NSSN 588: March together on TUC demo then strike together

TUC National Demonstration Saturday 18th June Central London – 11am assemble and 12pm depart from Portland Place W1A 1AA, rally 1pm at Parliament Square

NSSN Open Mic – opposite Downing Street on Whitehall. Come and have your say why you are marching and what needs to happen to get the pay rise we all deserve

Workers will be marching through the streets of London on Saturday 18 June on the TUC demo because they see the need to fight for a real inflation-proof pay rise that can combat the biggest squeeze on our living standards for generations. The cost of living is going through the roof with real inflation over double figures and energy prices soaring. The privately-owned gas and electricity companies should be taken back into public ownership to stop the profiteers.

We’ve already seen waves of strike action as workers have fought the bosses and Tory offensive as they look to make us pay the price for Covid. Many have now won victories on pay. But the dispute at P&O shows that with the bosses’ profits at stake, they will use brutal measures on the back of the vicious fire and rehire.  The Tories are also threatening even more anti-union laws as railworkers take action. The whole union movement must stand with the RMT.

Mass united action can push back the Tories and bosses. 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.

There is big potential for mass united action now, given the increasing strikes taking place. On top of these, three days after the demo 50,000 RMT members will strike together, while CWU members in British Telecom and Royal Mail are preparing for national strike ballots. Unions in the public sector need to come together to co-ordinate industrial action ballots as their members face yet another effective pay cut. Today’s demonstration must be the platform for industrial action across the public and private sectors that can win victories and force out this crisis-ridden Tory government.

There is transport being organised in every area for the 18th June demo – details here: https://www.tuc.org.uk/travel-coach

More info – https://www.tuc.org.uk/DemandBetter

Also, in the run up to the demo, the TUC and unions are organising public Town Hall meetings around the country. Details of these can be found here

 

2022 NSSN Conference: ‘Mobilise and organise to all strike together after the 18th June TUC Demo’ – Saturday 2nd July 11am-4.30pm Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL Facebook event

NSSN conf ad for paper II

The NSSN was initiated by the RMT under its late great general secretary Bob Crow in 2006. We continue to build solidarity and support for unions and their members taking action. This will be the 15th national NSSN conference and as usual will be a vital forum for union reps and members along with anti-cuts campaigners to come together to talk about their struggles and discuss out the strategy, tactics and programme needed for the fight of our lives.

March together on June 18th, organise to strike together!

Confirmed speakers include: Sharon Graham Unite General Secretary, Steve Gillan POA General Secretary, Sarah Woolley BFAWU General Secretary, Terry Pullinger CWU Deputy General Secretary Postal and Unite Coventry bin striker

Attendance fee £6. Register on the day or email [email protected]

You can download the conference leaflet plus a letter for union branches, trades councils

The NSSN will be again holding our rally at TUC Congress in Brighton on Sunday 11th September 1pm-3pm

Coventry NSSN Public Meeting: ‘After the TUC demo & on the first day of the national rail strike – Building the Fightback against the Cost of Living Crisis’ – 7pm Tuesday 21st June,   Central Hall, Warwick Lane, Coventry CV1 2HA Facebook event

Speakers:

Rob Williams, chair NSSN (ex Fords Unite Convenor)

Pete Randle, deputy convenor Coventry Council HGV drivers

Speaker from RMT strike

Chair: Jane Nellist, President Coventry TUC

All welcome. Plenty of time for discussion.

 

Railworkers strike back – support the strikes

The NSSN sends support to the RMT and their members and other transport unions who are taking action in the next week. And as the crisis-ridden Tories have raised bringing in even more new anti-union laws, specifically aimed at transport workers, the whole trade union movement will need to act in solidarity with the RMT and the other transport unions if Johnson’s government intervenes.

RMT response Grant Shapps’ comments on the national rail dispute (12 June) – Responding to Grant Shapps comments on the national rail dispute and potential changes to allow agency workers to break strikes, RMT general secretary RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “Grant Shapps needs to stop smearing the RMT and unshackle the rail operating companies so they can come to a negotiated settlement that can end this dispute. Railway workers voted overwhelmingly for strike action in defence of their jobs and for a pay rise that deals with the rising cost of living. It is insulting to them to suggest they do not understand the issues that affect their daily lives or cannot make a democratic decision by themselves read more

RMT launch 3 days of national train strike action (7 June) – Rail union RMT launch 3 days of national strike action across the railway network. Over 50,000 railway workers will walkout as part of 3 days of national strike action later this month, in the biggest dispute on the network since 1989. The union will shut down the country’s railway network on 21st, 23rd and 25th June, due to the inability of the rail employers to come to a negotiated settlement with RMT. Network Rail and the train operating companies have subjected their staff to multiyear pay freezes and plan to cut thousands of jobs which will make the railways unsafe. Despite intense talks with the rail bosses, RMT has not been able to secure a pay proposal nor a guarantee of no compulsory redundancies. In a separate dispute over pensions and job losses, London Underground RMT members will take strike action on June 21st read more

Unite members at TfL and London Underground to strike over pensions, pay and jobs (8 June) – Strikes will hit the capital’s transport network this month as Unite members at Transport for London (TfL) and London Underground (LU) take action to defend pay, pensions and jobs. On Tuesday 21 June, over 1,000 Unite members will walk out in protest at plans to slash the value of their pensions and close the existing final salary scheme. Due to shift patterns, services could also be hit on 22 June. Unite says that the pension cuts are an unacceptable effort to make members pay the price of the pandemic. The cuts are being demanded by central government in return for ongoing pandemic recovery funding for TfL. The workers are also angry over TfL’s failure to make an acceptable pay offer to members for either 2021 or 2022, and concerns that TfL refuses to guarantee there will be no job cuts read more

ASLEF: Vote ‘Yes’ – we will not stand for years of pay cuts (1 June)

TSSA: Strike action ballots for Cross Country, East Midlands Railway and West Midlands Trains (10 June)

TSSA ballots Avanti West Coast members for strike action (9 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.

 

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

Sign petition to Councillor George Duggins – Coventry Council: Reinstate Pete Randle, stop union busting, stop strike breaking and pay the rate

100 per cent strike vote by HGV drivers sends determined message to Coventry Council (7 June) – In a resounding show of unity and determination, striking HGV drivers in Coventry have voted to renew their strike mandate and continue industrial action into the summer. Putting pressure on Coventry council to settle with the union, 100 per cent of those workers who voted support continuing strike action until an agreement is reached. The HGV drivers have been on all out-strike since 31 January in a dispute over low pay and the council’s refusal to pay the HGV refuse lorry drivers the market rate for the job 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]

 

Solidarity with GMB as arrests made on Wealden bin strike picket

The NSSN like many others in the trade union movement sent solidarity to the GMB after officers and a member were arrested last Friday. They remained in police custody for hours but were released later that day. This was an outrageous act. The NSSN will continue to support the GMB and its members in Wealden. Donate to GMB Southern region fighting fund

There is a protest to support the three officials who got arrested last week on the Wealden Biffa picket line. Three of them have been charged with obstructing a public highway and ordered to appear at Hastings Magistrates Court 29th June at 10am

GMB responding to reports of arrests on Wealden refuse strike picket line this morning (27 May) – “GMB members, the majority of whom earn less than £10 an hour, working for Biffa in Wealden, East Sussex have been on strike for four weeks today. The protests have been peaceful throughout. GMB understands three of the picketers were arrested today whilst asking strike breakers not to cover the work of those fighting for better pay, including a manager driving a vehicle who GMB and the strikers believe does not have the correct paperwork to drive the vehicle he was in. This is a serious health and safety risk for GMB members on the picket line he was crossing and the general public. The licence violation was reported to the police. At ACAS talks on Wednesday, GMB made a counter offer to Biffa to settle the dispute, which included major concessions and which the company rejected. GMB remains ready to return to talks; anytime, any place, anywhere but the refuse workers of Wealden are determined to be paid enough to feed and support themselves and their families.”

 

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

RMT statement on Ukraine

Unite executive council – statement on Ukraine crisis

NIPSA statement: Russian Invasion of Ukraine

 

NSSN news

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 statement on Scotrail pay offer (10 June) – RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “This matter has not been considered by our National Executive Committee and will be put before them next week so they can make a decision.” Read more

Churchill cleaners began 5 days of strike action (2 June) – Cleaners continue their fight for a £15 per hour. Staff in cleaning roles on GTR, Network Rail, HS1 and South East Trains will be on picket lines throughout the weekend. The union is demanding Churchill pay company sick pay and free travel for cleaning staff across the network, to bring them in line with every other railway worker on the network. Due to the cost-of-living crisis with prices rising at their fastest rate in 30 years and inflation running at 11.1 percent, these workers need a pay rise now. Churchill made £39m profit in 2020 but is flat out refusing to raise cleaners’ wages to a liveable standard. Reports from picket lines suggested no trains were being cleaned and RMT members were in good spirits in their fight for pay justice read more

48 hour TransPennine Express strike action goes ahead (1 June) – TPE conductors on major railway lines will take 48 hours of strike action from Saturday in row over pay and Sunday working. The company continues to refuse TPE conductors’ request to increase pay for staff coming in on their days off and Sundays. However, this week it emerged, that TPE bosses have offered drivers an increase of 15% for working on their days off. RMT has made it clear if the same offer was made to conductors, then this latest strike action would be suspended read more

Atalian Servest cleaners strike (30 May) – Further to our previous correspondence, despite your union’s best efforts to try to resolve this matter, Atalian Servest has continued to fail to negotiate a pay offer which is adequate. At the conclusion of the latest talks, the company advised your union that intend to impose their latest derisory pay offer. Therefore, the strike action this weekend which I previously notified you about remains on. For ease of reference members are instructed not to book on for any shifts that commence between: 00:01 hours on Saturday 4th June 2022 and 23:59 on Sunday 5th June 2022 read more

Support the London Night Tube strike: every Friday and Saturday nights on Central and Victoria lines read more

 

ASLEF

Vote ‘Yes’ – we will not stand for years of pay cuts (1 June) – We continually visit branches, testing what we are doing, to avoid accusations of an ivory tower mentality or of being London-centric. Naturally, in a fractionalised industry, with the continual carving up of the franchise map, ‘one size fits all’ policies are difficult to deliver but aspiration cannot – and should not – be tempered but encouraged read more

 

TSSA

Strike action ballots for Cross Country, East Midlands Railway and West Midlands Trains (10 June) – Rail union TSSA has served notice to ballot hundreds more staff for strike action and action short of strike. Members at train operators Cross Country, East Midlands Railway and West Midlands Trains will be balloted for action in a dispute over pay, conditions and job security. These ballots follow a similar move in Avanti West Coast in an escalating dispute across the railway. TSSA has served notice for ballots in the three companies on the following timetable:

Ballots open: Thursday 16 June; Ballots close: Thursday 7 July

570 members will be balloted across these three companies, taking the total number of TSSA members being balloted to 870. Ballots would allow for strike action – a last resort – to take place ahead of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. TSSA is demanding a guarantee of no compulsory redundancies for 2022, no unagreed changes to terms and conditions, and a pay increase which reflects the rising cost of living read more

TSSA ballots Avanti West Coast members for strike action (9 June) – TSSA has served notice to ballot to Avanti West Coast in a dispute over pay, conditions and job security. Rail union TSSA has served notice to ballot hundreds of staff for strike action and action short of strike at train operator Avanti West Coast in a dispute over pay, conditions and job security. This is the first ballot for industrial action launched by TSSA in an escalating dispute across the railway. Notice to ballot was given following the failure of dispute resolution processes. TSSA has collective bargaining rights for all station and revenue protection staff at Avanti West Coast, and for managers with salaries of less than around £35,000. We also represent other managers at the company. TSSA is demanding a guarantee of no compulsory redundancies for 2022, no unagreed changes to terms and conditions, and a pay increase which reflects the rising cost of living. Ballot papers are set to be dispatched on 15 June with the ballot closing on 29 June. The result is expected the same day. In the event of a yes vote, strike action could take place as early as 13 July. Members are being asked to cast two votes: one on strike action, another on action short of strike. TSSA is balloting 300 members read more

 

Unite

Workers have had enough – cap profiteering not workers’ rights, says Unite (12 June) – Responding to the government’s threat to change the law to allow agency workers to be used to break strikes, Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “If the government continues to fly this ‘false flag’, then the trade union movement must be ready to respond. “Workers have had enough of being told by the rich and powerful to meekly accept what they are given. It is profiteering corporations, not ordinary workers who are driving the latest surge in inflation and making fools of us all…” read more

Unite secures pay deal for 50 ABM workers at Glasgow Airport (10 June) – Unite has secured a pay deal for around 50 cleaners employed by ABM based at Glasgow Airport, the UK’s leading aviation trade union confirmed. The deal will raise basic pay to £9.90 per hour, an increase of 9 per cent backdated to April 2022 and has been overwhelmingly accepted by Unite members. The deal means that in recent weeks Unite has secured major wins for around 800 workers at Glasgow Airport. The ABM cleaners were at the forefront of ensuring that Glasgow Airport was fully compliant with the safety measures and procedures put in place at the beginning and throughout the Covid pandemic read more

Moy Park shamed as Unite reveals Randalstown workers paid `scandalous’ £5k a year less (9 June) – Production down by three-quarters as pickets stand strong. Unite workers now on fourth day of strike action at Randalstown plant. Unite has determined that Moy Park is paying its workers there  £5,000 a year less than workers at other company sites. Revealing the shocking pay disparity, Unite says that Maintenance Electrical engineers at Moy Park’s Carn Hatchery start with a base salary advertised as £32k a year. But a worker doing the same work at Randalstown starts on £26.6k – a staggering difference of over £5k a year. Randalstown drivers are also paid less than other company drivers.  The union has calculated that on a standard 11.5 hour working day, drivers based at Randalstown receive £13.35 less a day than drivers based at Dungannon. Over a six day week, that is a difference of £80.10 or £4,165 over a year read more

Bexley council must sort out contractor or bin pay dispute will escalate, warns Unite (9 June) – Bexley council, in South London, has been called on to sort out one of its contractors amid a bin strike ballot over pay and ‘appalling’ treatment by management. Unite, the UK’s leading union, said that more than 100 of its members, employed by Countryside Recycling, which runs bin collections in the Bexley area, are being balloted for strike action over a two per cent pay offer. Unite described the offer as an ‘insulting pay cut’ and said the refuse workers are demanding a wage increase that reflects rocketing living costs. The real rate of inflation (RPI) stands at 11.1 per cent and rising. The union says that workers are also angry that management are keeping them at work up to two and half hours later than they need to be after a round is completed, which is a breach of contract. Unite’s members also report that CCTV monitoring is being used to unfairly target workers. The ballot will close on 27 June, with any resultant strike action beginning in July read more

Big name brands Diageo, Chivas, Bacardi, Carlsberg among those facing bottle shortages this summer as workers at Owens Illinois (O-I) Glass take strike action in pay dispute (9 June) – Over 160 workers, members of Unite the union, are set to walk out in rejection of a pay offer of just four per cent, which the union says is a pay cut given the real inflation rate (RPI) currently stands 11.1 per cent. O-I Glass’s quarterly results released in March this year shows significant growth in both revenue and net income. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “O-I Glass is another shameful example of a business that can afford to pay a decent wage but won’t pay. The offer on the table is a pay cut, not a rise, and is entirely unacceptable. O-I Glass needs to return with an acceptable offer or face strike action by our members, who will have the full support of their union in this fight for fair pay.” Strike action will be across three sites: the Devilla Forest Quarry and the Glasshouse Loan which are both in Alloa, Scotland, and the company’s plant in Edinburgh Way, Harlow. Strikes will begin with a 24 hour strike at the Devilla Forest Quarry, on Wednesday 15 June, this will be followed by a 48 hour strike at the Glasshouse in Alloa, beginning on Thursday 16 June. The workers at the Harlow plant will then stage a 48 hour walkout beginning on Sunday 19 June. Further strike action is set to be announced in the near future. Hopes of progress in the dispute collapsed this week when the company simply restated their previous pay offer during negotiations read more

Staff at FCA prepare for second wave of strike action as FoI requests exposes a “deep crisis” (9 June) – Freedom of Information (FoI) requests lodged by Unite has revealed that 1,000 employees have left the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) since CEO, Nikhil Rathi took office in October 2020, prompting the union to warn of a deep crisis at the regulator. The news comes as Unite members prepare to stage a second wave of strike action in London and Edinburgh for two days beginning on Thursday (9 June).Unite says the FCA is in crisis and is haemorrhaging staff. It can no longer claim to be an effective or reliable regulator read more

Unite members at TfL and London Underground to strike over pensions, pay and jobs (8 June) – Strikes will hit the capital’s transport network this month as Unite members at Transport for London (TfL) and London Underground (LU) take action to defend pay, pensions and jobs. On Tuesday 21 June, over 1,000 Unite members will walk out in protest at plans to slash the value of their pensions and close the existing final salary scheme. Due to shift patterns, services could also be hit on 22 June read more

Major Unite victory protects workers’ rights at Ineos (8 June) – In a major victory for Unite the union and workers employed at the Ineos Grangemouth site, a tribunal has ruled that an employer cannot impose a pay offer – and that Ineos must now compensate workers for attempting to do so. Unite says that the long-anticipated Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) judgement also has huge ramifications for workers everywhere, and calls on employers to note that any attempts to impose pay deals or present them as a `final offer’ will be challenged by the union. The EAT has also awarded each of Unite’s 28 members who took the claim £3,830.  It is estimated that Ineos’s breach of the legislation will cost the company in total over £100,000 in compensation read more

Strikes over poverty pay at Red Funnel set to shut down Southampton to Cowes ferries (8 June) – Strike action could shut down all Southampton to Cowes ferry services, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today (Wednesday). In a dispute over poverty pay, around 120 customer service staff, shunters and ratings, who work on Red Funnel’s Southampton to Cowes passenger ferry and car ferry, will be balloted for strike action between 14 June and 5 July. The workers have rejected a pay offer of 4.5 per cent, rising to 6.5 per cent for the lowest paid staff. They are calling for an increase that reflects the real, fast-rising cost of living which Unite says runs at 11.1 per cent. The majority of the employees at Red Funnel, which operates the lucrative routes, are on the national minimum wage. Unite says the workers are increasingly struggling to pay increased rents. Some are turning to food banks and ‘making the most’ of food allowances at work to keep bills down read more

Doncaster rail maintenance workers to strike over ‘abhorrent’ fire and rehire by US multi-national (8 June) – Unions declare ‘shame on you’ to Wabtec’s breaking of proud history. Members of Unite and the RMT unions employed by rail maintenance firm Wabtec in Doncaster will strike over ‘abhorrent’ fire and rehire plans. Over 200 workers will take strike action on 10, 11, 12 and 13 June. A second round of strike action will begin on 27 June and end on 3 July, with more strikes set to be announced. The unions say that the US-owned firm is bringing shame to Doncaster, home of the Flying Scotsman, which was built on the site Wabtec operates from. Wabtec is seeking to fire and rehire the workers onto new contracts that will see breaks cut and staff having to work extra hours, including at the end of their shift, for no extra pay. The company is offering workers that sign the contracts a two-year below inflation pay rise. With inflation (RPI) running at 11.1 percent, this is a real terms pay cut over two years. The unions are advising staff who have been pressurised by management during one-to-one meetings into signing the new contracts that they can still take action to fight the changes read more

Main port on Shetland Isles could be forced to close after negotiations with Port Authority break down (8 June) – Unite warns strikes could bring Lerwick harbour to a standstill. Unite the union confirmed today (8 June) that its members working at the Lerwick Port Authority are set to start all-out strike action in a dispute over pay, terms and conditions. Around a dozen key workers will begin continuous strike action from 00:01 hours on Monday 20 June at the main port in the Shetland Islands.  The all-out strike marks an escalation from the current overtime bans, and will bring operations at the port to a ‘standstill’ impacting cruise liners and oil and gas vessels, as well as the general shipping read more

Croydon facing stinking summer as Veolia workers announce strike over poverty pay (7 June) – Refuse workers employed by French-owned waste management company Veolia on the outsourced Croydon council refuse collection contract will strike for an initial three weeks this summer in a dispute over poverty pay. Over 100 refuse workers who are members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, and employed as drivers, loaders and sweepers, will begin strike action on Thursday 16 June with the strike ending on Friday 8 July. Further strike action could be announced if no progress is made in the dispute. The workers are striking over poverty rates of pay, with many workers earning over £7,000 a year less than comparative roles in other London boroughs read more

Pay strikes at UK’s only ink manufacturer to hit Daily Mail, Amcor, Scheizwer and Multi-Colour Corp – Pay strikes at the UK’s only ink manufacturer, Sun Chemical, will impact the printing of the Daily Mail as well as production for Amcor, Scheizwer and Multi-Colour Corp. Nearly 200 Sun Chemical employees, members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, will take strike action at sites across the country over an ‘insulting’ three per cent pay offer. An overtime ban will commence on 6 June followed by a 24-hour strike on 9 June at seven sites, with more strikes set to be announced. The sites are in Bristol, Midsomer Norton in Somerset, Workington in Cumbria, Alfreton in Derbyshire and Heywood, Milnrow and Urmston in Greater Manchester. Sun Chemicals is part of the global DIC corporation. According to the DIC 2021 report, the corporation made £2.5 billion in profits, with its Europe and Africa division, of which Sun Chemicals is the largest company, netting profits of £60 million read more

Yorkshire bus passengers face severe disruption as Arriva workers announce extensive strike action over `pitiful’ pay – Bus passengers in Yorkshire are braced for substantial strike action in June as workers challenge Arriva’s failure to tackle low pay. Over 650 members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, have recorded 96 per cent vote in favour of strike action following the company’s pitiful offer of a 4.1 per cent pay increase, far below the real inflation rate (RPI) which currently stands at 11.1 per cent. Indefinite (all out) strike action will begin on Monday 6 June involving bus drivers and engineers based at depots in Castleford, Dewsbury, Heckmondwike, Selby and Wakefield read more

Carlisle can factory strikes to hit summer supplies of Coca Cola, Heineken, Brewdog and Magners – June pay strikes at Carlisle’s Crown Bevcan factory will hit summer supplies of cans of Coca Cola, Heineken, Brewdog, Magners and Bulmers, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today (Tuesday 24 May). Around 200 workers, who have already taken two days of strike action over a three per cent pay offer, will strike on 4, 5, 8, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 June. The tin can production workers are seeking a pay deal that reflects rising living costs read more

Unite says Marine Scotland strikes on after impasse in talks with Scottish Government – Unite the union has confirmed today (Tuesday 24 May) that strike action at Marine Scotland will go ahead following a failure by the Scottish government to make an improved pay offer. The trade union has been engaged in several rounds of discussions with the Scottish government following a two per cent pay imposition for 2021, which Unite contests could constitute an ‘unlawful inducement’. However, with the Scottish Government refusing to re-open pay talks for 2021, strikes are to go ahead. Unite members at Marine Scotland in seafaring roles will now take part in two separate periods of 48-hour strike action involving Marine Protection Vessels (MPV) Hirta on 26 and 27 May, and Jura on 3 and 4 June. The vessels are normally based at Aberdeen harbour read more

Hinkley Point facing delivery delays as engineering workers strike in pay dispute – The flagship Hinkley Point nuclear power plant development could face significant delays due to a pay dispute at Darchem Engineering in Stockton-on-Tees. Strike action will hit Darchem Engineering, which manufactures industrial pond liners for Hinkley Point as part of £200 million contract with the next delivery due in June. The workers are challenging an increasing pay disparity between trades at the company. The welders’ pay has increased by over £2 an hour but the company has refused to give a similar increase to the platers and sheet metal workers. Industrial action by Unite’s members will begin with an overtime ban starting on Monday 6 June. This will then be followed by three 48-hour strikes beginning on Monday 13 June, Monday 20 June and Monday 27 June. Further strikes could be called depending on the response of the employer read more

Langford Lodge strikes to go ahead as Unite pursues pay rise and action on equal pay scandal – Unite has notified management at Crumlin-based Langford Lodge that their workers will commence a first week of strike action in pursuit of a pay increase from 00.01am on Thursday 26 May. The union also wants the scandal of unequal pay addressed at the company.  A significant grouping of women machinists for example are being paid £1.93 per hour less than male colleagues while they do work of similar or equal value. The strike is an escalation of an overtime ban previously in force at the RLC Engineering-owned, precision engineering aerospace manufacturer. Last minute talks failed to result in agreement on the pay and equality improvements sought by Unite, leaving the union’s members with no alternative but to follow through on plans for a first week of strike action read more

Hackney council strikes escalate as parking services workers join pay dispute – Strikes at Hackney council will escalate in the coming weeks, Unite, the UK’s leading union, has warned, with 70 parking services workers now joining more than 200 of their colleagues in a dispute over pay. Staff working in refuse, building services and disability transport services took six days of strike action in late April and early May over an ‘insulting’ 1.75 per cent pay offer. With the real rate of inflation (RPI) now running at 11.1 per cent, strike action is set to step up in the coming weeks. In addition, Hackney parking services staff are to be balloted for industrial action over pay and conditions after their department was insourced back to the council on 1 April this year – potentially bringing the total number of striking workers to 270. Parking services staff have been told that negotiations over their pay, terms and conditions will not even be considered until next year. The workers are on inferior wages and contracts compared to other Hackney council workers read more

Strike action at Ulsterbus and Metro in Northern Ireland after inadequate pay offer rejected – Northern Ireland bus drivers at both Ulsterbus and Metro have rejected the latest pay offer from management as inadequate in the face of spiralling living costs. Following the result, Unite today gave notice to Translink of a first, one-week strike action from next Tuesday (17 May). The strike is likely to shut down all bus transport services for the duration. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham expressed her support for the bus drivers’ fight for improved pay read more

Unite warns of four more weeks of strike at `greedy’ Caterpillar in fight to win ‘cost of living’ pay – Unite the union has today (Tuesday 10 May) notified Caterpillar that their members working for the corporation at Larne and Springvale in Belfast will launch a further four weeks of strike action at both plants in the fight for a pay deal that reflects the deepening cost of living crisis. In a dispute that has already seen four weeks of strikes, the union has been battling Caterpillar’s ‘greed’ and the company’s hostility to efforts to find a negotiated solution. According to Unite, Caterpillar’s management has adopted anti-trade union tactics, including offering a payment bonus to office workers from other locations to cross picket lines and continue production. In the first quarter of this year, Caterpillar reported profits of £1.5 billion ($1.9 billion), using the vast majority of these funds to benefit shareholders through dividends and share buybacks. The business’ lead director enjoys a rewards package worth £18 million ($23 million) in compensation read more

C2C rail passengers warned of disruption as Alstom workers begin strike over pay attacks – Passengers using the C2C rails line between London and Southend are set for considerable disruption over the coming weeks as maintenance engineers employed by Alstom take strike action in a dispute over pay and conditions. Strikes are due to begin tomorrow (Monday 9 May) with further action scheduled for 13, 16, 20, 23, 27, 30 May and 3 June. Disruption to services is likely on both the strike days and on days following the strike action. An overtime ban is also in force. The workers are taking action following a series of attacks on their pay and condition and concerns about high sickness and low morale at Alstom, the French company that bought Bombardier in 2020. The workers recorded a 95 per cent yes vote in favour of strike action read more

Unite to NI Local Authorities: stop misleading the public and use your powers to provide real pay improvement – As Unite members in councils, education and housing across Northern Ireland continue strike action, the union has hit out at the misinformation from the employers. The workers are on strike in pursuit of a pay increase to recover earnings lost through over a decade of attacks on wages and to help combat the harm to earnings caused by surging inflation. The union is challenging the National Joint-Council (NJC) employers to stop the disinformation and own up to the powers that they do have to end the dispute by improving workers’ pay read more

Unite industrial action set to hit Renfrewshire Council elections – Unite has today (29 April) confirmed days of industrial action which is set to hit the Renfrewshire Council elections on 5 May. Around 200 craft workers employed by the local authority will take part in strike action commencing at 08:00 hours on 3 May and up to 6 May when the action will conclude at 13:00 hours. An overtime ban will also be in place during this time. Unite’s members are responsible for setting up and dismantling the polling stations and were also due to deliver the ballot boxes to the count in the forthcoming council elections. Tradespersons and apprentices working within Building Services covered by the local authority craft agreement at Renfrewshire Council have previously voted unanimously to back strike action read more

Rugby GE Steam strikes could worsen as company uses outside consultants to ‘undermine’ union – The first strikes in 45 years at Rugby’s 120-year-old GE Steam turbine factory could worsen as the company uses outside consultancy firm Shape Associates to ‘undermine’ union organisation. Unite, the UK’s leading union, is preparing to re-ballot more than 75 of its members at the factory to extend strike action over attacks on pay. The initial round of strike action began on 17 April and is due to end on 2 May, with the next strike on 29 April. The union said GE Steam has given over the responsibility of running the factory to Shape Associates so the consultancy firm can force through cutbacks prior to the site’s sale to EDF read more

Unite urges Woolwich Ferry – seize opportunity to resolve dispute as strike ballot suspended to kick-start talks – Woolwich Ferry’s workers have suspended their industrial action and also plans to hold another strike ballot in a goodwill gesture to resolve the long-running dispute, Unite the union said today (Tuesday 5 April). Unite has put forward proposals, which remain confidential, to Transport for London (TfL) bosses to kick-start meaningful talks over the poor employment relations that have been the hallmark of successive operators of the troubled ferry. Six workers, including two Unite reps, still remain unfairly suspended when the last bout of industrial action ended on 28 March read more

Strike action continues as GE Aviation accused of ‘dirty tricks’ in Gloucester pay dispute – 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

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

 

PCS

Urgent Common Platform in remand courts tomorrow (10 June) – HMCTS has informed PCS that it will introduce Common Platform working at the following locations with effect from this Saturday (11 June). It is not clear if this is a permanent change or for this Saturday only. This is to be clarified but it does mean that the Occasional Courts tomorrow will be affected read more

Ask your MP to support striking British Council workers (9 June) – PCS members at the British Council are striking for 3 days next week in a long-running dispute over massive cuts and they need your support. Staff took two days of industrial action in March after management ploughed ahead with plans to make hundreds of staff redundant, and to outsource large parts of the organisation. They are now set to take a further three days of strike action from Wednesday to Friday next week (15 to 17 June) read more

PCS members employed by OCS on the HMCTS security contract to launch industrial action ballot (9 June) – PCS will next week begin an industrial action ballot of members employed by OCS on the HMCTS security contract in a dispute over pay, terms and conditions. The ballot, which starts on Thursday (16 June), comes as a result of an insulting and derisory pay offer of just 27p an hour above the national minimum wage of £9.50. PCS members are outraged by their employers continued attempts to claim the offer is worth between 7.5% and 8.3% depending on grade as they recognise the reality is the offer is worth less than 2% above the national minimum wage read more

 

GMB

Isle of Wight bin strike called off in time for festival (9 June) – GMB union have today (9 June) notified the Isle of Wight waste contractor Amey that the two-week strike planned from 13 June has been suspended. The company have made an improved offer to their refuse drivers and loaders, which has been accepted by the majority of union members. The strike will no longer go ahead as planned, which leaves the refuse collections to go ahead as scheduled ahead of the Isle of Wight festival next weekend read more

Wandsworth parking wardens set for strike action (8 June) – GMB union members who work as parking wardens in the London Borough of Wandsworth will be going on strike over pay. The members, who are employed by NSL Parking Services, will be taking industrial action on 20, 21, 22, 27, 28 and 29 June 2022. The workers have previously had to resort to strike action in 2018 and the council, when under Conservative control have been offering below-inflation pay rises to all outsourced workers within the borough read more

Garbage chaos looms as London’s largest waste transfer stations set for strike (8 June) – GMB union members based at the largest waste transfer stations in London are set to take strike action over pay. Waste transfer stations collect commercial and household rubbish before it’s sent to landfill or recycled. The members, employed by Cory Environmental Ltd have rejected the company’s full and final pay offer as it falls well short of inflation and is therefore a de facto pay cut. All of the major waste carriers in South London use the sites at Smugglers Way in Wandsworth and Cringle Dock in Battersea, including Veolia, Biffa, Amey, Serco and Continental Landscapes, as well as the general public. The union are warning residents of all South London boroughs to expect a knock-on effect on their waste collection services, since no local waste sites have the capacity to store the large volumes of rubbish that would build up in the event that the Cory sites close read more

Calderdale Hospital workers win pay increase (7 June) – Frontline NHS staff at Calderdale Hospital have won a substantial pay increase. Workers, employed as porters, domestics and caterers by outsourced private healthcare company ISS, have had their pay increased from £9.50 per hour to £9.72 following months of campaigning by GMB members. The increase also includes a new £1 per hour weekend enhancement for those previously on a flat rate. Both increases will be backdated to 1 April 2022. GMB members have been campaigning since January, recruiting new members, staging protests outside the hospital, writing to local MPs and community groups and building support through petitions. Prior to ISS’s recent pay announcement, GMB had notified the employer of its intention to run a consultative ballot for strike action – that ballot concluded on Friday 27 May with members voting in favour of taking action. GMB members are meeting this week to discuss the next steps read more

St George’s hospital faces ‘severe disruption’ as workers strike (26 May) – St George’s Hospital faces ‘severe disruption’ when staff go on strike next week, GMB Union has warned. Staff employed as cleaners and hostesses by outsourcing giant Mitie at the Tooting hospital will take their first three days of strike action from Monday [30 May] over pay and conditions. The company caused huge anger when wages were withheld for seven weeks whilst they restructured pay cycles – shortly before announcing they had acquired telecom company 8point8 for £10 million. The planned three days of strike action, which will begin on Monday 30th May for 24 hours, will include a march and a rally as GMB members demand that the contract is taken back in house by St Georges NHS Trust read more

Rhondda faces bin strike after workers vote for industrial action (26 May) – Rhondda residents look set to face a bin strike after GMB members in the waste and recycling department voted for industrial action. GMB members at Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council refuse and recycling dept have voted overwhelmingly to support industrial action with a majority of 95 percent. The move could see 130 people strike in May, leaving around 108,000 homes without refuse collections. The union is calling for amendments to the job evaluation scheme after the current system leaves essential workers short-changed for their work. During the pandemic, refuse workers alongside other essential service workers were put at risk, whilst council big wigs worked from home. Over the last decade local government staff have seen their wages cut by around 25 percent read more

Wealden bin strike to carry on after talks break down (26 May) – The long-running Wealden bin strike is set to continue until at least 11 June after GMB members turned down the latest pay offer from the company today [26 May 2022]. GMB Union yesterday arranged a meeting with Biffa – who employ the refuse collectors – with employment adjudicator ACAS present. No agreement was reached and the resulting offer was turned down by 98% of the workers this morning – so the strike, which has been ongoing since April 25, will carry on. The dispute was sparked by GMB members turning down a real terms pay cut from Biffa bosses. Almost 65,000 households are affected by the strike read more

Solidarity with GMB as arrests made on Wealden bin strike picket – The NSSN like many others in the trade union movement sent solidarity to the GMB after officers and a member were arrested last Friday. They remained in police custody for hours but were released later that day. This was an outrageous act. The NSSN will continue to support the GMB and its members in Wealden. Donate to GMB Southern region fighting fund. There is a protest to support the three officials who got arrested last week on the Wealden Biffa picket line. Three of them have been charged with obstructing a public highway and ordered to appear at Hastings Magistrates Court 29th June at 10am

Police make arrests on Wealden picket – the NSSN like many others in the trade union movement sent solidarity to the GMB after officers and a member were arrested last Friday. They remained in police custody for hours but were released later that day. This was an outrageous act. The NSSN will continue to support the GMB and its members in Wealden

Budweiser workers announce summer strike dates (19 May) – Budweiser workers have announced a series of summer strikes following a pay dispute. A total of 225 GMB members working at BBG’s Samlesbury site, near Preston, will down tools in a series of dates in June in anger over a real terms pay cut. It is the first time workers at the site, which brews Budweiser, Stella Artois, Becks, Boddingtons and Export Pale Ale, have gone in strike in its 50 year history. After months of discussion with the world’s biggest brewer they tabled a full and final offer of 3 per cent increase for 2022 and 3 per cent for 2023 with increases in overtime rates. With the cost-of-living crises and inflation at 11.1%, the offer amounts to a massive pay cut in real terms read more

Wiltshire traffic warden strike continues to second day – GMB union has confirmed a second day of strike action by traffic wardens across Wiltshire on Tuesday 17 May. This follows a successful strike on Saturday 7 May, when parking enforcement was completely suspended across the county by the industrial action. The dispute is due to a proposed pay cut of up to 20 per cent through the withdrawal of a contractual unsocial hours payment. This affects 350 staff, with social workers losing 20 per cent – around £7000 – and traffic wardens losing 10 per cent, which equates to over £2000. Wiltshire Council has refused the offer by ACAS, the Government arbitration service, to facilitate talks to resolve the dispute read more

Fox’s Glacier Mint workers strike over fire and rehire threat – Fox’s Glacier Mint workers will take a full day of strike action tomorrow [April 14] in anger at the company’s fire and rehire threat. 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, will be joined by the Yorkshire Polar Bear and local councillors 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

 

Unison

Higher education members vote to reject pay offer (10 June) – The union has given notification of a formal dispute to the HE employers, the University and Colleges Employers Association, after 83% say ‘no’ to 3% offer. UNISON has given notification of a formal dispute with the higher education employer, the University and Colleges Employers Association, after a consultative ballot of members showed that 83% of members across the UK reject the 3% pay offer and wish to move forward into an industrial action ballot. The national turnout was 36.2%, but 11 branches had a turnout of over 50%, with 17 others managing between 40 and 50% read more

Care home fire and rehire threat will drive staff out of the sector (9 June) – Ministers need to make good on promise to clamp down on unscrupulous bosses. Care workers, registered nurses and residential home staff employed by Bristol-based care company St Monica Trust are to strike after managers threatened them with the sack unless they accept a pay cut, says UNISON today (Saturday). ​More than 100 staff at four care homes across south ​west of England were issued with an ultimatum in March that unless they agree to a ​reduction in wages – costing them thousands of pounds a year and watering down their sick pay – they’d be fired, says ​the union read more

UNISON wins major insourcing battle in Lanarkshire (9 June) – The jobs of 400 workers at University Hospital Wishaw will be transferred from private contractor Serco onto NHS contracts, with no job losses. UNISON has won a major insourcing victory in Scotland, after NHS Lanarkshire announced that it will take over the contract for cleaning, catering, portering and security services at University Hospital Wishaw. The jobs of 400 workers – many held by traditionally low-paid, part-time women workers – will transfer from private contractor Serco to NHS Lanarkshire later this year. There will be no job losses read more

 

NIPSA

Trade Union Side NJC Pay Claim 2022/2023 (June 9) – Attached is a copy of the 2022 NJC Pay Claim which I understand has been lodged this week, for your information and sharing with members read more

Update – 2019 SO/DP Competition – Tribunal Cases (June 9) – In light of the current external promotion competitions, I wanted to give you an update on the cases we lodged at Tribunal in 2019 in relation to the psychometric testing element of the competitions. As previously advised the cases were delayed for a considerable period of time as a result of the pandemic. A Case Management Hearing was listed on 26/1/22 to allow a timetable to be agreed and these cases to be progressed to Hearing. Following discussions the Parties agreed, in view of the complexity of these cases, to allow the interrogatory process to progress as a first stage and test cases agreed upon and to attend again at the Tribunal Office on 30/11/22 at which stage it is anticipated they will be listed for Hearing. In the meantime, unfortunately, NICS Management is continuing to use the psychometric testing despite objections from NIPSA. I will keep you apprised of further developments read more

 

CWU

Rallying cry for Openreach members ends remarkable week of campaigning (June 10) – Members across Openreach have delivered the clearest possible indication of their willingness to fight for a decent cost of living pay rise, with no fewer than 9.000 tuning in live to an online CWU mass meeting last night. The event was the last of three hugely successful CWU Live question and answer sessions held this week to brief members on the BT Group-wide industrial action ballot that will commence on Wednesday next week (June 15). As with the previous broadcasts, aimed at members in EE and BT on Monday and Wednesday respectively, numerous comments posted by participants revealed a razor sharp appreciation of the critical issues at stake –  notably the importance of standing firm in defence of pay being negotiated rather than imposed as a  fait-accompli by management. “If we do nothing, BT will walk all over us,” one member observed. “We’ve never received a pay rise because we work for a generous philanthropic employer – it’s because of this union fighting on our behalf.” Read more

You can’t airbrush the truth, CWU tells BT, as crass attempt to silence pay dissent in Birmingham backfires (June 9) – BT Group’s desperation to hide the strength of the CWU’s fightback against the imposition of  real-term pay cuts by a company that has just declared profits of £1.3 billion was plain for all to see at Birmingham’s NEC this morning. Just hours after the union served formal legal notice of a company-wide ballot for industrial action that will commence next Wednesday  (June 15), CWU activists were out in force to leaflet managers and colleagues arriving  BT Consumer’s latest glitzy ‘Consumer Live’ event read more

BT Group-wide strike ballot to commence on June 15  – BT, Openreach and EE bosses given ultimatum to budge on pay, or face the first BT Group-wide industrial action ballot in 35 years. The countdown has begun towards the first national statutory industrial action ballot in BT Group since 1987. Barring movement from a senior management team which has so far shown itself impervious to a tidal wave of employee fury over the imposition of a real-term pay cut, voting papers will be despatched to  40,000 members in BT, Openreach and EE on Wednesday June 15. If, as the CWU confidently expects, the  ballot confirms members’ outright rejection of a vicious attack on living standards by a hugely profitable blue chip employer,  BT bosses will have no-one but themselves to blame for the first company-wide strike in 35 years. At the heart of the dispute, after all, is the company’s abandonment of time-honoured negotiating protocols based on partnership and consent that have underpinned decades of industrial peace. This year, for the very first time, an unagreed pay settlement has been imposed within 24 hours of its formal rejection by the CWU read more

CWU protest outside BT HQ 4.30pm Tuesday 14th June before ballot for national strike action Facebook event

Capita TVL pay dispute – CWU reps’ meeting called for next Monday (June 9) – Activists will plan next steps in campaign after talks with independent arbitrator ACAS adjourn until the end of the month. “We had a thorough conversation with the Capita TVL managing director and his senior team – but there isn’t any substantive progress as yet,” reported CWU assistant secretary Andy Furey yesterday, as he prepared to mail out communications and updates to hundreds of our members working for the company. The business offered our members a 4 per cent pay rise back in March – but we rejected it at the time as it was only half of the then retail price index,” he recalls. “But now, just three months on, RPI is almost three times that offer!…” read more

Royal Mail chiefs compared to Victorian-age bosses  (June 7) – ‘Pushem & Sloggem’ quip from CWU delegate at yesterday’s Liverpool briefing summed up the anger and frustration of hard-working postmen and women around the country, as the Royal Mail pay dispute heads towards a national strike ballot. “When does the ballot start?” was the big question as branch, area and local unit reps from the North West, North East, Scotland and Northern Ireland gathered in central Liverpool for the third of three regional briefings on the current situation – and from the loud cheers and prolonged standing ovation that greeted DGSP Terry Pullinger’s closing speech, it was abundantly clear that our activists are ready for the campaign read more

Post Office Supply Chain & Admin strike hits hard (June 6) – Hundreds walk out from depots and units across the UK this morning, following up on Saturday’s Crown counters action. From Belfast to Birmingham and from Aberdeen to Swansea, cash collection and delivery drivers and their admin colleagues stopped work, just two days after counters staff closed Crown Offices across the country in their ongoing fight for a fair pay rise. Speaking from a lively picket line at Hemel Hempsted, CWU assistant secretary Andy Furey said: “This is the second bout of industrial action and I want to thank our members for their fantastic support and solidarity today and on Saturday. This weekend has shown once again that Post Office workers will not accept the appalling treatment by senior management and that they will keep fighting until a fair deal is achieved.” Post Office bosses refused to award any pay rise at all for 2021/22 and have put forward what the union describes as a “derisory” proposal for 2022/23 consisting of a 2.5 per cent wage increase and a £500 lump sum read more

 

NEU

Support these strikes:-

NEU strikes 12 JUne

 

NASUWT

NASUWT rejects IOM pay offer – The NASUWT – the Teachers’ Union has today rejected the second full and final offer made by the Isle of Man government on behalf of its members for a number of reasons: With CPI inflation at 9.0% (IOM April figure) the headline 3.6% pay rise represents a real terms pay cut of at least 5.4% for the majority of our members. This represents the largest single annual real terms cut since 2010. When the proposed pay award is added to the current pay points a significant  number of teachers move into a high pension contribution band which in affect reduces the offer by at least 1%. The variable percentage pay increase which sees those on the lower pay grades receiving the most is extremely divisive given that those on the upper pay range have been those worst affected by the erosion of their pay over the past 12 years read more

IOM members to begin action over pay and working conditions – Isle of Man members of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union will begin a programme of action short of strike action from Wednesday (27th April) in a dispute over pay, workload and working practices. From this date members will no longer undertake a range of activities which do not directly relate to teaching and learning. These include attending meetings or responding to emails outside pupil session times, undertaking routine administrative tasks, providing cover for absent colleagues or submitting lesson plans. Teachers will still continue to prepare for their timetabled lessons, teach and mark and assess pupils’ work. Members were balloted for action earlier this month, with 94% in support of action short of strike action, based on a two-thirds turnout read more

Pocklington teachers strike to protect pensions – Members of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union at Pocklington School in East Yorkshire will be taking a further nine days of strike action over threats to sack them unless they sign new contracts which would leave them with worse pensions in retirement. The school’s Board of Governors want to remove them from the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS) and force them to be worse off in their retirement, threatening their financial security read more

 

EIS

EIS AGM: General Secretary Designate rallies teachers to get active in pay campaign (11 June) – The General Secretary Designate of the EIS has today (Saturday) urged all of Scotland’s teachers to get active in the campaign to secure a 10% pay rise. Ms Bradley addressed delegates on the final day of the EIS Annual General Meeting (AGM) at Dundee Caird Hall, and just ahead of a rally in support of the EIS ‘Pay Attention’ Campaign in the Civic Square outside the conference venue read more

EIS AGM: Outgoing EIS President warns that teachers will strike if no fair pay deal is reached (9 June) – The outgoing President of the EIS has today (Thursday) warned that Scotland’s teachers will take strike action if no acceptable pay settlement is reached with CoSLA (Convention of Scottish Local Authorities) and the Scottish Government. The EIS is seeking a 10% pay increase for teachers this year. The only offer that has yet been received from employers was for a 2% increase, and this was instantly rejected by the EIS read more

EIS issues formal strike notice over Dundee schools faculty plan (June 8) – The EIS has issued a legal strike notice to Dundee Council over the authority’s plans to introduce a faculty structure in its Secondary schools. An initial day of strike action will take place on the 22nd of June across all of Dundee’s Secondary schools. Following the Council’s decision to press ahead with its plans, and to announce the recruitment of Faculty heads in the media this week, the EIS has now withdrawn an invitation to the Lord Provost to speak at the EIS Annual General Meeting (AGM) which starts at Dundee Caird Hall on Thursday. The EIS AGM is regularly held in Dundee, and is worth around £1Millon to the local economy, but the EIS may now seek to review its association with the city in light of the ongoing dispute read more

 

UCU

Two more strike days at Richmond upon Thames College over Fire & Rehire (8 June) – Staff at Richmond upon Thames College will warn prospective students and parents about the behaviour of college management as two more strike days were called to coincide with college open days in a bitter dispute over plans to fire and rehire 127 teachers. UCU members at Richmond upon Thames College will down tools on Tuesday 21 and Tuesday 28 June, both of which are open days. The college describes the open days as an opportunity to ‘meet our teachers’ and ‘speak to our teaching staff’. The dispute has seen over 70 staff take five consecutive days of strike action last month (Monday 23 to Friday 27 May) as they try to stop plans by management to sack all 127 teachers at the college and force them to reapply for their jobs on worse terms and conditions. UCU had offered to pause any further action if management lifts the threat of compulsory dismissals for staff that do not sign new contracts. However, management has repeatedly refused and insists staff would have to reapply for their jobs on new contracts that would see them lose 10 days holiday read more

Strike off at Hopwood Hall College after staff win pay rise of up to 7.5% (7 June) – Strike action due to take place today and Friday 10 June at Hopwood Hall College in Rochdale and Middleton, Greater Manchester, has been called off after staff overwhelmingly voted to accept a pay offer worth up to 7.5%. For 2022/23 the offer amounts to more than 6% (6.49%) and over 7% (7.52%) for lecturers on the lowest salaries. The deal comes as another four colleges in the region walk out today and Friday. UCU has urged the other employers to make improved pay offers and avoid any further disruption. The four colleges facing strike action are: Burnley College, City of Liverpool College, Manchester College and Oldham College. Staff have been on picket lines at college entrances since 8am today and will be on picket lines at 8am on Friday (10 June). Staff from the four colleges are also holding a rally at 12pm on Friday in Sackville Gardens read more

Colleges across North West England take strike action from tomorrow (17 May) – UCU members across the North West of England will be on strike tomorrow in a dispute over low pay read more

University marking boycott begins Monday despite ‘lock out’ threats (20 May) – UCU urged vice chancellors to revoke pension cuts and meet staff demands for improvements to pay and working conditions as it confirmed that more than 20 universities will proceed to a marking boycott on Monday despite threats of 100% pay deductions from some rogue bosses. The boycott means university staff will stop marking work, returning marks and setting or sitting exams and coursework. The graduations of well over 100,000 students are set to be disrupted. UCU also warned rogue bosses against docking pay and using external contractors to bus in unqualified workers to mark work during the boycott read more

Furness College staff to strike on Wednesday over low pay (17 May) – On Wednesday 18 May lecturers at Furness College will strike after management refused to offer staff more than a paltry 1% increase in pay whilst staff face soaring inflation and a cost of living emergency. Inflation is currently at 9%, meaning the 1% offer is a real term pay cut. Staff will be picketing outside the main entrance of college from 8am Wednesday morning. The strike comes after overwhelming 93% of University and College Union (UCU) members who voted in industrial ballots said yes to strike action. Further days of strike action are planned for 8 and 9 June if management continues to refuse to pay staff more read more

Staff at 24 UK universities back further strike action in ballot over USS pension cuts –

  • Almost eight in ten (79.5%) back strikes
  • Dispute over cuts of 35% to guaranteed retirement incomes of staff
  • UCU calls for new valuation of USS scheme as value of assets soars
  • Union’s members holding meeting later this month to decide next steps in pension dispute

Staff at 24 UK universities have secured a mandate to take further strike action in a dispute over cuts to pensions which could see disruption continue throughout the rest of the academic year. Overall, eight in ten (79.5%) backed strike action with almost nine in ten (88.1%) voting for action short of strike (ASOS). The vote in favour of strike action is higher than it was during the ballots that concluded in November last year, where 76% backed strike action. Today’s results mean that staff at 27 universities have a mandate to take strike action over pensions which will last until October 2022. Staff at Queen’s University Belfast and Ulster University did not take part in the ballots but will join any possible action as their mandate remains live. Queen Mary University of London has a live mandate until July read more

Staff at 36 UK universities back further strike action in ballot over pay and working conditions –

  • More than seven in ten (74%) back strikes
  • Employers more intransigent than ever, UCU says
  • Union’s members holding meeting later this month to decide next steps

Staff at thirty-six UK universities have voted in favour of strike action in a dispute over pay and working conditions which could see higher education hit by further disruption this academic year. Overall, over seven in ten of those who voted (74%) backed strike action with over eight in ten (85.9%) voting for action short of strike. The vote in favour of strike action is higher than it was during the ballots that concluded in November last year, where 70.1% backed strike action read more

Support the UCU Goldsmiths strikes – University and College Union (UCU) members at Goldmiths University are continuing to take strike action 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. 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.  Follow @GoldsmithsUCU on twitter and on Facebook

UCU fighting fund: the link is here and donations to the fund are spent on supporting members involved in important disputes.

 

FBU

Firefighters marking Grenfell fifth anniversary (June 14) – Firefighters from fire brigades across the UK are marking the fifth anniversary of the Grenfell disaster today by participating in the silent walk organised and led by the bereaved, survivors and residents of Grenfell. The silent walks, which have taken place in the five years since the disaster, are held to mark those who lost their lives and call for justice for the disaster, with to date no one facing criminal charges. At the silent walk, firefighters local to Grenfell, some of whom will have responded to the disaster themselves, will form a guard of honour for the community. Hundreds of firefighters and control staff were involved in responding to the Grenfell disaster, and many have remained involved with the community since the disaster read more

New “massively significant” Grenfell inquiry report released (June 13) – The Fire Brigades Union has termed a new report to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, released to the public today, “massively significant” evidence. The report,  written by Professor Luke Bisby, a professor of fire and structures at Edinburgh University and an expert witness to the inquiry, details the flaws with the Building Research Establishment (BRE), the government’s former safety research and testing body that was privatised in 1997. It was responsible for testing many of the cladding, insulation and other building materials used in the Grenfell refurbishment. The report details previous cladding fires which can be viewed as missed opportunities to prevent Grenfell, and BRE failures around them. It also builds up a picture of BRE only doing work within contracts, and only specific things – close to client and government demands – within those contracts read more

 

POA

Sickness absence and temporary injury benefit award (10 June) – It would appear that HMPPS, Governors, Senior Management Teams and Shared Services are failing to recognise the rules which must be applied when our members are injured or assaulted at work. It is clear that the workplace is more violent and, as a consequence, members are facing life changing and career ending injuries as a result of assaults in and out of the workplace. It is only reasonable to expect that the employer would do everything to assist their employee in these situations. Unfortunately, all too often this isn’t the case as members face financial hardship, un-necessary stress and anxiety due to maladministration of the rules. The employer also refuses to accept liability often leaving the member disadvantaged and reliant on the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme read more

 

NAPO

Government’s latest Covid announcement – no change to employers Health and Safety obligations (8 June) – 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. Napo’s position and that of our sister unions in Probation is very clear. We have reminded the employer that any guidance going out to staff which could impact on their health and safety must be done in conjunction with the trade unions. We have also said that this must also reflect existing health and safety legislation and agreed guidance, therefore the current protocols around the use of  General and Locational risk assessments must continue, until Version 14 of the PPE/Safe Working Practices for Probation is amended read more

 

BFAWU

Unionise Samworths in Leicestershire – I’m writing to you on behalf of Unionise Samworths, a new campaign organised by the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU) and the Peace and Justice Project. The campaign aims to organise workers at Samworth Brothers, Leicestershire’s longest private employer with 9 sites in the region and several more across the country, manufacturing well-known brands including Ginsters and Soreen, as well as supplying sandwiches to high street retailers including Tesco and M&S. Currently, Samworths do not recognise a trade union, do not pay workers a fair living wage and have recently made changes to the pension scheme meaning workers will lose out. We have started a petition and are planning on holding a rally on the Sunday 19th June in Leicester (which will also be livestreamed) as part of the campaign, inviting workers to the rally where we will ask them to join the union, with the plan to hold a CAC ballot later this year. As you can imagine, the campaign requires lots of resources and we hope you will be able to support this campaign through a financial donation. We’d also be grateful if your organisation shared our content on social media and through your mailing list. We would of course be delighted to discuss this further if you have any questions or please don’t hesitate to get in touch via email on [email protected] or 07525725859.

In solidarity, Unionise Samworths www.unionisesamworths.co.uk

 

NUJ

NUJ condemns death threat against Northern Ireland journalist (10 June) – The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) has strongly condemned threats from a loyalist paramilitary group against a Belfast based journalist read more

British government must call for increased action over missing journalist Dom Phillips (8 June) – NUJ parliamentary group writes to Liz Truss urging government “makes every effort” to raise the disappearance with Brazilian authorities read more

BBC North West journalists vote for work to rule – NUJ members are making a stand about the damaging impact of job cuts on news outpt in the region. As well as working with a significantly reduced workforce, staff at BBC North West are now expected to take on more and more technical duties previously carried out by skilled technical staff. If allowed to continue, the quality of the regional news programmes will suffer and deteriorate, they say. More than 97 per cent of NUJ members in the chapel voted in favour of industrial action. It follows the BBC’s decision to cut £25m from BBC England’s budget, leading to 450 job cuts cross England. The vast majority of journalists who work for BBC North West are NUJ members read more

 

Prospect

Prospect will oppose any compulsory redundancies in the civil service in the strongest way (9 June) – ITV is reporting that the government is not ruling out compulsory redundancies as it plans to cut the civil service workforce by 91,000. Documents have been leaked to ITV showing that that some departments could be forced to cut staff numbers by 40% with some government activity being “deprioritised”. General Secretary of Prospect Union Mike Clancy, responded: “This arbitrary figure of 91,000 civil service job cuts from the government was always going to be a shambles and will directly impact on the ability of the civil service to carry out its duties. Prospect will oppose any compulsory redundancies in the strongest possible way…” read more

 

Equity

Campaigning update – Stop AI Stealing the Show (8 June) – Equity’s new campaign to strengthen performers’ rights in response to the rapid rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been gathering momentum after a very successful launch in April. Our ground-breaking report generated a lot of press coverage. For example, it was reported by BBC News, explored on BBC Radio Ulster (from 1:23:56) and covered widely by arts and technology media including The Stage and Variety. The General Secretary Paul Fleming also took part in a discussion on BBC Radio 4’s Front Row alongside Dr Mathilde Pavis, senior law lecturer at Exeter University read more

 

USDAW

Usdaw and Thompsons Solicitors battle Tesco on ‘fire and rehire’ at Court of Appeal (9 June) – Retail trade union Usdaw and leading law firm has expressed disappointment at the decision by Tesco to challenge a ‘fire and rehire’ ruling at the Court of Appeal today. Usdaw represented by social justice law firm Thompsons Solicitors won a landmark legal victory in February against the supermarket giant over its decision to dismiss a number of its staff and seek to re-engage them on inferior terms and conditions. Usdaw brought the initial case on behalf of 42 workers employed by Tesco in its Daventry and Litchfield distribution centres. The workers faced having their wages slashed as a consequence of their employer’s move 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

Brighton bar staff gear up for strike action over better pay and conditions (10 June) – “On the picket we will show the power we have as a united work force and just how much support we have already managed to gain. A change is coming. The only variable is when” – Jake Marvin, Saint James Tavern, bar manager and UVW member. Bar staff at the Saint James Tavern (SJT) in central Brighton are launching two days of strike action over pay and working conditions, job security and respect at work. The workers will walk out on Saturday 25 June and Saturday 2 July. Last month, the pub workers, members of United Voices of the World (UVW), unanimously voted to strike with a 100% ‘yes’ vote on a 100% turnout, in a rare and brave display of resolve and togetherness read more

 

IWGB

Outsourced workers protest at University of London in fight for dignified pay and end to exploitative outsourcing (24 May) – Hundreds of outsourced cleaners and security staff employed at UCL and LSHTM will protest this Thursday at 5PM over pay and exploitative outsourcing. The protest, organised by the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB), is the latest in two recent campaigns launched at UCL and LSHTM amidst the cost of living crisis read more

In-house without fair pay is discrimination: London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine pay your workers a dignified salary! – We are cleaners, porters, post-room and security staff at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM). We are a majority Black, Asian, Latin American and migrant workforce. Many of us have worked for years at LSHTM and we work hard to keep this university running. We are fighting for an end to discrimination and for fair and dignified pay read more & support campaign

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

Write to Stuart Delivery, JustEat: END THE STRIKE, PAY RISE NOW!

 

SIPTU (Ireland)

SIPTU members to begin industrial action in Bausch and Lomb plant in Waterford (9 June) – SIPTU members employed by Bausch and Lomb will begin a campaign of industrial action, in a pay dispute at the multinational company’s manufacturing plant in Waterford City, with a two-hour work stoppage commencing at 12.00 p.m. (noon) this Saturday (11th June) read more

 

Mandate (Ireland

Mandate supports Cost of Living Protests on Saturday, 18th June (10 June) – Mandate Trade Union is supporting the Cost of Living Protests taking place on Saturday, June 18th. Events will take place all across the country including:

  • Dublin: 1.00pm Garden of Remembrance, Parnell Sq.
  • Cork: 2.00pm Outside Brown Thomas on Patrick’s Street.
  • Limerick: 2.00pm Bedford Row.
  • Galway: 2.00pm Eyre Square.
  • Sligo: 1.00 pm Sligo Town Hall.

The meeting point for Dublin based Mandate members will be to meet outside the Mandate Trade Union Hall in Dublin at 12.30am. Members outside of Dublin should contact their relevant local Mandate union office for further details and meeting arrangements for the scheduled events read more

 

Fight blacklisting and victimisation of union reps

Support GARY CARNEY, TRAIN OPERATOR – LONDON UNDERGROUND

Defend Adrian Mitchell RMT driver on London Underground

Support Tim Breed RMT

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 repsign petition: End the culture of fear at St Mungo’smodel 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

Free imprisoned trade unionists in Iran read more

Afghanistan: journalist attacked by Taliban forces (10 June) read more

NUJ stands up for human rights in Oman (1 June) – The union expresses solidarity with the LGBTQ community and calls for equality read more

Turkey: Statement of Solidarity with Imprisoned Gezi 8 – Signatories of a petition released today in Turkey sent a message of solidarity with the Gezi 8. “Whatever they said or did during the Gezi movement, we did the same, we said the same words. If they are convicted, we must be convicted too. If they are considered guilty, we are guilty too. We are reporting ourselves to the prosecutor’s office by declaring that we are in agreement with their ideas and actions” said the 888 signatories of the petition 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

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