity to adequately stand up to the banditry behaviour of P&O…” read more
Stop union victimisation: support the Coventry bin strike
The Labour council has disgracefully targeted Pete Randle, one of the senior Unite shop stewards. We call on all our supporters to support Pete and his striking members
Unite: Campaigners call on Coventry councillors to reinstate Unite’s Pete Randle (4 Apr) –
When: Tuesday 5 April 9.30am – 10.30am
Where: One Friargate, CV1 2GN
Local residents and campaigners, accompanied by a mobile ad van, will be out in full force to support Unite rep Pete Randle who is attending an investigation hearing on Tuesday (5 April) following his outrageous suspension. Emblazoned on the giant Ad Van will be the words: ‘Labour Councillors Stop Union Busting, Reinstate Pete Randle’. Strikes began early this year and the 70 HGV drivers have been on all out strike since 31 January in a dispute over low pay (see notes to editors). The workers’ basic rate of pay begins at just £22,183 per annum, which is far below pay rates of neighbouring councils. Last month, the council took the outrageous decision to escalate tensions with Unite by suspending the union’s shop steward on bogus charges in the middle of the dispute. Pete Randle is attending a disciplinary investigation hearing on Tuesday at the Coventry council office at One Friar Gate. The dispute has already cost Coventry council over £2.9 million, with costs rising daily, when it would cost just £300,000 to resolve the dispute. The council has even set up a strike breaking, rogue alternative bin collection service. Unite general secretary, Sharon Graham said: “Coventry councillors needlessly escalated this dispute by targeting our rep. The charges are bogus. Pete Randle must be reinstated without delay and councillors must get on with negotiating an end to this dispute. Councillors are wasting millions trying to break the strike. Unite will not allow workers to pay for the pandemic. Labour councillors need to stop the union busting, reinstate Pete Randle and pay drivers the rate for the job.” Read more
Reinstate Pete Randle: 9.30am Tuesday 5th April One Friargate, Coventry CV1 2GN – Join us to show support for suspended Rep, Pete Randle as he attends his disciplinary hearing. Coventry City Council and its Labour Council Leader, George Duggins must reinstate the Unite Lead Rep immediately and pay the rate so drivers can get back to work and residents can have their bins collected again. The council’s attempts to break the strike with expensive contractors, and by intimidating the drivers by suspending rep Pete Randle will not work on us. We stand strong together!
Stop the war in Ukraine
The NSSN calls for the unity of working-class people across Ukraine, Russia and the whole region against war, militarisation and repression. We support the actions of independent trade unions in Ukraine and Russia in defending workers.
FBU Executive Council Statement – Invasion and War in Ukraine
Unite executive council – statement on Ukraine crisis
NIPSA statement: Russian Invasion of Ukraine
NSSN news
2022 NSSN Conference – Saturday 2nd July 11am-4.30pm Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL Facebook event
Confirmed speaker: Sharon Graham Unite General Secretary
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
RMT attacks cleaning cost cutting (1 Apr) – RMT attacks cleaning cost cutting on railways in letter to Transport Secretary. The railway union condemned the move which puts vital cleaning jobs at risk on Essex Thameside services. This despite all the evidence that clean trains are essential to restoring public confidence post the height of the Covid pandemic. Bidvest Noonan which supplies the cleaning services on Trenitalia C2C train services has said that they are reducing the cleaning contract by 500 hours a week. Cleaners are already living hand to mouth and this cut will only make things worse, particularly in the context of the cost of living crisis read more
ScotRail renationalised (1 Apr) – As ScotRail is renationalised, RMT calls for the Scottish Government to bring the Caledonian Sleeper into public ownership as internal Scottish Government documents show this could be done in just twelve weeks read more
24 hour strike on TransPennine Express (31 Mar) – 24 hour strike on TransPennine Express this weekend to go ahead. Conductors will take 24 hours of strike action in row over pay and Sunday working. RMT said the company had refused TPE conductors’ request to increase pay for staff coming in on their days off and Sundays. The union says there is a large discrepancy in pay levels for conductors and other train crews for doing the same thing. 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 read more
Congratulations on rock solid London Underground action – All RMT London Underground members are congratulated for the rock-solid strike action across the entire network this week. There has been a brilliant show of solidarity and support from you all and you are commended for your commitment to fight against vicious attacks on your jobs and pensions in order to pay for the TfL funding crisis read more
Support the London Night Tube strike: every Friday and Saturday nights on Central and Victoria lines read more
ASLEF
Scotrail returns to public ownership (1 Apr) – ASLEF members are celebrating victory today as Scotland’s main passenger rail services return to public ownership after a quarter of a century in the hands of private businesses. ScotRail was put into private hands 25 years ago when National Express took over the contract followed by the First Group and most recently Abellio read more
TSSA
Scotland’s railway can finally be run in the public interest (1 Apr) – TSSA welcomed ScotRail’s return to public ownership today (Friday) saying “Scotland’s railway can finally be run in the public interest” read more
Privatisation an “expensive failure” says TSSA as 25% of train services come under public control (31 Mar) – Friday 1 April will be a watershed moment for Britain’s railways, as it will mark the highest percentage of publicly run rail services since privatisation fragmented the network in the 1990s, reaching 25%. ScotRail will be taken over by the Scottish government from Friday, following similar moves in Wales and a series of operator failures forcing the Westminster government to step in to run services. Rail and transport union TSSA says the milestone demonstrates how privatisation has been “an expensive failure” read more
Unite
Unite members in Northern Ireland working on the buses reject latest, inadequate pay offer and vote for industrial action (1 Apr) – Unite in Northern Ireland has balloted its members working on Translink buses for industrial action following rejection of the company pay offer. The ballot, which closed at noon today, demonstrated the frustration of bus workers at the inadequate offer that has been tabled, with the majority of members voting to take action. Unite represents the majority of workers in the company and the action it takes has the potential to paralyse all bus services across Northern Ireland unless the company enter into meaningful talks to mitigate this. Translink initially offered workers a pay deal which would have meant a real terms pay cut, as inflation climbs to 8.2 per cent. The company belatedly improved the offer but it still failed to meet members’ expectations read more
Mahle Engine Systems dispute over pay widens as industrial action ballot opens (1 Apr) – Unite the union has today (Friday, 1 April) confirmed that its membership at Mahle Engine Systems will take part in a new industrial action ballot in a dispute over pay, terms and conditions. The Kilmarnock-based plant makes high-quality components for motorsport engines, combustion engines and electric vehicles. As real price inflation (RPI) reaches 8.2 per cent, Unite’s members have overwhelmingly rejected (by 88 per cent) a two-year deal of 5.5 per cent pay for 2022 and possibly 5 per cent in 2023. The deal would mean potentially two years of wage cuts as living costs are set to rise. The Mahle workforce is demanding at least the actual level of inflation as measured by the RPI read more
Unite members stand firm to secure fair tips victory at Pizza Express (1 Apr) – A long campaign by Unite, the leading hospitality union, has secured a return to a fair tips policy at Pizza Express, boosting the wages of low paid waiting staff. In March, an internal Pizza Express committee, established to agree tips allocation, scrapped a controversial rule that 50 per cent of the electronic tips waiting staff receive should be given to kitchen staff. The committee, made up of staff representatives from across Pizza Express, has now agreed to return to the policy that was in place before May 2021. Waiting staff will now receive 70 per cent of all electronic tips read more
Police staff urged to reject ‘insulting’ 2.1 per cent, 17-month pay deal by Unite (31 Mar) – Police staff urged to reject ‘insulting’ 2.1 per cent, 17-month pay deal by Unite. Vital police staff, such as 999 call handlers, are being urged to reject a ‘pitiful and insulting’ 2.1 per cent pay offer over a 17-month period, as the country faces the biggest cost of living crisis since the 1970s. Unite the union is calling on its thousands of members in England and Wales (but not those in the Metropolitan Police) to reject the offer which would see the wages of some staff rise by just over £1 a day read more
Unite claims victory in battle to safeguard supported accommodation for vulnerable and homeless women (30 Mar) – At a press conference held today (Wednesday) at the gates of Regina Coeli House, the centre of an eleven week occupation by workers, Unite has announced it has received assurances from the Department for Communities and the NI Housing Executive that an enhanced and expanded service for homeless women, including a women’s only hostel in the city, will be opened in May. Unite says that, having secured the facility’s future, the union is now working to ensure that the dismissed workers are employed by the new service. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham welcomed the success scored by her union’s members and pledged her union’s continued commitment to the campaign read more
Cardiff Council Workers vote for strike action over `toxic’ bullying culture within Waste Services Department (30 Mar) – Unite members employed by Cardiff City Council have voted by a majority of 98 per cent to strike in a dispute over a widespread bullying culture within the city’s Waste Services Department. Strike dates have yet to be confirmed but the action by the workers is expected to have a significant impact on rubbish collections across the city. Unite has been raising the concerns of workers for several months but no firm action by the Council has been taken to address the grievances. A recent survey of Unite members working within Waste Services found that over 60 per cent of workers have either witnessed workplace bullying or had been bullied themselves read more
Strike looms at Royal Mail as company seeks to sack 1,000 workers and `fire and rehire’ on lower wages (30 Mar) – Royal Mail could soon be hit by UK-wide strikes over plans to sack nearly 1,000 managers and bring in lower rates of pay in what Unite the union says today (Wednesday) is yet another case of ‘fire and rehire’. Unite is preparing an industrial action ballot, which would see strikes begin as soon as April, after an initial consultation with its membership found almost seven in ten (67 per cent on an 82 per cent turnout) backed strike action. Unite says that their members’ position has hardened in recent weeks because the employers “kept moving the goalposts” during negotiations on the proposed changes read more
Nottingham Riverside Bakery strike postponed following improved pay offer (30 Mar) – Strikes at Nottingham’s Riverside Bakery have been postponed to allow workers to vote on an improved pay offer tabled by the company, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today (Wednesday 30 March). Around 170 workers at the factory, who are members of Unite, were due to go on continuous all-out all strike from today. If the offer is rejected by the workers strike action will begin at a later date read more
Strike action continues as GE Aviation accused of ‘dirty tricks’ in Gloucester pay dispute (29 Mar) – Workers at Gloucester’s Hurricane Road GE Aviation factory will be striking every Friday until their call for a fair wage is honoured, Unite the union has said today (Tuesday 29 March). Multinational GE Aviation has been accused of `dirty tricks’ in an attempt to undermine the workers. The 90-plus workers are employed by GE’s subsidiary Dowty Propellers. The workers have rejected a two year pay offer worth just 4.5 per cent which, with the actual level of inflation (retail price index) standing at 8.2 per cent, amounts to a real terms pay cut read more
Petrol stations facing disruption as workers fight for a fair wage from ‘filthy rich’ Exxon at Southampton oil refinery (29 Mar) – Petrol station and airport fuel supplies are facing disruption as workers at Exxon’s Southampton oil refinery fight for a fair wage from their “filthy rich” employer, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today (Tuesday 29 March). Around 100 workers, who make up a third of the contractors at the Fawley Refinery, will strike on 8 April, 25 April and 6 May, with more strikes to be scheduled if the dispute is not resolved. Fawley supplies a sixth of petrol stations nationwide and all airports. As some workers provide safety critical services, strike action could lead to shutdowns across the plant read more
Northern Ireland Education Authority workers to continue campaign for improved pay with further day of strike action (28 Mar) – Following the first week of strike action taken by its members working in councils, the housing executive and education, Unite has confirmed that a further day of strike action is now planned by workers at the Education Authority for this coming Friday [1 April]. The strike announcement comes ahead of a meeting involving workforce reps from across all NJC-pay sectors this week which is likely to determine the union’s wider strategy to win improvements to pay read more
Easter worries for Heathrow travellers as baggage maintenance engineers strike over pay (28 Mar) – Heathrow passengers are being warned of problems over the Easter holidays as baggage maintenance engineers take strike action over a pay freeze. Unite, the UK’s leading union, said more than 160 of its members employed by Heathrow baggage engineering contractor Vanderlande Industries voted overwhelming to stage Easter holiday strikes from 8 April until 10 April. On a ballot with a 77 per cent turnout, 97 per cent voted for strike action. The workers are highly skilled engineering technicians, duty engineers, process managers and control room operators. They are responsible for operating and maintaining the complete baggage system across every terminal. The strikes will impact all airlines at Heathrow, including BA, KLM, Air France and Lufthansa. The pay freeze comes despite Vanderlande recording a 27 per cent increase in orders and a 14 per cent growth in revenue in its commercial report for the 2021 financial year. The report also states that Vanderlande continued on a ‘profitable growth path’ read more
Veolia workers across Edinburgh and Lothians set to strike over `insulting’ pay offer – Unite can confirm today (24 March) that more than 50 members working for Veolia Water across Edinburgh and the Lothians are set to take strike action in a dispute over pay. The strike action, involving plant operatives, electrical maintenance, mechanical, and administrative staff, was supported overwhelmingly by 94 per cent of Unite’s members in a ballot turnout of 83 per cent. The Veolia workers are demanding a significantly improved pay offer from the company. With the more realistic cost of living (RPI) currently running at 8.2 per cent per cent, Veolia’s offer of 2.6 per cent for this year is a pay cut. Strike action will take place from 7-13 April, and then continuous strike action from 21 April read more
Airbus Broughton workers set for industrial action – Unite members working at Airbus’ Broughton site in North Wales are set to take industrial action following a rejection of the company’s latest pay offer. Over 3,000 workers at the giant Broughton plant will commence industrial action from 7 April unless Airbus improves the pay deal read more
Strikes at County Durham car bearing factories set to disrupt automakers – Pay strikes at car bearing manufacturers NSK Bearings and AKS Precision Ball in Peterlee, County Durham, are set to disrupt supply chains for automakers, including VW, Toyota and Renault, Unite, the UK’s leading union, has warned. Around 200 workers, comprising the entire shopfloor workforce at the two factories, both owned by NSK Europe, will take strike action every Wednesday and Saturday for the next six weeks over an ‘insulting’ 1.6 per cent pay offer. The first strike will begin tomorrow (23 March) with the possibility of industrial action intensifying if a new offer is not put forward read more
UK facing Easter beer shortages as DHL Tradeteam drivers in Burton-on-Trent announce strikes – HGV drivers employed by DHL Tradeteam on the Molson Coors contract in Burton-on-Trent will begin strike action next month in a long-running dispute over unmanageable delivery routes. The drivers, members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, have been involved in a three year dispute caused by excessively long delivery routes. The current dispute was triggered when DHL Tradeteam reneged on a deal struck at the conciliation service Acas last year, backtracking on a commitment to recruit 25 additional drivers in order to address the route demands. Unite has announced two separate 72 hours strikes. The first will run from Wednesday 6 April – Friday 8 April and the second from Sunday 10 April – Tuesday 12 April. The strikes will then be followed by an overtime ban from Tuesday 12 April until Wednesday 20 April read more
Unite to stage targeted industrial action as council workers express disgust at 1.75% pay offer – 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
Industrial action set to have a ‘severe impact’ on Lerwick Port – Unite the union today (15 March) confirmed that its members working at the Lerwick Port Authority have voted in support of industrial action over pay, terms and conditions. For a number of years, despite the prosperity and expansion of the port, skilled and semi-skilled employees have been paid considerably less than nationally agreed rates. Around a dozen key workers voted unanimously in support of strike action and an overtime ban. The industrial action will include engineers, electricians, joiners and general operatives. Unite members will now commence a continuous overtime ban from 28 March at the main port in the Shetland Islands. Due to the significant hours of overtime required to ensure the effective running of operations at the port, Unite has stated that any overtime ban in itself will have a ‘severe impact’ on the cruise liners and oil and gas vessels, as well as the general shipping, which use the harbour read more
Ford facing tipper truck and van shortages as VFS workers in Eastleigh to strike over pay – Workers employed at the south coast firm VFS Southampton Ltd, who assemble tipper trucks and vans for Ford, have announced extensive strike action in a dispute over pay. The workers, who are members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, voted overwhelmingly for the action after VFS imposed a pay award which the company claims is worth 3.65 per cent but, with the RPI (retail price index) rate of inflation currently standing at 7.8 per cent and set to rise further, is in reality a pay cut. VFS also assembles large vehicles for Mercedes so the strikes will hit both companies with delays to the delivery of vehicles. Unite’s members will hold a 24-hour strike on Tuesday 29 March with a further six strike periods scheduled for a total of 25 days until mid-June. The workers will be striking on the following dates: 29 March, 1 April, 11-14 April, 25-29 April, 3-6 May, 23-27 May and 6-10 June read more
Statement of solidarity with Svitzer workers on strike at Teesside – The executive council and general secretary of Unite the union stand in full solidarity with Svitzer tug boat workers in Teesside who are on strike for fair pay. It is disgraceful that Maersk Shipping, which owns Svitzer, is looking at record profits yet seeks to impose a zero per cent pay rise during a cost of living crisis. Unite will stand behind you, our members, every step of the way until Maersk and its subsidiary Svitzer get serious and table a real pay offer. The resources of your union will remain at your disposal to support you in your dispute read more
Striking workers increase the pressure on Chep, a major UK pallet supplier – Unite will raise the pressure on Chep UK where workers based in Trafford Park have been on strike since December 2021 in a dispute over pay. Unite has accused the company of “failing its workforce in the middle of a cost of living crisis”. The UK’s leading union is staging protests over the coming weeks across the pallet maker’s customer base in Wales and the North West including Unilever, Heinz, DHL, Heineken, Proctor and Gamble and Two Sisters. Chep UK, which is based in Trafford Park, Manchester, repairs and supplies pallets for supporting and transporting goods to a host of prominent companies. The workers have been on strike since December – and recently renewed their mandate for strike action into the spring by a majority of 94 per cent. Chep UK made £70.5 million in profit in 2021. The company would only need to increase its current pay offer by an estimated £67,000 to resolve the dispute read more
Sign this petition to Brambles CEO Graham Chipchase & Vice-President for CHEP UK & Ireland Matt Quinn – CHEP UK – Your Pay Offer is unPALLETable!
Donate via online banking or via the crowdfunder: https://gofund.me/ec1d78f7
GE Steam Rugby buyer EDF warned it’s ‘inheriting industrial unrest’ as first strike in 45 years continues – EDF’s plans to buy Rugby’s historic turbine factory could result in the French energy giant inheriting industrial unrest unless pay strikes against the current owner GE Steam Power are resolved, Unite has warned. The first strike in 45 years will continue at the 120-year-old factory tomorrow (Friday 4 March) and Monday (7 March) at Newbold Road, Rugby, CV21 2NH. 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. More than 75 Unite members, comprising nearly the entirety of the factory’s workforce, are taking a further eight days of strike action between 18 March and 2 May. Since GE Steam Power’s acquisition of the Rugby site 11 years ago, the relationship between the workers and management has been become increasingly strained over pay, redundancies, attacks on pensions and cuts to death in service benefits read more
Envases Liverpool Ltd printers to strike over dismissal of Unite rep – 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
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
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
MPs show support for PCS campaign against DWP office closures (1 Apr) – PCS took our campaign to stop office closures and job cuts to parliament this week. Our briefing session on Wednesday was attended by more than 20 MPs and parliamentary staff who were there to hear about our response to the recently announced DWP processing site closures. In addition to these back of house job cuts, 5 jobcentre closures had been announced on the day of the meeting, which increased the concern among those present read more
Politicians express concerns over swingeing cuts to British Council (31 Mar) – Serious concerns about the staffing cuts and redundancies at the British Council have been raised with foreign secretary Liz Truss by a cross-party group of parliamentarians. PCS members from across the globe have so far taken 2 days’ of strike action over plans to make more than 200 workers redundant. You can also show your support by:
- Signing our public petition
- Emailing the foreign secretary, Liz Truss
- Contacting your MP and asking them to sign our Early Day Motion
- Sharing your support on social media #HandsOffBritishCouncil
- Contacting PCS to offer your support to our campaign read more
Pay remit meeting: Cabinet Office out of touch and ignores members’ cost-of-living concerns (29 Mar) – PCS has labelled the Cabinet Office out of touch after it refused to listen to members’ concerns amidst a cost-of-living crisis read more
Atos members to take industrial action – 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
GMB
Northern Ireland Translink bus drivers reject real-terms pay cut and back strike action (1 Apr) – GMB members vote overwhelmingly for strike action. Bus drivers at Translink have backed strike action after a miserly real terms pay cut was offered by bosses. In a successful industrial action ballot conducted in Translink, 82% backed strike action. Unions submitted a pay claim of 6% to help the bus drivers, cleaners and shunters cope with rampant inflation. Inflation peaked last week at 8.2% and with further price hikes in energy costs announced this week, that figure is set to increase. Translink management have refused to budge from their offer of 3% – a real terms pay cut – and this has now been rejected for a fourth time by workers read more
Parking chaos fears as Wiltshire traffic wardens ballot for strike action (31 Mar) – GMB, the trade union for Wiltshire Council has given notice of a formal strike ballot covering all traffic wardens in Wiltshire. The affected members are facing a proposed pay cut of 10 per cent, which would reduce their pay by over £2,000 per annum. The ballot is due to open on 6 April and close on 30 April read more
Strikes called off in Croydon Hospital as GMB members win a whopping 24 percent pay rise (31 Mar) – Outsourcing giant G4S has met the demands of GMB members working at Croydon Hospital as porters and domestics who were due to take strike action from Monday 4th April. The 11th hour settlement has been accepted by the union members, who will now receive an immediate 24% pay rise with backpay and an occupational sick pay scheme read more
Victory for workers at British Gypsum after pay threat (1 Apr) – After an indicative ballot showed overwhelming support for strike action, the employer backed down. Bosses at British Gypsum had attempted to renege on a pre-agreed pay deal – but workers actions have forced them into a u-turn. In 2021 GMB signed a two year pay deal with the company that meant this year’s pay award would be directly linked to CPI. After the company attempted to renege on this deal, the GMB went to indicative ballot. On a 93% turnout, 97% voted for strike action – forcing the company to back down and agree to honour the pay award in full read more
Hundreds of thousands of care workers could be plunged back into sick pay poverty today as gov scheme ends (1 Apr) – With inflation running riot at more than 8 per cent, SSP has suffered real terms pay cut leaving workers with even less protection, says GMB Union. Care workers are set to be plunged back into sick pay poverty today [1 April] as a pandemic scheme ends, the GMB Union has warned read more
Strike dates announced for North Somerset bin strike (29 Mar) – GMB has announced the dates of industrial action in the North Somerset bin strike. Almost 100 workers at recycling centres and refuse collection services run by North Somerset Environment Company are set to walk out for six days in April; 12-13, 16 -17 and 21 – 22. More dates are under discussion after last minute talks aimed at averting the strike came to nothing last week. Industrial action is expected to affect 88,000 homes. Workers are angry after North Somerset Council, who set up the company last year, have only provided funding for a 4.5 per cent pay award over two years. With inflation running at 7.8 per cent and expected to get even higher, this amounts to a big real terms pay cut read more
Fox’s Glacier Mint workers protest over fire and rehire – Striking Fox’s Glacier Mint workers are set to stage a mass protest on Monday [28 March 2022] telling bosses to drop their fire and rehire threat. Workers will be joined by a giant polar bear, labour councillors and York Knights rugby players at the event. Staff at Valeo York, who also make Poppets and humbugs, mint assortments butter mints, rhubarb and custards and lemon sherberts for well-known supermarkets including M&S, are on strike following attacks on their pay, terms, and conditions. They have been told by bosses they will be fired and re-hired unless they agree to a new contract which reduces their holiday and pay – which some have through fear of losing their job read more
Barrow bin strike: Six more days of industrial action – Refuse collectors in Barrow have announced six more days of industrial action in their fight for a living wage. GMB members working FCC Environment will walk out on from 30 March to 1 April and then 6 to 8 April read more
Northampton refuse workers begin bin strike – Northampton town’s bin strike ballot begins today [18 March 2022] as GMB Members vote on industrial action. The ballot will close three weeks from today, on 6 April. The earliest date of any industrial action – which could affect 94,000 homes – would be 20 April. Northampton’s refuse collectors – employed by Veolia – are angry after turning down a pay offer of just 2.5 per cent – despite inflation running at a 7.8 per cent. The council, ultimately responsible for bin collections, has increased Veolia’s funding by 5.5 per cent, but the company are refusing to pass that on to workers read more
Adur and Worthing bin strike dates announced – 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
Unison
Recovery assistants in Sheffield win much-needed pay uplift (29 Mar) – The pay uplift comes as a result of a campaign to get the low paid care workers re-banded to better reflect their role. After two years of strong campaigning led by UNISON, 120 low paid recovery assistants at Sheffield Teaching hospitals have been re-banded, meaning they will earn around £1,800 more each year. The re-banding, taking the care workers from a ‘band 2’ to a ‘band 3’ on Agenda for Change terms, has been backdated to December 2019 and will result in significant backpay for the workers read more
Scottish college staff vote 80% for strike action – UNISON members across Scotland’s colleges have voted by an overwhelming 80% to move to a strike ballot. Having previously rejected the college employers’ below inflation pay offer, and with the cost of living crisis rapidly worsening, college support staff have now authorised a formal ballot for industrial action to fight for a better deal. In an online consultation, the voter turnout surpassed the 50% turnout requirement for the upcoming postal ballot. UNISON is the largest trade union for college support staff, and this consultation involved thousands of members from all parts of Scotland. Union representatives will meet with college employers leaders on Monday in a bid to resolve the dispute read more
HE workers prepare for further strikes over pay and pensions – University staff provide vital services, but they’ve seen the value of their pay plummet. Workers on the picket line in Leeds, with placards that say ‘Fair pay now’ and ‘1.5% doesn’t pay the rent’. UNISON members will take further strike days at eight universities over pay and pensions issues from this week. This is the second round of strikes at each of the universities, following a series of dates in February and earlier this month. Action is to take place during the next three weeks at Birkbeck, SOAS, City, King’s College London (all University of London), Brighton University, Gloucestershire University, Edinburgh Napier University and Leeds University. Staff at each of the institutions have voted to strike over the imposition of a 1.5% settlement in August 2021, which came on top of a 0% settlement imposed in 2020. In addition, workers at two of the universities – Leeds and SOAS – are also taking industrial action over changes to their pension, the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS). These strikes will take place on the 24 and 25 March read more
NIPSA
NI Assembly Members: Notice of Ballot for Industrial Action (1 Apr) – Members in NI Assembly please see below letter sent today to MLAs from Dooley Harte Assistant Secretary: I am writing to provide you with a copy of a press release (link below) that we have just issued today after lodging notice to ballot our members employed by the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission on Pay and Working from Home read more
NIPSA Members employed as Education Welfare Officers announce 72 Hour stoppage – NIPSA, the largest union from the non-teaching workforce in Education, announces that members employed as Education Welfare Officers will embark on 3 full days of strike action commencing 2nd March read more
CWU
Don’t forget to vote – Telefonica/VM02 pay ballot opens (31 Mar) – Thousands of members begin a consultative e-poll called by the union to assess their views on the sub-inflation pay deal imposed by the business read more
“Levelling Up” the Parcels Delivery Market (31 Mar) – The CWU has long been concerned that exploitation is rife amongst parcel delivery drivers. Outside of the Royal Mail Group, the vast majority of workers are bogusly self-employed. They’ve no access to the minimum wage, sick pay or holiday pay and drivers are often mistreated at the hands of their employers read more
Post Office strike vote: 97.3% vote YES to action (28 Mar) – Strikes are likely if bosses do not settle wage claim of loyal and hard-working counters, admin and supply chain workers, following 97.3 per cent YES vote in national ballot. Every Crown office in the UK will stop work and there will be no cash delivered or collected from our nation’s 11,500 sub-Post Offices unless senior management break the deadlock and end their unjustified pay freeze, warned the CWU today. “This fantastic show of support by our members expresses their anger and frustration at being undervalued, once again, by a misguided and out of touch employer,” commented CWU assistant secretary Andy Furey, after the ballot result was announced earlier. Also, this democratic and nationwide vote is proof of our members’ collective determination to stand up and fight for a fair deal – and again I want to say how extremely proud I am of all of them and how this makes our Postal Executive all the more determined that we win the pay rise our members so richly deserve.” The CWU is calling upon the Post Office to respond with either an acceptable proposal or an offer of meaningful negotiations, otherwise the union will decide when to call the first strike. Strike action is highly likely to impact significantly on the wider Post Office network, as a consequence of cash-in-transit drivers not providing required funding. Also, there is likely to be further disruption, with closed post offices impacting upon regular letter and parcel collections read more
NEU
Teachers’ unions in Northern Ireland come together to launch a pay campaign (31 Mar) – With inflation running at 6.2% and projected by the Bank of England to rise to over 8% in the time ahead teachers are right to have rejected the pay offer made to them. The members of the Northern Ireland Teachers Council ([NITC), the representative body for the teachers’ unions, have agreed to act jointly to make finding an acceptable resolution to the question of teachers pay an election issue. The campaign was prompted by the rejection by the teachers’ unions of an inadequate pay offer from the Department of Education and the employing authorities read more
Support these strikes:-
NASUWT
No justification for keeping Randstad contract (1 Apr) – Commenting on reports that Randstad is to be stripped of the contract to provide the National Tutoring Programme, Dr Patrick Roach, General Secretary of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union, said: “The NASUWT has always argued that we need a teacher-led education recovery and renewal in order to secure the best outcomes for children and young people from the disruption of the last two years. If the performance of Randstad, which has been handed huge amounts of taxpayers money, has been inadequate, there can be no justification for keeping their contract in place for one more day, let alone for another term…” read more
NASUWT continues to oppose below inflation teachers’ pay offer (31 Mar) – NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union, has today continued to oppose and reject the acceptance of the latest below inflation pay offer from employers at a meeting of the SNCT Teachers’ Panel read more
Pocklington teachers strike to protect pensions (21 Mar) – Members of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union at Pocklington School in East Yorkshire are starting the first of five days of planned strike action tomorrow (Tuesday) after being threatened with dismissal from their jobs unless they agree to new contracts that would leave them with worse pensions. The Employer is seeking to withdraw from the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS) and impose inferior pension arrangements on teachers which would adversely affect their future financial security read more
Northumberland teachers take strike action over workload and working practices – Members of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union at Bedlington Academy in Northumberland will take the first of fifteen planned days of strike action tomorrow (7 Mar) over adverse management practices which are negatively impacting on members’ health and welfare. Members at the school are facing excessive and unacceptable workload burdens, along with a failure by management to put in place effective measures to manage pupil behaviour read more
Ipswich teachers strike to protect pensions – Members of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union at Ipswich School are taking the first of six days of planned strike action tomorrow (1 Mar) after being threatened with dismissal from their jobs unless they agree to new contracts that would leave them with worse pensions and working conditions. The Employer is seeking to withdraw from the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS) and impose inferior pension arrangements on teachers which would adversely affect their future financial security read more
London teachers strike over attack on pensions – 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 22 Feb), 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
EIS
College Lecturers Vote for Industrial Action in Pursuit of Fair pay Offer (1 Apr) – Following protracted negotiations, that began with the submission of a pay claim in June 2021, EIS-FELA members have voted strongly for both strike action and action short of strike, in pursuit of a pay award that recognises their efforts during the COVID 19 Pandemic. Meeting the restrictive statutory ballot threshold set by the UK Government, over 70% of EIS-FELA members voting indicated their willingness to take strike action and over 80% indicated that they are ready to use action short of strike, including a resulting boycott in terms of qualifications, if no further improvement can be made by the Employers’ Side of the National Joint Negotiating Committee (NJNC). Following the conclusion of the statutory ballot, EIS-FELA has requested further negotiations, in an effort to avoid further disruptive industrial action, across all colleges in Scotland, due to begin in only a few weeks read more
EIS Members Accept Last Year’s Pay Offer but This Year’s Offer Must be Larger (29 Mar) – Members of the country’s largest teaching union, the EIS, have voted to accept a pay offer for last year which should have been settled by April 2021. EIS members have been voting on the offer, 2.23% (1.22% effective from April 1 2021 and a further 1% effective from 1 January 2022), for the past two weeks and have now voted to accept by a margin of 80% (for) to 20% (against), on a turnout of 45%. Accordingly, the EIS Salaries Committee will move to formalise acceptance of the offer through the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT) and then push employers for an early settlement of this year’s pay claim – due to be applied in just 3 days, from 1st April 2022 read more
UCU
‘Seize the moment’ and ‘revoke pension cuts’, vice chancellors told as trustee reveals vast improvement in scheme’s finances (31 Mar) – UCU today demanded vice-chancellors order their employer body UUK to revoke brutal cuts to pensions after a drastic improvement to the USS finances was revealed by the trustee. Under pension proposals, set to come into force tomorrow (Friday) and supported by vice-chancellors and UUK, the typical staff member is set to lose 35% from their guaranteed retirement income. Employers say this is justified after a deficit was reported in the scheme when it was last valued in March 2020 as markets were crashing due to the pandemic. However, this week a new report by the trustee which manages the scheme, has reported assets increasing to over £88bn. The trustee says that growth has outstripped liabilities and that the level of contributions required to service the deficit – has now fallen to 0% read more
Strike action at 27 universities begins as survey shows most UK university staff considering leaving the sector (28 Mar) – University staff at 27 universities begin a five day walkout today over cuts to pensions and deteriorating pay and conditions. The UK wide action started last week when staff at 40 universities downed tools for five days. This is the third round of strike action this academic year. Staff recently took up to 10 days of strike action over three weeks, from Monday 14 February to Wednesday 2 March, and previously went on strike for three days in December 2021. The University and College Union (UCU) also warned of a staff exodus from UK universities after two thirds of university staff said they are considering leaving the sector. The finding comes from a new UCU report ‘UK Higher Education – a workforce in crisis’ based on a survey of almost 7,000 university staff at over 100 institutions read more
Staffordshire University to face two additional days of strike action in March and April – UCU has today (22 Mar) – announced two additional days of strike action at Staffordshire University, unless management drop plans to employ new staff via a wholly owned subsidiary company. Staff are already striking next Monday 28 March, so the university now faces staff walking out for two days next week and again in April. The full strike days are Monday 28 March, Wednesday 30 March and Thursday 7 April. The latest announcement comes after Staffordshire University staff voted to strike over management’s introduction of a two-tier workforce. The union has also announced that its members will take part in action short of a strike which begins on Thursday 31 March and could last up to five months unless management reverses its contract changes. This will include working strictly to contract and refusing to undertake voluntary activities. The additional strike days have seen the university cancel an applicant visit day, planned for 30 March. 70% of staff who voted in the ballot voted yes to strike action. 80% of those who voted also voted yes to action short of strike read more
Ballots for industrial action open today at universities across the UK – UCU today (16 Mar) began balloting staff to take further industrial action over cuts to pensions and deteriorating pay and conditions.
- 149 universities being balloted for strike action and action short of strike.
- Five days of strike action also set to begin at 68 universities next week
- Preparation being made for UK wide marking and assessment boycott
UCU said the ballots, which opened at 149 universities today and will run until Friday 8 April, pave the way for action to continue throughout the remainder of 2022. The union’s members are voting on whether to take strike action and action short of strike (ASOS) in both of the two ongoing disputes: pensions, and pay and working conditions [NOTE 1]. UCU originally balloted universities in October 2021, and mandates at most universities will end on Tuesday 3 May. Successful reballots will allow staff to continue taking action through this calendar year. Over 50k university staff at 68 universities are set to begin five more days of strike action from Monday 21 March, after recently taking up to ten days of strike action over three weeks, from Monday 14 February to Wednesday 2 March, having gone on strike for three days in December 2021. In total 149 universities face new ballots. Staff at 65 universities in the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) are being balloted over pension cuts, and staff at 143 universities are being balloted over pay and working conditions. Some universities face ballots in both disputes, others just one. Successful ballots could see action short of strike such as a marking and assessment boycott beginning next term. This could stop hundreds of thousands of students from graduating 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.
FBU
Minister “dismantled the fire service” in years before Grenfell fire (30 Mar) – The FBU has highlighted the role of Brandon Lewis in damaging the fire and rescue service in the years preceding Grenfell as he appears before the inquiry. Brandon Lewis MP was minister with responsibility for fire between 2012 and 2014, and again from 2016 to 2017. Today he is the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. He is appearing to give evidence before the Grenfell Tower Inquiry today, Wednesday 30 March, and is the first politician to do so read more
Grenfell Tower Inquiry: politicians “must take brunt of blame” as they take to the stand (30 Mar) – Politicians are set to appear as witnesses at the Grenfell Tower Inquiry for the first time on Wednesday 30 March, amidst calls for the inquiry to highlight the role of governments in creating the system that in turn caused the disaster. Brandon Lewis MP, now Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, was minister with responsibility for fire from 2012-2014 and again in 2016-17 read more
NUJ
Afghanistan: NUJ condemns ongoing media crackdown (1 Apr) – Restrictions on media reporting enforced by the Taliban have intensified in recent weeks, with several journalists arrested and international news broadcasters taken off air. The National Union of Journalists has condemned a foreign media ban by the Taliban, and the harmful impact restrictions will have on press freedom read more
Croatia: NUJ expresses concern over increasing use of SLAPPs (1 Apr) – Over 900 active cases including those against journalists are burdening courts and attempting to censor the press. The National Union of Journalists has joined the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) in recognising the need for an urgent change in law, to end the growing use of strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) to silence and harass journalists in Croatia read more
Journalist Chris Mullin interviews with the NUJ (31 Mar) – Extending his gratitude to the union for its support, Chris Mullin reflects on the production order brought against him by West Midlands Police. On 22 March, Chris Mullin and the NUJ welcomed the protection of sources victory following a legal bid under the Terrorism Act 2000, requiring Mullin to disclose his source for his Birmingham Six investigations read more
Prospect
2-3% pay remit guidance means yet another crippling real-terms pay cut for civil servants (31 Mar) – The government has today published its Civil Service Pay Remit Guidance which sets the envelope for pay rises in the civil service – it has set the range at 2-3% read more
Equity
Win for improving working conditions in fringe theatres (31 Mar) – Equity, and Islington’s Hope Theatre and King’s Head Theatre have both agreed updated House Agreements to improve the pay and working conditions for actors, performers and stage management in all productions at those theatres. The agreement ensures that all performance and stage management professionals working at the Hope Theatre and King’s Head Theatre are protected by fair terms and conditions. It also commits all productions to stronger working practices, placing dignity at work and equality at the heart of productions read more
The sacking of P&O Ferries workers is an attack on us all (31 Mar) – The sacking, without notice, of 800 P&O Ferries workers is an obscene attack on workers’ rights. It has exposed how weak UK employment law is in protecting working people. It has also thrust into plain sight the total disregard some employers have for workers’ rights and dignity at work. We are a union of 47,000 actors, dancers, singers, stage management directors and performing artists. We are not a union of seafarers – although our members do perform on cruise ships – but this is an attack on every single working person. That’s why we’re standing in solidarity with sacked P&O Ferries workers. On 18 March 2022 members of Equity’s Kent General Branch were joined by Equity General Secretary Paul W Fleming at a demo on the shores of Dover. Together with fellow unions and activists, we sent a message to P&O Ferries (which is owned by DP World) to reemploy the 800 workers read more
Sign the petition to save Stratford Circus! https://www.change.org/p/save-stratford-circus
USDAW
IKEA proposes the closure of their Tottenham store as part of a London restructure – Usdaw will now enter into consultation talks (30 Mar) – Retail trade union Usdaw will now enter into consultation talks after IKEA today announced the proposed closure their Tottenham store, putting around 450 jobs at risk read more
#ReinstateMax: 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
Messages of solidarity and photos can be sent to [email protected]
UVW
Security guards at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) are on strike every Friday in April as part of their fight against racist outsourcing. The trustees need to do the right thing and give these workers the rights they deserve! Support the six-week GOSH security guards strike read more on UVW Facebook page
Solidarity with P&O Ferries’ workers and their families (31 Mar) – “This month, like thieves in the night P&O ferries sacked 800 workers by pre-recorded video message, causing chaos, wrecking lives, leaving passengers stranded & aid cargo at a standstill. They even had security guards with handcuffs at the ready. UVW members went to Dover to stand with the seafarers & their families read more
The new national minimum wage is a poverty wage. let’s fight for more! (31 Mar) – “I’m getting a 10p an hour rise from April 1… but what am I going to do with that, with all the costs going through the roof? … We are on poverty wages and we are working more and more for less money. .. We are becoming slaves.” Efilsuver, facilities sector worker and UVW member read more
IWGB
Longest Gig-Economy Strike Hits Day 100 as Stuart Delivery Boss Admits to Pay Cuts in Meeting (1 Apr) – The longest gig-economy strike in history hits day 100 as JustEat subcontractor Stuart Delivery’s UK general manager Brendan Hamill declares pay was previously too high in recent meetings with a union representative. This represents the first admission from the company that the new pay structure equates to a pay cut, despite Stuart previously claiming that the 24% cut to the base rate rolled out in early December 2021 was “fairer” read more
Write to Stuart Delivery, JustEat: END THE STRIKE, PAY RISE NOW!
Write to London Bridge Hospital: End poverty pay & poor treatment of cleaners! Use this quick tool to back the workers by writing to the London Bridge Hospital bosses at HCA Healthcare and Compass Group read more
SIPTU (Ireland)
SIPTU members to take industrial action at LISK Ireland Ltd on 4th April (31 Mar) – SIPTU members employed in LISK Ireland Ltd will commence industrial action at its manufacturing plant in Gort, county Galway at 8.00 a.m. on Monday, 4th April, in a dispute resulting from the failure of the company to engage with union representatives on a number of issues of concern to workers read more
Other News
Conference: UNDERCOVER POLICING, TRADE UNIONS AND SOCIAL ACTIVISM by Blacklist Support Group, TMG, PSOOL, COPSSat, 7 May 2022 10:30 – 17:30 at UNITE House, 128 Theobald’s Rd, Holborn,
London WC1X 8TN read more & register. Our conference will increase awareness of the impact of political policing on trade unions and movements for social change since 1968
Ceilidh for Palestine Saturday 14th May 7pm – hosted by South East Kent Palestine Solidarity Campaign. Commemorating al-Nakba and celebrating resilience. Join us for an Irish and Palestinian cultural celebration with a performance by Hawiyya Dabke Dance Troupe and Ceilidh Tree’s ace fiddles and amazing caller, guaranteed to get you dancing. With speakers, fundraising raffle, food, stalls and more! All funds raised will support South East Kent PSC. Please buy tickets and encourage family and friends to join us. Details about tickets here
Fight blacklisting and victimisation of union reps
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])
QC appointed to lead the independent Unite inquiry into blacklisting (25 Mar) – Unite is delighted to announce that Nick Randall QC and John Carl Townsend have been appointed to investigate the possible collusion by union officers in blacklisting. Over the past months, evidence gathering by Thompsons solicitors has continued, with many blacklisted construction workers and other witnesses having already been interviewed. The work of the independent investigators is expected to start officially on 11 April 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
Tunisia: journalists plan strike in opposition to increasing press restrictions (31 Mar) – Media workers in the country will strike on 2 April in protest at diminishing media freedom read more on NUJ website
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
June
18 TUC National Demonstration – 12noon Parliament Square, Westminster, London SW1P 3BD read more
July
2 NSSN Conference 2022 11am-4.30pm Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL Facebook event
9 Durham Miners’ Gala 2022 Facebook event
15-17 Tolpuddle Martyrs’ Festival 2022 read more
September
11 NSSN TUC Rally 1pm Brighton
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
