Unite: Tata workers in historic vote for strike action over shutdown plans (11 Apr)
Unite members at Port Talbot and Llanwern to fight job losses and blast furnace closures. Around 1,500 Tata steelworkers based in Port Talbot and Newport Llanwern have voted decisively for industrial action over the company’s plan to close its blast furnaces and shed 2,800 jobs. It is the first time in over 40 years that Port Talbot steelworkers have gone on strike. The ballot for strike action by members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, closed today with workers voting in favour of industrial action over Tata’s ‘disastrous’ plans. This was despite Tata threatening the workers with the loss of enhanced redundancy pay if they did. Unite said Tata has other choices after the union secured a commitment from Labour that it will invest £3 billion in UK steel, compared to the £500 million pledged by the current government.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “This is an historic vote. Not since the 1980s have steel workers voted to strike in this way. This yes vote has happened despite Tata’s threats that if workers took strike action, enhanced redundancy packages would be withdrawn. Unite will be at the forefront of the fight to save steelmaking in Wales. We will support steel by all and every means. Other EU countries are transitioning their steel industries while retaining and growing their capacity because they know steel has a bright future – a tenfold increase in demand is predicted in the coming years. In the UK, Tata’s plans and those of the government reflect the short-term thinking of a clapped-out disinterested government marking time to a general election. In contrast Labour have done the right thing and committed £3 billion to UK steel following intense discussions with Unite. The average age of a Unite Port Talbot worker is 36. Workers and the communities of Port Talbot and Llanwern are looking to the years ahead. They know that with the right choices steelmaking capacity and jobs can be kept and the benefits of growing the industry grasped. In the crucial weeks to come, Tata’s workers and Unite will put up picket lines to prevent the company from taking this disastrous path.”
At the Tata plant in the Netherlands, the blast furnaces are being kept open and jobs protected as the company builds an electric arc furnace and invests in hydrogen DRI technology. In Germany, a single plant produces more steel than the whole of the UK industry put together. Dates for strike action scheduled to cause maximum impact will be announced soon.
Unite Wales regional secretary Peter Hughes said: “Tata has employed everything from bribes to threats to discourage our members from industrial action. They will not be intimidated into standing by while Tata attempts to carry out an act of devastating industrial vandalism against their jobs and communities, inflicting untold harm on the Welsh economy and the UK’s national interest. Our members have their union’s absolute support in striking to stop these cuts – Unite is backing them every step of the way.”
Unite ‘Support UK Steel’ petition hand-in to the Welsh Government – 12.30pm Tuesday 23rd April at Senedd in Cardiff
Find out more about the campaign: www.unitetheunion.org/campaigns/the-fight-for-steel
The NSSN stands in solidarity with steelworkers as steel unions ballot their members for industrial action. We salute the Unite strike vote. We will support any action that they take against Tata Steel’s intention to make 75% of the 4,000-strong Port Talbot workforce redundant. This would also result in thousands more losing their jobs at other Tata steel plants, contracting companies, and threaten related jobs such as on the rails and the wider local economy. And as we did in 2016, when the steelworks were under the same threat, we continue to demand the works be nationalised to save jobs and working-class communities. Recently, the struggle to save Port Talbot steelworks reached a new stage when Tata announced the closure of the coking ovens. The whole of the union movement must come behind the steelworkers and their fight to save steel jobs and defend communities, in Port Talbot and in other steelmaking areas.
Community ballots for industrial action at Tata Steel (11 Apr) – Community is urging members to take a stand in support of the steel industry as we launches our ballot for industrial action at Tata Steel UK today. We are balloting members in response to Tata’s bad deal for steel, a proposal which would remove the UK’s virgin steelmaking capacity and result in the loss of thousands of steel jobs. The bulk of the job losses would be at Port Talbot and Llanwern, with further losses at Trostre and other downstream sites across the UK read more
NSSN Conference 2024 June 22nd Tories Out – fight for a Workers’ Manifesto
NSSN Conference 2024: Saturday 22nd June, 11am-4.30pm, Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, Holborn, London WC1R 4RL Facebook event. Attendance fee – £8. You can pre-register here https://forms.gle/WjFYyvrn1BXSMJHg9. Email us for more info – [email protected]
This year’s NSSN Conference will be the last before the General Election. Trade unionists are rightly desperate to see the back of the Tories. Over the last 14 years, we’ve been on the receiving end of vicious austerity, pay cuts, the cost of living squeeze and continued attacks on our right to strike through ever more restrictive and undemocratic Tory anti-union laws. And the unions still have to be prepared to fight together if Sunak looks to implement his Minimum Service Levels (MSL) legislation before the election.
But this has also been a period when workers and their unions are increasingly showing that it’s possible to fight back and win. In March 2011, over 750,000 workers marched against the brutal cuts of Cameron, Clegg and Osborne, and that November, the N30 pensions strike saw up to 2 million public sector workers strike together. Over the last two years, we have seen the strike wave – the biggest sustained level of strikes for over 3 decades, with many workers taking action for the first time. Workers want the Tories out, but they also demand real change.
The NSSN has played our part in all the many strikes that have taken place. But in these disputes, we have also argued for policies to defend workers’ interests. This year’s NSSN Conference is an opportunity for union reps, members and activists to again share experiences about our struggles and disputes, but also to set out the programme that we need – a workers’ manifesto.
To repeal Sunak’s MSL and Cameron’s Trade Union Acts, and all the rest of the Tory anti-union laws, going back to Thatcher and Major. To re-nationalise Royal Mail, BT, the energy and utility companies and steel. To end privatisation in the NHS and our public services. For a real inflation-proof pay rise for workers, that protects our living standards. And there is much more to discuss and fight for. Come to NSSN Conference and join the discussion.
Fight the Tory attack on our #RightToStrike
About 5,000 trade unionists marched in Cheltenham on 27th January in opposition to the new Tory anti-union Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023 (MSL), and to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Thatcher’s banning of union rights at GCHQ in the town.
It was just days after the U-turn by the state-owned LNER train operating company that was reported to have signalled its intention to have used the MSL against ASLEF. The union had reacted to this threat by putting in 5 additional strike days. This apparent retreat was a defeat not only for LNER bosses but for Sunak’s Tory Government.
It showed that workers’ action can smash this vicious Tory attack on our right to strike.
It is now vital that the statement that was passed at the Special TUC Congress in December – setting out a campaign of defiance and non-compliance – is implemented and built upon:-
- We will develop practical solidarity plans for unions actively engaged in strategies of non-compliance.
- Support any worker subject to a work notice, including with support from across the trade union movement, if their employer disciplines them in any way.
- Ensure that where any affiliate is facing significant risk of sanctions because of this legislation, we convene an emergency meeting of the Executive Committee to consider options for providing practical, industrial, financial and/or political backing to that union.
- Call on all employers and public bodies with oversight to oppose this counterproductive legislation. Employers and public bodies from across the public sector and the country have already signalled their opposition to the Strikes Act. All employers and public bodies must reject it
- Refuse to tell our members to cross a picket line.
- Call an urgent demonstration in the event a work notice is deployed and a union or worker is sanctioned in relation to a work notice.
This is the basis for the fighting strategy that workers and unions need and now needs to be enacted.
Defend The Right to Strike – Strike Map and the Campaign for Trade Union Freedom (CTUF) have launched a ‘write to your council campaign’ to seek their commitment to not issue work notices and defend the right to strike as key employers read more in the Morning Star
Stop the attack on Gaza
Many NSSN supporters have joined marches and protests against the escalation of violence in the Middle East, particularly the invasion and bombardment of Gaza by the Israeli government
See Stop the War website for info on protests.
A number of unions have issued statements on the situation in the Middle East, including: the TUC, FBU, RMT, NEU, Unite, Unison, PCS, ASLEF, TSSA, UCU, EIS, CWU, Equity, BMA, NUJ, UVW, GMB, SOR, RCM, RCN, IWGB, Prospect, CSP, NAPO, INTO (Ireland), SIPTU (Ireland) and Mandate (Ireland)
NIPSA Protest – Peace Now – Stop arming Netanyahu (8 Apr) – Statement for the NIPSA Protest that was organised on Thursday 11 April 12.30pm at the Secretary of States Office, Erskine House, Belfast:-
Dear Colleague, Six months of barbaric conflict in Gaza, the West Bank, Israel, Lebanon, Yemen and Iran has led to the potential for an escalation into a regional war across the Middle East. Meanwhile arms manufactures are making a fortune from the conflict and the Government in Westminster continues to give them licences to export war materials to Netanyahu. In doing so the government ignores the demonstrations by Israeli people demanding a change of government and the release of hostages, it ignores the suffering of Palestinian people who are facing a man-made famine and it ignores the fears of the Arab peoples who dread the prospect of war across the region. We cannot stand by and watch this happen. NIPSA stands with the Palestinian, Arab and Jewish working-class people and trade unionists who are fighting for a better society for all the peoples of the region. Stand together in demanding PEACE and an end to profiteering from war.
Carmel Gates NIPSA General Secretary read more
NSSN news
Get your trade union branch or trades council to affiliate to the NSSN – it only costs £50. Already affiliated? Please think about renewing it and/or making an additional donation to help our work. Also, many of our supporters pay a few pounds a month via a standing order.
You can either pay online to ‘National Shop Stewards Network’, HSBC – sort code 40-06-41, account number 90143790.
Or you can pay by cheque to ‘National Shop Stewards Network’ and post to 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
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RMT
Merseyrail hikes Grand National prices by 35% (12 Apr) – Rail union, RMT has condemned train operator Merseyrail for jacking up their prices by 35% during the Aintree Grand National festival. Merseyrail is one of the wealthiest operators of trains in Britain, recently paying out dividends of £14.5 million. Yet they have failed to insource cleaners on their stations despite the fact that would have only cost the company £100,000 read more
CrossCountry trains strike suspended after progress (11 Apr) – RMT has suspended planned strike action on CrossCountry this Saturday, after management agreed to intensive talks to resolve the dispute. CrossCountry had refused to recognise RMT at all grades within the company. This is despite written evidence to the contrary. Now the company has agreed to sit down with RMT to address our concerns with no changes to agreements in this period read more
RFA members vote for industrial action over pay (9 Apr) – Seafarers at the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) have voted overwhelmingly to take strike action over pay. RMT members working as civilian merchant seafarers onboard the fleet of Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) vessels which provide the Royal Navy with vital logistic and operational support including humanitarian operations around the world, have rejected a below inflation pay offer from management. RFA have implemented a one-year deal of 4.5% which was totally unacceptable to RMT members. Up to 500 RFA seafarers were balloted for strike action by RMT union, and we will now consider our next steps read more
Eurostar Rail Gourmet workers to take strike action over pay (6 Apr) – RMT members working for Rail Gourmet on the Eurostar contract will take strike action from 19-23 April in a dispute over pay. This follows a magnificent 95% yes vote in our strike ballot, which has given the union a mandate to pursue industrial action to win better pay for low paid members working within the continental rail service read more
Gateline workers to take strike action (15 Mar) – Contracted out gateline workers at Northern will take strike action on Saturday in a dispute over pay, union recognition and working conditions. RMT members working for Carlisle Support Services on the Northern contract will set up picket lines in Manchester, Leeds and Wigan. The strike action will start on Saturday at 12.01am and finish 11.59pm the same day. Among the demands of workers is the ending of zero hours contracts and the removal of the Timegate app which has failed to accurately calculate pay and leave allowance read more
RMT to launch strike ballot on Scotrail over DOO (13 Mar) – Scotrail workers will be balloted for strike action over Driver Only Operation (DOO) trains, RMT can reveal. Bosses at the Scottish government run train company have said Barrhead and East Kilbride routes can run services without a second member of staff at the discretion of the driver. Over a 100 hundred conductors who will be affected by Scotrail’s plans will be balloted read more
Bidvest Noonan cleaners begin 48 hour strike action (4 Mar) – RMT members working for Bidvest Noonan on Alstom NTL and TPE contracts will take strike action from Monday. The cleaners are taking action over pay and working conditions having rejected the latest offer from the company. Strikes will take place in Glasgow and Manchester. Following the conclusion of the strike, RMT members will take industrial action short of strike from Wednesday by not undertaking any biological hazard cleaning read more
Hitachi Rail strike spreads from East Coast to Great Western Mainline (17 Feb) – RMT members at Hitachi Rail will take 48 hours strike action at the end of the month over a pay dispute. Workers who maintain rolling stock and the signalling system will take the stoppages between Thursday 29 February and March 2. The depots that will be taking action are the London North Pole, Doncaster Train Maintenance and Bounds Green and Craigentinny Train Maintenance. Hundreds of workers will join the action which follows a referendum where Hitachi workers rejected a pay offer from the private company. Strike action will now be taking place on depots on the East Coast and West Coast mainlines read more
ASLEF
Strike Action (20 Mar) – ASLEF announces a new programme of rolling strikes. More strikes across the rail network in pursuit of a pay rise for drivers who have not had an increase in salary for five years – since 2019. Train drivers who are members of ASLEF, the train drivers’ trade union, will take part in another programme of rolling one-day strikes, coupled with a six-day overtime ban, as we increase the pressure on 16 intransigent train companies – and the tone-deaf Tory government that stands behind them – to get train drivers, who have now not had a pay rise for five years, since April 2019, the salary increase they deserve. Members will walk out at Avanti West Coast, East Midlands Railway, West Midlands Trains, and CrossCountry on Friday 5 April; at Chiltern, GWR, LNER, Northern, and TransPennine Trains on Saturday 6 April; and at c2c, Greater Anglia, GTR Great Northern Thameslink, Southeastern, Southern/Gatwick Express, South Western Railway main line and depot drivers, and SWR Island Line on Monday 8 April. Members will also refuse to work their rest days from Thursday 4 to Saturday 6 April and from Monday 8 to Tuesday 9 April read more Picket Lines – April 2024
ASLEF announces strikes on LNER and Northern trains (14 Feb) – ASLEF, the train drivers’ trade union, has announced strikes and an overtime ban at two train companies – LNER and Northern – for their persistent failure to comply with existing agreements. ASLEF, the train drivers’ trade union, has announced strikes and an overtime ban at two train companies – LNER and Northern – for their persistent failure to comply with existing agreements. Members at LNER will take strike action on Friday 1 March for a failure by the company to adhere to the machinery of negotiation (‘regarding London North Eastern Railway’s abrogation of the diagramming and rostering agreements, and continued failure to adhere to the agreed bargaining machinery’). Members at Northern will also take strike action on Friday 1 March for a failure by the company to adhere to existing agreements. And members will take action short of a strike (a ban on non-contractual overtime) on LNER and Northern from Thursday 29 February to Saturday 2 March read more
TSSA
TSSA – London Underground CSM strike to go ahead (8 Apr) – Strike action at London Underground by members working as Customer Service Managers will go ahead this week. Rail union TSSA has confirmed that strike action at London Underground by members working as Customer Service Managers will go ahead this week after the company failed to compromise in crunch talks. The walkouts will take place on Wednesday the 10th of April – between 00:01 and 23.59, and also Thursday 11th of April in respect of any members expected to commence shifts before 23:59 on Wednesday 10 April whose shifts run into Thursday 11 April. TSSA had been willing to reach a compromise and had engaged in talks with London Underground last week in good faith. However, London Underground failed to compromise and so the planned strikes, involving hundreds of key Station managers who run the Underground stations, will go ahead on 10 April. TSSA’s Customer Service Manager members – who are responsible for running stations – are extremely concerned about the company’s ‘Stations Changes’ proposals, with potential changes to their terms and conditions, job role and location read more
Easter weekend strikes at ScotRail (29 Mar) – Members of rail union TSSA will hold strike action at ScotRail over the Easter weekend in a long running dispute over on call working arrangements. The walkouts take place on Saturday 30th and Sunday 31st of March by Operations Team Manager (OTM) grades in the latest stage of a dispute going back to late 2021. Similar action took place last December. Since discussions were last held with ScotRail, including in person talks with TSSA General Secretary, Maryam Eslamdoust, the company has offered no solution or means to end the dispute which is already having an impact on the network. As part of the dispute TSSA members have withdrawn from the ‘out of hours’ on call period – generally between 23:00 and 07:00 hrs. During this period ScotRail have no first line on call coverage. Earlier this month the safety implications of this situation were highlighted when the driver of an Aberdeen to Inverness train passed a red signal – and therefore had to immediately be relieved of duties while appropriate checks were carried out. With TSSA’s Driver Team Managers staff in dispute, passengers had to remain in the stationary vehicle for three hours until the driver was relieved. The union has now met Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Fiona Hyslop, to urgently highlight concerns, stressing that ScotRail must act to stop this happening again read more
TSSA warns of ‘crippling’ industrial action at Transport for Wales (22 Mar) – Rail union TSSA is to ballot dozens of members in Fleet Management at Transport for Wales (TfW). TSSA warns of ‘crippling’ industrial action at Transport for Wales. Rail union TSSA is to ballot dozens of members in Fleet Management at Transport for Wales (TfW) for possible strike action and action short of a strike. The union is in dispute with the company over so-called ‘bolt-ons’ – additional payments which cover shift work. These have been awarded to other staff outside Fleet Management, and without them, managers would effectively miss out on the accruement of pensionable pay. The ballot will open on the 28th of March and conclude on the 18th of April. The union is warning that a walkout or work-to-rule would seriously hamper the ability of TfW to run trains across Wales. Fleet Management are responsible daily for signing off safety critical work across TfW read more
Looming industrial action at South Western Railway (15 Mar) – Rail union TSSA is warning South Western Railway (SWR) that potential industrial action, including a strike could be on the cards after the two sides have formally failed to agree in an escalating dispute over the imposition of changed working arrangements among Control staff. The union has now officially served a ‘Failure to Agree’ notice to SWR —the first stage of an official process that, without an agreement in the short term, could lead to industrial action by its Train Service Managers. This is despite the union’s efforts to engage in meaningful dialogue over several months and because the company has undermined TSSA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement with SWR read more
Unite
Glasgow 13th Note workers win tribunal over shock redundancies (16 Apr) – Unite members at the 13th Note venue in Glasgow have won their protective award claim against their former employer for failing to consult with staff before making them redundant last summer. The tribunal has ruled that the workers be paid remuneration for 90 days – the maximum protective award available. The sudden closure of the iconic music venue in July 2023 came just three days after workers took historic strike action, as the first group of bar workers to take formal industrial action in Scotland for over two decades read more
Unite announces Dounreay power station strike action (15 Apr) – Unite the union confirmed today (Monday 15 April) its 460-strong membership employed by Nuclear Restoration Services Limited (NRS) based at Dounreay power station will take strike action in a pay dispute. Unite’s members will take strike action on 1 and 2 May with more action scheduled for the 15 and 29 May. There will also be an overtime ban in place. The union had previously warned that strike action was ‘inevitable’ in the coming weeks, and it said NRS had a ‘final opportunity’ to resolve the dispute by making a revised pay offer to the workforce. The company has recently changed its trading name from Magnox Limited read more
Glenrothes based Bosch Rexroth workers in strike ballot over pay (15 Apr) – German owned firm makes ‘pitiful’ 1.25% offer. Unite has confirmed that around 240 members working at Bosch Rexroth in Glenrothes are being balloted on strike action over a massive real terms pay cut. The German-owned global tech and engineering giant proposed an offer of 1.25% which was overwhelmingly rejected by Unite’s membership. Bosch Rexroth engineer parts for the construction industry including gears and brakes, as well as parts for forklift trucks. The trade union will now hold a ballot on industrial which opens today (15 April) and closes on 30 April. If the ballot is successful, then strike action could start in May read more
JW Suckling tanker strikes off after Unite secures ‘excellent’ deal (12 Apr) – Strikes by JW Suckling tanker drivers in London, Essex, Middlesex and Grangemouth have been cancelled after a significantly improved deal was secured by Unite, the UK’s leading union. The pay deal includes an inflation busting 6.3 per cent uplift in pay and a huge improvement to the company’s pension contributions. In addition, the drivers’ have received an increase in annual leave, harmonisation of terms and conditions and their annual bonus is now unconditional. The deal comes after JW Suckling tanker drivers last year secured a deal worth around 25 per cent plus huge improvements to overtime, bonus and shift payments read more
Escalating London Sanctuary Housing strikes hit repairs for 10,000 homes (12 Apr) – Workers report using foodbanks while Sanctuary has over £5.6bn in assets. Fresh strikes by London Sanctuary Housing repair and maintenance workers will continue to hit repairs for around 10,000 homes around the capital, including hundreds in Hackney. The workers, who are members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, began striking over pay and union recognition in February, with new strikes across April. The dispute is over a four per cent rise imposed in April 2023, when the real rate of inflation, RPI, was 11.4 per cent – meaning the workers received a significant pay cut in real terms. The dispute has been drawn out because Sanctuary Housing, which has assets of over £5.6 billion, a surplus of £101.3 million and a CEO on £400,000 a year, refuses to recognise unions. New workers are regularly joining the strikes because they are fed up with the association’s treatment of them, with some of the lowest paid reporting they rely on foodbanks…The Hackney-based workers carry out repair and maintenance work for thousands of homes around the capital, including nearby at the huge Gascoyne, Kingsmead and Morningside estates. Fresh strike action will take place on 12, 15, 17, 19, 22, 24 and 26 April. They will impact hundreds of scheduled repair and maintenance jobs for Sanctuary Housing’s London stock read more. Pickets at 9A Kingsmead Way, London E9 5QG. Contact the Unite LE/1111 Housing Workers branch to offer support or if you are a housing worker wanting to get organised [email protected]
Unite secures 7 per cent pay win for Clydeport engineers (12 Apr) – Unite, Scotland’s biggest union, can confirm today (Friday 12 April) that its Clydeport engineers on the river Clyde have secured a seven per cent pay rise. Around 20 workers based at the King George V dock in Glasgow and at Greenock Ocean terminal overwhelmingly backed the wage offer which is significantly above the current RPI rate read more
Offshore chemists, heating and ventilation engineers resume strike action in escalating disputes (12 Apr) – Unite members in industrial action against IES Callenberg and SGS UK Limited over rotas and pay. Unite the union confirmed today (Friday 12 April) that around 60 members in the offshore sector including chemists, heating and ventilation engineers will resume strike action next week in escalating disputes over working rotas and pay. Unite’s IES Callenberg membership will take three-days of strike action starting on Monday (15 April) until the end of Wednesday (17 April), while chemists employed by SGS UK Limited will start week-long action on the same day but conclude their action on Sunday (21 April). The IES Callenberg dispute involves around 50 offshore workers who provide heating, ventilation, and air conditioning services on offshore platforms operated by BP, TAQA, CNR, Repsol, Serica and CNOOC. The SGS UK Limited dispute exclusively centres on chemists servicing BP’s platforms the Clair, Clair Ridge, ETAP and Glen Lyon read more
No food or drink on Gatwick easyJet and TUI flights as catering workers strike (12 Apr) – Dnata Catering’s double-dealing on shift allowances has led to pay cut for its workers. No food or drink will be available on any easyJet flight leaving Gatwick airport during strikes by catering contractors over pay, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today (Friday). The strikes by Dnata catering staff, which will also impact other airlines including TUI, are over the company’s unilateral removal of a shift allowance for all staff last April. The move has led to all Dnata’s workers receiving a pay cut of between £1,500 and £2,000 a worker. The Emirates Group-owned inflight catering firm is falsely claiming the workers’ union, Unite, agreed to the removal as part of a deal that saw the introduction of a night shift premium…Around 100 workers, including HGV drivers and warehouse workers, will strike from Friday 26 April to Monday 29 April, from Friday 3 May to Monday 6 May and from Friday 10 May to Monday 13 May. Strike action will intensify if the dispute is not resolved read more
Unite lands a 20% pay increase for easyJet cabin crew (10 Apr) – easyJet cabin crew will receive a 20 per cent basic pay increase by1 May 2025, following successful negotiations between the airline and Unite, the UK’s leading union. Unite secured the 18-month deal after extensive talks, which will also see easyJet crew take home an extra three per cent on variable pay read more
Tesco profits: Company raking in “mountains of cash” while families struggle (10 Apr) – Reacting to today’s announcement of Tesco’s full year profits, Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Tesco is raking in mountains of cash while families struggle to put food on the table because of sky high prices. Many companies have used the cost-of-living crisis to grab excessive profits. There is an epidemic of profiteering in our economy –the government has been missing in action and failed to curb it.” Read more
Northern Ireland: Workers at Balcas Timber Ltd in Enniskillen to ballot for strike action in pay dispute (9 Apr) – Workers reject below inflation pay increase offered by company whose latest accounts reported a dramatic surge in profits.
Unite the union has today notified management at Balcas Timber Ltd, a wood-mill and Combined Heat Power plant employing approximately 280 at Killadeas, Co Fermanagh of its intent to conduct a strike ballot of the workforce. The strike ballot will open onTuesday 16 April and remain open for three weeks closing on Tuesday 7 May. The workforce are paid as little £10.68 an hour, which is only now being increased to £11.44 an hour to comply with national minimum wage legislation read more
Arriva strikes on hold as members balloted on new offer (3 Apr) – Strikes by Unite members at Arriva Northumbria have been suspended after the employer made a new offer, it was announced today (3 March). Strike action by drivers and engineers, unhappy at being the lowest-paid bus employees in the region, was due to begin on Sunday 7 April for one week. Members are being balloted on Thursday 4 and Friday 5 April this week and, regardless of the outcome, strikes the following week have been suspended. Should members accept the offer, all remaining action will also be cancelled. If the offer is rejected, remaining industrial action would resume on 21 April for one week with the possibility of additional dates read more
Strike success after Greenwich and Bromley library workers see sick pay increased by 20% (28 Mar) – Unite has secured an essential improvement for its members employed by Greenwich Leisure Limited following a day of industrial action on Tuesday 26 March. Following a 24-hour walk out, bolstered by a packed picket line outside Woolwich Library, GLL conceded on the first of Unite’s demands. The social enterprise has now agreed to increase sick pay by twenty per cent from April this year. This increment will apply to all GLL employees, including leisure workers across the United Kingdom. This amendment to workplace conditions has been achieved as a direct result of Unite’s campaign work. Unite general secretary, Sharon Graham, said: “While this is a welcome step in the right direction, Unite won’t stop here. Our members deserve better pay and conditions and GLL is in a position to improve its offers across the board. We will continue to stand with workers at Greenwich and Bromley library until all demands are met.” While this victory is a positive win for Unite, the union is not finished yet. Outstanding disputes with GLL include a pay increase and better treatment for staff on zero hours contracts. Unite regional officer, Mary Summers, concluded: “This win has been achieved through industrial action only, but we aren’t done yet. We must secure all the improvements that our members deserve, and our confident that together we will attain just that.” Read more
Pathology services in London under threat as medical workers balloted over strike action (27 Mar) – Hundreds of pathologists in London are being balloted over strike action after their employer, Synnovis, imposed an unwanted and damaging restructure that puts jobs at risk and severely downgrades working conditions. Synnovis, which is part of SynLab, has a 15 year contract to run the outsourced pathology services for the 6 Hospitals (Guys, St Thomas, Kings College, Princess Royal University Hospital, Royal Brompton & Harefield) across 2 trusts (Kings College NHS Foundation Trust, Guys & St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust). Synnovis has heavily invested in a new Hub at Blackfriars and plans to migrate the majority of it’s staff there, leaving only skeletal essential services at each of the hospitals. Pathologists were previously employed directly by the NHS but were outsourced and are now working for a private company. This is a stark example of NHS privatisation driving down pay and conditions for workers and leading to serious concerns over patient safety. Over 350 members of Unite are deeply unhappy and concerned over such a move. Job cuts will lead to a deterioration of pathology services across London and a loss of jobs as staff leave due to poor working conditions read more
Unite to protest at Good Morning Britain over NHS pay (14 Mar) – Unite, the UK’s leading union, is to lobby at the Good Morning Britain studios on Friday (15 March) as part of its campaign for its members at Barts NHS Trust, over withheld payments. The protests are part of the escalation campaign on behalf of the union’s members at Barts. The chair of Barts, the former home secretary Jacqui Smith, is a regular contributor to the programme. Unite members working as porters, cleaners and facilities staff at the largest NHS trust in the UK, are fighting for a lump-sum payment owed to them. Last year the government awarded a lump sum payment of at least £1,600 to the majority of NHS workers who worked during the Covid pandemic. However, Unite’s members at Barts have been denied the payment. They were employed by the outsourcing company Serco during the Covid pandemic before transferring back into the NHS, just after the imposed deadline for staff to receive the payment. Barts bosses have rejected their demands to receive the payment and have refused to ask the treasury for additional funding to cover the payment read more
Croydon Tramlink strikes suspended after TfL agrees to meaningful talks (22 Mar) – Strikes by Croydon Tramlink engineers have been suspended after Transport for London (TfL) agreed to engage in meaningful talks over pay disparities with Unite, the UK’s leading union. Five days of strikes scheduled to begin this Sunday (March 24) have been suspended. If the talks do not result in an offer that meets the engineers’ expectations, strike action will take place from 5 May to 9 May and 11 July to 15 July read more
New Holland tractor shortages if Basildon CNH workers strike (19 Mar) – 500 workers balloted for strike over broken pay agreement. Around 500 workers employed by CNH Industrial at its New Holland tractor factory in Basildon are being balloted for strike action over pay, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today (Tuesday). Strike action would severely compromise the supply of New Holland tractors, which are shipped across the world. The workers are angry that the company has reneged on an agreement struck during 2022 stating pay increases would be calculated by the average rate of inflation over the year. CNH is instead offering four per cent for 2024, rather than the 7.4 per cent it should be under the original agreement. For 2025, the company is offering the rate of inflation as of December 2024. Last month, CNH announced revenues of $24.7 billion for 2023 and a pre-tax earnings of more than $2.38 billion read more
Northern Ireland public transport trade unions agree to re-enter discussions with Translink management (15 Mar) – Joint Trade union release: The three public transport trade unions, UNITE, GMB and SIPTU, have agreed to re-enter discussions with Translink’s management with the aim of achieving a resolution to the ongoing pay dispute over the 2023-24 pay offer. Members of all three trade unions voted last week voted decisively to reject the previous pay offer, which was considered to be inadequate. The unions agreed this approach following discussions with reps and officials. The three trade unions have agreed to not make any further public comments on the dispute ahead of the conclusion of talks read more
Security guards escalate strikes at London’s Guys and St Thomas’ hospital (15 Mar) – Security workers at London’s Guys and St Thomas’ hospital will take fresh industrial action after the trust declined to pay them a wage increase worth £2,000, which equals just 0.96 pence per hour. Unite, the UK’s leading union, said its members will walk out for seven days from 07:00 on Monday 18 March. As a result, safety could be compromised as the officers play a crucial role in protecting staff and patients across two hospitals in South London: St Thomas’ Hospital and Guys Hospital…The latest wave of strikes follows two previous days of industrial action which took place because the security guards are amongst the lowest paid at the hospital. The workers are also paid less than their counterparts at hospitals across London, such as Kings’ College Hospital, where a security officers’ salary starts at £30,000 per annum read more
M25 strike chaos on as Balfour Beatty told to share massive profits (13 Mar) – Vital M25 maintenance workers strike as Balfour Beatty announces £10bn revenues. Around 150 M25 maintenance workers employed by Balfour Beatty have voted for strike action over pay, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today (Wednesday). The workers, who provide vital maintenance for the entire M25, are angry at Balfour Beatty’s meagre pay offer of 3.4 per cent. With the real rate of inflation, RPI, at 4.9 per cent this is a real terms pay cut. Increasing tensions, is the fact that the workers also received a below inflation pay rise last year. Today, Balfour Beatty announced that its revenues for 2023 have increased by seven per cent to £9.6 billion, while underlying profits from operations rose by two per cent to £236 million…The workers operate from depots based at Barnet, Uxbridge, Swanley, Epping and Dartford and strike action will cause serious disruption to journey times. Dates for industrial action will be announced in the coming days read more
Cambridge University revealed to have £6 billion as workers languish on poverty-level wages (11 Mar) – In depth research from Unite, the UK’s leading trade union, has uncovered that Cambridge University is sitting on over £6 billion of cash and investments while trying to maintain it can’t afford to help its lowest paid workers. The revelations coincide with fresh strike action by university workers. Cleaners, librarians, museum workers and many other staff at the university have been in a long-running pay dispute over the failure of the institution to acknowledge the cost of housing in Cambridge as well as the wider inflationary pressure on its lowest paid workers. Some are being paid less than £23,000 per year yet live and work in one of the most expensive parts of the country. Unite has compiled a financial report that shows that Cambridge University is in rude financial health read more
Striking Drax canteen workers escalate dispute on International Women’s Day (8 Mar) – Female strikers say: “Our message on International Women’s Day is – We are fighting back, and we will win.” On International Women’s Day, striking Drax canteen workers, who are predominantly female, have escalated their industrial dispute over fair pay. The workers, who have been striking since early December in a dispute with their employer Baxter Storey and Drax’s management, announced today that they have voted to extend their strike action mandate. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “The women at Drax are an inspiration and demonstrate the exact qualities that International Women’s Day celebrates: Empowered women effecting change to better their own lives and those of others. They have the full backing of Unite behind them as they strike for a fair pay rise.” Unite rep at the Drax canteen, Diane Power, said: “On International Women’s Day, we remember women who stood up against the status quo and created meaningful change. Today is particularly important for those of us who are striking at Drax because we are doing just that in our own workplace… Fresh strike dates will be announced in the coming days read more
Biomedical scientists in Merseyside to strike over pay dispute (6 Mar) – Highly skilled scientists working in the microbiology department at a Merseyside hospital are to take substantial industrial action over pay, Unite announced today (6 March 2024). The workers, who are members of Unite the UK’s leading union, based at the Whiston Hospital on Merseyside are to take 36 days of strike action between March and June (see notes to editors), beginning with three days from 14 March. The workers, who covered all Covid testing for the region, have been informed they do not qualify for the essential services payment worth £4,000. The workers, employed by the Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, are taking unprecedented action due to the failure of the trust to pay the scientists in the microbiology team the same £4,000 payment that other members of the pathology department have received read more
DHL exposed of inflicting brutal pay cuts on East Midlands airport workers while company plans 20 billion takeover (28 Feb) – Union preparing to take campaign to German headquarters. Unite, the UK’s leading union, has revealed that its members who are employed by DHL at East Midlands Airport and are currently in a longstanding pay dispute, have suffered a brutal real terms pay cut of over six per cent since 2020. The workers who are responsible for bringing critical medical supplies as well as other cargo into the UK, worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic. They played a crucial role in bringing lifesaving drugs and equipment into the UK despite not being issued the required PPE. Despite their dedication DHL has now been exposed of systemically reducing their pay in real terms. The workers, many of whom are paid less than £11 an hour, began an extended pay dispute last month and are set to take 24 days of industrial action during February and March. Speaking to the striking DHL workers during a picket line visit at East Midlands airport today (28 February), Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “We will not sit back and watch your employer DHL make millions and refuse to give you a decent pay rise…” read more
Vital Derby rail maintenance workers to strike over failure to make pay offer (26 Feb) – Safety critical workers responsible for maintaining and preparing trains across the East Midlands are to begin strike action next month after their employer failed to make any form of a pay offer, Unite announced today (26 February). Around 70 Unite members at Alstom Engineering based in Derby are taking strike action on four days beginning on Wednesday 6 March. The workers are responsible for service and preparation of trains and carriages, fault finding and logging of incidents online and general problems with the fleet for East Midlands Rail and industrial action is likely to create a shortage of available rolling stock. Alstom has failed to make any pay offer despite the pay anniversary being 1 December with the real rate of inflation (RPI) running at above five per cent at the time adding to a cost-of-living crisis… Initial strike dates are set for 6, 7, 10 and 11 March but further dates are likely to be announced if Alstom fails to return to the negotiating table with an offer read more
Abellio London bus controllers to take further strike action (26 Feb) – Bus company staff in London are to escalate strike action next month after their employer failed to make an improved pay offer, Unite confirmed today (26 February 2024). Around 40 staff who work in the control rooms for Abellio buses (to be known as Transport UK from 2 March) and who control the bus routes, instruct drivers on traffic jams or accidents and ensure overall safety on the routes are to take a further 9 days of action beginning on 7 March… Controllers, managers and supervisors based at both Battersea bus garage and Twickenham bus garage are staging walkouts on the following dates: 7, 8, 9, 17, 19, 22, 27, 28 and 29 March read more
Health visitors in Cwm Taf Morgannwg Health Board to take historic industrial action over unsustainable workloads (21 Feb) – Unite the union has today (21 February) announced its health visitor members at Cwm Taf Morgannwg Health Board will take industrial action. The health visitors at the Cwm Taf Morgannwg Health Board (CTM), have had their request for accurate job descriptions denied on multiple occasions and are faced with increasing and unsustainable demands for their specialist knowledge and expertise. The service is struggling under a tsunami of demands post-Covid alongside the impact of the ongoing economic crisis on families. The 67 workers, who are members of Unite, the UK’s leading union recorded a 100 per cent yes vote in favour of industrial action. This action short of a strike, includes no unpaid overtime, no statistical reporting for the Welsh government and no covering for vacant caseloads. Action will begin on 26th February and continue until late July. This is the first time health visitors have taken industrial action as a distinct group of workers in Wales read more
Strike action at Newtownards factory to severely impact Lakeland dairies profits (19 Feb) – Workers determined to defend £1 pay an hour differential between skilled grades and bare legal minimum. Strike will bring production to a standstill. Unite the union members working at LE Pritchitt & Co Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lakeland Dairies, which operates the company’s Global Logistics Centre in Newtownards will take a first week of strike action (beginning on Wednesday 21 February) in a mounting pay dispute. Negotiations ended last week without agreement after management refused to provide an increase which maintained a £1 an hour pay differential with the minimum wage for fully trained production operators read more
Strikes by hundreds of Ford white collar workers on cards (14 Feb) – Attend Acas talks or face industrial action proceedings Ford told. Ford is facing the prospect of strikes across its UK sites by salaried and managerial staff, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today (Wednesday). The company has been told it must attend negotiations with the conciliation service Acas or Unite will begin preparing to ballot its members for industrial action. Offers put forward by Ford for over 3,000 salaried staff and managers have been rejected by over 90 per cent by both sets of workers. The offer for many of the salaried staff is an unconsolidated one-off payment of five per cent of their salary for 2024, meaning their actual wages will not increase this year. Management grades, who have recently organised and achieved union recognition, have been offered a performance related bonus payment, which provides no guarantee of a cost-of-living increase. In addition, the company has proposed changes to the current absence processes, despite acknowledging there is no issue with staff attendance read more
Gloucestershire Lucozade workers to strike over pay (2 Feb) – Over 180 members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, employed by Suntory Beverage & Food in Coleford, Gloucestershire, will begin a week of strike action on Monday 5 February after management failed to address the cost-of-living crisis. Workers received a two year pay deal effective from April 1 2022, with a commitment from the employer to review the second year’s increase, should inflation exceed five per cent between January to June 2023. The inflation rate far exceeded this but the one-billion-pound Suntory Beverage & Food, which produces household name drinks including Lucozade Energy, Lucozade Sport and Ribena, has not met expectations in relation to this commitment read more
CWU
Save Enniskillen EE (ex-BT) site – The EE Enniskillen call centre is a lifeline for our community. It’s closure threatens over 300 jobs, eroding the heart of our local economy. This is a community crisis. Local businesses, public services, and the Fermanagh economy stand on the brink of a devastating blow
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]
PCS National ballot opens today (18 Mar) – The postal ballot opens today (18) and runs until 13 May, asking members if they are prepared to take strike action over our national campaign demands. Opening today, 18 March. the postal ballot will run until 13 May, after which the national executive committee will meet to consider the next steps in our national campaign. It is vital that all PCS members take part to ensure we beat the 50% threshold for strike action read more
More strike dates announced at National Museums Liverpool (12 Apr) – The museum and gallery staff will walk out for a further 30 days in their dispute over the unpaid cost-of-living payment. PCS members employed at the seven museum and gallery sites across Merseyside are coming to the end of a period of 56 days of strike action, which started on 17 February. National Museums Liverpool (NML) is the only employer out of over 200 covered by the civil service pay remit guidance to withhold the £1,500 cost-of-living payment. The eight weeks of strike action taken so far have led to widespread museum and gallery closures affecting the Museum of Liverpool, the World Museum, the International Slavery Museum and the Maritime Museum, as well as the Walker Art Gallery, Sudley House and the Lady Lever Art Gallery. Although there has been some progress in negotiations, an acceptable settlement has not yet been reached, and the members have voted to take further action to increase the pressure on the employer. PCS negotiators are optimistic that NML will act to end this long running dispute by making a decent offer to its staff who are amongst the lowest paid workers in the country. The members will walk out again on eleven weekends and half term week, from May until July. The dates in full are: 4, 5 and 6 May, 11 and 12 May, 18 and 19 May, 25 May to 2 June, 8 and 9 June, 15 and 16 June, 22 and 23 June, 29 and 30 June, 6 and 7 July, 13 and 14 July and 20 and 21 July. The strike action coincides with the planned opening of new exhibitions at World Museum and at the Walker Art Gallery, as well as the busy half term and spring/summer period read more
HMRC Finance and Personnel restructure (12 Apr) – HMRC have announced that some staff currently working within the Chief Finance Officer group will transfer to the Chief People Officer command. PCS members in Chief People Officer (CPO) and Chief Finance Officer (CFO) directorates have been told that HMRC intend over the coming months, to implement a number of organisational changes; with staff from Estates, Unity Business Services (UBS) and the Unity Programme transferring from CFO directorate into CPO. We were informed of HMRC’s intentions late on the afternoon of Tuesday 9th April, shortly before the announcement planned to go live on the morning of Wednesday 10th so there has been very little time for any consultation over these plans read more
Conduct and Discipline’ cases in HMRC (12 Apr) – Recent cases have called into question the consistency and proportionality of HMRC’s approach to Conduct and Discipline cases, along with the approach taken by the department’s Expert Advice Service. Any Conduct and Discipline system relies on having the confidence of the workforce it covers. To do that, not just the system itself, but those operating that system, need to be trusted to act fairly, consistently and proportionately. However, in recent months, there has been a number of incidents where the department’s approach to what constitutes an offence, and what constitutes an appropriate sanction, have both been called into question read more
Submit a grievance over the 60% return to offices (9 Apr) – We are encouraging members and reps to submit a grievance or consider taking collective action over the government’s plans to force staff back into offices. PCS condemned the announcements made by government departments in November last year that civil servants who are office workers will be required to attend workplaces for a minimum of 60% of their working time read more
DWP mental health crisis – Secretary of State and Permanent Secretary refuse to engage with PCS (9 Apr) – PCS has been refused a meeting with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and the DWP Permanent Secretary following the publication of damning evidence detailing the scale of the mental health crisis in DWP read more
Heathrow Border Force strike suspended (5 Apr) – The strike due to start next week has been suspended in an attempt to seek further negotiations with the Home Office. Following roster changes that could see as many as 250 staff forced out of their jobs by the end of April, more than 600 Border Force officers at Heathrow Airport were due to strike on 11, 12, 13 and 14 April. In the notice issued to the Home Office on 28 March of our intention to induce members to strike, PCS outlined which Border Force roles would be participating. Following the Home Office’s desire for clarification and in a spirit of collaboration, PCS has suspended the planned strikes read more
PCS rep in Newcastle sacked by HMRC (5 Apr) – Gordon Askew was sacked by HMRC on grounds of ‘potential’ computer misuse following strike action taken by the branch. HMRC management at Benton Park View in Newcastle have sacked Gordon Askew, a member of the branch executive committee, on the grounds of ‘potential’ computer misuse. PCS members at Benton Park View, alongside HMRC East Kilbride, took part in targeted strike action last year, as well as their members taking part in the three national days of strike action. Following the strike action, the department launched an investigation into two Newcastle-based representatives. The charge against Gordon was a ‘potential’ breach of the department’s IT policy; arising from a Microsoft Teams message sent to a number of PCS members, relating to strike action. The department’s decision maker claimed that Microsoft Teams had been used “without a legitimate business reason”. A second rep is on a similar charge. We understand the decision maker said that they had considered a lesser penalty, but had decided to sack the rep because he didn’t appear to be sorry enough for what he had done. This was despite him having nearly thirty years of spotless service to the department. PCS is discussing next steps with our Legal Department read more
ONS members vote for strike action over mandatory return to the office (4 Apr) – The new policy has been imposed on staff, when previously there had been no requirement to spend a specific amount of time in offices, following the move to home and hybrid-working. PCS members in the Office for National Statistics (ONS) have voted overwhelmingly to take industrial action over their management’s insistence that staff be physically present in the workplace for at least 40% of their working time read more
G4S in DWP members meeting (26 Apr) – GMB union is balloting G4S members working on the DWP contract in response to the imposition of an unacceptable pay offer. PCS will hold a G4S members’ meeting on 3 April read more
PCS fighting Imperial War Museum derecognition threat (22 Mar) – PCS is campaigning against the threat of being derecognised as an official union with negotiating rights at the Imperial War Museum, which has 5 sites in England and Northern Ireland. On 6 March, Imperial War Museum Director Francoise Harris wrote to PCS, FDA and Prospect unions confirming that they wish to derecognise PCS and FDA and move forward with only one union – Prospect. Essentially, derecognising PCS constitutes a direct attack on IWM workers’ rights, job security, economic equality, workplace protections, solidarity, and democratic principles. PCS does not accept derecognition and are launching a campaign to maintain recognition at IWM read more
Pensions Regulator strike suspended (13 Mar) – The strike action has been suspended as a result of TPR agreeing to enter into meaningful negotiations with PCS. The strike action which was due to restart today and continue into next week has been suspended as a result of TPR agreeing to enter into meaningful negotiations with PCS over the proposals we have made to end the dispute. Importantly TPR has agreed with the key proposal that they commit to securing the funding for the full percentage pay increase to the overall pay pot suggested by the 2024/25 Treasury Pay Remit Guidance. The have stated that they are already engaging with DWP on the pay strategy for the year ahead. They have also committed to submitting a pay flexibility case for the Pay Remit Guidance in 2024/25 which will guarantee additional money to the basic pay remit pot. TPR have also agreed “to engage in meaningful consultation, on matters relating to TPR’s employee value proposition, including reward, annual leave entitlement and the pay and terms and conditions of staff TUPE transferred to TPR.“ The agreement from TPR management is as a result of PCS members taking over 50 days of strike action since 2023. We have reminded TPR that we still have a mandate for strike action until 8 May and that a failure to progress the issues in good faith and time will result in further strike action. TPR members remain in the PCS national campaign and will be participating in the ballot due to start on Monday 18 March read more
Sign our petition for members in Hinduja Global Solutions to keep their jobs (12 Mar) – Members in HGS in Liverpool have been told they will need to relocate 40 miles to keep their jobs. In November 2023 Hinduja Global Solutions announced a significant restructure on the Disclosure and Barring Service contract, which they planned to take effect from 1 April 2024. Staff were told that the restructure was a direct result of the new contract for services between HGS and DBS. The impact on PCS members in Liverpool has been damaging because the changes mean a 41% reduction in headcount (later reduced to a 26% cut) and withdrawal of all staff from the Tithebarn Street office, meaning HGS would no longer have a presence in the city read more
Prospect
Prospect members at Dounreay to take industrial action for first time in a generation (15 Apr) – Prospect members at Dounreay have voted to take industrial action over pay, starting with two days of strike action on May 1st and May 2nd followed by a work to rule read more
Prospect ballots members at Defence Equipment & Support on strike action (16 Feb) – Prospect union is balloting its members at Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S), a Ministry of Defence (MoD) agency, on industrial action. The ballot comes after the employer failed to meet the union’s pay claim and imposed an unagreed pay offer for 2023/2024. Under the imposed pay offer, the majority of DE&S employees will receive a consolidated pay increase of 3.25% or less. Prospect is recommending that members vote yes to both strike action and action short of strike (ASOS) read more
Prospect moves to strike action over pay at AWE (10 Jan) – Prospect members at the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) are moving to strike action after two months of action short of a strike have failed to produce any meaningful movement from the company read more
GMB
Strike ends at Wolverhampton incinerator (12 Apr) – Inflation busting pay rise agreed to end dispute. GMB members at the Energy from Waste site in Wolverhampton have called off any further strike action after coming to a pay agreement with the new management, North Midlands Operations Limited. The new deal will mean salaries increase by 13.8% as well as one-off payments of up to £4,000. This follows 3 days of strike action last month which saw the incinerator taken off line read more
Brighton Asda superstore votes for strike action (12 Apr) – GMB members at Brighton Hollingbury latest to vote to take industrial action. GMB, the union for Asda workers, can this afternoon announce that members at a store in Brighton have become the latest to vote for strike action. The ballot, which closed this afternoon, was in favour of industrial action at Brighton Hollingbury superstore. The dispute centres around a number of concerns raised by members in the store, including Health & Safety issues and management bullying. GMB members have previously taken strike action in Asda stores in Gosport in Hampshire and Wisbech in Cambridgeshire. The Asda strike committee will meet early next week to decide on next steps read more
Wisbech Asda workers in two day Easter strike (28 Mar) – Asda Wisbech workers will strike this Easter weekend on one of the supermarket’s busiest periods. Around 170 Wisbech Asda workers will walk out from 00:01 to 23:59 on Friday 29 and Saturday 30 March – Easter weekend. The strike has been caused by cuts to hours and an increase in a bullying management culture. Workers are also angry about poor levels of training and support for their job roles, the equal pay claim dragging on for years, health, safety and fire safety issues being ignored and a lack of collective bargaining with GMB Union read more
Asda Lowestoft workers vote to strike (26 Mar) – Asda workers in Lowestoft have voted to strike over a litany of issues. Almost 200 GMB members are set to down tools after a majority of 87 per cent voted for industrial action, on an 80 per cent turnout. Strike dates will be announced in the coming days read more
Patient transfer ambulance workers to strike in South London & Surrey NHS Trust (10 Apr) – GMB union calling on trust to ‘pay up now’ or risk ‘severe disruption’ to appointments and treatments. Ambulance care assistants employed by Epsom and St Helier NHS Trust have voted overwhelmingly to take strike action over their employer’s failure to pay backpay. Members of GMB, the union for NHS and ambulance workers, have voted almost 94 per cent in favour of taking action on a turnout of nearly 80 per cent. The dispute centres around backpay owed on the London Living Wage, with members owed up to £1300 in wages. A strike committee has been formed, with strike dates to be set over the coming weeks read more
Tribunal rules Wiltshire Council ‘broke law’ in industrial dispute (3 Apr) – Wiltshire Council has been brought into disrepute by actions of Chief Executive Terence Herbert, claims GMB. GMB, the union for Wiltshire Council staff, welcomes the judgement from Bristol Employment Tribunal issued on 27 March 2024 that an email sent by council Chief Executive Terence Herbert broke industrial relations law back in November 2022. The unlawful act was an email seeking to deter GMB members who are traffic wardens from voting for industrial action over a proposed pay cut. The vote was part of a long-running dispute in which Wiltshire Council is seeking to reduce key worker pay by removing contractual out-of-hours pay enhancements read more
Wiltshire Social Workers announce 3 months of strike action (29 Jan)
Birmingham Amazon workers join strike action (27 Mar) – Workers are escalating their campaign for £15 and union recognition at the online retail giant’s Birmingham warehouse. Workers at Amazon’s new flagship HQ in Birmingham, a £500 million site that only opened its doors in October, will down tools this week in an escalation of the ongoing strike action hitting the company. The strike dates come as GMB members at the company submit their application for mandatory recognition to the Government’s Central Arbitration Committee (CAC). Last week workers at the company’s Coventry fulfilment centre walked out, making March the biggest month of strike action in company history read more
Hundreds of gas emergency workers to strike (26 Mar) – Hundreds of gas emergency workers are set to strike across Yorkshire. A majority of 99.5% per cent of workers at Northern Gas Network (NGN) voted to take industrial action on a 97 per cent turnout. Workers are angry after the company failed to implement necessary improvements to terms and conditions and safety changes. GMB has been raising concerns over working practices for a number of years. Concerns include engineers being forced to work excessive hours and a culture of workplace bullying. These concerns were so serious that the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) stepped in and ordered NGN and other gas distribution companies to limit shift length to a maximum of twelve hours. GMB are concerned for both public and worker safety. GMB representatives have been negotiating with NGN to address the shift length alongside other terms and conditions, but due to NGN’s failure to respond in a timely manner workers took the decision to ballot. The industrial action could potentially take place in the spring read more
Cumberland urgent care team announce 72 hour strike (22 Mar) – The approved Mental Health Social workers in the Urgent Care Team will walk out from 9am 22 March to 9am 25 March, 2024. It’s the second time Cumberland’s carers have walked out in the dispute, following industrial action last week. More than 2,100 members of the public has signed a petition backing the Urgent Care Team’s fight. The Urgent Care Team is on the front line of mental health care – on call across Cumbria 24 hours a day and making on the spot decisions on whether immediate detention is necessary. In July 2022, these dedicated professionals submitted an application for a regrading of their role, believing it was incorrectly evaluated. Cumberland Council denied their request read more
Swindon social workers to strike again (19 Mar) – Social workers for Swindon Borough Council will be taking their third day of strike action tomorrow. GMB, the union for social workers, had paused strike action for two weeks to give the council the opportunity to engage in meaningful talks in the ongoing dispute over pay. The council has now confirmed that they are unwilling to engage in talks with GMB to resolve the strike and as such the strike action will recommence from Tuesday [19 March] morning read more
Northern Ireland transport unions re-enter Translink talks (15 Mar) – Unions have issued the following joint statement: “Northern Ireland’s transport unions – GMB, SIPTU and Unite, have agreed to re-enter discussions with Translink management…” read more
Thirty five Birmingham schools facing strike threat (8 Mar) – Council bosses must act urgently to avoid springtime school strikes. GMB Union has today announced the names of thirty-five Birmingham Schools that will begin a formal strike vote next week. The ballot comes after the union accused Birmingham City Council on delay in resolving the equal pay crisis impacting city workers. Nearly ninety per cent of Birmingham workers backed strike action in a council wide consultative ballot earlier this month, with further waves of formal strike ballots expected to be announced read more
Merthyr Tydfil faces library and leisure strikes (29 Feb) – GMB members at Merthyr Leisure Trust voted unanimously for industrial action. Leisure services across the town will be affect, including the beleaguered Rhydycar leisure centre which could see yet another delay for the re-opening of the £6 million swimming pool. Workers are owed a pay uplift in line with local government staff, following a decade old promise. The trusts failure to honour the commitment of around £1 an hour to staff has led to staff striking for owed pay. In a further twist on Tuesday evening, the council announced plans on its Facebook page to offload the leisure trust to a private provider without any consultation read more
NI education faces ‘further industrial action’ (21 Feb) – GMB Union has warned of further industrial action among school workers in Northern Ireland. The union, which represents more than 3,000classroom assistants, kitchen staff, bus drivers, cleaners, admin workers and others, met with Education Minister Paul Givan at Stormont today [Tuesday]. Mr Givan made it clear that within the current public sector pay budget of £684 million there was nothing to address the pay and grading review for school staff, which has been ongoing since 2018. GMB will now go back to members, with a view to taking further industrial action read more
Wiltshire Traffic Wardens Balloted For Further Strike Action To Mark Second Anniversary of GMB’s Longest Running Dispute (13 Feb) – GMB, the union for Wiltshire Council, has called a further strike ballot of traffic wardens opposing the removal of a 10% unsocial hours allowance, that would see each of them lose about £180 per month in take home pay. Social workers who provide the out of hours service are already planning a three-day strike, starting Friday 16th February, over a loss of a 20% allowance that will see them each lose from £500 to £750 per month read more
Brighton Refuse Workers Call For Meaningful Talks To Avoid Escalation Over ‘Service Delivery Issues’ (12 Feb) – Hard-working GMB members at City Clean are frustrated by management not dealing with issues. Brighton refuse workers have called for scheduled talks with the council over a series of service delivery issues affecting residents’ bin collections to be meaningful. A consultative ballot of GMB’s 119 members at the City Clean depot saw 95 per cent in favour of being balloted for industrial action over the changes read more
Unison
Donate to support striking workers – As UNISON members continue to take strike action, the union is asking for donations to its strike fund
Stop the Council Cuts – Sign the petition: Save our Services – Nottingham City – started by Nottingham City Unison
Support Barnet UNISON Mental Health social worker strike – Strike preparations commence for 15 April – Barnet UNISON Mental Health strikers are due to start the next phase of strike action on Monday 15 April. Our strikers have already taken 27 days of strike action and by the end of this next phase they will have taken 72 days of strike which equates to 1,305 lost working days or 13.050 lost contacts with Mental Health service users. We have had two meetings with Acas where we have established that Barnet Council have confirmed that they do have twice the funding they would need to settle this dispute. It is now clear that thus dispute is not about the money and as each day that goes by it feels like this is an attempt by senior officers to break UNISON read more
The strike timetable:-
- From 15 April to 26 April 2024 (two weeks).
- From 13 May to 1 June 2024 (three weeks).
- From 17 June to 12 July 2024. (four weeks).
Our members are 100% behind UNISONs negotiating team and remain hopeful that a positive resolution can be secured to avoid any further strike action read more Send messages of support to [email protected]
Health workers in South West celebrate double lump-sum victory (8 Apr) – Successful strike action in Wiltshire and North Devon has secured a minimum £1,655 lump sum bonus for health workers. Hundreds of hospital workers in the South West are celebrating victory after NHS and Sodexo respectively committed to paying the lump sum bonuses due to them. The one-off payment, part of a deal agreed for all staff on NHS contracts and Agenda for Change, is worth at least £1,655 for full-time health workers read more
NHS staff have been shown porn and offered money for sex at work (8 Apr) – Survey gives indication of scale of sexual harassment problems. NHS staff including ambulance workers,111 call handlers, porters, nurses and cleaners have been shown pornographic images, offered money for sex and assaulted at work, according to research published by UNISON today (Monday). In a survey released to coincide with the first day of UNISON’s annual health conference in Brighton, one in ten (10%) healthcare workers reported experiences of sexual harassment read more
Bedfordshire NHS hospital staff in 48-hour strike over pay (11 Mar) – Staff across two Bedfordshire hospitals say they are being asked to perform medical tasks above their pay grade, such as inserting cannulas. Hundreds of NHS emergency hospital staff are expected to take part in strike action in a dispute over pay and rebanding of roles. Some 400 workers at the Bedford and Luton & Dunstable hospitals will walk out for 48 hours from 07:30 GMT. The union Unison said healthcare assistants were being asked to carry out clinical tasks without extra pay read more on BBC website. Unison: ‘Ripped off’ Bedfordshire NHS staff vote on strike action
NHS staff across Teesside announce strike date in pay dispute, says UNISON (27 Feb) – Around 1,000 healthcare assistants at North Tees & Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust and South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust will take strike action next month in a dispute over pay… Staff at the trusts’ seven sites* will walk out for 24 hours from 7am on Monday 11 March as part of their campaign to be paid on a higher wage band which accurately reflects the work they have been doing read more
Yoga instructors pose a strike problem for unbending council (16 Feb) – Together with colleagues teaching Pilates and aerobics, the instructors backed industrial action as Colchester City Council remains stubborn on pay. Yoga, Pilates and aerobics instructors employed by Colchester City Council are to take strike action later this month after nearly a decade without a pay rise, UNISON announced today. The fitness instructors will walk out for seven days from Wednesday 28 February until Tuesday 5 March read more
NIPSA
NIPSA Protest – Peace Now – Stop arming Netanyahu (8 Apr) –
NIPSA Protest – Thursday 11 April 12.30pm, Secretary of States Office, Erskine House, Belfast
Dear Colleague, Six months of barbaric conflict in Gaza, the West Bank, Israel, Lebanon, Yemen and Iran has led to the potential for an escalation into a regional war across the Middle East. Meanwhile arms manufactures are making a fortune from the conflict and the Government in Westminster continues to give them licences to export war materials to Netanyahu. In doing so the government ignores the demonstrations by Israeli people demanding a change of government and the release of hostages, it ignores the suffering of Palestinian people who are facing a man-made famine and it ignores the fears of the Arab peoples who dread the prospect of war across the region. We cannot stand by and watch this happen. NIPSA stands with the Palestinian, Arab and Jewish working-class people and trade unionists who are fighting for a better society for all the peoples of the region. Stand together in demanding PEACE and an end to profiteering from war.
Carmel Gates NIPSA General Secretary read more
Royal College of Nursing
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care hears concerns of nursing staff (10 Apr) – RCN members met Victoria Atkins to share challenges facing the profession, including low pay, staff shortages, patient safety, and lack of support for overseas staff and nursing students read more
A fresh start for nursing pay? RCN responds to government consultation (8 Apr) – Evidence gathered from thousands of nursing staff could lead to the biggest overhaul of nursing pay since Agenda for Change was introduced 20 years ago read more
RCN members vote to reject pay offer for nursing staff in Northern Ireland (22 Mar) – The results of the RCN’s consultation on the HSC pay offer for nursing staff in Northern Ireland have been announced 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
RCM
RCM to ask members in Northern Ireland how many extra hours they’ve worked (15 Apr) – Are you working extra hours without being paid for them? If so, the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) wants to know. This week the RCM is encouraging midwives and maternity support workers (MSWs) working in the HSC in Northern Ireland to keep a record of any additional hours they’ve worked. RCM members in England, Scotland and Wales have already told the RCM that across the course of just one week in March they gave 136,834 hours of free labour to keep NHS maternity services running safely read more
Creating a separate pay spine for nurses is ‘divisive and unfair’ says RCM (8 Apr) – The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) has described proposals for a separate pay spine just for nurses as ‘divisive and unfair’. The comments come as the RCM submitted its evidence in response to a government consultation on creating a separate pay scale for nurses read more
Free labour to support those in labour no way to run maternity services says RCM (10 Apr) – Findings published by the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) have revealed that during one week in March midwives and maternity support workers (MSWs) in England, Scotland and Wales worked 136,834 extra unpaid hours to keep services running safely read more
Welsh midwives work hundreds of unpaid extra hours to keep services safe (10 Apr) – Midwives in Wales are working hundreds of extra unpaid hours to keep maternity services running safely. Results of a poll published by the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) have revealed more than eight out of 10 (83%) midwives have worked extra hours for no pay over the course of just one week read more
Scottish midwives work hundreds of unpaid extra hours to keep services safe (10 Apr) – Midwives in Scotland are working hundreds of extra hours without pay to keep maternity services running safely. The results of a new poll published today by the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) have laid bare the extent of the problem with nine out of 10 midwives (85%) saying they have worked additional hours for no pay over the course of one week read more
CSP
Nursing-only pay arrangements are not the solution to the NHS workforce crisis (9 Apr) – The CSP has robustly opposed proposals for a nursing-only pay spine. The possibility of a separate pay scale for nursing was raised by the Royal College of Nursing last year as part of side conversations with the government around pay read more
SOR
Scottish NHS pay deal still awaiting government sign-off (5 Feb) – Agenda for Change trade unions and professional bodies reached agreement with government early last year, but delays continue read more
BMA
Donate to support striking junior doctors
Junior doctors in England urge Health Secretary to come forward with new offer as they vote for six more months of industrial action (20 Mar) – Junior doctors in England today urged the Government to present a new and credible offer after voting overwhelmingly in favour of continuing their industrial action in their campaign for full pay restoration. With 98% (or 33,869) of junior doctors voting to continue industrial action on a turnout of 62%, their re-ballot has renewed their mandate for industrial action for another six months. The new mandate lasts from 3rd April to 19th September 2024. The ballot also approved the use of action short of strike (ASOS) read more
Frustration turns to action as junior doctors in Northern Ireland strike for first time (6 Mar) – Doctors earning lowest rate in the UK walk out for 24 hours in fight for pay restoration. It is hard to have a pay dispute when there has not a devolved government to argue with, while at the same time government in Westminster insists your dispute is a devolved issue. Yet this has been the case for junior doctors in Northern Ireland. Even since last month, when the Northern Ireland executive was reformed after two years of stalemate, they have been told the devolved government’s hands are tied until Westminster comes to an agreement with junior doctors in England. Earning as little as £13 an hour, the lowest rate in the UK, BMA members in Northern Ireland had to act. From 8am 6 March, about 2,000 junior doctors walked out on strike for 24 hours as they call for restoration of pay to 2008 levels in real terms, with an above-inflation uplift this year to stem the immediate workforce crisis read more
NHS Wales: Consultants and specialist doctors to strike (4 Mar) – BMA members have voted in favour for strike action over a dispute in pay. BBC Wales health correspondent. Consultant and specialist doctors in Wales have voted in favour of strike action in a dispute over pay. The industrial action takes place from 7am on 16 April until 7am on 18 April. They will walk out over workplace conditions caused by extreme pressures, and unsafe staffing levels, the British Medical Association (BMA) said read more on BBC website
Junior doctors in Wales announce new strike dates in fight to restore pay (5 Feb) – BMA Cymru Wales’ junior doctors committee has announced new strike dates as part of the dispute over pay. In the absence of a credible pay offer to form the basis of talks to end the dispute, junior doctors from across Wales will take part in two further walkouts in February and March this year. The first, a 72 hour full walkout will take place from Wednesday 21st February and the second a 96 hour full walkout from Monday 25th March. The new rounds of strike action follow a 72-hour full walkout by junior doctors in January. The committee decided to announce new dates after the Welsh Government failed to produce a credible offer to end the dispute read more
HCSA
HCSA statement on closure of NHS Practitioner Health to hospital staff in England (15 Apr) – Following outcry across the medical profession and beyond, NHS England has announced that Practitioner Health will be extended by twelve months for both new and existing patients. While this is welcome news, it should not have taken outrage across all staff groups to get to this point. It is now vital that mental health and addiction support services for hospital staff are properly funded and safeguarded read more
HCSA junior doctors announce five-day strike in February (9 Feb) – Junior doctors from HCSA – the hospital doctors’ union will strike for five days across England in February in the latest step in their pay dispute. This follows the government’s ongoing failure to address pay erosion, which has seen junior doctors’ pay fall by more than a quarter since 2008. Junior doctors will walk out from 7am on Saturday 24th February until 7am on Thursday 29th February read more
NEU
Former Ofsted Chief Inspector to lead enquiry into the organisation’s response to the death of headteacher Ruth Perry (8 Apr) – Commenting on the announcement that former Ofsted Chief Inspector Dame Christine Gilbert will lead an independent enquiry into the organisation’s response to the death of headteacher Ruth Perry, Daniel Kebede, General Secretary of the National Education Union, said: “A review into Ofsted’s response to the death of Ruth Perry – and the Coroner’s findings – will only take us forward if it is impartial and independent. The review should be carried out by someone from outside Ofsted, rather than a former Chief Inspector, so that it has the trust of the profession, and we can all have faith in the process…” read more
Cathedral School Llandaff using agency workers during strike (12 Mar) – NEU Cymru considers legal action over CSL’s shock use of agency staff. Today (12th March) as teachers from the school again take to the picket line outside the Cathedral School Llandaff this morning, NEU Cymru is shocked to learn that CSL is using an agency to put on revision classes – a clear legal breach read more
NASUWT
Norfolk teachers strike to protect their pensions (16 Apr) – Teachers at Aurora Eccles and Aurora Whitehouse schools in Norfolk are taking strike action after their employer threatened to remove them from the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS) under threat of being sacked. The Aurora Group runs publically funded schools for children and young people with special needs. The DFE have fully funded councils to pay for increased employer contributions to the TPS and the council has passed this funding onto Aurora. Aurora are however choosing to keep this money instead of passing it on to teachers, which means that teachers would be forced to move to a cheaper, inferior pension scheme. The employer has repeatedly refused to negotiate with the NASUWT, causing great distress to our members. They are left with no action but to take strike action this week and in the coming weeks to protect their pensions and their livlehoods. Further strike action is planned for Tuesday 23 April, Wednesday 24 April and Thursday 25 April read more
Teachers at Boston school strike for a safe working environment (16 Apr) – Members of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union at Haven High Academy in Boston are due to begin the first of six days of strike action on Wednesday over adverse management practices, including the failure of the employer to put in place adequate measures to deal with poor pupil behaviour. Teachers at the school feel they are being left vulnerable to abuse and violence from pupils due to a lack of consistent sanctions for students and support from management to manage pupil behaviour read more
Teachers at Chester college strike over pensions attack (15 Apr) – Members of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union at Abbey Gate College in Chester are taking a further five planned days of strike action, starting tomorrow (Tuesday) over attempts to make teachers choose between their pension or their pay. The employer is attempting to remove staff from the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS) and enrol them in an inferior Defined Contribution scheme. If teachers choose to remain in the TPS they must accept a reduced salary. Teachers took an initial day of strike action last month read more
Llangors Primary CiW School teachers strike over concerns with management and governance (9 Apr) – Members of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union at Llangors CiW Primary School in Llangorse, Powys will take strike action on Wednesday 10th April over adverse management and employer practices, potential job loss, health and safety, working conditions and redundancy. Eleven days of strike action are planned through April, May and June. Teachers are striking to bring about the changes needed to safeguard the school read more
Nursery school staff strike over restructure (26 Mar) – A strike will take place at Eastwood Nursery School in Wandsworth on Wednesday 27th March after the employer proposed a restructure that threatens to move two nursery provisions to one site with only one qualified member of staff on duty each day. Further days of strike action are planned for 16th, 17th, 23rd, 24th and 25th April read more
Norfolk teachers strike over pension exploitation (25 Mar) – Teachers at Aurora Eccles and Aurora Whitehouse schools in Norfolk will begin strike action on Tuesday 26th March after their employer, the Aurora Group, threatened to remove them from their pension scheme via a fire and rehire process. Further strike days are planned on the 27th March, and 16th, 17th, 23rd, 24th and 25th of April read more
Lecturers in Northern Ireland vote to reject pay offer (20 Mar) – Lecturer members of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union have voted overwhelmingly to reject the pay offer for Northern Ireland’s Further Education Lecturers. Lecturers had been awarded 5% plus an unconsolidated payment of £1500. 87% of NASUWT members voted in favour of rejecting the offer, with a turnout of 63%. 71% said they were prepared to take further strike action and 93% said that they were prepared to take further action short of strike action. The NASUWT National Action Committee will now consider the results of the member survey before deciding on the union’s next steps read more
Pension threats prompt strike action at Newcastle school (18 Mar) – Members of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union at Dame Allan’s Schools in Fenham are taking the first of six planned days of strike action tomorrow over attempts to downgrade their pensions. Teachers are facing the forcible withdrawal of their pensions from the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS) to an inferior Defined Contribution (DC) scheme, which will pay out less in retirement. Teachers have been told that if they do not accept the transfer of their pensions, they will be dismissed from their jobs and reengaged on new contracts which include the DC pension arrangements. We do not accept that there is any financial necessity for the school to undermine teachers’ financial security in this way read more
Tring Park School teachers take strike action over pension sabotage (12 Mar) – Members of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union at Tring Park School for the Performing Arts have begun a series of strike days due to a dispute over their pensions. After being offered a pay rise below levels of inflation, teachers at Tring Park School have now been told that if they wish to remain in the Teachers’ Pension Scheme – the standard scheme for teachers across England – they will need to take a pay cut in order to compensate for their employer’s contributions. Their only alternative is to move to a scheme of lower value. Strike action took place at Tring Park School on Tuesday 12th March and will take place again on Wednesday 13th March. Further days are planned on 19th, 20th and 21st March read more
Teachers at Chetham’s School of Music to strike over attempts to downgrade pensions (26 Feb) – Members of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union at Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester are starting the first five planned days of strike action tomorrow (Tuesday) over attempts to make teachers choose between their pension or their pay. Chethams, which is the UK’s largest specialist music school, is attempting to remove staff from the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS) and enrol them in an inferior Defined Contribution scheme. If teachers choose to remain in the TPS they must accept a reduced salary read more
NAHT
Head teachers say cuts in school funding a ‘catastrophe for our children’ (11 Apr) – Responding to a new Education Policy Institute (EPI) report, which shows that schools could lose over £1 billion by 2030 in funding due to falling pupil numbers, Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the largest school leaders’ union NAHT, said: “Schools are already strapped for cash – and even with a dip in pupil numbers, any further cuts to funding would be a catastrophe for our children. Instead, the drop in pupil numbers provides the government with an opportunity – by maintaining current funding levels, schools could keep current staffing levels, paving the way for smaller class sizes, and targeted support for pupils…” read more
Pay agreement signals end to industrial dispute in Northern Ireland (10 Apr) – Responding after a formal agreement on teachers’ and leaders’ pay for 2021, 2022 and 2023 was reached with the give main education unions in Northern Ireland, Dr Graham Gault, national secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT in Northern Ireland, said: “We hope that the close of this challenging period of industrial unrest will bring about improved industrial relations – as well as a firm commitment from all sides to work meaningfully together to ensure that the workforce in Northern Ireland is supported, cared for and equipped to deliver for all children across our schools…” read more
EIS
EIS-FELA Members Begin Programme of Rolling Strike Action (12 Apr) – The EIS FELA is set to begin a programme of rolling strike action in a long running dispute over pay. This marks a further escalation in the pay dispute, where members of the EIS-FELA have been taking action short of strike since the middle of February. This is in addition to a national day of strike action and six days of targeted strike action within the parliamentary constituency areas of key Scottish Government Ministers read more
Lecturers begin targeted strike action in constituency areas of key Scottish Government ministers (12 Mar) – Lecturers in three Scottish colleges will take targeted industrial action over the coming weeks. With Dundee & Angus College taking the first of two days of targeted strike action, starting Monday, and continuing on Wednesday this week. Fife College lectures are set to take two days of strike action next week followed by Glasgow Clyde College the week after. Each of these colleges sit within the parliamentary constituency areas of Scottish Government Ministers with the responsibility for these public bodies; Dundee & Angus College for the Minister for Higher and Further Education (Graeme Dey), Fife College for the Cabinet Secretary for Education (Jenny Gilruth) and Glasgow Clyde College for the First Minister (Humza Yousaf) read more
INTO
Teachers’ Pay Agreement Ratified (9 Apr) – The Northern Ireland Teachers’ Council (NITC) and Management Side this afternoon formally ratified the Pay Agreement for 2021-2023. Under the terms of the agreement the starting salary for teachers will increase to £30,000 the other points on the teachers and leadership pay scales will increase by 10.4% plus £1000 consolidated read more
UCU
University of Kent staff vote to strike over course closure “bonfire” as VC quits (5 Apr) – Staff at the University of Kent have backed strike action in defence of jobs. The result comes as the person in charge of the cuts, vice-chancellor Karen Cox, announces she will step down in May, before they are even implemented. An overwhelming 85% of UCU members who voted said yes to strike action in a ballot with a turnout of 57%. The vote comes after 58 staff were placed at risk of redundancy as part of a programme that would see courses closed across the university read more
Strike ballot at Sheffield Hallam over “scandalous” cuts programme (5 Apr) – A strike ballot will open on Monday 15 April at Sheffield Hallam University, announced the University and College Union (UCU) today. UCU has accused the university of pushing ahead with expensive building projects while launching a wholesale attack on staff and students through an unprecedented cuts programme, severely breaching the post-92 contract and national framework, and attacking on working conditions read more
Goldsmiths marking boycott set to begin this month over “brutal” sackings (5 Apr) – The University and College Union (UCU) today confirmed staff at Goldsmiths University will begin a marking boycott on Friday 19 April over plans to sack more than one in six academic staff. The boycott will cover all marking and assessment, including in writing, online, or verbally. It will also include any assessment-related work such as exam invigilation and the administrative processing of marks. UCU warned that graduations will be impacted unless the university resolves the dispute by halting its plans to cut over 130 jobs. Alongside the boycott, UCU members will take other forms of industrial action including working to rule and boycotting processes related to management’s “transformation programme” of cuts. The boycott follows an overwhelming vote for industrial action against the cuts, which would see more than a third of academics axed in the 11 affected departments in the schools of arts & humanities; culture & society; and professional studies, science & technology read more
Goldsmiths staff vote to strike over “incomprehensible” bonfire of jobs (28 Mar) – The University and College Union (UCU) today announced staff at Goldsmiths University have overwhelmingly voted to take industrial action in a fight to stop the sacking of more than one in 6 academic staff at the institution read more
Staff consulted on industrial action at University of Portsmouth over planned job cuts (27 Mar) – The University and College Union (UCU) today confirmed strike action could be on the cards at the University of Portsmouth, as the union starts a consultation of its members. 398 academic staff are to be put at risk of redundancy, as part of University of Portsmouth’s “academic reset” programme that management says is necessary due to recruitment challenges and increased costs read more
Strike threat at University of Winchester over ‘catastrophic’ job cull (14 Mar) – UCU confirmed strike action could be on the cards at the University of Winchester after its members voted to consult over taking industrial action at a packed meeting last Friday. Staff have been put at risk of redundancy in changes that would see the university close its English language programme; institute for climate and social justice; centre for religion, reconciliation and peace; and managed housing, and see cuts to psychology, acting and apprenticeships. The university claims it needs to make the cuts due to a £6m structural deficit. There are 40 jobs planned to go in the current phase, with fears of further job cuts pending read more
Strike ballot at New College Durham over low pay (11 Mar) – UCU has opened a strike ballot at New College Durham in a dispute over low pay. The ballot will close on Monday 15 April and a successful result paves the way for strike action if the employer refuses to make a realistic offer. The ballot comes after staff voted to reject a paltry pay offer of 4% (from August 2023). According to its most recent accounts the college has over £9m in assets, a £2m increase on the year before, and is rated as having outstanding financial health by the government’s Education and Skills Funding Agency, yet UCU’s research shows it spends less of its income on pay than any other college in the region read more
Two new strike dates at North East college group in low pay dispute (4 Mar) – Staff at five colleges in Cleveland, Redcar and Stockton-on-Tees will strike on Wednesday 20 and Thursday 21 March. The strikes come after an overwhelming 79.3% of UCU members at Bede Sixth Form College, NETA Training Group, Stockton Riverside College, The Skills Academy and Redcar and Cleveland College who voted, rejected the latest pay offer from employer Education Training Collective (ETC). Turnout was 64%. UCU also confirmed it will open a new strike ballot on Wednesday (6 March) that will run until Monday 15 April so it can continue to take industrial action if ETC refuses to settle the dispute. A successful ballot will allow the union to take strike action for a further six months. The dispute is over the 22/23 pay award read more
Outrage over ‘callous’ fire & rehire threat at SOAS (29 Feb) – UCU has launched an indicative ballot on taking strike action at SOAS, University of London over fire and rehire plans that place 34 staff at risk of losing their jobs and being rehired on worse terms and conditions. The cuts would eliminate all term time English-language and study skills support for international students. The indicative ballot runs until Wednesday 6 March and a successful result paves the way for an industrial ballot and strike action if SOAS management refuses to rule out compulsory redundancies read more
Aberdeen University staff overwhelmingly back industrial action in row over modern languages cuts and job losses (7 Feb) – Staff at the University of Aberdeen have today backed strikes in a dispute over plans to end single-honours degrees in modern languages and put 30 staff at risk of redundancy. In the ballot of UCU Scotland members, 80% of those who voted backed strike action on a turnout of 60%. On 30 November, the same day that the Scottish Government launched its Scottish languages bill, the university announced a consultation with proposals to end single honours degrees in French, Gaelic, German, and Spanish; to end both single and joint honours degrees; or to end all language degree programmes. At the time, amidst widespread criticism, UCU general secretary Jo Grady called the proposals ‘academic vandalism’ read more
UCU fighting fund: the link is here and donations to the fund are spent on supporting members involved in important disputes.
FBU
‘Fundamentally flawed’: Welsh Government hits back at ‘minimum service levels’ (20 Mar) – The Fire Brigades Union has welcomed Welsh Government opposition to Westminster’s new minimum service levels regulations for the fire and rescue service. In a letter to fire minister Chris Philp, Hannah Blythyn, Welsh Deputy Minister for Social Partnership, has condemned the Act as an “unworkable intrusion into devolved matters”, describing the legislation as “fundamentally flawed, damaging and counter-productive”. Under the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act, fire service employers will be given the power to issue ‘work notices’ during a period of strike action. Recently published regulations state that these work notices will be able to dictate that 73% of appliances should be crewed on a strike day, while control rooms will be expected to operate as if it was a non-strike day read more
POA
Circ 018: National Chair Update March 2024 here
BFAWU
Support the campaign to unionise Samworth Brothers – get organised, sign the petition read more
BALPA
Bristow helicopters pilots in BALPA to strike in pay dispute (20 Feb) – The British Airline Pilots’ Association has given notice to Bristow Helicopters that it will call on its members to strike in March. BALPA has been in negotiation with the company for months, but Bristow has failed to put forward any offer that its pilots and tech crew could support read more
Nautilus International
Officers at the Royal Fleet Auxiliary vote for strike action (5 Apr) – RFA employees have faced a real terms pay cut of over 30% since 2010. Nautilus International members at the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) have voted strongly in favour of industrial action. The ballot followed the rejection by members of a 4.5% pay offer for 2023 that fell far below the rate of inflation. Since 2010, RFA employees have faced real terms pay cut of over 30%, beyond other blue light services, leading to significant challenges in recruitment and retention and low morale across the workforce read more
NUJ
NUJ agrees to postpone tomorrow’s STV strike following pay negotiations (15 Apr) – Day of action on hold pending further talks. Following extensive talks today aimed at resolving the current pay dispute at STV the NUJ has agreed to postpone tomorrow’s planned strike (Tues 16th April) pending talks resuming later this week. The scheduled strike day of 1st May which coincides with STV’s shareholder AGM, is still in place. It follows a successful strike on 28 March at various sites across Scotland read more
Journalists at STV on strike again in dispute over pay (12 Apr) – The journalists say they have had to use food banks, take on secondary jobs such as bar work or move in with parents in order to try and cover their bills read more
NUJ alarmed at increase in incidents with the police and photographers (9 Apr) – The union has commented after charges were dropped against a photographer arrested by South Wales Police one day before the trial was due to begin read more
Equity
New agreement with Nevill Holt Festival will protect workers rights and pay (11 Apr) – The Equity House Agreement includes guarantees around minimum levels of pay, working hours and holiday provision for those working on the Festival’s Opera productions read more
A win for the small theatre workforce in Norfolk (9 Apr) – Sheringham Little Theatre and the Pavilion Theatre in Gorleston renew their Equity House Agreements read more
Community
Community ballots for industrial action at Tata Steel (11 Apr) – Community is urging members to take a stand in support of the steel industry as we launches our ballot for industrial action at Tata Steel UK today. We are balloting members in response to Tata’s bad deal for steel, a proposal which would remove the UK’s virgin steelmaking capacity and result in the loss of thousands of steel jobs. The bulk of the job losses would be at Port Talbot and Llanwern, with further losses at Trostre and other downstream sites across the UK read more
Time for justice for Clarity workers (10 Apr) – for former employees of social enterprise Clarity. The firm’s former director stood trial at Westminster Magistrates Court on fraud charges today. Members and Representatives from Community were present at court. Clarity, an employer of blind and disabled people which was recognised as the world’s first social enterprise in 1911, manufactured soaps and beauty products at its factory in Highams Park, East London from the 1850s until 2022. The company ran into difficulties and went into administration during the Covid-19 lockdown, with its assets purchased by businessman Nicholas Marks read more
USDAW
Thousands of shopworkers have been assaulted, abused and threatened while the Government dithered and delayed says Usdaw (10 Apr) – Retail trade union Usdaw has said they will study the detail of Government proposals on retail crime and shopworker assault. The union has long campaigned for action on a growing epidemic of retail crime, which has always been opposed by the Conservatives and consistently supported by Labour. The Government has finally decided to act in an announcement today read more
Usdaw members at a GXO distribution centre in Swindon start industrial action over pay on Sunday, which could impact B&Q stores (22 Mar) – Members of the retail distribution union Usdaw at a GXO distribution centre in Swindon, which operates a B&Q contract, are starting a 48-hour strike over pay, starting at 2pm on Sunday 24 March 2024. Over 100 drivers and clerical staff are set to take part in the action read more
UVW
Cleaners descend on the Dorchester hotel over the sacking of Peruvian cloak room attendant (9 Apr) – “I want my job back. I want my reputation back. I did nothing wrong. I don’t deserve this treatment. I’m not scared and I want justice” – Teresa Calixto, sacked cleaner and UVW member. On Saturday 6 April, over 50 members and supporters of UVW descended on The Dorchester Hotel in central London to protest against the callous and, we believe, unlawful sacking of our fellow UVW member Teresa, a former cloakroom attendant at the five-star hotel. Teresa Calixto, a migrant cleaner from Peru, was subjected to seven hearings over five months, assaulted at work and asked to work through Christmas without a break before being sacked for trivial issues. She was paid poverty wages. Teresa is bringing legal proceedings against The Dorchester for unfair dismissal read more
Cleaners at the Department for Education launch second strike ballot over equality (28 Mar) – “No sick pay, too much work, no proper holiday cover. We are treated with disdain and we are fed up and stressed but united in our resolve. We can’t wait for our ballot papers” – Gloria Mancera, cleaner of 18 years service at DfE, and UVW member. The brave United Voices of the World (UVW) members who clean the Department for Education (DfE) have had enough of being ignored by their bosses and treated like second class citizens. Yesterday they instructed UVW to launch their second strike ballot in a year over parity of terms and conditions with civil servants read more
IWGB
Parcelforce delivery drivers launch group lawsuit against Royal Mail (8 Apr) – Drivers who deliver packages for Parcelforce, a subsidiary of Royal Mail, are suing the company on grounds they have been misclassified in their employment status and wrongly denied workers’ rights. Thousands of Parcelforce drivers across the UK may be eligible to join the claim which, if successful, could force Royal Mail to pay out millions in compensation read more
Workers at debt charity vote to strike following “aggressive intimidation” from management (8 Mar) – Frontline workers at the debt advice charity Rooted Finance will down tools later this month after their ballot to strike passed with a 100% yes vote. The decision to walk out on March 18 and 19 follows what workers have described as “anti-union and intimidatory tactics” from management read more
Find out more about the couriers’ strikes on the X/twitter of the IWGB Couriers’ branch @IWGB_CLB
SIPTU (Ireland)
SIPTU strongly supports increase in pay rates for low paid workers (12 Apr) – SIPTU representatives have today welcomed the Government’s decision to increase the minimum rates of pay for work permit holders from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) declaring it an opportunity to increase pay for all low paid workers in Ireland read more
Mandate (Ireland)
Mandate help launch new “Respect at Work” campaign (4 Apr) – Mandate Trade Union has joined with the Communications Workers’ Union (CWU), the Financial Services Union (FSU) and SIPTU to launch a new trade union campaign called “Respect at Work”. The campaign is demanding legal protections to prevent union busting, including the victimisation of trade union activists, along with enhanced rights for workers who wish to be represented by a trade union. Ireland is one of the only countries in the developed world where workers have no right to collective bargaining on pay and conditions of employment. The campaign says this must be addressed as part of the new EU Directive on Adequate Minimum Wages read more
Other news
WOR BELLA – the incredible story of heroic women footballers during WW1. An out-of-town run at the Bread and Roses Theatre, Clapham, before transferring to the prestigious 1200-seat Newcastle Theatre Royal in April. The play features a to-camera cameo by Alan Shearer.
The fantastic women footballers (worldwide) of all ages today stand on the shoulders of these incredible, heroic working class women from over a century ago (before women’s football was banned by the FA in 1921).
www.worbella.co.uk Google: “Wor Bella ed waugh”.
These are the trailers (to date) for the play.
Sign this petition: To the Right Honourable Steve Barclay, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and The Right Honourable Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister – Make toxic landfills safe – Support ‘Zane’s Law’! Find out more about this campaign here
Affiliate with STAMMA – STAMMA’s Employment Support Service helps people who stammer as well as those who don’t around issues related to stammering in the workplace. Union branches and regions can affiliate with STAMMA to access a range of services and support at a reduced rate.
- £75 for branches and regions
- £125 for national unions with under 400,000 members
- £200 for national unions with 400,000+ members
Fight blacklisting and victimisation of union reps
Hazards urgently need our support
Many workers were blacklisted because they raised complaints about health and safety or took on the role of a union safety rep. So when our blacklisting campaign was first starting back in 2009, Hazards magazine set up the Blacklist Blog on their website. Alongside our FaceBook page it is the go to online resource for what our campaign has achieved over the past 13 years. www.hazards.org/blacklistblog
Hazards is now in financial difficulty and needs the support of the union movement. Its major funding stream has vanished almost overnight. The magazine and the Hazards centres around the country need union branches or official unions to take out a regular subscription to keep the union movement’s flagship safety magazine in operation. If you or your union committee can afford it, please support Hazards:
PCS rep in Newcastle sacked by HMRC (5 Apr) – Gordon Askew was sacked by HMRC on grounds of ‘potential’ computer misuse following strike action taken by the branch. HMRC management at Benton Park View in Newcastle have sacked Gordon Askew, a member of the branch executive committee, on the grounds of ‘potential’ computer misuse. PCS members at Benton Park View, alongside HMRC East Kilbride, took part in targeted strike action last year, as well as their members taking part in the three national days of strike action. Following the strike action, the department launched an investigation into two Newcastle-based representatives. The charge against Gordon was a ‘potential’ breach of the department’s IT policy; arising from a Microsoft Teams message sent to a number of PCS members, relating to strike action. The department’s decision maker claimed that Microsoft Teams had been used “without a legitimate business reason”. A second rep is on a similar charge. We understand the decision maker said that they had considered a lesser penalty, but had decided to sack the rep because he didn’t appear to be sorry enough for what he had done. This was despite him having nearly thirty years of spotless service to the department. PCS is discussing next steps with our Legal Department read more
Construction blacklisting: Evidence sought in union officials’ collusion inquiry (11 Apr) – Unite, the UK’s leading union, is stepping up its search for information into the possible collusion by trade union officials into the blacklisting of construction workers. In April 2022 Unite established an independent inquiry into allegations that some union officials may have colluded with the blacklisting of construction workers. Unite has instructed a legal team of Nick Randall KC (Matrix Chambers), John Carl Townsend (33 Chancery Lane Chambers) and Paul Heron from (Public Interest Law Centre), to examine and investigate whether any union officials from Unite or its predecessor unions (T&G, UCATT, Amicus, AEEU or MSF), were involved in the blacklisting of construction workers. The inquiry is now entering its next stage and an online portal has been launched to allow anyone who has any information relating to the inquiry to submit information read more
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. You can catch up on disputes at Strike Map UK. Also, check out Organise Now! – Support for new worker organising.
International
(From NUJ) Russia: Journalists Antonina Favorskaya and Olga Komleva detained on charges of extremism (9 Apr) read more
(From NUJ) Pakistan: Prominent exiled Afghan journalist shot in Islamabad read more
Solidarity with the striking textile workers at Ozak in Turkey – read more on Twitter of Solidarity with the People of Turkey @spotturkey
Diary
2024
June
22 NSSN Conference 2024 – 11am Conway Hall, Holborn, London
CONTACT US
PHONE 07952 283 558
EMAIL mailto:[email protected]
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