NSSN 621: Support the biggest strike in NHS history

Last Wednesday February 1st was a massive step up in the strike wave, as 500,000 workers in 5 unions – NEU, PCS, UCU, ASLEF and RMT – walked out together. There were impressive rallies and demonstrations in many towns and cities in support of the action as well as to protest against the new planned Tory anti-union laws, including a huge mobilisation in central London.

That mass joint strike day will be followed up this coming Monday 6th February with the biggest NHS strike in UK history. Nurses in the RCN will be taking action on Monday and Tuesday and joining them on Monday will be ambulance workers in the GMB and Unite. Ambulance workers in Unison will be on strike on Friday 10th February. The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy will be taking action on Thursday. NHS strikes in Wales by RCN, RCM, GMB and CSP have been suspended to consider a new offer from the Welsh Government, while at this moment Welsh Unite strikes are still going ahead.

This all shows that there is huge potential for mass co-ordinated action on an even greater scale, if the strikes can be drawn together. We appeal to all those unions with a strike mandate to urgently meet together to co-ordinate so that the maximum number of workers can strike together in order that the attacks on us can be defeated. The NEU has called further all members’ strike action, including on Budget Day Wednesday 15th March, where there will be national demonstration.

Support the strikes!

Come and join the discussion at this open meeting about where next for the strike wave:-

NSSN national online public meeting: ‘After February 1st & 6th strikes, how do we all strike together?’ – 6pm Monday 6th February

Zoom details – https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87166952312?pwd=TFAvV25Bekd3a1lod2gvNURUMWczdz09

Meeting ID: 871 6695 2312   Passcode: 060223

Sign the TUC petition to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak: Protect the right to strike! Our right to strike is under attack. Rishi Sunak has just detailed his anti-union legislation and plans to introduce new laws in the coming weeks. It means that when workers democratically vote to strike, they could be forced to work and sacked if they don’t. That’s wrong, unworkable, and almost certainly illegal. These new laws are a direct attack on working people’s fundamental right to strike to defend their pay, terms and conditions

Enough is Enough launches campaign and petition to Defend the #RightToStrike – The right to strike is under threat. New legislation proposed by the Tory government intends to override a workers’ right to withdraw their labour, forcing them to work against their will. The right to strike is a fundamental democratic right. It underpins our ability to win dignity in the workplace and earn a decent standard of living. It is no accident that this right is under attack at the very moment the public is fighting back against the cost-of-living squeeze. This government is determined to force workers to pay the price for a crisis caused by the greed of the elite yet again. We won’t accept it. We, the undersigned, pledge to defend the right to strike and oppose this latest legislation #RightToStrike

Sign your workplace up to save the right to strike (supported by Strike Map, ASLEF – The UK Train Drivers’ Union, Bakers Food and Allied Workers Union – BFAWU, Campaign for Trade Union Freedom, Fire Brigades Union, The Morning Star, NHS Workers Say NO, People’s Assembly and the NSSN) – The government has launched an attack on our rights. Their actions will destroy our fundamental right to strike. We want to encourage workers, union reps and branch officers to sign their workplace up to reject these changes and pledge to fight to protect our right to strike. Add your workplace name to our collective letter action and share it with every one of your co-workers. When we fight as a collective together we win!

SOS NHS National Demonstration – OUR NHS: END THE CRISIS SUPPORT THE STRIKES 11 MARCH 2023 Central London – assemble midday opposite Warren St tube station, Tottenham Court Road NW1 3AA leaflet

NSSN news

This year’s NSSN Conference will be on Saturday 24th June in Conway Hall, London 11am-4.30pm

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 Katrine on [email protected]

The NSSN is developing a campaign pack for social care, which we hope to make available in the not-too-distant future for supporters to use in their localities. As part of this, communications officer Dave Gorton is keen to hear from supporters who:

(1) work in social care (either local authority, private or independently provided)

(2) represent social care workers for a trade union

(3) are in need of social care provision themselves or act as an (unpaid/underpaid) carer for a family member

Dave can be contacted in the first instance via [email protected]

Union News

You can receive this bulletin via email or you can choose to unsubscribe and stop receiving them. Like everyone else, the NSSN has to adhere to new data protection regulations. Therefore you must click here to subscribe/unsubscribe. Reports from unions do not necessarily reflect NSSN’s views.

RMT

RMT National Dispute Fund

EHRC expresses concerns over DOO (4 Feb) – EHRC expresses concerns over changes to rail services impacting on disabled passengers. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has expressed concerns over changes to rail services that could impact on the disabled and vulnerable read more

Elizabeth Line maintenance workers to take 24 hours strike action (3 Feb) – Maintenance workers on the Elizabeth Line will take 24 hours strike action tonight in a dispute over pay. Workers taking part in the action are currently being paid significantly less than similar positions across the network. Rail for London Infrastructure which employs the workers, has offered four per cent but workers at MTR – the outsourced part of the Elizabeth Line – received an 8.2 per cent increase this year and Docklands Light Railway (DLR) staff received nearly 10 per cent. RMT general secretary Mick Lynch congratulated members on taking action for the third time and said the union would not rest until they were justly rewarded for their efforts read more

RMT wins staff free travel for 5,800 TfL cleaners (2 Feb) – After years of campaigning, RMT has won staff free travel for 5,800 TfL cleaners. London Mayor Sadiq Khan today announced he will extend staff free travel to all sub-contracted cleaners who work on London’s transport system following years of campaigning by RMT. The union had already won free travel for around 5,000 sub-contracted cleaners at TfL. And now 800 more cleaners, including those working at MTR Crossrail and on London Overground will have the same right read more

RMT reacts to Shell profits (2 Feb) – Oil and gas company giant Shell made over £32bn in profits in 2022 – the highest in its 115-year history. Reacting to the eyewatering figures, Offshore workers union, RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “Profits and dividends on this scale when millions of people cannot heat or eat a square meal in their homes demonstrates the remorseless and unjust nature of this industry…” read more

RMT response to Network Rail revised offer (1 Feb) – An RMT spokesperson said: “We have received a revised offer from Network Rail and our NEC will consider its contents. No decision has been made on the proposals nor any of the elements within them. We will now consult members through branch and regional meetings. An update on our next steps will be forthcoming in due course.” Read more

Removal of detrainment staff ballot – London Underground (26 Jan) – Your Union is concerned by reports that London Underground intends to remove detrainment staff from the Bakerloo, District, Central, Hammersmith & City and Jubilee Lines, and impose the ‘flash and dash’ procedure for detrainments. This is a serious attack on station staffing levels which threatens passenger safety, as well as that of you and your colleagues. Following a meeting of your trains grades representatives, this matter has been considered by the National Executive Committee and it has instructed me to declare a dispute with London Underground and to make the necessary preparations to ballot members for industrial action. I will advise of the balloting timetable in due course…Yours sincerely, Michael Lynch General Secretary read more

Reinstate Branch Secretary Jason Moriarty – A new newsletter has been produced as a part of our organising to get Jason Moriarty reinstated. Please download it to learn more. The RMT offers full support and solidarity with our comrade Jason Moriarty following his disclosure to his employer, London Underground, of a disability read more

TSSA

TSSA suspends Elizabeth Line industrial action (2 Feb) – TSSA members involved in the dispute over pay and pensions on London’s Elizabeth Line have agreed to suspend industrial action until the beginning of March. This follows a one-day walkout by members on 12 January, which halted large parts of Transport for London’s flagship route, with action short of a strike ongoing from that date. This was the first industrial action on the line since it opened in May 2022 read more

TSSA considering offers in national rail dispute (31 Jan) – Rail union TSSA has today received two formal offers in relation to all members employed by the train companies in the national rail dispute over pay, job security and conditions. For the first time the offers cover management and control staff, as well as stations and other grades within the rail industry. The union’s Executive Committee will now consider the offers and consult representatives at more than a dozen train companies before deciding whether these are sufficient to put to thousands of members at the companies in a vote read more

Unite

Unite leader to join NHS workers’ picket lines in Wales on 6 February for the biggest strike in NHS history (3 Feb) – Unite leader to join NHS workers’ picket lines in Wales on 6 February for the biggest strike in NHS history. Sharon Graham to visit union picket in Cardiff, Wales. What: Sharon Graham will be available for media interviews on the strike from the union picket line. Where: Cardiff Ambulance station, The Avenue Industrial Estate, Merton House, The Avenue Industrial Park, Pontprennau, Cardiff, CF23 8HF. When: From 07:30 hrs Monday 6 February 2023 (Earlier if requested). The Conservative government led by Rishi Sunak has blatantly refused to engage with the health unions forcing the biggest strike in NHS history read more

Unite statement on Welsh ambulance dispute (3 Feb) – Responding to developments in the Welsh ambulance dispute, Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “It would be wholly premature for Unite to talk about any deals being done in relation to the Welsh Ambulance dispute. “As far as Unite is concerned negotiations are continuing. Unite will be available all weekend in the hope that a satisfactory offer can be put together to avert strikes next week. “However, we are not in that place now. So, at the moment Unite’s ambulance workers will be on strike on Monday.” Read more

Activists in Hull demand an end to supermarket profiteering (3 Feb) – What: Community activists in Hull demonstrate against supermarket profiteering; When: Monday 6th February 12.00pn -13.00pm; Where: Hessle Road Asda superstore (HU3 4PE). Activists in Hull demand an end to supermarket profiteering. Asda’s annual profits more than doubled from £487 million before the pandemic to £1.01 billion in 2021. Meanwhile 20% of residents in Hull – 53,420 people – are living in food poverty read more

Weekend strike action to hit Diageo’s Leven plant (3 Feb) – Workers set to hold Johnnie Walker Experience protest to highlight 6 per cent pay cut. Engineering workers based at whisky giant Diageo’s plant in Leven are set to strike from tonight (3 February) and over the weekend in an escalating dispute over pay. The strike action will begin at 19:00. tonight (Friday 3 February) and conclude on Monday morning at 05.59 (6 February). The latest round of strike action follows previous stoppages with more strike action scheduled to take place until 3 April. The strike action will directly impact on the engineering support for the bottling plant. Unite believes it would not be safe to run the plant without the support its members provide… Unite can also confirm that a protest will be held by the workers in dispute next Saturday (11 February from 12pm) outside The Johnnie Walker Experience, 145 Princes St, Edinburgh and next Sunday (12 February from 12pm) outside the Diageo Leven bottling plant, Banbeath Industrial Estate, Leven, KY8 5HD. The protests are designed to highlight that some of Unite’s engineering members are set to lose around 6 per cent of their pay when moved to a proposed lower rate of pay read more

Month long strike will hit parking restrictions in Hounslow (3 Feb) – Month long strike will hit parking restrictions in Hounslow. The toxic combination of stubborn employers, poor pay and the cost of living crisis forces workers to strike from Monday 6 February until 5 March. Parking Enforcement Officers across Hounslow will step up strike action in their battle for fair pay. Hounslow Borough Council stands isolated after Ealing and Brent councils boosted their workers’ pay following strike action. The workers are directly employed by Serco which manages the contract for the London borough. The giant outsourcing company’s latest profits were £303.9 million. Together Hounslow council and Serco need to reach an agreement with Unite read more

Wirral housing workers to strike over deadly asbestos fears (3 Feb) – Workers at social housing landlord Magenta Living are to take extensive strike action over fears that new working practices will expose them to asbestos. The 100 plus workers, who are members Unite, the UK’s leading union, are employed in repairs and maintenance roles for Magenta Living, which manages 13,000 properties mainly covering the Wirral. Magenta Living has imposed a change of policy when dealing with asbestos. Previously, the workforce was trained that when they identified asbestos to stop work. If it required removal, specialist contractors were employed. Under the new policy the workers are expected to work with asbestos read more

Shell leading way on corporate profiteering (2 Feb) – £32 billion profits and a bumper £5 billion pay-out to shareholders means government must act. Unite’s Sharon Graham says it is time the government ‘got real’ on profiteering. Shell’s massive profits show the company is leading the way on endemic corporate profiteering that has broken the UK’s economy, Unite said today (Thursday). On 1 January the energy price cap rose to £4,279 – ‘millions cannot afford to heat their homes… Meanwhile Shell shareholders are laughing all the way to the bank’ read more

Unite criticises Scottish Government over failure to protect Glasgow Diagnostics Lab jobs (2 Feb) – Contract ending to result in over 100 public health jobs being axed after loss of over 750 jobs last year. Unite the union has today (Thursday 2 February) strongly criticised the Scottish Government over its failure to protect the 100 remaining jobs at the Glasgow Diagnostics Lab read more

Bank of England interest hikes making profits bonanza billions for big banks (2 Feb) – New research by Unite, the UK’s leading union, has revealed that the UK banking sector is making bonanza profits on the back of Bank of England interest rates increases. In the first nine months of 2022, the big four UK banks (Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds and NatWest) recorded profits of £19.8 billion. Since the end of 2021, big banks’ bank net interest income has increased by 37 per cent read more

British Steel job cuts are “down to a greedy employer and a shambolic government” (1 Feb) – Unite, the UK’s leading union, has branded the announcement today (Wednesday 1 February) by British Steel that is intending to make up to 1,200 workers redundant as ‘down to a greedy employer and a shambolic government’. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “This proposal is down to a greedy employer and a shambolic government. Unite completely rejects the plans of British Steel’s multi-billion pound Chinese owners to cut over 1,000 jobs at its plant in Scunthorpe. We will back our members 100 per cent in defending their jobs, including any industrial action…” read more

University of Leeds strikes intensify over 10% pay cut presented as rise (1 Feb) – More than 200 non-teaching staff striking over nationally imposed UCEA pay deal. Pay strikes will hit the University of Leeds in February as a dispute over pay intensifies, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today (Wednesday). The 200 non-teaching staff, members of Unite, have rejected an imposed pay deal set by the University and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) that amounts to three per cent for most workers. With the real rate of inflation, RPI, at 13.4 per cent, this is a real terms pay cut of 10.4 per cent read more

Holland and Barrett in Bognor Regis, Manchester and Barking targeted for Robin Hood protest in Logistics Group Holdings Ltd pay dispute (1 Feb) – Members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, will dress as Robin Hood and stage a protest at the Holland and Barrett stores due to the health food company’s commercial relationship with Logistics Group Holdings Ltd

Staff anger reaching tipping point at the Financial Conduct Authority (1 Feb) – Management refuse to discuss rock bottom morale and poor pay. Regulator faces crisis with over half considering leaving the FCA. Exodus of experienced staff raises serious questions about the regulator’s ability to keep consumers safe. Unite, the UK’s leading union, has today (1 February) written to Nikhil Rathi CEO of the Financial Conduct Authority, the financial services regulator, to warn of widespread anger amid management’s refusal to discuss pay and staff morale with workers. A Unite survey of staff conducted in January 2023 reveals dissatisfaction and frustration amongst employees with over half considering leaving their jobs as a result of recent decisions on pay. The regulator has imposed a below inflation 4.5 per cent pay deal read more

National Express West Midlands ballot opens – strikes would shut down region’s bus network (1 Feb) – Nearly 4,000 workers poised to strike after firm bringing in billions offers ‘pay cut’. More than 3,000 National Express West Midlands bus drivers and over 250 office staff are to begin balloting for strike action over pay in the coming days. If the workers vote in favour of strikes, they will join around 200 National Express engineers who are also ready to take industrial action following a successful strike ballot. National Express reported revenues of £2.2 billion and EBITDA (used to measure profitability) of £300 million in 2021. Despite this, it has offered all of its workers in the West Midlands, where it holds a monopoly on local bus services, a real terms pay cut. Some drivers earn as little as £11.80 per hour, while the majority of admin staff make little more than the minimum wage read more

Unite hails recognition agreement with Joseph Rowntree Foundation (31 Jan) – Unite, the UK’s leading union, has negotiated a recognition agreement for its members working at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) anti-poverty charity. The agreement ensures the union’s growing membership at JRF sites in London, Glasgow and York have collective trade union bargaining rights when it comes to pay and employment conditions read more

Government NHS investment ignoring ‘elephant in the room’ (30 Jan) – Responding to the government’s announcement today (30 January) that it intends to invest an additional £1 billion in the NHS to increase the number of hospital beds and ambulances, Unite, the UK’s leading union, warned that it is again failing to address ‘the elephant in the room’ of low pay, huge vacancies and experienced staff quitting the service read more

Ashtown attack on migrant workers highlights need for solidarity (30 Jan) – Unite BAEM Committee warns Ireland at crossroads as far right seeks to create division.  The Black, Asian and Ethnic Minority Committee of trade union Unite, which represents workers throughout the economy, today (Monday) said that the weekend attack on migrant workers in Ashtown highlights the need for trade unionists to not only show solidarity with migrants, asylum-seekers and refugees, but also to campaign for a society characterised by equality and inclusion read more

Abellio London bus strikes to go ahead (27 Jan) – Strikes scheduled for next week by bus drivers employed by Abellio in London are set to go ahead, in the long running pay dispute. The approximately 1,900 workers, who are members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, will stage further walkouts on 1, 2, 3 February. The dispute will primarily affect bus services in South and West London. The decision to go ahead with the strike action follows the rejection of two offers made by the employer, as they did not meet members’ expectations read more

Please donate: Over 2,000 Abellio Bus Drivers at 6 garages have set strike days in a fight for pay justice.  This is the first dispute at Abellio for over 10 years.  The pay claim is for £20 per hour which might seem like a lot. However the the company made over £40 million in profit in 2021. It would cost the company about £11 million to pay our demand. The Abellio bus drivers are some of the lowest paid bus drivers in London. The dispute is also about fairer schedules which are exhausting and also to stop bus route cuts.  The drivers have had enough. Membership has grown dramatically in the last few months. Now we are requesting financial support for the strike from branches.  This money will be used primarily to top up strike pay as drivers will be losing a significant amount on strike days.  We really appreciate any support and please feel to make contact for further information.

Account Details: Unity Trust Bank, Acc No: 20210456, Sort Code: 608301, Branch Name: TGWU1/768, Hayes Branch LE/768. Contact [email protected]

Reinstate Radek (Radoslaw Worbel) sacked Unite London bus rep at RATP London United Fulwell bus garage – send a message of complaint to [email protected] and a message of support to to Radek via the Unite Bus Combine: [email protected] 

4,000 Unite NHS members to strike across NI tomorrow (25 Jan) – Members of Unite, which represents 4,000 health and social care workers across Northern Ireland, will be joining members of other health unions in taking industrial action tomorrow (Thursday 26 January). The strike is a result of the failure to deliver a cost of living pay increase. Unite members across all five health trusts and the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service returned an average 87 per cent vote in favour of strike action read more

Further Imperial College strikes as pay dispute intensifies (20 Jan) – Over 200 Unite members to walkout over 3.3% offer, which is a pay cut. More than 200 workers at London’s Imperial College will strike on 23 January over a 3.3 per cent pay offer, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today (Friday). The workers, who are non-teaching staff, last took strike action in November. Further strikes will be scheduled in the coming weeks if the dispute is not resolved. With the real rate of inflation, RPI, at 13.4 per cent, this is a pay cut in real terms. Imperial Colleges’ latest financial figures shows it brought in an income of over £1.2 billion for 2021/22 and had cash reserves of £1.7 billion read more

Unite announces 10 fresh strike dates as ambulance dispute escalates (20 Jan) – Unite, the UK’s leading union, has announced fresh dates in an escalation of the ambulance workers dispute. Members of Unite will stage ten further strikes over the coming weeks. Additional dates could be announced in the comings days. The announcement of fresh strike comes ahead of the latest day of industrial action with Unite’s ambulance workers set to walk out next Monday (23 January) read more

West Midland’s National Express engineers to strike over pay (19 Jan) – 3,000 drivers also poised to join striking engineers who maintain vehicles for 93% of region’s bus network. Around 200 West Midland’s National Express engineers have voted by 93 per cent in a ballot with a turnout of 80 per cent to strike over pay, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today (Thursday). The engineers – responsible for maintaining 1,200 vehicles that cover 93 per cent of the region’s bus network – could be joined on strike by 3,000 bus drivers, who are also about to be balloted for industrial action. The engineers have rejected a pay offer of 10.1 per cent from National Express, which made £15.8 million in profits during the first half of 2022. With the real rate of inflation, RPI, at 13.4 per cent, this is a pay cut read more

Welwyn and Hatfield grounds maintenance workers continue with strike action over poverty pay (19 Jan) – Grounds maintenance workers employed by Continental Landscapes on the outsourced Welwyn and Hatfield council grounds maintenance contract are to continue with strike action in a dispute over poverty pay. The workers have already taken eight weeks of strike action since the dispute began in November last year. A further fortnight of industrial action has now been announced, with an initial five days of strike action beginning on Monday 30 January and a further five days from Monday 6 February read more

BP Petrofac workers resume 48-hour strike action (18 Jan) – No acceptable offer put to offshore workforce. Strike action has resumed on BP Petrofac installations the UK’s largest offshore trade union, Unite, confirmed today (18 January). The 48-hour strike action which started today at 6 a.m. involving around 80 workers will conclude at 5:59 a.m. on 20 January. It follows no breakthrough in negotiations with Petrofac and the failure by the contractor to present an acceptable offer to the workers which could have averted industrial action. The BP Petrofac installations hit by the strike action include: Andrew, Clair, Clair Ridge, ETAP, and the Glen Lyon floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) facility. The BP Petrofac dispute centres on the working rotation, which is currently a work 3 on/3 off rotation. An industrial action ballot previously returned a result of 98.3 per cent in favour of industrial action read more

Community support workers in Hounslow stage week long strike (16 Jan) – As the New Year gets underway strike action at Hestia escalates. Workers employed by Hestia are taking five days of strike action beginning today (Monday 16) and ending on Friday 20 January. The workers will also stage a protest at Hestia’s head office on Wednesday 18 January read more  keep up to date on strike on the Unite Housing Workers LE/1228 branch website

Whisky giant workers to strike for months in row over pay (13 Jan) – Diageo accused of race to the bottom. Unite has confirmed today (Friday 13 January) workers based at whisky giant Diageo’s plant in Leven are set to strike in a dispute over pay. The strike action will begin tomorrow (Saturday 14 January) for a period of 48 hours only with a series of further stoppages then scheduled to take place ending on 3 April. Unite has taken the whisky giant to task following the introduction of a lower rate of pay for new starts without consultation with the unions. This issue has been ongoing and was first raised through the grievance process in 2019. The trade union estimates some of its engineering members are set to lose around 6 per cent of their pay when moved to the lower rate of pay. The strike action will directly impact on the engineering support for the bottling plant. Unite believes it would not be safe to run the plant without the support its members provide. In July 2022, Diageo reported operating profits were up by 18.2 per cent to £4.4bn, primarily driven by organic growth, with net sales up 21.4 per cent to £15.5bn. The company has an estimated 27,987 employees read more

Striking housing workers vote 99.5 percent on 93.5 percent turnout to reject inadequate NI Housing Executive pay offer (10 Jan) – As industrial action by housing workers enters its twenty-third week without resolution, Unite demands Department for Communities intervention. Thousands of social housing tenants are left without needed repair and maintenance work as a result of management intransigence. Unite the union has written to the Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive Grainia Long after its members overwhelmingly rejected a pay offer made by management at the Labour Relations Agency in December. The pay offer was for a one-off non-consolidated payment of one thousand pounds and a pay point increase for grades 1 to 3 which would have benefited only a small fraction of striking workers. The offer was rejected overwhelmingly in a ballot conducted on picket lines on turnout of 93.5 percent and rejection majority of 99.5 percent. The workers who are employed in North and West Belfast, Portadown, Coleraine and Derry/Londonderry will therefore continue their strike action in pursuit of a fair pay increase for the 2021-2022 year. Their strike is now into its twenty-third week and has led to ballooning impact on maintenance services for social housing units read more

Department for Infrastructure must show leadership on Rathlin Island ferry dispute (10 Jan) – Union says workers and Rathlin Island community treated as expendable in wrangle over outsourced service. Unite the union has demanded urgent action by the Department for Infrastructure to resolve an ongoing pay dispute and safeguard the ferry service to Rathlin island. The private sector operator of the ferry service to Northern Ireland’s largest offshore island, Rathlin Island Ferry Ltd, has indicated to the Department that the company could enter liquidation by the end of January. Unite members at the ferry operator are today striking for a third day after four days when there was no service to the island as a result of inclement conditions and strike action. Strike action is scheduled to proceed for four days a week (Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays) for the remainder of January. The strike follows a ballot of ferry workers who voted with a 85 per cent majority for industrial action in pursuit of a cost of living increase. Their vote came after workers’ endured three years of a pay freeze read more

Refuse workers and street cleaners to strike in Liverpool in pay dispute (10 Jan) – Members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, employed by Liverpool Streetscene Services Limited (LSSL), are set to undertake industrial action in a dispute over pay. The 80 plus workers are principally employed in refuse collection, street cleaning and parks and cemeteries. They will begin industrial action on Monday 23 January and it will end on Saturday 28 January read more

Northern Ireland Health and Social Care workers strike for improved pay (9 Jan) – Massive 87 per cent average vote for strike action across Northern Ireland trusts. 4000 Unite members to strike on 26 January, February 16 ,17 and 23, 24. Unite the union has confirmed that its members working across the health and social care sector in Northern Ireland will be participating in an industrial campaign involving all health trade unions after they voted overwhelmingly for strike action in pursuit of a cost of living pay increase. The announcement comes as talks as discussion with the UK health secretary failed to make any progress on the 2022/23 pay claim. In December, Unite members voted with an average 87 percent majority across all five health trusts and the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service for strike action read more

Industrial action set to hit GSK pharmaceutical plant in Irvine for months (9 Jan) – Kaefer contractors striking over refusal to pay bonus payments. Members of Unite, Scotland’s leading union, employed in engineering construction roles at the GSK plant in Irvine will start strike action in a dispute over bonus payments from today (9 January). Around 40 workers employed by contractor Kaefer Limited are seeking a bonus payment of £2.37 an hour, the maximum allowed under the relevant industrial agreement (National Agreement for the Engineering Construction Industry [NAECI]). The strike action started today at 07:30 a.m. and it will continue each day up to 23 January. There will also be an overtime ban in force which will last until 2 April. The industrial action will directly impact on the maintenance of the plant read more

Coffin factory strike enters fourth month Co-op Funeralcare wastes £1 million instead of resolving dispute (5 Jan) – Coffin factory strike enters fourth month as Co-op Funeralcare wastes £1 million instead of resolving dispute. Unite members have resumed strike action at the Co-op Funeralcare coffin manufacturing factory based in Glasgow in a bitter dispute over pay which has now entered its fourth month. Strike action by Unite members began on Wednesday 4 January and will run continuously through to Monday 16 January, which will be the fourth consecutive week of strike action. Unite recently uncovered that the Cooperative Funeralcare spent over £1,000,000 last year on purchasing coffins from third party suppliers at a time when the dispute with their own workforce could have been successfully resolved for a fraction of this cost. Additionally, Co-op Funeralcare made an underlying profit of £12 million in 2021 read more

Construction giant Murphy protests in UK and Ireland over union busting – Demonstrations call for four sacked trade union members to be reinstated. Demonstrations will be held outside the offices of Murphy construction companies in Newbridge, County Kildare, Warrington, Stafford and London tomorrow (21 December) over union busting at the group. The protests form part of a campaign to secure the reinstatement of four Unite members, including a Unite shop steward, who were dismissed by the group’s Irish subsidiary, Murphy International. Unite believes the reasons for the sacking are spurious and linked to the workers’ trade union membership read more

Strikes stepped up at Fawley refinery as heavy-handed policing deepens tensions in dispute – Members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, employed in engineering construction roles at Fawley oil refinery in Hampshire will step up strike action in a dispute over bonus payments. The 130-strong workforce, who are employed by three contractors Altrad, Bilfinger and Enerveo, are seeking a bonus payment of £2.37 an hour, the maximum allowed under the relevant industrial agreement (National Agreement for the Engineering Construction Industry [NAECI]). The Fawley refinery is operated by ExxonMobil, which last month recorded a quarterly profit of £17.3 billion. Tensions in the dispute have dramatically increased due to intimidatory behaviour by Hampshire police and false allegations made the employer read more. Send messages of support to [email protected]

Workers at Causeway Coast and Glens council to commence all-out strike action tomorrow after councils vote down pay increase – Offer of two pay points plus a cash lump sum to end dispute was rejected at last night’s council meeting by a single vote in the chamber. Unite the union has confirmed that its members at Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council will commence continuous strike action at the local authority tomorrow (8 Sept). The decision by workers followed last night’s vote at full council at which a proposal to settle the strike by offering two pay point increments and a lump sum to workers – similar to that provided in Derry City & Strabane and in Mid-Ulster District Councils – was voted down by a majority of one councillor. General Secretary of Unite, Sharon Graham, pledged her union’s full support to the striking council workers read more

CWU

Support the CWU strikes in Royal Mail & Post Office – The CWU has launched a strike fund – please support: Unity Bank, CWU General Fund, 60-83-01 33019822

We support the call of the CWU for Royal Mail and BT to be re-nationalised. Follow the latest news via CWU’s Facebook page, website and Twitter @CWUnews

Royal Mail strike call – postal workers ready for action (3 Feb) – Strong support around the UK for the CWU postal executive’s declaration, with reps already preparing for the big day and some considering local rallies. Yet another broken promise by company bosses gave our union’s leadership no alternative but to authorise the resumption of industrial action yesterday evening. Meeting in emergency session during the late afternoon, industrial executive members collectively decided to call a 24-hour strike starting on Thursday 16th February. In making the announcement, our general secretary Dave Ward explained how Royal Mail chiefs had gone back on a pledge made only weeks ago to abide by long-standing industrial relations (IR) framework procedures when introducing operational changes such as duty revisions, saying that the business was acting “in direct contravention to the unequivocal commitment given by the CEO Simon Thompson, in a letter to the union of 6th January 2023, in which he wrote that ‘the IR Framework will apply in full’.” That formal commitment from Mr Thompson had been instrumental in the union not calling further strike action during January, to enable intensive talks to continue in a more constructive environment, Dave continued. But the company had started to implement revisions and unagreed change, whilst refusing to negotiate locally or apply the terms of the IR framework… Dave also took the opportunity to remind branches, reps and members of the critical need to maximise turnout and the YES vote in the re-ballot currently under way across the country read more

Post Office Crowns & Admin strikes resume – Supply Chain overtime ban begins – Staff in Crown Offices and Admin grades began a two-day walkout yesterday (12 Dec) – their seventh and eighth – while their Supply Chain colleagues have begun a two-week overtime ban. Speaking to CWU News today, acting DGSP Andy Furey said: “This dispute has now been ongoing for nearly seven months. The first strikes were back in early May. Our Post Office members have now voted twice by enormous, 90 per cent-plus, majorities for this action and they’ve certainly shown their ongoing determination to win the fair pay deal they deserve. According to reports I’ve received from our reps around the UK, this latest bout of action has, once again, been solidly supported. “I’m honoured to represent such a fantastic group of members – their strength and solidarity truly is an inspiration” read more

PCS

You can show your support to the strikes by PCS members by:

  • Making donations to the PCS Fighting Fund Levy account, sort code: 60-83-01, account no. 20331490
  • Sending solidarity messages to [email protected]
  • Signing our petition to tell prime minister Rishi Sunak to intervene and hold meaningful talks to end the strikes.
  • Support us on social media with the hashtags: #PCSonStrike #BlameTheGovt
  • New E-action in support of PCS national pay and pensions campaign – The E-action calls on MPs to support our demands over pay, pensions, redundancy terms and job security read more

Thousands out in PCS civil service strike (1 Feb) – Tens of thousands of PCS members have joined strike action, with hundreds of picket lines across the country as the largest civil service strike for over a decade has caused disruption to services. 69% of members are reported as on strike today with services affected across the country read more

PCS announces fresh ballots of 4 employers in Northern Ireland (2 Feb) – PCS is to run ballots from 9 February in Northern Ireland of members in the Home Office, Maritime and Coastguard Agency, Information Commissioner’s Office and Heritage Lottery Fund, to ask them to join our civil service strike action read more

Border Force strikes announced for half term (2 Feb) – Around 1,000 Border Force officers in Dover, Calais, Coquelles and Dunkirk are to go on strike for 4 days during the February half-term school holidays, PCS has announced. Notification of the strike to take place on 17, 18, 19 and 20 February comes as thousands of civil servants in 123 government departments walked out yesterday in the biggest civil service strike in a decade which had a big impact on public services, including the closure of the British Museum read more

PCS writes to Office of Rail and Road CEO exposing repeated collective bargaining failures (31 Jan) – PCS has written jointly with Prospect to the Office of Rail and Road Chief Executive Officer, John Larkinson, outlining the unacceptable repeated failures to adhere to collective bargaining arrangements. We have made clear that the continued failure to comply with the legal requirement to fully and meaningfully consult and negotiate is unacceptable. A deadline for response of 5pm, Friday 3 February has been outlined read more

Sad day as 668 DWP staff are made redundant (31 Jan) – Today marks the sad occasion when 668 members of staff across 25 DWP back-of-house sites are made redundant. PCS is clear that everyone of these redundancies was avoidable. Members’ jobs have been sacrificed on the alter of a flawed estates strategy. We condemn the DWP for pushing through an office closure plan that has resulted in catastrophic job losses read more

APHA strike dates announced (30 Jan) – We are asking APHA members in the Centre for International Trade in Bristol and Carlisle to take part in strike action from 13-17 and 20-24 February 2023. Our targeted strike action, part of our national campaign on pay, pensions and redundancy terms, began in November last year and members working in the Rural Payments Agency have already taken up to 4 weeks of very well supported action before and after Christmas read more

New DVLA strike dates announced (30 Jan) – We’re asking DVLA members working in the Output Services Group at Ty Felin and Morriston in Swansea to take part in strike action on 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 February as part of our national campaign over pay, pensions, job security and redundancy terms. Our targeted strike action, part of our national campaign over pay, pensions, job security and redundancy terms, began in November last year and members working on Drivers Medical at Swansea Morriston main site and at the DVLA Birmingham office took very-well supported strike action for 5 days last month read more

British Museum strike dates announced (30 Jan) – We are asking members working for the British Museum to take part in targeted strike action on 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19 February as part of our national campaign over pay, pensions, job security and redundancy terms. Our targeted strike action began in November last year and members in a number of employers have taken part, including the Home Office, Border Force, Department for Transport and Defra read more

Further DWP strike dates announced (26 Jan) – 6 DWP offices will strike during February and March as we continue our strategic strike action. Our targeted strike action, part of our national campaign over pay, pensions, job security and redundancy terms, began in December last year and DWP members in six offices have already taken strike action. The initial phase of our strike action has been targeted at areas that would have a significant impact on employers’ operations. Redundancies and job security are two important parts of our national campaign and the government announced last year its plans to close over 40 DWP offices. The next phase of our strike action, which will follow on from our national strike on 1 February, will involve members in Stockport Contact Centre, Bolton Benefit Centre and at four Liverpool jobcentres read more

PCS Strike Action: 3rd to 6th February (20 Jan) – PCS has served notice of further strike action in HMCTS over Common Platform, to take place from Friday 3 February to Monday 6 February. This is inclusive of 3, 4 5 and 6 February. This action involves legal advisers and court associates in courts across the country read more

GMB

Welsh Ambulance Service Strikes Suspended After Senedd Makes Pay Offer (3 Feb) – The deal amounts to both a consolidated and non-consolidated one off payment for 22/23 – on top of the already imposed 4.5 per cent. The Welsh Government has confirmed negotiations for 23/24 will begin almost immediately. Almost 1,500 workers across the country had been due to walk in on Monday [6 February] read more

Wiltshire Council ‘on collision course’ with government over Fire and Rehire threats (30 Jan) – New government proposals are seeking to ban the controversial practice, even as Wiltshire Council seem hell bent on pressing on to cut 20 per cent from front-line worker pay. GMB, the union for Wiltshire Council, has warned Wiltshire Council bosses they risk breaking a newly proposed statutory code. On 24 January, Business Secretary Grant Shapps, announced that the government will introduce a statutory code to, in the government’s words, “crack down on unscrupulous employers that use controversial dismissal tactics.” During the long running industrial dispute between GMB and Wiltshire Council, the trade union has repeatedly asked the council to confirm that they will not use fire and rehire to force through the pay cut. Council CEO Terence Herbert has so far refused to rule out the controversial practice read more

Amazon strike workers marked ‘no show’ by company (27 Jan) – Amazon workers taking part in the first ever UK strike have been marked as a ‘no show’ by the company – effectively an unauthorised absence. Around 350 workers at the company’s Coventry warehouse walked on Wednesday [25 January] in a dispute over pay. Workers are now worried they will be fined, or even face a gross misconduct charge. Properly mandated industrial action gives workers the legal right to withdraw their labour – and should not be classed as unauthorised absence. GMB is now demanding clarity from the company read more

Ambulance workers announce four more national strike dates (18 Jan) – More than 10,000 GMB Ambulance workers will stage four more national strike days, the union announced today. Paramedics, Emergency Care Assistants, call handlers and other staff are now set to walk out on 6 February, 20 February, 6 March and 20 March. The following trusts will be affected: South West Ambulance Service, South East Coast Ambulance Service, North West Ambulance Service, South Central Ambulance Service, North East Ambulance Service, East Midlands Ambulance Service, Welsh Ambulance Service, Yorkshire Ambulance Service. In addition, workers at West Midlands ambulance service will strike on January 23, with GMB members at North West Ambulance Service will strike on January 24 read more

Almost 300 Mersey Care workers to strike this week (17 Jan) – Almost 300 health care workers at Mersey Care will take strike action this week over pay. GMB members including nurses, health care assistants, support staff, cleaners and admin staff will walk out for 24 hours from 00:01 to 23.59 on 18 January 2023. Mersey Care workers voted to strike over the Government’s imposed 4 per cent pay award – another massive real terms pay cut read more

GMB union: ExxonMobil ‘throwing money’ at agencies rather than our members – GMB, the energy union, are preparing to name and shame companies who are providing strike-breakers in the midst of a trades dispute at Fawley oil refinery near Southampton. The union have been informed that agency workers have been retained on full pay until strike action recommenced, following a temporary suspension of action actioned by GMB and sister union Unite. Strike action at the refinery was suspended for Monday to Wednesday of this week to allow negotiations to take place, only for GMB to be told that talks would not be happening as there was “nothing to discuss.” Read more

Solidarity with GMB after yet another arrest on a bin picket line – For the second time in months, GMB Southern Region officers have been arrested on a picket line of their striking refuse members. Previously, arrests were made on the Wealden picket. They appeared at Hastings Magistrates Court on 29th June. The case was adjourned to Brighton Crown Court and was due to take place on November 16th but has been delayed again. This is an outrageous attack on the right of trade unions to strike, picket and protest. The NSSN sends our continued solidarity and support read more about Surry strike

Unison

Care Quality Commission staff balloted over strike action (3 Feb) – Five unions launch vote over unacceptable, imposed pay award. Staff at the Care Quality Commission (CQC) have begun voting for industrial action over pay, say unions today (Friday). Five unions – UNISON, PCS, Prospect, Royal College of Nursing (RCN) and Unite – are balloting workers who ​inspect, monitor and regulate hospitals, care homes, GP ​practices and dental surgeries, as well as ambulance and mental health services. The UNISON and PCS strike ballots began last month, and the others open over the coming weeks. Voting ends either later this month or in early March read more

Hospital staff in Liverpool are coming home (3 Feb) – Staff at two Liverpool hospital sites who work as cleaners, porters, caterers and in other domestic services will be transferred in-house on 1 April read more

Welsh government NHS pay move ramps up the pressure on the PM, says UNISON (3 Feb) – Both Nicola Sturgeon and Mark Drakeford have chosen to do more for their NHS staff this year read more

The growing importance of the EA (1 Feb) – Marking 70 years since the worst environmental disaster in modern UK history, parliamentarians gathered to discuss the issues facing the Environment Agency read more

Homes for all – housing day of action (1 Feb) – A day of action on 11 February will call on the Westminster government to fund a rent freeze and end evictions during the cost of living crisis read more

Unions join forces for Environment Agency strike next week. UNISON and Prospect walk out on 8 February (31 Jan) – Thousands of Environment Agency employees belonging to UNISON and Prospect are to take strike action next week in the growing dispute about pay, say the unions today (Tuesday). Staff working in river inspection, flood forecasting, coastal risk management and pollution control will stage a 12-hour strike on Wednesday (8 February) starting at 7am. In addition, for 12 hours either side of the walkout, Environment Agency employees will escalate their ongoing work to rule by withdrawing from incident response rotas, say the unions. This action short of a strike starts at 7pm on Tuesday, and kicks in again immediately at the end of the strike for another 12 hours, concluding at 7am on Thursday read more

Unions join forces for Environment Agency strike next week. UNISON and Prospect walk out on 8 February (31 Jan) – Thousands of Environment Agency employees belonging to UNISON and Prospect are to take strike action next week in the growing dispute about pay, say the unions today (Tuesday). Staff working in river inspection, flood forecasting, coastal risk management and pollution control will stage a 12-hour strike on Wednesday (8 February) starting at 7am. In addition, for 12 hours either side of the walkout, Environment Agency employees will escalate their ongoing work to rule by withdrawing from incident response rotas, say the unions. This action short of a strike starts at 7pm on Tuesday, and kicks in again immediately at the end of the strike for another 12 hours, concluding at 7am on Thursday read more

Digging in won’t solve pay dispute, nor get the NHS back on its feet. New ambulance strike date announced for 10 February (31 Jan) – The NHS won’t be able to deliver the speedier response times and better care the government is promising until ministers try harder to end the growing dispute about pay and staffing, says UNISON today (Tuesday). Later today the health secretary will be asked about the government’s handling of the NHS dispute by MPs on the health and social care select committee, just as UNISON announces its fourth day of strike action on Friday 10 February. This morning, NHS pay review body chair Philippa Hird told the committee the Department of Health and Social Care has yet to submit evidence ahead of the next pay round beginning in April. The deadline was 11 January. UNISON’s 10 February strike again involves ambulance workers across five services in England – London, Yorkshire, the South West, North East and North West. Strikes will now be happening across the NHS every day next week apart from Wednesday (8 February). UNISON’s action follows hard on the heels of strikes involving ambulance staff, nurses and physiotherapists organised by four other health unions read more

Insourcing win at Barnet council (31 Jan) – Over 300 staff in a variety of services like trading standards, environmental health and other regulatory services, will now be transferred back in-house. Staff at Barnet council are due to be transferred back to council employment thanks to a decade-long campaign by UNISON. The 330 affected workers are currently employed by outsourcing multinational conglomerate, Capita, and are being brought back in house after the council was used as a test case for the outsourcing of local government services. The staff who work under a joint venture called ‘Capita Re’ in a variety of areas like trading standards, environmental health, planning highways and other regulatory services, will be TUPE transferred back in house on 1 April this year read more

Stop Hackney Council cutting library services read more about the campaign here – Hackney library staff have been taking strike action against cuts

NIPSA

NJC Trade Union Side Pay Claim 2023 (2 Feb) – Please find below the NJC Trade Union Side pay claim for 1 April 2023 read more

Health Members join Half a Million Workers Taking Industrial Action (1 Feb) – Today NIPSA members in the health service will join half a million workers across the UK in taking industrial action. This will be the single biggest day of industrial action by the trade union movement since 2011. Thousands of members of NIPSA in the health service will escalate action short of strike action on that day. Professional and administrative staff are involved in the action. Further escalation will follow over the next few weeks read more

Health Strike Update (13 Jan) – Health Strike Action HSC: While I would like to begin with wishing you all a Happy New Year in 2023, the reality is that I must provide an update in relation to the ongoing Industrial Action Dispute regarding Pay, Safe Staffing and Travel Reimbursement. The current Crisis in Health will not be resolved quickly and likewise the current Industrial Action will also need to be a continuous and determined campaign to bring Government and Employers to negotiate meaningful resolutions. In regards to the current calendar of Industrial Action being undertaken by NIPSA that requires your ongoing support including Continuous Action Short of Strike (ASOS)…and Joint Trade Union action with Unison in regards to their Non Continuous Action Short of Strike (ASOS) 16 January to 29 January 2023 (inclusive). This will include mirroring work to rule action and Withdrawal from all union/management/department of health engagement except regional meetings on dispute resolution. All NIPSA Members are required to participate in Specific Continuous Industrial (ASOS) to highlight the issue of Travel Reimbursement on the 20 January 20 February and 20 March 2023 as follows; The action will consist of a 24 hour withdrawal of personal vehicles for work related use commencing at 12.01am on Friday 20 January 2023 until 23.59pm. This Industrial Action will be repeated on a monthly basis including the 20 February and 20 March 2023. All NIPSA members are also required to participate in joint Strike Action on the 26th January 2023 with attendance at Picket lines essential. NIPSA also wishes to give notice to members that it intends to take further Industrial Action specifically to highlight Safe Staffing issues in February 2023 with details to follow read more

Royal College of Nursing

RCN cancels strikes in Wales following new NHS pay offer (3 Feb) – Pressure mounts on Prime Minister to start urgent talks in England to avert next week’s strikes read more

RCN petition demands Rishi Sunak pays nursing staff fairly, on his 100th day in office (2 Feb) – As the NHS continues to ‘rapidly deteriorate’ under the UK government, we’ve delivered a petition to Downing Street signed by more than 100,000 people read more

RCN members forced to strike again over unfair pay and fears for patient safety (18 Jan) – NHS nursing staff across England will join picket lines for two consecutive days after the UK government refuses to open formal pay negotiations read more

NHS pay dispute: new February strike dates announced for England and Wales (16 Jan) – We’re escalating nursing strikes on 6 and 7 February after governments refuse to seriously negotiate. February will see NHS nursing staff go on strike in what will be our most widespread protest so far against unfair pay and unsafe staffing. If progress isn’t made by the end of January, members in England and Wales will go on strike on 6 and 7 February following the refusal of the UK and Welsh governments to seriously negotiate on the current year’s NHS pay deal. Last week the Welsh government met with unions to discuss NHS pay but failed to offer a substantiative and restorative pay award for 2022/23. While we’ve had discussions with the UK government, they refuse to engage in the formal negotiations which would stop nursing strikes. Our dispute is about NHS pay for this financial year and governments have so far wasted chances to avert strike action. Our first strikes took place in England, Northern Ireland and Wales on 15 and 20 December, with more strikes in England happening this week on 18 and 19 January. The nursing strikes now announced for February will be at the highest intensity in our history. They’ll take place at 73 NHS trusts in England, compared to 44 in December and 55 in January. The strikes in Wales will take place at the same NHS employers as they did in December read more

New negotiations on NHS pay to open with Scottish government (13 Jan) – RCN Scotland mandate for strike action brings new proposal for negotiations from Scottish government read more

RCN opens donations to strike fund in response to public desire to support striking staff – We’ve launched a donation page for people to financially help nursing staff on strike read more

Royal College of Midwives

RCM pauses Wales strike action to consult members on new pay offer (3 Feb) – Strike action set for 7 February by Royal College of Midwives (RCM) members across Wales has been paused following a new pay offer from the Welsh Government. The RCM will also be suspending action short of a strike planned for 7-14 February. The RCM will now be moving quickly to consult its midwife and maternity support worker members on the new offer, which followed talks with the Welsh Government yesterday and today. Further talks are planned to address issues around staffing shortages, working conditions and pressures on services read more

RCM recommends its members vote yes as industrial action ballot opens in Northern Ireland (31 Jan) – The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) in Northern Ireland is recommending its midwife and maternity support worker (MSW) members vote for industrial action as it opens its formal ballot on pay today running until 7 March. The move to ballot staff working in Health and Social Care (HSC) is not a decision taken lightly says the RCM. It follows a consultation in November where over nine out of 10 RCM members who responded said they would be prepared to take industrial action if no pay award was agreed. The NHS Pay Review Body recommendation of a 4% pay award was imposed on HSC staff in December read more

Midwives announce dates for strike action in Wales (23 Jan) – Midwife and maternity support worker (MSW) members of the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) working in the NHS in Wales will take strike action from 8am to 4pm on 7 February. They will also be taking industrial action short of a strike by claiming payment for any overtime worked in the week following strike action. An RCM survey of its Welsh workplace branches in December showed that just over half (50.5%) of midwives felt they were unable to take breaks during their working day. The safety of women will be the prime concern during any industrial action says the RCM.  There will be midwives and MSWs working on maternity units to ensure women – such as those in labour or needing emergency care – receive the care they need. Cover will be like that on a bank holiday read more

RCM cites ‘cautious optimism’ on pay following Scottish Government meeting (13 Jan) – The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) has said it is cautiously optimistic that its calls for a decent pay deal can be met by the Scottish Government. At a meeting yesterday (12 January), the Deputy First Minister, John Swinney, and the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Humza Yousaf, told the RCM that the Scottish Government is committed to a road map to resolve the ongoing pay dispute read more

CSP

Strikes in Wales paused after breakthrough (3 Feb) – Strikes by members in Wales are on hold after further progress was made in talks with the Welsh Government, the CSP has announced read more

Video highlights wide participation ahead of next week’s strikes in England and Wales (1 Feb) – The CSP has released a video round-up of last week’s historic events, when physiotherapists took strike action for the first time over NHS pay read more

CSP announces further employers affected by strike action in England (19 Jan) – NHS physiotherapy staff will strike at a further 32 health trusts across England on 9 February, the CSP has announced today. The strike day in February will follow the previously announced industrial action by CSP members at 30 other health trusts, which is due to take place on 26 January. Find out which members are being called out on 9 February. The industrial action called by CSP Council follows the CSP securing strike in 119 NHS employers across England – through ballots held at the end of last year and earlier this month. All eight health boards in Wales have also secured a strike mandate. The CSP will continue to participate in talks with the respective governments. However, if no improved offer is forthcoming, further strike dates will be announced in due course read more

BMA

BMA Junior Doctors national strike ballot on pay will start on January 9 2023 in England. Keep up to date via@BMA_JuniorDocs on twitter

Ballot to strike – opens 9th January 2023 – We have announced today (6 Jan) the form of industrial action we propose junior doctors should take. If a ballot for industrial action is successful, junior doctors in England will begin their action with a 72-hour full walkout in March. We are still urging the Secretary of State for Health to meet with us and negotiate a solution to avoid the need for industrial action. So far, all requests to meet with Steve Barclay have been ignored read more    Strike Fund

HCSA

HCSA junior doctors vote overwhelmingly for strike action in England – Junior Doctors in HCSA – the hospital doctors’ union have voted overwhelmingly for strike action in an all-England ballot. A decisive 97% Yes result was achieved on a turnout of 74.76%, easily passing legal thresholds. The result means that HCSA will now agree the timing and shape of strike action in coordination with other health unions. HCSA President Dr Naru Narayanan said the ballot result should act as a wake-up call to the government ahead of a separate vote of Junior Doctors by the British Medical Association which is set to close on 20th February read more

NEU

NEU Strike Action in England and Wales (1 Feb) – Teachers strike in pursuit of a fully-funded, above inflation pay rise. Commenting on today’s strike by National Education Union members in England and Wales, Dr Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney, Joint General Secretary of the National Education Union, said: “Today, teachers in schools and sixth form college in England and Wales and support staff in Wales schools, took strike action in pursuit of a fully-funded, above inflation pay rise. The government has short-changed them for over a decade, with significant real-terms cuts to pay and persistently unfunded rises which schools cannot afford…” read more

The full list of projected strike days are as follows:-

Wednesday 1 February 2023: all eligible members in England and Wales.

Tuesday 14 February 2023: all eligible members in Wales.

Tuesday 28 February 2023: all eligible members in the following English regions: Northern, North West, Yorkshire & The Humber.

Wednesday 1 March 2023: all eligible members in the following English regions: East Midlands, West Midlands, Eastern.

Thursday 2 March 2023: all eligible members in the following English regions: London, South East, South West.

Wednesday 15 March 2023: all eligible members in England and Wales.

Thursday 16 March 2023: all eligible members in England and Wales read more

NASUWT

Guernsey teachers to be balloted for industrial action (2 Feb) – The NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union has issued notice of its intention to ballot members working in schools across the Bailiwick for industrial action over pay and workload. The current pay offer represents a further real-terms pay cut for teachers in Guernsey, following years of pay erosion stretching back to 2008. Teachers’ pay has fallen behind median earnings growth and pay awards given to other States employees and is increasingly uncompetitive compared with the UK, once the higher cost of living is taken into consideration. Teachers’ pay is also considerably higher in Jersey. These factors are fuelling increasing difficulties in recruiting and retaining teachers in Guernsey schools read more

Northern Ireland teachers to strike over pay (25 Jan) – Members of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union will take strike action In Northern Ireland on Tuesday 21 February over the failure to offer teachers a fair and decent pay award. The NASUWT is calling for a fully funded 12% pay award for 2022/23. The strike action will consist of a half day strike on the morning of 21 February. The strike action follows a concerted campaign of action short of strike action across all grant-aided schools read more

NASUWT Scotland announces further strike action by teachers (20 Jan) – Members of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union in Scotland will be taking two further days of strike action on 28th February and 1 March in its ongoing dispute with the Scottish Government and employers over teachers’ pay. These further dates are a result of the continuing failure of ministers and COSLA to come forward with an improved pay offer. The NASUWT is calling for a fully funded 12% pay award for 2022/23. The current pay offer of 5% for most teachers amounts to a further real-terms pay cut, following over a decade of pay freezes and below-inflation pay awards which have left teachers in Scotland almost £50,000 worse off as a result of their pay failing to keep pace with inflation. Alongside the strike action NASUWT members will continue to undertake ongoing action short of strike action read more

IOM teachers take further strike action (10 Jan) – Members of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union in the Isle of Man will take two further days of strike action tomorrow (Wednesday) and Thursday in the ongoing dispute over pay, workload and working practices. The strike action, which follows two previous days of strikes on 30th November and 1st December, follows the imposition of a pay award which represents a real terms pay cut of 3% for most teachers and which follows a 30% real terms loss in pay since 2010. NASUWT members rejected the current pay award. The NASUWT is calling for a multi-year fully funded pay offer that begins to address the real-terms historic erosion of pay as part of a medium to long-term strategy for the sustainable delivery of high-quality education into the future read more

NAHT

NAHT speech at NEU strike rally (1 Feb) – Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, today addressed striking school workers at an NEU rally in London, Westminster. Speaking as NAHT members in Wales begin action short of strike (ASOS) today – joining members in Northern Ireland who have been taking action since October 2022 – Mr Whiteman said that it is the government’s ‘deliberate’ underinvestment in education over the last decade that is to blame for the current dispute read more

NAHT Cymru speech at Wales TUC Right to Strike Rally (1 Feb) – Today, Weds 1st Feb, NAHT Cymru school leader members begin Action Short of Strike in schools. Speaking at the Wales TUC Right to Strike rally in central Cardiff today, NAHT Cymru Director Laura Doel said: “Today is the first time in NAHT’s 125 year history that we commence national industrial action in Wales on pay and funding. For too long leaders and teachers have been blighted by continued below inflation pay awards that has seen their pay eroded by over 22% in the last 10 years alone…” read more

School leaders warn that some Local Authorities could break the law in panic over industrial action (31 Jan) – School leaders’ union NAHT Cymru today warns that some Local Authorities in Wales have indicated that they could illegally deduct the pay of non-striking workers in response to the lawful action of school leaders. NAHT Cymru begins Action Short of Strike tomorrow (Weds 1 Feb) as the first step in its dispute with Local Authorities over pay and funding read more

NAHT Cymru announces industrial action short of strike in schools across Wales (19 Jan) – School leaders in Wales will begin industrial action short of strike next month following NAHT Cymru’s ballot on pay and funding. The announcement comes as NAHT entered into meaningful discussions with the Welsh government and local authority employers on pay negotiations this morning where a one-off payment for teachers and leaders was discussed. The ballot results, announced on Monday, showed an exceptionally strong appetite for taking industrial action, with 95% voting ‘Yes’ to action short of strike (ASOS) and 75% voting ‘Yes’ to strike, with a turnout of 55% of the union’s membership. The union’s Welsh Executive Committee has now met with NAHT General Secretary Paul Whiteman and President Paul Gosling and an agreement was reached to instigate action.  NAHT Cymru has notified the local authority and governing body employers of its intention to take action short of strike on an ongoing basis from Wednesday 1 February read more 

School leaders’ union to consider re-running industrial action ballot due to postal disruption, as leaders in England and Wales vote to take action (16 Jan) – School leaders’ union NAHT, which represents leaders in the majority of schools in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, today (Mon 16 Jan) announces the results of its formal industrial action ballots on pay and funding, which began on Fri 11 November and closed on Weds 11 Jan. The ballot results in England show an extraordinarily strong appetite for taking industrial action amongst leaders, with 87% voting ‘Yes’ to action short of strike (ASOS) and 64% voting ‘Yes’ to strike. This means almost 10,000 school leaders across England are willing to take industrial action. However, the legal requirement for turnout in England was not met, with votes counted for 42% of the union’s membership – short of the 50% needed. Paul Whiteman, NAHT general secretary, said: “It is incredibly frustrating that anti-trade union and anti-democratic legislation compelled us to conduct the ballot by post during a period in which the management of the Royal Mail refused to take action to ameliorate the disruption to the postal service.” Read more

EIS

EIS Salaries Committee Urges First Minister to Release Funds to Settle Teacher Pay Dispute (2 Feb) – The Salaries Committee of the EIS has highlighted that the First Minister has it within her power to bring an end to the current dispute over teacher pay read more

EIS Council Lauds Teacher Strike Action, Condemns Lack of Constructive Discussions on Pay (27 Jan) – The national Council of the EIS has lauded Scotland’s teachers for their ongoing programme of strike action in pursuit of an improved pay deal from the Scottish Government and COSLA read more

EIS Announces Additional 22 Days of Strike Action as Teacher Pay Dispute Escalates (13 Jan) – The EIS has announced 22 additional days of strike action in an escalation of the dispute over teachers’ pay. This is in addition to the previously announced 16-day programme of rolling strike action, set to begin in schools across the country next week. EIS members have previously taken three days of national strike action – one in November and two in January – in the continuing campaign for a fair pay settlement for the year 2022. The EIS Executive Committee met today and agreed a programme of additional strike action that will include two days of national strike action in all schools and sectors on 28 February and 1 March, followed by a rolling programme of strikes for 20 days between 13 March and 21 April. Over the rolling strike period, each local authority area will be impacted by three consecutive days of strike action, with one day of strike action in all schools bookended on either side by one-day strikes in primary and secondary schools read more

SSTA

SSTA to Take Two Further Days of Strike Action (23 Jan) – The SSTA National Executive has, following another failed SNCT negotiating meeting, authorised two days of strike action on Tuesday 28 February and Wednesday 1 March. The SSTA will be joining members of sister unions in national strike action in a coordinated campaign of industrial action read more

UCU

UCU members overwhelmingly reject UCEA pay offer (3 Feb) – Over 30,000 voted in electronic poll conducted over four days. Union says strike action to resume next week unless much improved offer is made. Members of UCU have voted by 80.4% to reject the latest pay offer from employer body UCEA. The electronic ballot was open for four days with tens of thousands of UCU members backing UCU’s position to reject the offer. The offer made by UCEA was 5%, equating to another significant real-terms pay cut. Over a decade of low pay awards from employers has caused staff pay to fall 25% behind inflation. The union has confirmed that strike action will resume next week and continue through February and March unless a much-improved pay offer is made alongside commitments on workload and casualisation read more

The full dates of strike action are: 

  • Week 1 – Wednesday 1 February  
  • Week 2 – Thursday 9 and Friday 10 February 
  • Week 3 – Tuesday 14, Wednesday 15 and Thursday 16 February 
  • Week 4 – Tuesday 21, Wednesday 22 and Thursday 23 February 
  • Week 5 – Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 February and Wednesday 1 and Thursday 2 March 
  • [No action week commencing Monday 6 March] 
  • Week 6 – Thursday 16 and Friday 17 March 
  • Week 7 – Monday 20, Tuesday 21 and Wednesday 22 March

University strikes ON after universities refuse to make further commitments on pensions, pay and working conditions (31 Jan) – UCU members at 150 UK universities are walking out on Wednesday (1 February). Disputes over pensions, pay and working conditions will affect 2.5 million students. 17 further days of strike action planned. 70,000 staff at 150 universities across the UK will be on strike tomorrow in disputes over pay, working conditions and pensions. The strike is the first of 18 days which will impact 2.5 million students through February and March. UCU said the disruption is entirely the responsibility of university bosses who have refused to make staff fair offers. Staff will be picketing all 150 universities across the UK read more

University strike dates in February and March confirmed (24 Jan) – Unprecedented strike action will hit 150 UK universities throughout February and March unless university employers make substantially improved offers in disputes over pay, working conditions and pension cuts. In total, 70,000 UCU members will walk out read more

Four days of strikes set to hit Sheffield College after ‘insulting’ 2.5% pay offer (18 Jan) – Over 200 staff at Sheffield College will be on strike Friday after receiving an ‘insulting’ pay offer of just 2.5% amid the cost-of-living scandal. Staff will then down tools for a further three days in January and February unless their demands are met, they will be on picket lines outside the college on each strike day. The full dates of strike action are: Friday 20 January, Monday 30 January, Tuesday 7 February, Thursday 9 February. Staff will also work to rule from Monday 23 January, which includes working strictly to their contracted hours, refusing to make up work lost as a result of strike action and refusing to cover for absent colleagues. The announcement comes after an overwhelming 87% of members who voted said yes to strike action in a turnout of 59% read more

Three days of strikes begin Monday at Sparsholt College over low pay (6 Jan) – Three consecutive days of strike action at Sparsholt College in Hampshire will begin Monday after management refused to make a realistic pay offer. Staff will be picketing the college every day of the action. They have already taken three days of strike action this academic year in the long running pay dispute and are demanding a pay rise that helps them meet the cost-of-living crisis. RPI inflation is currently at 14% and the college is based in one of the least affordable areas to live in the UK. Despite this, the college has only offered an £850 consolidated pay rise alongside one off payments totalling just £450 read more

Staff to strike at Barnet & Southgate College – UCU today confirmed Barnet and Southgate College will be hit with two days of strike action later this month in an ongoing dispute over low pay. UCU members at the college will walk out on Tuesday 13 and Wednesday 14 December. The industrial action follows a ballot in which 98% of those that voted called for strike action. Staff have already taken three days of action in October in the dispute over management’s paltry 2% pay award for the previous two financial years (1% 2020/21 and 1% 2021/22). Inflation is currently at 14.2% and UCU is demanding a significant uplift to help staff meet the cost of living crisis read more

Staff to strike at University of Sheffield International College – UCU has today announced that members at the University of Sheffield International College will take three days of strike action from Monday 28 November in a long running dispute over low pay. The action will be the first ever strike to take place in a privatised higher education provider. The full days of strike action are: Monday 28 November, Tuesday 29 November, Wednesday 30 November. Staff will be picketing all main entrances on each day of strike action. Staff will also work to rule from Thursday 1 December, which includes working strictly to their contracted hours, refusing to make up work lost as a result of strike action and refusing to cover for absent colleagues read more

Furness College staff to strike over low pay – UCU has today announced three days of strike action at Furness College. Staff will walkout on Tuesday 6 December, Wednesday 7 December and Thursday 15 December following the results of the ballot in which 85% of those who voted said yes to strike action. Members will also be engaging in action short of strike action from 8 December until 13 May 2023, this could include not doing additional work or covering for absent colleagues. The action come after the employer offered a pay award of just 2.5% alongside a one off payment of £750 for those earning less than £25k and £500 for those who earn more. RPI is currently at 14.2% so the award means staff pay has fallen dramatically behind inflation. UCU is demanding an increase of at least 10% to help staff meet the cost-of-living crisis read more

Staff to strike at Darlington College – UCU has today announced three days of strike action at Darlington College. Staff will walkout on Tuesday 6 December, Wednesday 7 December and Monday 12 December following the results of the ballot in which 95% of those that voted said yes to strike action. The strikes come after the employer imposed a pay award of just 1% alongside a one off payment of £250. RPI is currently at 12.6% so the award means staff pay has fallen dramatically behind inflation. UCU is demanding a pay award of at least 10% to help staff meet the cost-of-living crisis. Staff at Hopwood Hall College in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, recently won a deal worth 9.2% for the majority of college lecturers read more

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

FBU

Scheme offering £1,000 a shift to break strikes an ‘insult’ and ‘waste of public money’ (3 Feb) – Fire chiefs in Hertfordshire are offering firefighters £1,000 per shift to break strikes as part of a ‘resilience fire cover’ scheme. Following a decisive 88% yes vote for strike action, the Fire Brigades Union has given the government and employers until the 9th February to make a decent pay offer. If an acceptable offer is not made, firefighters and control staff will take industrial action across the UK. FBU General Secretary Matt Wrack told The Mirror: “If the money can be found to pay people these kinds of sums to break strikes, it can be found for a decent pay deal…”

FBU hails “historic moment” for trade union movement as coordinated day of action takes place (1 Feb) – Five workers, including a firefighter, stand in front of a mobile billboard. The mobile billboard reads: protect the right to strike. Around half a million workers have today taken strike action for decent pay across rail, schools, central government and higher education. It was also a day of action organised by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) to defend the right to strike, following the passage of the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill on Monday at Third Reading. The Fire Brigades Union has this week achieved a decisive mandate for strike action on pay, with 88% of members voting Yes on a 73% turnout. In Northern Ireland, the result was even stronger, with 94% of members voting Yes. Responding to the day’s events, Fire Brigades Union General Secretary Matt Wrack said: “This is a historic moment for the labour movement. Trade unions are fighting not to disrupt public services, but to save them. In the fire service, pay has fallen by at least 12% in real terms since 2010, and it’s a similar story elsewhere. Striking workers have the support of the public because it is only by standing together that we can win decent pay for everyone. “The new anti-union legislation is an attempt shut down the debate about pay and living standards. It’s an attack on our right to organise and on our democracy as a country. It’s an attempt to stop workers from standing up for themselves. I’m proud that the FBU is supporting today’s day of action. We still hope to resolve our dispute without a strike, but if that’s not possible, we will call action ourselves. We will stand shoulder to shoulder with other unions in the struggle ahead” read more

Firefighters deliver emphatic mandate for industrial action (30 Jan) – Firefighters across the UK have delivered a decisive mandate for strike action, with 88% voting Yes on a 73% turnout. The strike ballot opened on 5th  December and closed on 30th January. Two separate simultaneous ballots, in Northern Ireland and among control room staff in the North West of England, also delivered strong results. In Northern Ireland, the result was even stronger, with 94% of members voting in favour of action. In the hope of averting strike action, the Fire Brigades Union has given the government and employers ten days (until Thursday 9th February) to come forward with an improved offer which could be put to a vote of members. If they go ahead, the strikes would be the first nation-wide fire strike over pay since 2003. FBU members rejected a below-inflation 5% pay offer in November last year. The vote on industrial action follows more than a decade of real terms pay cuts. It comes as fresh research shows that firefighters are significantly more likely to develop cancer than the general population read more

Merseyside firefighters, control staff and Green Book staff vote for Action Short of Strike – Merseyside firefighters, control staff and green book staff (non-uniformed staff) have “overwhelmingly” voted to take action short of strike in relation to a host of issues in Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service. The percentage of those voting who voted “Yes” to Action Short of Strike is 88.06%. The action short of strike will consist of a refusal to undertake pre-arranged overtime, beginning no earlier than Thursday 1st December 2022 and potentially lasting for 6 months. The ballot comes after a serious break down in industrial relations between Merseyside Fire Brigades Union and Merseyside Fire and Rescue Authority and the failure to reach agreement on several issues read more

POA

Unions’ challenge to pension changes (31 Jan) – Judicial Review proceedings commenced by six trade unions, relating to changes made by the Government to public sector pensions, will be heard in the High Court on 31st January 2023, with the trial due to last until Friday 3rd February. The unions involved in this challenge are the POA, the FBU, GMB, PCS, the RCN and Unite. The case concerns the Government’s botched reforms of the pension schemes for the Prison Officers, NHS, Teachers, Civil Servants, local Government, the Armed Forces, Police Officers, Firefighters, and others in 2015. In 2018 the reforms were held by the Court of Appeal to be unlawful, because the way they were implemented discriminated against younger members. The Government accepted that they had to be reversed. In a separate development, it transpired that the cost of the new schemes was substantially less than had been anticipated when they were assessed by the Government actuary in 2019. Under the applicable legislation, younger members’ benefits should have been improved, or their contributions should have been reduced, by up to 4.9%. That is because the schemes contain an arrangement, called the “cost control mechanism”, whereby if the schemes turn out to be more expensive than anticipated the members have to pay (in the form of reduced pensions or increased contributions) but if they turn out to be cheaper the position is reversed and pensions go up or contributions go down. The Government wants to avoid this result by imposing the cost of its own discriminatory conduct on the schemes, effectively making members of the new schemes pay. The unions maintain that this treatment is unlawful read more

NAPO

News for Cafcass members – 2022/2023 pay dispute (20 Jan) – Please look out for more news next week arising from yesterday’s joint meeting of Napo and UNISON members. Union negotiators will be considering the valuable feedback that we received and will also take into account the replies we have received from the Employer and the Minister for Cafcass. Meanwhile we remain of the view that the unions have not agreed that the above dispute is concluded and we will be revisiting the potential options for industrial action as part of our next engagement with UNISON read more

BFAWU

Trade Union Coordinating Group “Fair Pay Now” pamphlet read more

Support the campaign to unionise Samworth Brothers – get organised, sign the petition read more

NUJ

NUJ granted permission to intervene in “Snoopers Charter” appeal (2 Feb) – The NUJ has been granted permission to intervene in the human rights organisation Liberty’s “People vs the snoopers’ charter” appeal in the Court of Appeal. This will allow the union to provide a voice to journalists in this important legal challenge to the ‘bulk’ surveillance regime contained in the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 (IPA 2016) read more

NUJ condemns social media attacks on Irish Times journalists (31 Jan) – The union has strongly condemned the online abuse of Irish Times journalists Kitty Holland and Dara Mac Dónaill following their coverage of a violent incident in north Dublin read more

BBC journalists ballot for industrial action over local radio cuts (31 Jan) – NUJ members working for BBC Local are being balloted to take industrial action over the corporation’s latest proposals to share local radio programming across the network. Members in Northern Ireland voted overwhelmingly for action over cuts at Radio Foyle read more

BBC journalists to vote on latest plans for local radio (19 Jan) Following negotiations with the NUJ, the BBC has made concessions on the drastic cuts it had proposed. Members are now considering if they will be enough. BBC journalists are holding a consultative ballot following negotiations with the BBC over cuts to local radio read more

NUJ members vote for industrial action at STV (22 Dec) – There has been an overwhelming strike vote at the Scottish broadcaster. The results of the ballot were 85 per cent for strike action and 93 per cent for action short of a strike. STV’s original offer was £2,000 to each employee read more

Prospect

Prospect and Unison join forces for Environment Agency on 8 February (31 Jan) – Thousands of Environment Agency employees belonging to Prospect and UNISON are to take strike action on 8 February in the growing dispute about pay. Staff working in areas such as river inspection, flood forecasting, coastal risk management and pollution control will stage a 12-hour strike on Wednesday 8 February starting at 7am. In addition, for 12 hours either side of the walkout, Environment Agency employees will escalate their ongoing work to rule by withdrawing from incident response rotas, say the unions. This action short of a strike starts at 7pm on Tuesday 7, and kicks in again immediately at the end of the strike for another 12 hours, concluding at 7am on Thursday 9 February read more

Prospect launches biggest industrial action ballot of public sector members in over a decade (27 Jan) – Prospect has opened a formal ballot for thousands of civil service and other public sector workers for industrial action over pay – including the Cabinet Office ‘cap’ of 3% on pay offers – threats of job losses, and a proposed cut to redundancy terms read more

FDA

FDA Fast Stream members vote to strike (17 Jan) – FDA members in the central Fast Stream have overwhelmingly voted to take strike action over pay. On a turnout of 60%, comfortably surpassing the legal threshold of 50%, 88% backed industrial action in the statutory postal ballot. FDA National Officer for the Fast Stream, Lauren Crowley, stated “our Fast Stream members have been absolutely clear – they will no longer put up with unfair pay. This result highlights the anger that our members are feeling, they are tired of empty promises when it comes to pay reform.” Read more

Community

British Steel’s dangerous plans to cut jobs are a betrayal of workforce (1 Feb) – Responding to the reports on British Steel’s potential plans to cut 800 jobs, National Officer Alun Davies said: “We are extremely concerned about the reports that British Steel is looking to cut hundreds of jobs. This move would represent a betrayal of their loyal workforce and their commitments to invest in the business. We believe this would put staff at risk and is completely unworkable. British Steel is already putting staff at risk by making them work overtime every single week. Cutting hundreds of jobs in this situation will endanger workers by pushing them to work even longer hours in extreme temperatures. Steelworkers played their part to protect our steel industry and are being failed by both the Government and British Steel who are abdicating their responsibilities to the workforce and our country…” read more

Equity

West End shows facing strike threat as Equity puts in 17% pay claim – some of the West End’s biggest shows could be hit by strike action after performers union Equity put in a 17% pay claim for thousands of its members in theatreland read more on Evening Standard website

Sign and share this petition to reinstate the English National Opera (ENO) funding and lobby your MP to back our industries and their workforce

USDAW

Carers leave proposed new right welcomed by Usdaw as a step in the right direction, but it needs to be paid says the union (3 Feb) – Retail trade union Usdaw has welcomed MPs today passing the Carers Leave Bill, which would give people with caring responsibilities a right to unpaid leave from work. It received an unopposed third reading in the House of Commons and will now undergo further scrutiny in the House of Lords read more

Protect the right to strike! Usdaw backs the TUC campaign day and expresses solidarity with striking workers (1 Feb) – Retail trade union Usdaw is supporting today’s ‘protect the right to strike’ campaign day, which has been organised by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and is focussed on opposing the Government’s Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill read more

Tesco restructure puts more than 2,000 jobs at risk – Usdaw to enter into consultation talks (31 Jan) – Retail trade union Usdaw has been notified by Tesco of their plans to close their remaining in-store counter services, along with restructuring store management roles and some head office functions. The union will now enter into consultation talks with the company on their proposals read more

IWGB

Outsourced UCL security staff to strike alongside UCU as part of 1 February national day of action (25 Jan) – Outsourced security guards at University College London (UCL), employed by subcontractor Bidvest Noonan, are returning to the picket line on 1 February. Members of the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) will take action alongside lecturers represented by UCU, as part of a nationally coordinated day of public sector strike action. Pickets will be held at Malet Place from 6am, with workers and their families taking to the UCL quad at 10am for a photo opportunity and protest action, breaking open a treasure chest piñata representing UCL’s £90 million surplus read more

Donate to IWGB strike fund

UVW

SIPTU (Ireland)

Mandate (Ireland)

Mandate trade union says proposed sale of alcohol bill must ensure protection of safety and wellbeing of bar staff as a key priority (31 Jan) – Union calls for revocation of alcohol licenses where breaches to employment law occur and a statutory role for workers’ representatives in licensing process. The Mandate Trade Union – which represents bar and retail workers – will today (Tuesday, 31 January) tell the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice that the proposed Sale of Alcohol Bill must ensure the safety and wellbeing of bar staff as one if its key priorities read more

Workers at Corrib Oil, Ballinasloe, to strike again from 6.30am tomorrow over company’s refusal to recognise their right to be represented by Mandate trade union (27 Jan) – Company has refused to honour pre-Christmas offer to engage in talks. Staff at the Corrib Oil filling station in Ballinasloe will strike again from 6.30am to 10pm tomorrow (Saturday, 28 January) over the company’s refusal to recognise their right to be represented by the Mandate Trade Union. The company has refused to honour its pre-Christmas offer to engage with the union despite a number of requests for meetings from the union over recent weeks read more

Other news

Hi All – Thanks for your continuing support for Trade Union Education at The College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London (Conel). Please find attached some courses were have advertised for next term and beyond. All courses are advertised in the https://www.tuc.org.uk/TUCcoursesAs.

Couple of updates:-

  • Employment law diploma is now full for Jan 2023.
  • Cert in employment law have moved it to classroom.

Seasons Greetings

Best Regards

Jonathan Jeffries

PS If you need any ICT courses contact [email protected]. We also do bespoke courses for trade unions

Fight blacklisting and victimisation of union reps

QC appointed to lead the independent Unite inquiry into blacklisting – 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/blacklist-SG/

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

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. Also, check out Organise Now! – Support for new worker organising.

International

From NUJ website – Bangladesh: journalist murdered in knife attack (20 Jan) – The NUJ has condemned the murder and urged Bangladeshi authorities to seek justice for Ashiqul Islam’s death. The National Union of Journalists has joined the International Federation of Journalists in condemning the murder of reporter Ashiqul Islam read more

Diary

February

6 NSSN national online public meeting: after February 1st & 6th strikes, how to we all strike together? – 6pm

Zoom details – https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87166952312?pwd=TFAvV25Bekd3a1lod2gvNURUMWczdz09  

Meeting ID: 871 6695 2312   Passcode: 060223

June

24 NSSN national conference 11am-4.30pm Conway Hall, London

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


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