The NSSN sends our congratulations and solidarity to the Coventry Council bin workers and their union Unite. They have won a famous victory after a heroic struggle of over 6 months of strike action. The NSSN has been proud to stand with the workers and Unite against the disgraceful actions of a Labour Council. Their victory will give confidence to the many workers taking action against the spiralling cost of living crisis.
Unite: Six month continuous strike action ends in victory for Coventry bin drivers (29 July) – The bin dispute which began in January has now ended with a pay rise for the drivers worth up to 12.9%, which is worth an estimated £3,600 per year in their pay packets. The deal also includes Christmas bonuses worth some £4,000, and disciplinary charges against Unite Shop Steward Pete Randle dropped. Unite General Secretary Sharon Graham said: “This win shows the new direction of Unite. We will defend our members pay and conditions, however long it takes. This continuous action has delivered real terms pay increases for our members. This deal represents a fair and just pay award and all charges against our victimised rep have now been dropped. It is quite frankly wrong that our members were forced to take this action against a Labour Council, but Unite will always back its members against any employer who refuses to negotiate. I am very proud of our reps and members today.’
Unite’s National Officer Onay Kasab said: “Unite members relied on the strength of collective action which has secured yet another win for workers. Congratulations to the Coventry HGV strikers!”
Onay added: “This represents a victory and vindication. The Council, in a desperate attempt at face – saving, have stated that the workers did not win the central demand – the grade 6. What the Council have failed to mention is that the financial equivalent of the award is a Grade 6! Our members do not care what its called – but as the saying goes, if it walks, swims and quacks like a duck…it’s a duck!”
Unite members have voted to end the strike after securing an agreement which includes:-
- A pay increase of up to 12.9% – worth more than £3600 pa.
- An increased rate for new starters equivalent to 8% – worth more than £1850 pa.
- A lump sum for workers volunteering for new Christmas working arrangements equivalent to up to 16% – potentially worth £4000.
- Confirmation that no disciplinary action will be taken against Unite Representative Peter Randle
Support the summer strikes!
The last week has seen national action by RMT, ASLEF and TSSA on the rail network and by CWU in BT.
These developments are further confirmation that workers facing the cost of living crisis are prepared to fight to stop their living standards being eroded by the employers and this crisis-ridden Tory government. There are also clear signs that public sector unions are moving towards industrial action ballots after the summer.
But we are stronger if we fight together. The NSSN believes that it is vital that the unions come together in the fight for inflation-proof pay rises.
The recent NSSN Conference agreed to build support for the rally that we are again hosting to lobby TUC Congress in Brighton in September to call for co-ordinated action of unions across the private and public sectors.
There will be a rally in the Holiday Inn Hotel and then a march to lobby TUC Congress delegates at the Brighton Centre.
Fight the Tory pay insult: Come to the NSSN TUC Congress Rally & Lobby #StrikeTogether – 1pm Sunday 11th September Holiday Inn Brighton Seafront Facebook event
Please support this model motion and take it to your union branch and trades council and support the NSSN rally and lobby in Brighton:-
“This (union branch/trades council) gives our full support to workers being forced to take strike action against their employers backed by the Tory government. The cost of living crisis, fire and rehire tactics and other attacks by employers in pursuit of maintaining profits at our expense all mean workers are uniting to fight back.
We will continue to give our solidarity, building practical and financial support to all striking workers. The increasing number of disputes shows the immense power of workers. If unions act together, significant victories can be won. We also oppose the Tories’ threats to introduce further anti-union legislation to the raft of undemocratic restrictions already in existence and call on the TUC to co-ordinate opposition.
We call on unions in struggle to urgently come together to discuss and formulate a strategy to co-ordinate industrial action ballots and strikes.
We therefore agree to build the National Shop Stewards Network (NSSN) rally and lobby of TUC Congress in Brighton on Sunday 11 September behind this call.”
Please let us know if your union branch/trades council supports our rally and we’ll add to our list of supporting union organisations.
If you want to attend the NSSN TUC Rally and need transport and/or you want leaflets and posters to give out, email us via [email protected]. To make a donation to the NSSN and/or get your union branch/trades council to affiliate for an annual fee of £50, either make a cheque out to ‘National Shop Stewards Network’ and post to NSSN, PO Box 54498, London E10 9DE or pay online: HSBC – sort code 40-06-41, account number 90143790.
Watch the video of the NSSN Conference platform speakers here
CWU strikes back
Outpouring of political and community support for striking BT and Openreach members (July 29) – Across the country striking BT and Openreach workers have received a remarkable level of public, political and wider trade union movement support at hundreds of CWU picket lines across the country. Far from experiencing negativity, public anger or criticism, CWU activists and branches have reported an extraordinary outpouring of solidarity for the union’s stand as around 40,000 BT Group employees took part in the first national strike in BT since 1987. Commenting on a momentous day for the union that is now set to be repeated on Monday, deputy general secretary Andy Kerr said: “Today’s strike has been nothing short of rock solid. This should be a wake-up call to Philip Jansen and the BT Group Board that workers in this country will not sit idly by and watch their living standards crumble…” read more
Rock solid support for first national BT Group strike in 35 years as CWU members declare war on ‘rip off’ bosses (July 29) – Around 40,000 CWU members across BT and Openreach are delivering the starkest of wake-up calls to the BT Group Board – downing tools en-masse today in a historic display of disgust at management’s blatant contempt for workers and customers alike. Just after midnight a full 35 years of industrial peace in BT Group came to an abrupt end as the telecom giant’s employees across UK began a two-day national strike against real-term pay cuts that have left some reliant on food banks in an ever-deepening cost of living crisis. Poignantly, the strike – which will continue for a second 24-hour period on Monday – began just hours after the release of company’s latest quarterly results which once again nailed management’s lie that BT cannot afford to pay frontline workers a rise that even comes close to inflation read more
Capita TVL pay dispute heads into mediation (July 26) – CWU and company agree formal process with independent mediator following ACAS talks. Union and management leaders will enter written pay submissions during August and meet again in early September in the next steps aimed at resolving the ongoing pay dispute affecting hundreds of TV licensing workers read more
CWU serve notice of 2nd strike ballot over Royal Mail management’s change proposals (20 July) keep up to date on CWU website, Facebook page and twitter: @CWUnews
Support the rail strikes
Donate to the RMT National Dispute Fund
RMT: Huge vote for strike action on Arriva Rail London (29 July) – London Overground members have voted overwhelmingly for strike action on Arriva Rail London after rejecting a 5% pay offer. 79.4% voted yes for strike action on a turnout of over 80%. The National Executive Committee will now meet to discuss strike dates and how to take the campaign forward read more
RMT conducts massive rail staff survey (29 July) – Massive staff survey reveals the dystopian future awaiting passengers if the industry and government force rail cuts through. Rail workers have painted a chilling picture of the future awaiting passengers if the brutal cuts being proposed by the industry and the Tory government are implemented read more
RMT response to Network Rail’s latest statement (28 July) – Responding to Network Rail’s latest statement, RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “Network Rail has issued a statement to staff today that there is an unconditional pay offer available. This is a deception on the staff and is entirely untrue. The offer they have made is entirely conditional on mass redundancies and changes to conditions and working practices that are not yet worked through and are subject to discussions with the trade unions. “In tandem to this deception on pay the company have started a formal consultation on 1900 redundancies, have withdrawn their offer of no compulsory redundancies and will impose detrimental working practices across the maintenance network. “Rather than deceiving the staff about what they are actually proposing, the company now needs to get back round the table with RMT and work to resolve the issues in the dispute including their proposals for change and the union’s demands for job security and a decent pay rise.”
RMT: New Tube Strike announced (26 July) – Tube workers will take strike action in an ongoing dispute over pensions and jobs on August 19. The latest call for action has been prompted by TfL’s refusal to share the details of a draft government proposal they received regarding funding of the transport system in the capital, in secret and without any discussion with their recognised trade unions. LUL and TfL management have consistently refused to engage in discussions around safeguarding jobs, pensions and conditions on the spurious grounds that they are unable to give any assurances to our members until they have a financial settlement with the government read more
RMT will fiercely resist further attacks on trades unions announced by Truss (26 July) – Tory leadership candidate Liz Truss has said she will further attack trade union rights by if she becomes Prime Minister. She will introduce minimum service levels on critical national infrastructure, introducing primary legislation in the first 30 days of Government, if she beats Rishi Sunak in the Tory leadership election read more
ASLEF Train Drivers to Strike at Nine Companies in August (27 July) – ASLEF, the train drivers’ union, has announced a one day strike at nine train companies on Saturday 13 August after the firms failed to make a pay offer to help members keep pace with the increase in the cost of living. Drivers are already set to strike this Saturday [30 July] at seven companies and today ASLEF members at two more train companies voted overwhelmingly for industrial action in a dispute over pay read more
Avanti members speak from the picket line (27 July) – TSSA Avanti picket lines at Euston, Crewe and Birmingham International. TSSA members from train operator Avanti West Coast took strike action across the country today (Wednesday) in a dispute over jobs and pay. Picket lines appeared from dawn at stations where Avanti services run, with TSSA flags, banners and placards on display from London Euston up through Coventry, Stoke, Stafford, Crewe, Glasgow and other stations along the Avanti routes read more
TSSA withdraws Network Rail referendum ballot following last minute offer changes (29 July) – TSSA has withdrawn Network Rail ballot after last minute changes to offer. TSSA today withdrew a ballot put to Network Rail members this week following “bad faith” actions by Network Rail officials and the Department of Transport which the union says changed the substance of the deal read more
TSSA reacts to Sam Tarry being sacked from Labour front bench (27 July) – Sam Tarry MP on the picket line with TSSA members at Euston on Wednesday 27 July. Reacting to the news that Sam Tarry MP has been sacked from Labour’s front bench after attending rail worker picket lines today – including a TSSA picket line at Euston – rail union TSSA says it is “ashamed” of the Labour Party read more
TSSA members to strike across railways (25 July) – TSSA has today served notice for strike action and action short of strike in 11 train operating companies in an industry-wide dispute over pay, job security and conditions. Thousands of rail workers spanning station staff, operational, maintenance, supervisory and management staff, will take part in industrial action on 18 and 20 August. This is the first rail-industry wide industrial action taken by TSSA in more than a generation, demonstrating the strength of feeling over pay and job security as the cost-of-living crisis continues to bite. Strike action will be taken on 18 and 20 August in: Avanti West Coast, c2c, East Midlands Railway, CrossCountry, Great Western Railway, LNER, and Southeastern. Action short of strike will be taken in: West Midlands Trains, Northern, Greater Anglia, TransPennine Express and Southeastern. Check the details of types of industrial action short of strike and specific times and dates for each company in this post
RMT: National rail strikes set for 18 and 20 August (14 July) – RMT will take a further 2 days strike action this Summer in a row over job security, pay and working conditions. The strikes on August 18 and 20, will bring out over 40,000 workers across Network Rail and 14 train operating companies. RMT is also taking 24 hours strike action on 27 July read more
TSSA: Ballots will be held at West Midlands Trains, Greater Anglia, Northern and TransPennine Express – Ballots open: Thursday 28 July; Ballots close: Thursday 25 August. The original ballot of members, at each company, saw the legal threshold for strike action – which is 40 per cent of the entire electorate – missed by fine margins and in one case by just a single vote. Given that among those who voted there was an overwhelming preference to strike, the union is determined that the wishes of members are fulfilled read more
Solidarity with GMB after Wealden bin strike victory but protest against picket line arrests
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 recently. They remained in police custody for hours but were released later that day. This was an outrageous act. Three of them have been charged with obstructing a public highway and were ordered to appear at Hastings Magistrates Court on 29th June. The case was adjourned to Brighton Crown Court on November 16th – come and support the #GMB3 read more
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
Hitachi rail workers to strike (30 July) – Hitachi rail workers will strike for 3 days from tomorrow in a row over pay and conditions. Hitachi rail workers will strike for 3 days from tomorrow in a row over pay and conditions. RMT members are seeking an agreement in line with Hitachi members in Doncaster and Hitachi North Pole maintenance which secures a deal on breaks, leave entitlement, shift length and pay. However during negotiations, Hitachi Rail who had offered a 7.5% pay rise, then decided to withdraw paid meal breaks and a reduction in the working week elements of the offer. They then reinstated them at an avoidance of dispute meeting, but insisted on a reduction in annual leave, with some members facing the prospect losing over 100 paid hours. RMT members had rejected the package because it was inferior to deals done on Doncaster and North Pole read more
Unite
Go North East bus workers forced to strike in battle to prevent Chester-le-Street garage closure (1 Aug) – Bus workers employed by Go North East at its Chester-Le-Street garage in Durham, will begin strike action later this month as a direct response to the company’s plan to close the depot. The industrial action will involve 170 members of Unite, the UK’s leading union. The all out continuous strike action will begin on Friday 12 August. The strike action has been called due to the company’s plans to close the Chester-le Street garage next month and permanently move the workers to different depots, some of which are 14 miles away read more
Unite campaign wins £1,500 cost of living payment for thousands of HSBC staff (1 Aug) – Around 18,000 lowest paid bank workers will get payment in August to help with rising living costs. Unite, the union representing bank workers at HSBC has today won a £1,500 cost of living payment for the lowest paid staff read more
Repair workers at Sanctuary Housing Association secure major pay increase (29 July) – Over 300 workers employed by housing association Sanctuary in its repairs department have secured an additional nine per cent pay increase. The workers who are members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, recently held a demonstration about pay concerns. This followed an intense period of recruitment and organising by Unite among the workforce. Following the demonstration, Sanctuary’s management confirmed that the repairs staff who are based throughout the UK would receive a nine per cent pay increase which is in addition to the four per cent already offered, taking the total increase to 13 per cent. In addition new starters will receive a £500 bonus recruitment bonus while existing staff will receive a £500 retention bonus read more
Billion dollar US oil and gas giant plans to wipe-off £10,000 from salaries (29 July) – Billion dollar US oil and gas giant plans to wipe-off £10,000 from salaries. Unite the union today (29 July) announced that its members working for US oil and gas giant, Baker Hughes, have voted for strike action in a dispute over fire and rehire tactics. Around 110 workers voted for strike action by 87.3 per cent on a 87.5 per cent turnout to defend their jobs, terms and conditions. In June, Baker Hughes gave workers at their Angus sites five minutes’ notice before issuing redundancy notices. The company told the workers that they have until early August to sign new contracts on vastly inferior rates of pay or face losing their jobs read more
Unite rejects local government pay offer (28 July) – Unite the UK’s leading union, which represents tens of thousands of council workers, has rejected the local government pay offer which was made earlier this week. The decision to reject the offer was made by Unite’s national industrial sector committee for local authorities read more
Massive 92 per cent yes vote for strike action at Felixstowe Docks (28 July) – Felixstowe, the UK’s largest container port, is set to come to a standstill next month after members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, overwhelmingly backed strike action in a dispute over pay. Unite members at Felixstowe are responsible for all aspects of the port’s operation. The workers recorded a 92 per cent vote for industrial action on an 81 per cent turnout. The dispute is a result of the Felixstowe Dock and Railway Company offering a pay increase of just five per cent to its workers. This is an effective pay cut with the real (RPI) rate of inflation currently standing at 11.9 per cent. Last year the workforce received a below inflation pay increase of 1.4 per cent read more
Workers at Grosvenor Casinos ballot for strikes as company gambles with below inflation pay offer (28 July) – Members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, employed by Grosvenor Casinos are to be balloted for strike action in a dispute over low pay. The workers who are based at the company’s central London casinos are balloting as a result of Grosvenor Casinos offering a pay cut dressed up as a pay increase. The company is offering to increase the wages of its lowest paid staff to the London Living Wage of £11.20 an hour. Staff who are paid more than £11.20 an hour are only being offered a 4.3 per cent increase, this is in effect a substantial pay cut with the real inflation rate (RPI) currently standing at 11.8 per cent read more
Unite leader Sharon Graham: Sam Tarry’s sacking is another insult to the trade union movement (27 July) – Reacting to the removal of Sam Tarry MP from the Labour Party front bench following his support for the rail workers’ strike and calls for pay that keeps pace with inflation, Unite general secretary Sharon Graham has said: “The Labour sacking of Sam Tarry for supporting working people on strike, against cuts to their jobs and pay, is another insult to the trade union movement. Quite frankly, it would be laughable if it were not so serious read more
Bexley bin strikes suspended for negotiations to continue (27 July) – Members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, who have been striking in the London borough of Bexley in a dispute over pay and working conditions have agreed to suspend industrial action. The workers are employed by Countrystyle Recycling, which is responsible for the refuse collection contract in Bexley. The strikes will be suspended from tomorrow (Thursday 28 July) until Friday 19 August. Strike action in the dispute began on Tuesday 12 July. The agreement to suspend the strike action was brokered by the conciliation service Acas following talks with Unite and Countrystyle Recycling. While the strike action is suspended further in-depth negotiations will be held, these negotiations will also be held under the auspices of Acas read more
Council workers in Scotland vote for strike action in pay dispute (27 July) – Unite confirms 26 councils set to face targeted action. Unite the union can today (27 July) confirm that its local government membership in 26 councils have rejected the ‘derisory’ 2 per cent pay offer and voted for industrial action. Unite can confirm that the following 26 councils are now set to be hit by industrial action: Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Angus, Argyll and Bute, City of Edinburgh, Clackmannanshire, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Dumfries and Galloway, Dundee City, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Lothian, East Renfrewshire, Falkirk, Fife, Glasgow City, Inverclyde, Highland, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Orkney, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, West Lothian. Unite’s members employed by Tayside Contracts have also voted in favour of industrial action which will result in schools in Perth and Kinross Council now being impacted. The trade union which represents thousands of local government workers balloted its members in schools and cleansing across all Scottish councils. Unite will be finalising the strike dates in the coming week with action in refuse and waste services expected to begin in mid-August. Action specifically impacting schools is expected to begin in early September read more
Unite leader says any attempt to make trade unions illegal will be met with “fierce, prolonged resistance” (26 July) – The leader of Unite the union has hit out at proposals from a Conservative leadership candidate as an attempt to `outlaw strike action’ in this country. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Let’s be clear Liz Truss’s madcap proposals are an attempt to outlaw strike action and effective trade unions. “This so-called manifesto is a declaration of war on the trade union movement and working people. In effect, it is a charter for massive social discontent read more
Gatwick Airport bus drivers secure 21.5% pay increase (26 July) – Bus drivers employed by ABM at Gatwick Airport have achieved an inflation beating 21.5 per cent pay increase. The drivers’ pay has increased from £12.34 an hour to £14.25 with the deal backdated to 1 April this year. Pay will further increase to £15 an hour from 1 January 2023. In addition overtime rates will now be paid at time and a quarter. The drivers are responsible for taking passengers to and from Gatwick’s terminals to distant airplanes for boarding and disembarking read more
Isle of Wight Red Funnel poverty pay strikes begin tomorrow as owners sit on billions (26 July) – Customer services advisers and catering assistants on Wightlink, which runs services between the Isle of Wight and Portsmouth, earn £13.42 an hour. The hourly pay for the equivalent roles on Red Funnel is just £9.50, a difference of £3.92. Wightlink cleaners earn £10.99 per hour, while Red Funnel cleaners are on £9.50. Regardless of their role, Red Funnel staff must undergo sea training and are responsible for passenger safety. Workers are often away from home for days at time and are only paid the hours they work onboard the ferry, with no overnight subsidies provided for food or other expenses read more
Arriva bus drivers in Essex and Kent balloting for strike action over low pay (25 July) – Eight hundred Unite members employed as bus drivers by Arriva in Kent and Essex, are being balloted for industrial action in a dispute over pay. The ballot closes on Friday 12 August and if the workers vote for industrial action then strikes could begin before the end of next month. Despite extensive negotiations Arriva has only been prepared to offer a 7.8 per cent pay increase, which is a substantial pay cut with the real inflation rate (RPI) currently standing at 11.8 per cent. The bus drivers earn as little as £12.12 an hour read more
North Sea strike to hit Foinaven vessel (25 July) – 96% vote for strike action over inferior redundancy package. Unite the union today (25 July) confirmed that its members operating the Foinaven Floating Production, Storage and Offloading vessel (FPSO) have voted to take strike action. 96 per cent voted for strike action on an 84 per cent turnout. Continuous strike action is now scheduled to take place from 5 August. The dispute centres on offshore members being given a significantly inferior redundancy package compared with Altera’s onshore workforce. The Foinaven field is situated approximately 120 miles west of the Shetland Isles within the Faroes/Shetland Trough. Production from the field was suspended in 2021 read more
Glasgow Subway workers vote for strike action (25 July) – First Rangers home game to be hit by walk-out. Unite has confirmed that its Glasgow subway members have voted for strike action with the first Rangers home game (6 August) of the season against Kilmarnock set to be hit by the walk-out. Unite members voted by 99 per cent for strike action on a 83 per cent turnout. The 24-hour strike action is scheduled to take place on the following days: Saturday 6 August, Tuesday 9 August, Saturday 13 August, Saturday 27 August. The dispute centres on the subway system operators Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) enforcing changes to duty schedules. Unite members are increasingly being called in to work shifts at short notice leading to significant work-life pressures read more
Prestwick Airport workers support strike action as Unite fights back over rock bottom pay (20 July) – 78% vote for action in fight against pay cut. Prestwick Airport workers have overwhelmingly backed strike action in a dispute over a real terms pay cut and poverty pay, Scotland’s leading aviation trade union, Unite, confirmed today (20 July). By 78 per cent on an 84 per cent turnout, Unite members supported strike action with Prestwick Airport now set to face disruption in the coming weeks. The action will start on Friday 5 August and will continue over four weeks on every Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The dispute centres on the refusal of Prestwick Airport’s management to pay shift allowances and meet the Real Living Wage (£9.90) rate for new starters. Unite represents more than 80 workers including airport security, firefighters, airfield operators, ground crew, ground handling, cargo, customer services, and cleaners. The workers have demanded a significant wage increase with inflation reaching a 40-year high at 11.7 per cent. The last offer on the table for the workforce was between 4 and 6.5 percent. Unite can confirm that talks facilitated by the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) involving both parties will reconvene on Thursday afternoon in a last-ditch attempt to reach a deal that meets the aspirations of the workers before strike action occurs read more
Tipton workers in McLaren, Aston Martin and Bentley supply chain using foodbanks – CabAuto workers building interiors for luxury cars renew strikes. More than 100 West Midlands workers, paid just £9.90 an hour, will stage two weeks of strike action in July over a three per cent pay offer. The fresh industrial action follows on from seven days of strikes in June and at the beginning of this month. This is a significant real terms pay cut when prices are soaring and RPI inflation is running at 11.7 per cent. CabAuto’s owner, the Adler Pelzer Group, made profits of £118 million (€137.6 million) in 2020. Meanwhile, some CabAuto workers are so poorly rewarded that they have been forced to use food banks read more
Eastleigh Ford and Mercedes assembly workers to strike in July and August over ‘insulting’ pay offer – Automotive assembly contractor VFS workers wage deal amounts to a pay cut. Workers employed at the south coast firm VFS Southampton Ltd, who assemble large vehicles for Ford and Mercedes, have announced strike action in a dispute over pay. The workers, who are members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, voted overwhelmingly for the action in March after VFS imposed a pay award of less than four per cent. At the time the real rate of inflation (RPI) was running at 7.8 per cent but has now reached 11.7 per cent. Industrial action was previously postponed to allow for negotiations. However, an ‘insulting’ revised offer put forward by the company in June was overwhelmingly rejected by the membership. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “VFS has put forward an insulting pay offer that is in fact a real terms pay cut. Unite defends our members’ jobs, pay and conditions and our VFS membership will have the union’s full support during these strikes.” The workers will stage 24 hour strikes on 27 and 29 July and 2, 4, 8, 10 and 12 August. If the dispute is not resolved more strike action will be scheduled. During the strikes, picket lines will be in place at the company’s Chickenhall Lane factory in Eastleigh, Hampshire read more
Workers at Derry City & Strabane district council to launch four-week strike action after they reject latest, inadequate pay offer – Council management has been notified of a four-week strike commencing 18 July and ending 14 August. Latest pay offer provided no additional consolidated pay increase, leaving workers unprotected from surging inflation. Unite has notified bosses at Derry City & Strabane district council of a further four weeks of strike action. This industrial action follows two previous strikes by workers at local councils, the Education Authority and the Housing Executive. Workers are demanding a pay increase which will protect them from the current cost of living crisis. The dispute is in respect of pay following an inadequate national pay deal which offers workers a bare 1.75 per cent increase, an offer which was rejected by Unite members as inflation is currently surging at 11.7 per cent. The latest pay offer from management at Derry City & Strabane district council came after a second strike action by workers at the local authority. Workers suspended their action to allow space for further negotiations, however management merely offered a non-consolidated, one-off payment. While this would help meet immediate challenges, it would have left workers with no protection for inflation into the future. Unite is warning that the strike at Derry City & Strabane is likely to be followed by similar at other local authorities; indeed other trade unions are now balloting on industrial action at a number of councils read more
Workers to strike for a cost of living pay increase at Hampton Conservatories Ltd in Portrush – Three percent increase is a disgraceful 8.7 percent wage cut; initial eight-day strike action to start 16 July. Unite has confirmed that its membership at the small Portrush-based manufacturer and installer of conservatories will commence an initial eight-day strike action starting 16 July 2022 read more
Petrol stations face pump problems as Gilbarco engineers take strike action over pay – Problems at petrol pumps throughout the UK will be left unattended as service engineers employed by Gilbarco Veeder-Root Ltd take strike action tomorrow (July 7) in a dispute over pay. The service engineers who, are home based and required to travel extensively for their work, have rejected a pay increase of just four per cent. This is in effect a substantial pay cut as the real rate of inflation (RPI) currently stands at 11.7 per cent. According to its last accounts, the Jersey-registered company has a multi-million pound turnover and recorded a gross profit of £4 million. The workers, who are members of Unite, the UK’s leading union will take two days of strike action beginning at 06:00 on Thursday 7 July and ending at 18:00 on Friday 8 July read more
North West facing Arriva bus strikes over ‘pitiful’ pay offer – Bus workers employed by Arriva in the North West have voted in huge numbers for strike action in a dispute over pay. Unite, the workers’ union, says that all-out continuous strike action will begin on Wednesday 20 July. Around 1,800 workers returned a 96 per cent yes vote in favour of strike action on a 72 per cent turnout. Unite says its members are striking over a pitiful pay offer from the German-owned transport giant of just three per cent with no strings attached, or six per cent which included reductions in sick pay and loss of Saturday enhanced pay. Both the offers are far below the current real inflation rate (RPI) of 11.7 per cent and so constitute a pay cut read more
Bosch Rexroth workers to strike in dispute over pay and shift changes – Unite slams global giant’s plans that leave Scottish workers £7000 a year worse off. Unite has today (Monday 4 July) confirmed that members working at Bosch Rexroth Glenrothes, will walk out over a pay proposal that will leave workers £7000 a year worse off. The German-owned global tech and engineering giant has proposed a six per cent pay deal, which Unite says is a significant pay cut given that real inflation currently stands at 11.7 per cent. The employers are also refusing to back-date the pay award to 1 January or to reverse changes to shift patterns and shift allowances, which means the combined impact of the offer is to leave workers around £7,000 per year worse off. Workers at the site have rejected the company’s proposal by 74 per cent. Unite says that the Bosch Rexroth, a subsidiary of Bosch, is in a strong financial position and has no need to attack the workers’ pay and conditions. In its 2021 annual report, Bosch Rexroth boasted of `reaching a new high on incoming orders’ which have generated sales of £5.4 billion (6.2 billion euros), up by nearly one fifth on the year before. The union’s members, 245 workers, will take continuous strike action from Tuesday 5 July until Tuesday 12 July inclusive. Thereafter they will strike every Monday and Tuesday going forward with an ongoing ban on overtime throughout read more
Caterpillar pays for strike-breakers to stay in five star luxury – Unite blasts firm for ‘burning through’ cash on rooms that cost up to £850 a night rather than pay workers fairly. Manufacturing company Caterpillar has been paying for the strike-breakers it brought to Northern Ireland to stay in five star luxury, Unite the union says today (22 June). The strike breakers have been staying at the Grand Central Hotel in Belfast but after their presence attracted protests, they were moved to the five-start Culloden Resort Hotel and Spa. Rooms at the Culloden Resort Hotel – which offers a `luxurious break…..at the most prestigious five-star hotel in Northern Ireland’ – can cost up to £850 a night, while a suite is £2,500 a night. Unite says that, along with the high-cost hotel accommodation costs, Caterpillar is paying the travel costs and hourly premiums to those they have brought in to cross picket lines read more
Strike at Moy Park Randalstown mill continues as employers refuse to pay the rate for the job – Randalstown workers paid ‘chicken feed’ wages – some less than £5,000 a year compared to workers at other Moy Park sites. As Moy Park profits touch £90 million Unite exposes how poverty pay at Randalstown leaves workers borrowing to ‘make ends meet’. A Unite survey of striking Moy Park workers has revealed that eight in 10 are suffering a declining standard of living; seven in 10 had trouble making ends meet in the last year; and six in 10 had to borrow money to get by. Drivers at the plant regularly work well in excess of 70 hours a week to make a living as the rates of pay at the site are more than £5,000 a year less than drivers receive at other Moy Park sites for the same work. The latest figures for 2021 show Moy Park has reported profits of £86 million, while its owner Pilgrim’s Pride banked among its highest ever margins at £478 million. So there’s cash a plenty to pay the same rate across the company. Unite reveals the shocking statistics as workers at Randalstown stand on pickets for a second week at the Moy Park owned chicken feed mill 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 – 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
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
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
Construction workers action – action is being called at NAECI sites on Wednesday 10th August over pay. Without resolution, there will be further action every second Wednesday there after
PCS
MOD offer is not enough (1 Aug) – The pay offer has been below inflation every year for three years and MOD is also selling off terms and conditions. Informal pay talks have been going on with MOD for months. We have made some progress in finding ways to construct a business case to the Cabinet Office and Treasury to deliver more money for all staff. However, as these talks have progressed, there has remained one major sticking point: inflation has shot up and is predicted to climb higher, as the impact of rising energy costs and food bills hit home. This means that, although the headline offer may have been attractive back when inflation was at one or two percent, now it is predicted to peak at or above 11.5% around the time the offer would be agreed read more
PCS launches campaign at the EHRC (28 July) – The campaign at the Equality & Human Rights Commission (EHRC) aims to address members’ concerns after our demands for action are ignored by senior employer representatives read more
100% vote for strike action in HGS (28 July) – Members working on a Disclosure and Barring Service contract for Hinduja Global Solutions (HGS) have voted unanimously for strike action over pay and conditions. PCS members working for Hinduja Global Solutions (HGS) have voted unanimously for strike action on an 87.5% turnout. This is a magnificent result and demonstrates the strength of feeling of members, with a willingness to fight for better pay and conditions read more
PCS in legal challenge over use of agency workers to break strikes (27 July) – PCS is one of 12 unions bringing a legal challenge to the government’s law change which permits businesses to use agency workers to break strikes. Thompsons Solicitors yesterday wrote to the business secretary, Kwasi Kwarteng, on behalf of 12 major trade unions coordinated by the TUC, to challenge the regulations introduced last week permitting the use of agency workers during industrial action. The 12 unions involved are PCS, Unite, USDAW, BFAWU, UCU, RMT, ASLEF, FDA, NEU, POA, BALPA and the GMB read more
Planned action for PCS members working for OCS on the HMCTS contract suspended (27 July) – Industrial action planned for 29 July, 2, 3 and 4 August has been suspended following an improved pay offer for OCS workers on the HM Courts and Tribunals Service contract that will now be put to members in a ballot. The terms of the offer, which amounts to a minimum pay increase of 8.3%, are as follows
Sign the petition to stop privatisation at the Plas Menai outdoor activities centre (21 July) – PCS members at the Plas Menai National Outdoor Centre for Wales, near Caernarfon, are facing the threat of their jobs being transferred to a private employer. Sport Wales, the Welsh Government sponsored body that runs Plas Menai, has invited tenders for an external organisation to take over the running of the centre, including the employment of its staff. PCS has launched a petition on the website of the Senedd – the Welsh parliament – to stop the outsourcing of this unique facility. Sign and ask your friends and colleagues to do likewise read more
Government agency chief blasts unjust pay deal (26 July) – The CEO of the Environment Agency has given PCS members yet another reason to support our campaign and ballot for decent by describing the pay deal on offer to his staff as “unjust, unwise, and unfair” read more
GMB
Bin strike in West Berkshire avoided as refuse workers secure 9.2 per cent pay increase (1 Aug) – Our members twice turned down the two previous offers and therefore by sticking together they were able to secure a rise, says GMB. GMB, the union for refuse workers, has today confirmed West Berkshire refuse workers have agreed to accept an improved pay offer. Members had rejected two previous pay offers and had informed the company that they intended to move to an industrial action ballot unless an improvement was forthcoming. Following a ballot of a third offer where most of the workers have been offered a 9.2 per cent pay increase, GMB members have decided to accept the deal which means no employee is paid less than £11 per hour read more
Surrey bin strike escalates as Amey uses “bullying tactics” to try to stop walk out (28 July) – Company’s direct offer to workers inducement aimed at bullying workforce out of lawful industrial action, says GMB Union. Amey has been accused of ‘bullying tactics’ to stop the forthcoming Surrey Bin strike. GMB members working as refuse collectors are due to take strike action for three weeks from Monday 1 August. Bosses yesterday approached them with a new pay offer, but instead of going through the proper channels – their union, GMB – members were contacted directly and reportedly pressured into saying they wouldn’t go on strike. Workers have since complained to the union these approaches are nothing less than ‘bullying tactics’ read more
GMB slam Amey for misleading public in run up to Surrey bin strike (27 July) – Amey need to publicly correct what they have previously gone on record to say, says GMB. GMB, the union for refuse workers, have called for Amey, the refuse contractor for Surrey Heath and Elmbridge to clarify some of their comments in the run up to the proposed bin strikes scheduled for next month. As well as statements claiming that the strike action is going to be intermittent, which is factually inaccurate, Amey has also stated that pay talks are ongoing and that ACAS, the government’s conciliatory body, are involved in brokering talks. GMB union are denying both of these claims and are calling on Amey to correct these errors so as not to mislead local residents or the local councils any further. Union members who work as refuse collectors and drivers are set to go on strike between Monday 1 and Friday 19 August in Surrey Heath and Elmbridge read more
North west bus strike day 10 – GMB ready to talk (29 July) – GMB Union is ready to negotiate to end the North West bus strike when Arriva bosses are ready to compromise, the union has said. More than 1,800 Bus drivers across the North West are set to walk out again today [29 July 2022] in what would be day ten of the strike over pay. Arriva bosses called union in for talks yesterday, only to reconfirm the pay offer members had already turned down – rather than make any kind of improved offer to try and end the strike read more
Wandsworth Council suspending parking bays makes them ‘laughing stock’ – GMB Union (26 July) – GMB, the union for parking wardens, have slammed the decision by the London Borough of Wandsworth to suspend parking bays, saying it may well not be lawful. The members, who are employed by Wandsworth Council’s contractor NSL, are on strike again today, taking their 15th day of industrial action. Parking bay suspensions – typically used when a road is due to be closing, when road maintenance is being carried out or when a local business or residence needs use of a skip – require 72 hours’ notice before coming into force, which the union believes is not being adhered to in this case. The union is advising anyone who receives a ticket parking in one of these suspended bays in Wandsworth this week to appeal, as they may avoid paying a fine using this loophole read more
GMB WIN: Sandwell Refuse strike postponed (21 July) – GMB members working for Serco at Sandwell refuse have voted to accept a pay offer after weeks of campaigning. The pay offer represents a package of benefits, including significant pay rise, additional leave days and improvement to working conditions. GMB has announced the strike dates planned for July and August will be postponed pending completion of the deal read more
Weekend strike called off at South London’s St George’s Hospital (15 July) – Action scheduled for Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th July have been suspended
Sign petition – To St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Mitie out: Demand fair pay and conditions for staff at St George’s Hospital
Rhondda faces bin strike after workers vote for industrial action – 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. BBC are reporting that if talks fail, there will be an initial strike on 30th July
Unison
Strikes to go ahead after exam board fails to improve pay offer, says UNISON (28 July) – Workers have been left with no alternative after years of what have effectively been wage cuts. Staff at exam board AQA are to go ahead with a 72-hour walkout starting tomorrow (Friday) after the employer failed to re-open talks over pay, said UNISON. The workers, including those who help organise the awarding of grades, will strike from Friday to Sunday (31 July) in action that could mean delays for students awaiting their GCSE and A-level results. Many of the 180 staff affected say they’re struggling financially following successive below-inflation pay awards. Their pay increased by 0.6% last year, and AQA has offered 3% this year, which UNISON says represents another real-terms pay cut, with inflation at a 40-year high and set to rise even further. The workers have been warned they could be sacked and rehired on different contracts if they don’t accept the offer, says the union read more
Scottish council staff back industrial action (27 July) – Thousands of local government workers overwhelmingly rejected the employers’ 2% offer. Thousands of council workers across Scotland have voted to take industrial action, UNISON announced yesterday. The decision comes after the the largest strike ballot among council workers in over a decade. The action will disrupt schools, early years centres, nurseries and waste and recycling centres across the country. UNISON members in all councils across Scotland overwhelmingly voted to reject the final offer of 2% from COSLA – the Scottish local government employers’ association – with nine local authority branches exceeding the required 50% turnout threshold required by the Trade Union Act read more
Unions react to pay offer for council and school staff (25 July) – Council and school workers are enduring a major cost of living crisis. The three unions representing council and school staff in England, Wales and Northern Ireland have today (Monday) reacted to the £1,925 flat rate pay offer from the local government employers read more
University staff reject below-inflation pay offer and vote on strike action (22 July) – No worker wants to go out on strike, but staff can’t afford to feed their kids, pay for housing or fill up their petrol tanks. Thousands of university workers including administrators, cleaners, security and catering staff will vote today (Friday) on whether to strike over pay, says UNISON. Employees overwhelmingly rejected a 3% pay offer from the University and Colleges Employers Association in May read more
Care staff in South West begin strike over fire and rehire plans – Workers have been left with no choice but to take action. Staff employed by Bristol-based care company St Monica Trust are to begin a series of strikes today (Wednesday) over threats to sack them if they don’t accept a pay cut, says UNISON. As many as 100 care workers, registered nurses and residential home staff are expected to take to the streets outside the trust’s four care homes across South Gloucestershire, North Somerset, and Bath and North East Somerset, UNISON says. Further action is planned for 2, 5, 10 and 11 July read more
Details of the pickets can be found at this link and you can pledge your support by adding your name here
There is a strike fund which is being collected for. Many of these workers are low paid and part time. With cost of living ever rising it’s essential that we can ensure no one feels like they can’t stand up with their colleagues and strike for fear of lost pay. The union will be paying strike pay and members can request hardship payments up to their full wages so no one gets left behind.
For donations please send to the following details with the reference “SMT”
Account name: UNISON South West
Account number: 49021079
Sort Code: 60-83-01
OCS LANCASHIRE: PAY UP NOW – Pay our hospital heroes what they are owed for working throughout the pandemic. We are NHS workers in Lancashire and we urgently need your support. As hospital cleaners and catering staff, we are outsourced to OCS and have worked 24/7 throughout the pandemic to keep staff and patients safe. But while OCS boasts it turned over hundreds of millions during the COVID crisis, it continues to pay us less than our NHS colleagues doing exactly the same jobs. Hospital workers employed by OCS are £2000 worse off than our colleagues working for the NHS. We also have inferior working conditions including 7 days less annual leave and lower sick pay. 45 of us submitted a collective grievance about this issue in May 2021, but EIGHT MONTHS on, we have still not been listened to. We have become increasingly frustrated and have now voted 97.8% in favour of taking strike action to resolve this issue…We think that a great way to get the Chief Executive’s attention is to flood his inbox with emails from all of us. Can you take a few minutes to email Bob Taylor? It’s easy, you just need to add your details and press send. https://www.megaphone.org.uk/petitions/ocs-pay-up-now. Post messages of support on social media: please tag @NorthWestUNISON. Use hashtags #ONENHS and #PayUpNowOCS read more
University of Leeds members prepare to strike again – Action is over the 2021-22 pay round with member resoundingly rejecting the latest offer. The University of Leeds branch is taking further strike action over the 2021-22 pay round, next week, on 20-24 June. Members have lost 20% of their pay against inflation over 12 years. They have used the pay calculator to show just how many thousands of pounds staff are being cheated in their pay read mor
UCU
UCU condemns closure of modern languages at Leeds Beckett University (29 July) – UCU has today condemned the decision by Leeds Beckett University to close all modern languages provision at the university. Staff were informed last week, just as the university closes for the summer, of the plans to cut all modern language courses at the university from September 2022, a decision that has put six members of teaching staff at risk of compulsory redundancy. UCU has condemned the decision and its timing and called on the university to halt the plans and properly consult with the local union branch and members of staff. The union said that Leeds Beckett management has a duty to avoid redundancies, reduce the numbers of employees that will lose their jobs and to mitigate the consequences of the dismissals read more
Staff at Hugh Baird College win pay deal worth up to 9.8% (26 July) – UCU members at Hugh Baird College in Merseyside have won a significant pay rise of up to 9.8% and additional annual leave from next year. The deal comes after an overwhelming 93% of UCU members who voted said yes to strike action in response to an original offer of just 1%. UCU said that the win was the result of determined organising and the threat of industrial action from its members at Hugh Baird, and demonstrates that college employers have the resources to give decent pay rises to staff at the sharp end of the cost of living crisis. The pay deal, voted for by UCU branch members, amounts to a total offer of up to 9.8%, which includes a £2668 uplift to the starting salary of lower paid staff and a £500 non-consolidated payment for all staff. UCU also won an additional three days annual leave per year read more
£100k bonus for USS chief executive ‘disgraceful’ (25 July) – UCU said Universities Superannuation Scheme chief executive Bill Galvin was being rewarded for ‘failure’ after he received a salary of over £480k and bonus of over £100k. The union was responding to USS’s latest accounts read more
Strike action announced at colleges across north west England (14 July) – Four colleges across the north west of England will be hit with more strike action later this year unless employers agree to raise staff pay, the UCU announced today. Staff at Burnley College, The Manchester College, City of Liverpool College, and Oldham College will walk out for two days during college induction weeks on Tuesday 6 and Wednesday 7 September. UCU says college leaders must act now if they want to avoid a repeat of the disruption of strike action in May and June, which impacted thousands students read more
Richmond upon Thames College to face 14 days more strike action over fire & rehire plans – Staff at Richmond upon Thames College are set to down tools for 14 consecutive days over a three-week period in August and September over plans by management to sack every teacher at the college and force them to reapply for their jobs on worse terms and conditions if they want to stay. The announcement comes as staff take a further day of strike action today (Tuesday) aimed at disrupting an open day taking place at the college. Striking staff will be picketing and holding a rally at the Marsh Farm Lane entrance to the college at 4pm today as prospective students and their parents visit the college. The protests will include a mobile billboard outlining the college’s plans to sack over 100 members of teaching staff. Strike action in the summer will hit enrolment, induction and first week of teaching and take place on the following days: Monday 22 August, Tuesday 23 August, Wednesday 24 August, Thursday 25 August, Friday 26 August, Tuesday 30 August, Wednesday 31 August, Thursday 1 September, Friday 2 September, Monday 5 September, Tuesday 6 September, Wednesday 7 September, Thursday 8 September, Friday 9 September. Staff will be picketing the college on every morning of the strike action. The college wants to sack all 127 members of its teaching staff and make them reapply for their jobs on new contracts that would see them lose 10 days’ holiday. Management began the deeply controversial process, widely known as ‘fire and rehire’, without any prior engagement or consultation with staff. The college claims that ‘trust’, ‘integrity’ and ‘excellence’ are the values that ‘underpin everything’ it does read more
UCU fighting fund: the link is here and donations to the fund are spent on supporting members involved in important disputes.
FBU
Firefighters call on Labour frontbench to support strikers (July 30) – The Executive Council has met and discussed events that have unfolded in relation to the Labour Party’s leaderships distinct lack of support for unions taking strike action. The Executive Council is appalled that shadow ministers are being threatened and sacked for standing in solidarity with strikers on picket lines. Although the Labour Party’s leadership is struggling to maintain a consistent line for why ministers are being subjected to these actions, it is apparent that it is in response to the support shown to workers that are on strike and standing on picket lines across the U.K read more
Pay offer 2022: still no improved proposal from employers (July 30) – On 19 July 2022 the Executive Council informed the national employers that their pay proposal had been rejected by firefighters. The Executive Council is angered not to have received any improved proposal from the Employers side. On that basis, the necessary work to prepare for a ballot for national strike action will continue read more
Nearly one in four Northamptonshire fire and rescue staff subject to discrimination (July 27) – A new inspection of Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service, released today, has found failings in the way they look after their workforce. This includes a finding that 24% of staff had been subject to discrimination over the past 12 months read more
Firefighters respond to fire service inspection reports (July 26) – Firefighters have responded to the latest release of inspection reports for fire and rescue services in England, which have been released today read more
Scotland: re Agenda for Change 2022/2023 single year pay offer (14 July) – We are about to open the ballot for the NHS AFC pay offer for 2022/2023. The pay offer has been circulated previously and I am sure you are all aware of the detail and content of the offer by now. However, it is attached to this circular for ease of reference. We are not making a formal recommendation to you on the offer, you will make that decision for yourself based on having all the information to allow you to reach an informed position personal to you. What we can say is that as a trade union we are deeply disappointed with the offer and do not feel it in any way adequately reflects either the current cost of living crisis we are all experiencing at present; or the enormous dedicated, professional contribution you have all made in yet another year of unprecedented challenges in the State hospital during the COVID crisis. These views and levels of disappointment are echoed across the NHS trade unions and have been communicated very clearly to those responsible for tabling the current offer. The ballot itself will be a workplace ballot and will be open from Monday 18th July until Wednesday 3rd August 2022. You will be able to pick up your ballot slip from your local branch committee. Please speak with them for information about the location of the ballot box to allow you to cast read more
POA
OSG indicative ballot and band 3,4 and 5 indicative BALLOT (1 Aug) – The National Executive Committee have now had time to examine and fully understand what is contained within the PSPRB report on the remit group that the POA represent. At the NEC Meeting of 27th July 2022, the National Executive Committee determined to hold a further Indicative Workplace Ballot of our OSG members, and a separate Indicative Workplace Ballot for our Band 3, 4 and 5 members. The Executive will never accept that Prison Officer grades and Operational Support Grades are paid fairly for the jobs that they do, and we still believe that even with this increase it does not make up for the pay cuts of the last decade. We do not believe that this PSPRB Report will stop individuals from all grades leaving HMPPS and believe that it will take years to reduce the damage of the past for the Service to recover. These 2 Ballots are in response to the recent Prison Service Pay Review Body Report and the acceptance of that Report by the Government. The first Indicative Workplace Ballot will include all Band 2 members, Prison Auxiliary’s and Night staff in England and Wales. The NEC would again like to make the wider membership aware that these members, are not restricted from taking industrial action by Section 127 of the Criminal Justice Act 1994. At this stage the NEC have decided to hold an Indicative Ballot of our members within these grades. If it is indicated in this ballot that these members wish to challenge the pay award made by Government, the POA will move to hold a Statutory Ballot of these members. Before any industrial action is called or endorsed, the law requires that there is a ballot of members in accordance with strict legal requirements. Only where such a ballot produces a majority in favour of industrial action and at least 50% of those eligible to vote have voted will the action be lawful. Further in the case of important public services, at least 40% of those eligible to vote must have voted to support the action. These are minimum levels, the NEC would of course like to see far higher levels, were the Union to decide to proceed in this way. The second Indicative Workplace Ballot will include all Band 3, 4 and 5 members, regardless of whether they are closed Grades or Fair and Sustainable Grades. The Indicative Workplace Ballots will take place from Monday 8th August 2022 until Monday 29th August 2022. Once the outcome is announced the NEC will make an informed decision on whether to proceed to a Statutory Ballot for Band 2 members read more
Pay award 2022/23 England and Wales (27 July) – The National Executive Committee have now had time to examine and fully understand what is contained within the PSPRB report on the remit group that the POA represent. For many years the POA NEC believed as did our annual conference that the review body simply wasn’t fit for purpose and effectively did everything that Government told it to do. There was absolute merit in that assessment at that time due to the fact the Pay Review Body was supposed to be a compensatory mechanism for not having the right to strike and simply did not deliver full stop. Year on Year POA members were treated with disdain until fresh personnel were appointed to the review body and a new Chair was appointed namely Mr Tim Flesher. Mr Flesher and indeed the other individuals currently on the committee have demonstrated over the last couple of years that they are prepared to challenge Government on their recommendations. This does not mean that the NEC are satisfied with the recommendations that the Review Body have made this year as it does not in any way shape or form make up for the pay cuts since 2010 that our members have endured read more
NAPO
News on pay – Cafcass to submit a business case for pay award (28 July) – As members will be aware, discussions have been taking place between the Unions and the Employer over recent weeks in an effort to support the Employer in making a robust business case to the MoJ/Treasury for the necessary funding to respond to the unions’ joint pay claim read more
BFAWU
Government facing judicial review over new regulations allowing the use of agency workers during industrial action (Sarah Woolley BFAWU General Secretary) July 27 – Thompsons Solicitors has today written to the business secretary, Kwasi Kwarteng, on behalf of 12 major trade unions coordinated by the TUC, to challenge new regulations permitting the use of agency workers during industrial action. The 12 unions involved are Unite, USDAW, BFAWU, UCU, RMT, ASLEF, FDA, NEU, PCS, POA, BALPA and the GMB read more
NUJ
FEU stands in solidarity with Reach members (28 July) – The Federation of Entertainment Unions supports NUJ members voting in the pay industrial action ballot. The Federation of Entertainment Unions sends a message of solidarity to all NUJ members working on Reach’s newspapers and associated news websites who are balloting for action over their latest pay offer read more
NUJ reacts to Reach half year results (26 July) – New interim figures from publisher reveal “a strong balance sheet” of £44m. The NUJ has welcomed publication of interim results from Reach plc indicating a significant cash balance 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 submits Soulbury pay claim of minimum 9% for 2022 (26 July) – Prospect’s Education and Children’s Services Group and its partner unions who represent education professionals covered by the Soulbury agreement have formally submitted a pay increase of at least 9% for 2022 read more
Equity
Fringe Society must compensate performers for failure to provide app (28 July) – Following recent controversy around the absence of an official Edinburgh Fringe App, we recently met with The Edinburgh Fringe Society to discuss the concerns that members have raised with us read more
USDAW
#ReinstateMax: defend sacked Tesco USDAW rep Max McGee – 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]
Community
Port Talbot Steelworks: To Rishi and Liz – is anyone there? (27 July) – By now, you’ll have seen the headlines about Tata Steel. Last week Tata Group, the owner of the Port Talbot steelworks, warned that sites could be shut without subsidies for reducing carbon emissions. We are clear: Tata and the Government must do whatever it takes to secure the future of steelmaking at Port Talbot, and work with the trade unions to safeguard our vital strategic industry read more
UVW
Victory against the cops: Met apologises and pays compensation for the arrest of UVW official (28 July) – “We don’t tolerate cops or bosses or anyone pushing us around.” Franck Magennis, arrested UVW member, barrister and former head of UVW’s legal department. The Metropolitan Police (Met) has apologised for the arrest of a United Voices of the World (UVW) union official on the picket line, settled a claim brought by the union after it aggressively dispersed its picket and paid compensation to both the union and its member worth a total £5,000, in a victory for militant trade unionism. Two and a half years after his arrest the Met finally apologised to the former head of UVW’s legal department Franck Magennis and paid him £3,000 in compensation for detaining him while on a picket line organised by UVW outside St George’s University Hospital on January 13 2020 read more
Fighting back through the courts against sacking at St James Tavern in Brighton (8 July) – This week UVW strike leader and now former pub manager at St James Tavern in Brighton, Jake Marvin, applied to the employment tribunal for interim relief following his summary sacking just days after the workers’ first picket line on Saturday, 25th June. Interim relief is when a boss is ordered to reinstate a worker where the employment tribunal believes they have been sacked for trade union activities. Applications for interim relief are incredibly rare and even rarer to win. But the evidence that Jake was sacked for building the union in his workplace is undeniable and includes a leaked Whatsapp message from the pub landlady, Victoria, that his sacking was planned weeks in advance. And an open admission from the violent pub landlord Zakaria to the local member of parliament for Brighton, Kemptown, Lloyd Russell-Moyers, that he would sack any workers who took part in union activities read more
IWGB
Statement by Cleaners, Porters, Post-Room and Security staff at LSHTM following the senior management’s false and misleading statement on 21 July 2022 – We are appalled by the statement published yesterday (21/07/2022) by LSHTM senior management – a tissue of lies which has clearly been drafted in an attempt to smear us and our union, the IWGB, and to try to delegitimise our campaign against discrimination, low pay and victimisation at this university. Disappointingly, this is not the first time LSHTM has published false statements about us, so we decided that we should also publicly reply. We are a majority-migrant workforce who worked all through the pandemic but we are paid well below other staff at the University. Our union, the IWGB, represents the majority of our workforce, yet LSHTM refuses to recognise our union and refuses to negotiate with us over pay. We have suffered trade union victimisation that we believe to be unlawful, and to date, six of us have received disciplinary sanctions as a result of our attempt to raise our voices and concerns publicly. We have no guarantee that these sanctions will be lifted once we are insourced read more
Outsourced Workers at LSHTM Set to Strike over Pay Following Escalating Union Victimisation – Outsourced cleaners, porters, post room, and security staff working at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) have voted unanimously in favour of strike action over poverty pay amidst the cost of living crisis. In April, workers from the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) launched a campaign to bring an end to a discriminatory pay gap that would pay the majority-migrant and BAME workers below the lowest grade of the university-wide pay scale. This follows only months after a damning report revealing ingrained structural racism across the prestigious university, at academic staff and student level read more
Support striking workers and their fight back against the #CostOfLivingCrisis by donating to the strike fund
Barristers take action over pay and conditions
South Eastern Circuit – Central Criminal Court (Old Bailey)
Midland Circuit – Birmingham Crown Court
Northern Circuit – Manchester Crown Court
North Eastern Circuit – Leeds Crown Court
Western Circuit – Bristol Crown Court
Wales & Chester Circuit – Cardiff Crown Court
Week 1: Monday 27th and Tuesday 28th June 2022
Week 2: Monday 4th, Tuesday 5th and Wednesday 6th July 2022
Week 3: Monday 11th, Tuesday 12th, Wednesday 13th and Thursday 14th July 2022
Week 4: Monday 18th, Tuesday 19th, Wednesday 20th, Thursday 21st and Friday July 22nd 2022.
In w/c 25th July: the days of action are suspended for 1 week.
In w/c 1st August: the days of action recommence for a further full week.
SIPTU (Ireland)
Ballots to commence after unions back public service pay campaign (27 July) – Unions are to ramp up preparations for industrial action ballots after ICTU’s Public Services Committee (PSC) today (Wednesday) agreed to mount a coordinated union campaign on public service pay. The PSC is made up of unions representing over 90% of Ireland’s public servants. Speaking after the PSC meeting, its chairperson Kevin Callinan said unions were united in their resolution to achieve a credible public service pay offer for 2021-2022 read more
SIPTU local authority members prepare for industrial action ballot in pay dispute (25 July) – SIPTU members employed by local authorities across the country are preparing to ballot for industrial action as a result of the failure of the Government to conclude a deal on public sector pay that takes account of the increasing cost of living and high inflation rate read more
SIPTU public service members to prepare for industrial action over Government failure to review Agreement (25 July) – SIPTU members across the public service will commence a consultation exercise in advance of ballots for industrial action over the failure of the Government to conclude an acceptable review of the pay provisions of the ‘Building Momentum’ Public Service Agreement. The consultation will involve union members and activists in the health service, local government, education and the State sectors in the coming weeks read more
Other news
Peterloo March for Democracy – Sunday 14th August assemble 12.30pm Piccadilly Gardens, Manchester for march to St Peters Square Facebook event
Peterloo Annual Commemoration – Tuesday 16th August – Gather at the memorial in Windmill Street, Manchester at 5:30pm for a 6:00pm start Peterloo Memorial Campaign Facebook page
International news
(From NUJ website) Sri Lanka: journalists attacked by security forces (25 July) – Union condemns assaults against media workers at the Gota Go Gama site in Galle Face. The National Union of Journalists has joined the International Federation of Journalists in condemning attacks by security forces on media workers read more on NUJ website
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
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
August
14 Peterloo March for Democracy – assemble 12.30pm Piccadilly Gardens, Manchester for march to St Peters Square Facebook event
16 Peterloo Annual Commemoration – Gather at the memorial in Windmill Street, Manchester at 5:30pm for a 6:00pm start Peterloo Memorial Campaign Facebook page
September
4 Burston Strike School Rally Facebook group
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
