NSSN sends solidarity to the continuing strike action by DWP job centre security guards in the PCS and GMB unions. They will be taking action again for the whole of next week.
On the last week of strike action, the workers, outsourced to G4S, marched to DWP HQ and the office of G4S, both in Westminster. We support the unions’ pay demands and we call for an end to outsourcing and for the workers to be brought in-house.
GMB: G4S ‘has broken minimum wage and modern slavery laws’ (24 Jul) – Outsourcing firm G4S has broken minimum wage and modern slavery laws over the way it has treated Job Centre security guards. Workers have this week formally submitted a collective grievance over underpayment of the National Minimum Wage (NMW) and breaches of the Modern Slavery Act 2015. Job Centre security guards are now in their third month of strike action over pay deals which have seen 90 per cent of them paid just the NMW. But they are required to carry out online training for their role – and a GMB survey shows 96 per cent them said they were not paid for the training, bringing their pay below the legal minimum. Meanwhile, 91 per cent completed the training at home and 62 per cent said they felt pressured to do so. If the guards do not complete their training, G4S threatens disciplinary action or withholds shifts. The Modern Slavery act 2015 states it is illegal to pressure an individual to perform forced or compulsory labour – it is on this basis GMB union believes G4S is in breach of the act. More than 1,500 job centres security guards will go on strike again next week, from 29 July – 5 August
PCS strikers defiant in ongoing dispute with G4S (24 Jul) – After 11 days of strike action, G4S security guards at DWP sites are defiant, undeterred and gearing up for further walkouts next week in their ongoing dispute over pay. In the dispute with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) hundreds of PCS members working as security employed under an outsourced contract with G4S have shown great support for the strikes. Pickets in Middlesbrough were reportedly loud and vibrant. Members there were buoyed by solidarity videos sent from the Durham Miners’ Association, from Northern TUC’s regional secretary Liz Blackshaw, and from UCU. Hackney jobcentre was forced to close on Thursday, with security guards picketing outside and making plenty of noise. Their chants demanding fair pay from G4S could not be ignored. Finsbury Park jobcentre had a fantastic, joyful atmosphere. Their rapper-in-residence, The Marksman, gave strikers songs calling for fair pay. Despite failing to meet its own health and safety requirements on guard staffing, the jobcentre still opened. Stratford strikers had plenty of support on the picket line from the public, with lots of speeches and members coming forward as activists and speaking at trades councils. Meanwhile, the Kennington picket was huge, spreading out along one of the main roads into London: there was reggae playing, lovely sunny weather and lots of tooting horns showing support for the strikers. PCS strikes at DWP will continue from 29 July to 4 August. Read further details on the strikers’ hardship fund and how to give solidarity messages. Details of next week’s picket lines will be published later this week
PCS: End outsourcing in the civil service – write to your MP (25 Jul) – PCS has launched a new e-action, calling on MPs to support our campaign to end outsourcing in the civil service. Our e-action follows the tabling of an Early Day Motion on our behalf by John McDonnell MP (Labour), Carla Denyer MP (Green Party) and others, which calls on the government to implement without delay the manifesto commitment to review the use of outsourcing in government departments. Outsourced services, provided by private companies like ISS and G4S, include cleaning, security and catering services across a range of government departments and agencies read more
PCS: Show your support for sacked HMRC reps (24 Jul) – HMRC management at Benton Park View in Newcastle is targeting PCS reps with 3 sacked and a disciplinary investigation launched against another branch officer. Gordon Askew, Rachel Farmer and Joel Hamilton have all been dismissed in a clear case of trade union victimisation. These elected union reps must be reinstated, the witch-hunt must end and we need the help of all members and supporters in the campaign. Our General Secretary, Fran Heathcote, has used her first letter to the new prime minister to raise the issue of the dismissed Benton Park View representatives, seeking their reinstatement and to cease any further victimisation read more
Tories Gone! – Fight for Workers Policies
The NSSN celebrates the massive defeat of the Tories in the General Election. Workers have thrown the Conservatives out of office after 14 years of their brutal assault on our living standards and union rights.
Now workers will want the incoming Labour Government to implement policies in our interests. Last month’s NSSN Conference endorsed the NSSN’s Workers Manifesto of demands and agreed to mobilise for the NSSN rally and lobby at TUC Congress in Brighton on Sunday 8th September – which will take place 2/3 of the way through the first 100 days of the new Labour Government.
NSSN Rally & Lobby of TUC Congress – Old Ship Hotel Brighton, 1pm Sunday 8th September
Model motion agreed at NSSN Conference:-
This NSSN Conference (and subsequently union branch/trades council) agrees with the need to fight for a workers’ manifesto of policies, to be implemented after the likely election of a Labour Government after 4th July. These include this list that the NSSN has been campaigning for:-
- To repeal Sunak’s ‘Strike Minimum Service Levels Act (MSL) along with Cameron’s Trade Union Act 2016, and all the rest of the Tory anti-union laws, going back to Thatcher and Major.
- To re-nationalise Royal Mail, BT, buses, the energy and utility companies, steel. Immediate re-nationalisation of the railways, rather than waiting for franchises to expire.
- To end privatisation in the NHS and our public services.
- For an emergency funding grant for local authorities to prevent the current and pending Tory council cuts onslaught, ensuring the withdrawal of Section 114 notices. This would be the first step in restoring the 40% cut from council budgets since 2010
- For a real inflation-proof pay rise for workers, that protects our living standards. For a £15/hour minimum wage with no age exemptions
- Abolish Fire & Rehire and Zero-hour contracts
- Workers’ rights from day one of employment
We believe that it essential that the trade unions fight for the implementation of policies in the interests of workers
We welcome the rally hosted by the NSSN before the start of this year’s TUC Congress in Brighton on Sunday 8th September, which will take place 2/3 of the way through the first 100 days of the Labour Government
We believe that this really will be an important event in highlighting and campaigning for the policies that workers need. We therefore agree to support the NSSN TUC Rally and send members to it and publicise it.
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
Avanti West Coast caterers to strike Friday and Saturday (25 Jul) – Rail union RMT, will take strike action on Avanti West Coast this Friday and Saturday due to imposed rosters causing widespread stress and fatigue among staff. Caterers at Avanti West Coast face short notice changes to shifts, job cuts, and enforced overtime, impacting their ability to plan family commitments and attend medical appointments. Despite negotiations recently, no breakthrough was found, meaning industrial action remains on read more
Crown Estate profits must be used to boost offshore workers (25 Jul) – RMT has called on Crown Estate profits to be used to secure decent contracts, pay and working conditions for offshore workers. In its annual report for 2023-24, Crown Estate profits have more than doubled to £1.1 bn. RMT says there is an opportunity to use these profits and expanded borrowing powers to improve employment conditions and promote sustainable supply chains in the offshore energy sector read more
Fair Pay On First South West (24 Jul) – RMT Senior Assistant General Secretary Eddie Dempsey and RMT members from Truro depot with a message for First Group watch video
Striking for fair pay (23 Jul) – RMT Bus workers members on First South West are striking for pay justice – here’s why. We are First South West bus workers on strike for a fair pay deal for the work that we do. We are amongst the lowest paid transport workers in the region. Instead of rectifying that First Group bosses found £800k in bonuses for top management from profits generated from its workers. In spite of extensive negotiations, including sessions facilitated by ACAS, the company has failed to provide an acceptable offer for South West bus workers. This is why we are out on strike today read more
First South West bus workers take strike action (22 Jul) – Bus union, RMT, will start 48 hours of strike action at First South West in a dispute over pay and working conditions on Tuesday. Over 300 bus workers will set up picket lines across the region, including in Penzance, Taunton, and Camborne. First South West has repeatedly failed to put forward acceptable offers to bus workers, despite the parent company, First Group, announcing pre-tax profits of £139 million, up 33% from the previous year. First Group also proposed dividends for 2024 up by 45% on last year. Despite these successes, over the weekend, First South West bosses put forward insulting pay offers that were not designed to end the dispute. The offers did not meet the members’ aspirations, were only aimed at bus drivers, and excluded other grades such as Engineers, Supervisors, Clerical Staff, and Cleaners. First South West bosses put no new money forward and also wanted drivers to trade off their hard-fought for terms and conditions in exchange for a measly pay rise read more
First South West Bus breaks union agreement (18 Jul) – BUS UNION RMT has warned First South West bus company today (18/7/2024) that it has breached the collective bargaining agreement with the union and effectively broken the law by contacting members via the company app to demand that they vote to accept a low pay offer read more
Bespoke cleaners strike at Hitachi Rail (19 Jul) – Cleaners working at Hitachi Rail in Doncaster are on strike today after rejecting the latest pay offer. RMT members working for Bespoke who has the Hitachi Rail contract, overwhelmingly said ‘no’ to the offer from the contractor read more
Rail Gourmet Eurostar strikes suspended after new offer (19 Jul) – Rail union, RMT has suspended strikes on Eurostar catering after accepting a new pay offer from Rail Gourmet which runs the contract. RMT members in Rail Gourmet will now get 7.6% uplift in pay which has only come about due to strike action and strong negotiating stances from union reps and officers. The union has pursued active discussions with Rail Gourmet management to address significant disparities in pay and working conditions read more
Continued Industrial action called – fight back against ‘flash and dash’ (18 Jul) – REMOVAL OF DETRAINMENT STAFF – LONDON UNDERGROUND. The National Executive Committee has considered this matter and congratulated all members for continuing the mandate for action in this dispute. The NEC has taken the decision to instruct all members on the Bakerloo Line, District Line, Central Line, Hammersmith & City Line, Jubilee Line and Victoria Line to continue taking part in industrial action to physically check their train before detraining until further notice. I urge you all to support this action and fight back against the Company’s dangerous imposition of the ‘flash and dash’ procedure for detrainments read more
Tube bosses offer 3% rise; RMT demand improved offer (17 Jul) – RATES OF PAY & CONDITIONS OF SERVICE 2024 – LONDON UNDERGROUND. RMT submitted a pay claim to LUL in April and last week your Lead Officer and negotiating team attended pay talks with LUL. At the meeting, a verbal offer was made to increase rates of pay by 3%. However, pay bands would remain frozen and any member whose pay rises above the top of their band would receive only a non-consolidated payment for any salary above the band. The negotiating team unanimously found this offer to be unacceptable. This matter has been considered by the National Executive Committee and I have now written to LUL in the strongest terms to demand that an improved offer is tabled at the next meeting scheduled for Tuesday 23rd July 2024. Any acceptable pay offer must be paid in full and as consolidated salary to every member in the collective bargaining unit. I have also advised LUL that a failure to make such an offer as set out above will lead to a dispute situation. At the meeting last week, TfL also gave a presentation outlining proposals on pay management and job families affecting all grades across TfL, LUL and RfLI. Notably, employees who are paid within a pay range who exceed the maximum of that range will receive the relevant portion of the award in excess of the maximum as a non-consolidated lump sum. The NEC declared that this Union will not sit by and wait for proposals from TfL regarding paybands being introduced to all grades. RMT is completely opposed to this and will use all means at our disposal to defend our jobs, pay, terms and conditions and pensions read more
RMT to ballot Scotrail and Caledonian Sleeper for strike action (11 Jul) – RAIL union RMT is balloting both Scotrail and Caledonian Sleeper members for strike action. The union has been in pay negotiations with both companies who have both tabled well below inflation derisory offers that did not fully reward members for their hard work and dedication. The insulting pay offers have been made even more unpalatable when members of the Scottish Parliament received a 6.7 per cent pay rise this year read more
Tube pension update (6 Jul) – DEFENDING JOBS, PENSIONS & AGREEMENTS – LONDON UNDERGROUND. I refer to my previous email of 24th June 2024, as previously reported due to our members resolve to fight to protect their past and future final salary pension rights, management and Government decided to delay their proposal to begin a consultation period in respect of any proposed reform the TfL Pension Fund no later than 1st July 2024. For the avoidance of doubt, I wish to clarify managements’ position in respect of the TfL Pension Fund review as communicated to us on 19th June 2024. Management have informed us that no consultation will start on 1st July 2024 as previously advised, and that if any reform is proposed, there could be no change to the TfL scheme prior to 30 September 2026 at the earliest. This announcement to push back any proposal to change our members pension scheme again reflects the determination of LUL members to fight to maintain pension rights in LUL. Our sixth successful ballot in April 2024 during the course of this campaign gave us a new six-month strike mandate which has continued to put pressure on TfL, the Mayor and DfT and has prevented any attacks on our members’ pension scheme read more
RFA members win solidarity from Cammell Laird (26 Jun) – RMT members working for the Royal Fleet Auxillary (RFA) welcomed support yesterday from over 450 workers at Cammell Laird dockyard who refused to cross picket lines in Birkenhead. Following the latest day of strike action, carried out on the International Day of the Seafarer on Tuesday, management have requested a meeting with union representatives next week. Over 500 RMT seafarers at the RFA organised picket lines in Birkenhead, Plymouth and Singapore after the employer had previously read more
Avanti West Coast caterers to strike over dire rosters and unjust working conditions (6 Jun) – RMT will launch strike action on Avanti West Coast tomorrow in response to the company’s implementation of new rosters that have led to significant stress and exhaustion among employees. Catering staff at Avanti West Coast are incensed by sudden changes to shift schedules, cuts to jobs, and enforced overtime.
These conditions have severely disrupted RMT members’ lives, making it impossible for them to plan family commitments or attend vital medical appointments, resulting in low morale amongst the workforce. The union has also discovered that Avanti management is attempting to undermine the strike by encouraging senior management to cover catering roles. These individuals lack the proper training and cannot deliver the consistent high-quality service that our members provide. Since taking over the West Coast Main Line franchise from Virgin, Avanti has been mired in industrial relations disputes, with the upcoming strike on Friday, June 7, being the latest repercussion of the company’s mismanagement read more
Northern Rail strike by members working for Carlisle Support Services this Saturday (5 Jun) – Super-exploited workers at Northern Rail will take strike action this Saturday June 8 over poor pay and dreadful working conditions. There will be picket lines at Manchester Victoria station (all entrances) from 0900 hrs and at Wigan Wallgate station from 0900 hrs. RMT members who are employed by Carlisle Support Services work at Northern Rail gate lines but are paid less than directly employed staff and cannot enter the company pension scheme or receive sick pay from their employer. The contractor also does not recognise RMT for the purposes of collective bargaining read more
Strike announced to defend unfairly sacked member (22 May) – Further to my previous Circular (IR/123/24, 19th April 2024), all RMT members at Oxford Circus Area are congratulated for standing firm together against injustice during the strike action from 3rd to 4th May. Gerald’s appeal hearing has now taken place but regrettably, LUL upheld the decision to dismiss him rather than taking action to rightly resolve this dispute. This matter has been considered by the National Executive Committee, which has taken the decision to instruct all RMT members at Oxford Circus Area to take strike action and NOT TO BOOK ON FOR SHIFTS THAT COMMENCE BETWEEN: 00:01 hours on Friday 28th June until 23:59 hours on Saturday 29th June 2024. The NEC has also taken the decision to escalate this dispute and ballot all other Station Grades members in the Bakerloo South Cover Group Area. Ballot papers were sent to members at Charing Cross Area, Elephant & Castle Area and Piccadilly Circus Area on Wednesday 15th May and these ballots will close on Thursday 30th May. I will keep Branches advised of all further developments read more
ASLEF
Train Drivers’ Union to Ballot ScotRail Members (16 Jul) – ASLEF’s Executive Committee has today agreed to ballot its ScotRail members for action short of strike and strike action read more
TSSA
Death at Cairnryan highlights importance of health and safety measures (24 Jul) – TSSA today expressed sorrow at the death of a Stena line employee who fell in the water at Cairnryan yesterday. TSSA General Secretary Maryam Eslamdoust said, “ We are deeply saddened by the tragic incident at Belfast Way, Cairnryan yesterday, where a port worker lost his life. Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family and loved ones. This incident highlights the importance of regularly reviewing health and safety policies and procedures so that they are fit for purpose…” read more
Unite
Government energy plans must create decent jobs, Unite (25 Jul) – Responding to the government’s plans to dramatically increase offshore wind power through a partnership with Crown Estates, Unite, the UK’s leading union, believes that further details are urgently needed into how this will translate into well paid jobs for UK workers read more
UK facing ready meal shortages as Wrexham based Oscar Mayer in fire and rehire shame (25 Jul) – A host of supermarkets and food providers are braced for shortages of ready meals this autumn as workers at Oscar Mayer ballot for strike action after their employer tried to force through a brutal fire and rehire process. Over 550 members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, employed by Oscar Mayer in Wrexham, will be balloted for strike action, in response to the company’s disgraceful decision to fire and rehire them. The ready meal making company is pushing through a fire and rehire process which will see low paid workers worse off by around £2,000 a year. The company is seeking to remove some paid breaks, reduce other breaks and eradicate any enhanced payments and days off in lieu for working bank holidays…The ballot will open on Monday 29 July and closes on Tuesday 27 August. If workers vote for industrial action then strikes could begin in September read more
Nuclear naval base strike threat lifted as 600 Babcock Marine workers secure pay win (24 Jul) – Improved two-year deal backed by workers at Coulport and Faslane. Unite the union confirmed today (24 July) that the threat of strike action taking place at the Coulport and Faslane naval bases on the Clyde has been lifted due to a two-year pay deal being overwhelmingly backed by the workforce. 600 Unite members employed by Babcock Marine (Clyde) Ltd, who undertake specialist services for the UK’s nuclear deterrent submarines, will now receive a 7.5 per cent basic pay rise backdated to August last year read more
Metrolink strikes called off after Manchester workers secure new pay deal (23 Jul) – Unite members working for Manchester’s Metrolink tram system are celebrating a new pay deal today (Tues 23 July) after accepting an improved offer from their employer. Proposed strikes that were due to take place later this week have now been called off. Hundreds of workers are set to receive a substantial pay rise. Customer service representatives at the bottom of the pay scales will see a minimum pay increase of 14 per cent over the next three years and those at the top of their pay scales will receive a minimum of nine per cent. The progression along the pay scale has also been shortened from three years to just 12 months. Drivers will see a minimum of a nine per cent increase over the same period alongside a substantial reduction of the pay progression scale. Unite has negotiated to remove one year from the progression, down to three years, meaning new starters will achieve the top rate within the new pay deal adding £1000s to their pay read more
Guys and St Thomas’ nurses redouble strikes over safe staffing (23 Jul) – Guys and St Thomas’ day surgery theatre nurses will step up their industrial action over safe staffing later this month, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today as it announced fresh strikes. The dispute is over an increase in shift times. The nurses were already working under unsustainable workloads before the hour-long extension from 20:00 to 21:00 to their shifts was imposed and are warning of burnout and patient safety risks. The extension comes after hospital bosses had already increased the nurses’ shift times from 19:00 to 20:00 and introduced Saturday working…The nurses previously took strike action on 27 June and 2 and 9 July. The next round of industrial action will take place on 30 and 31 July. Further strike dates will be scheduled if the dispute is not resolved read more
Milton Keynes rail workers to strike over union rights denial (23 Jul) – Workers being refused basic trade union rights over backdated pay complaints. Over 60 workers based in Wolverton, Buckinghamshire, who provide vital maintenance and repairs to railway rolling stock are to strike at the end of the month over how their complaints and grievances are being handled by their employer, Gemini Rail Services. The highly skilled and essential workers ensure locomotives and passenger carriages for the train operating companies across the UK are in a safe condition. The workforce is currently involved in a longstanding grievance against their employer over owed back pay that has seen them potentially thousands of pounds out of pocket. Gemini is now refusing to allow workers to be represented by their Unite workplace rep as he is also attempting to raise his own grievance for loss of pay. This is a fundamental breach of the recognition agreement that Unite has with Gemini Rail Services, resulting in the workforce becoming further angered by management actions. Strikes are taking place at the Milton Keynes depot from 30 July – 3 August. It is likely to cause significant disruption for the company and their relationships with the train operating companies read more
‘Give us a break’ as over 160 Edinburgh Tram workers balloted on strike action (23 Jul) – Health concerns for workers rise due to tram late running times. Unite can today confirm (Tuesday 23 July) that its Edinburgh Trams membership are being balloted on strike action over late running times to the nation’s largest airport which is preventing workers from taking comfort breaks. The strike ballot opens on 29 July and closes on 12 August. In a consultative ballot previously conducted by Unite, over 160 tram workers indicated by 99 per cent that they are prepared to take industrial action on an 84 per cent turnout read more
‘Stinking Scottish summer’ looms as Unite rejects COSLA pay offer (22 Jul) – Union says workers are being ‘grossly undervalued’ compared with UK council counterparts. Unite can confirm that its committee for local government workers has rejected the latest COSLA pay offer following a meeting in Glasgow today (22 July 2024). Unite said no ‘extra cash’ has been added to the new pay offer by COSLA, which amounts to a 3.2 per cent increase for a one-year period between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025. COSLA has taken two months to shift from its previous offer, which was also rejected outright by Unite on 24 May. Unite is highlighting that the new pay offer ‘grossly undervalues’ Scottish council workers in contrast with the offer made to UK counterparts. An offer of £1,290 has been made to council workers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland by the National Joint Council (NJC). This equates to a rise of 67p per hour or 5.2% for a council worker earning around £25,000 based on a 37-hour week. In contrast, the COSLA offer of 3.2% equates to £800 or a 41p per hour increase. The pay offer difference means that a Scottish council worker would need to earn above £40,000 to match the offer being made to council workers across the UK. This means the lowest paid council workers are being disproportionately hit by COSLA’s offer read more
Unite confirms strike action to hit half of Scottish councils (2 Jul) – Cleansing and waste workers could begin action in weeks. Unite, Scotland’s largest union, has today (Tuesday 2 July) announced that it has a mandate for its members taking strike action in cleansing and waste services across half of Scottish councils, in a dispute over pay. Unite received the mandates for strike action involving thousands of its members in the following 16 councils: Aberdeen City Council; Angus Council; City of Edinburgh Council; Dumfries & Galloway Council; Dundee City Council; East Ayrshire Council; East Renfrewshire Council; Fife Council; Glasgow City Council; Inverclyde Council; North Ayrshire Council; North Lanarkshire Council; Renfrewshire Council; South Ayrshire Council; The Highland Council and West Lothian Council.
Unite will reveal in the coming days the details of strike action involving waste workers, street cleaners, and recycling centre operators across the 16 councils which could begin in just over two weeks’ time. The union had previously warned major events could potentially be impacted by strike action including the Edinburgh international and fringe festivals similar to the local government pay dispute two years ago read more
Unite members reject local government pay offer (11 Jul) – Following the result of a consultative ballot of its local government members over the latest pay offer, Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Our members have overwhelmingly rejected the entirely inadequate local government pay offer. For years local authority workers have seen real terms pay cuts and underinvestment that have brought the sector to its knees. This must act as a wake-up call that the sector desperately needs an injection of funding to ensure the workers it depends on are paid properly and vital frontline services can be properly delivered. Unite will not stand by and watch as our members are given yet another raw deal. Workers won’t accept this any longer.” Read more
Harland & Wolff: Focus must be on securing a long-term future (22 Jul) – Five years after Unite members at Harland & Wolff led the successful fight to keep the Belfast shipyard open, the union today (Monday) said that the political focus must be on securing a long-term future for the shipyard along with those in Scotland and England read more
Unite delivers pay wins for Glasgow airport workers (19 Jul) – Glasgow Airport Limited and Falck workers secure boost to jobs, pay and conditions. Unite has secured further pay deals for workers based at Glasgow Airport, Scotland’s leading aviation trade union confirmed today (19 July). Around 50 Falck firefighters who perform fire safety functions at the airport have secured a basic wage increase of 4.5 per cent and a similar rise in the shift allowance. Double time for hours worked on public holidays along with time and a half for overtime is also part of the deal which runs from 1 January to the end of 2024. A further 140 workers employed by Glasgow Airport Limited are also benefiting from a 4.5 per cent increase on basic salary rates, a similar rise in the shift allowance along with a one-off payment of £500. The pay agreement also runs from 1 January to the end of the year and it is worth up to 8.5 per cent for some workers depending on grading read more
Sheffield Veolia refuse workers to strike over denial of union recognition (17 Jul) – Workers being denied Unite representation despite high membership. Nearly 100 refuse workers in Sheffield are to take strike action this month bringing the city’s refuse collections to a standstill, Unite the union announced today (17 July). Workers employed by outsourcing company Veolia and working out of the Lumley Street depot are furious that their employer is refusing to allow collective bargaining agreements with Unite despite the membership of the union representing around 80 per cent of the depot’s workforce. Drivers and loaders are walking out on 29 July to 2 August after Veolia refused to recognise Unite’s for collective bargaining. Veolia claims another union is already recognised as the sole trade union, yet it doesn’t represent the vast majority of the workforce read more
Ellesmere Port dock workers balloted to strike over unfair sacking of colleague (16 Jul) – GAC fired worker after change in hours prevented him caring for disabled mother. Ellesmere Port dock workers employed by GAC at the Queen Elizabeth II dock are being balloted for strike action after their colleague was fired because a change in hours meant he could not care for his disabled mother. GAC sacked the worker for “refusing a reasonable working request” after he informed the company he could not comply with the new rota due to being the primary caregiver for his disabled mother. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “GAC has behaved appallingly towards our member. The company knows full well that he is the primary caregiver for his disabled mother and should have offered a workable solution. This is a cruel and totally unjustified decision that has incensed the workforce and it will not go unanswered by Unite.” GAC provides integrated shipping, logistics and marine services to the energy and shipping industries. The workers, who are jetty operators, are being balloted for industrial action from 17 July to 30 July. Strikes will impact vessels supplying components to the Ellesmere Port Vauxhall plant, as well as ships who rely upon the Manchester Shipping Canal, including oil tankers using the discharging jetties at Eastham Locks for Stanlow Essar read more
Sanctuary housing posts big surplus and bumper margins (16 Jul) – Management could meet strikers demands with ease. Sanctuary Housing has posted financial results showing a group revenue of over a billion pounds this week. The overall operating margin is 19.8% and the social housing operating surplus margin stands at a bumper 31.1%. This year’s results confirm that management could meet the demands of their striking maintenance staff with ease read more
Support the Sanctuary strikes – contact the Unite LE/1111 Housing Workers branch to offer support or if you are a housing worker wanting to get organised [email protected]
Ford white collar dispute worsens as over 1,200 office staff ballot for strike (15 Jul) – 500 Ford managers already voted for strike as industrial unrest over pay grows. Ford is to blame for an ‘unprecedented breakdown in industrial relations’ with its white collar staff, Unite said today, as more than 1,200 office staff ballot for strike action across the country. Around 500 Ford managers already have an industrial action mandate and are continuing with industrial action short of strikes. Both sets of workers, who are based in Dunton, Stratford, Dagenham, Daventry and Halewood, are in dispute with Ford over real terms pay cuts disguised as wage increases and are considering coordinated strike action…The office staff are being balloted until 7 August and the managers will resume their industrial action sort of strikes on 25 July read more
Hull Siemens Gamesa wind turbine workers ballot for pay strikes (12 Jul) – Siemens Group profits at €8.5 billion while wages have dropped in real terms by 12%. Around 300 Siemens Gamesa wind turbine workers in Hull are being balloted for strike action over pay, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today (Friday). The workers, who construct 108 metre long wind turbine blades by hand, are angry at a 4.5 per cent pay offer plus an opaque incentive scheme. Since 2018, wages at the factory on the banks of the Humber estuary have dropped by 11.9 per cent in real terms. This is due to below RPI inflation pay rises and the suppression of wages through a performance related bonus scheme read more
First stage government talks with unions to save Tata jobs ‘extremely positive’, says Unite (10 Jul) – Following high level talks this morning with the secretary of state for business and trade, Jonathon Reynolds, Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Our meeting this morning with the business secretary Jonathan Reynolds was extremely positive. It is clear that the new secretary of state for business understands the need to secure the future of steelmaking in Britain. The commitment given to achieving a sustainable, profitable UK steel industry is very welcome and as was said this morning, decarbonisation must not mean deindustrialisation. In recent months, Unite has been fighting to save jobs at Tata and to revitalise the UK steel industry for the future of communities and for our national security. We are at a critical first stage but the extra investment now secured and the change of attitude from this new Labour government could be the game changers in making this happen.” Read more
TATA STRIKE FUND APPEAL
Unite The Union members employed by Tata steel at Port Talbot and Llanwern have suspended the all out strike action that was due to begin on 8th July. They had already taken action short of strikes, the first industrial action involving steel workers in the UK for 40 years. The action is fighting the decimation of jobs, communities and the steel industry. An initial 2800 jobs are due to be wiped out. This is a campaign we must win. Support and solidarity will be key, especially financial support in light of this being all out, indefinite strike action.
We are therefore launching a financial appeal. Donations will be used to directly support striking members. Below are the financial details. Please reference any donation as “strike fund”. Thank you
Unity Trust, Unite wab 2051 branch, Sort code: 608301 Acc no: 20286655
Messages of solidarity and for further detail contact [email protected]
Find out more about the campaign: www.unitetheunion.org/campaigns/the-fight-for-steel
Gatwick passenger assistance strike suspended after improved offer (10 Jul) – Gatwick airport strikes by 200 workers who provide special assistance services for vulnerable passengers have been postponed following an improved pay offer. The workers, who are employed by Wilson James, have agreed to suspend industrial action from 12 to 14 July and 19 to 21 July while they ballot on the offer. If it is rejected, fresh industrial action will be re-scheduled. Strike action by baggage security screeners employed by ICTS on the same dates was also suspended this week due to an improved offer read more
Gatwick baggage screening strikes postponed after improved offer (8 Jul) – Strikes by Gatwick baggage security screeners have been postponed following an improved pay offer, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today (Monday). The workers, who are employed by ICTS, have agreed to call all off industrial action scheduled to take place from 12 to 14 July and 19 to 21 July while they ballot on the offer. If it is rejected, fresh industrial action will be scheduled. Strikes on the same dates by 200 Wilson James workers who provide special assistance services for vulnerable passengers are set to go ahead read more
Armagh residents facing fortnight of bin strikes (9 Jul) – Strike action in response to council management ‘hostile environment’ for unions, especially Unite. Unite has today notified management at Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough council of two weeks of strike action by Armagh-based waste collection workers from Wednesday 17 July. The strike action, which will be taken by environmental services workers based at the council’s waste depot in Armagh is likely to severely impact bin collections in that part of the council. The industrial action is a result of what Unite has branded a “hostile environment” that has been created for unions at the council. In recent weeks a Unite shop steward based at the depot has been dismissed, while five other Unite reps have faced investigations or disciplinary hearings or had their rights to represent workers restricted read more
London buses dispute escalates as hundreds more workers ballot for strikes (9 Jul) – Over 2,100 RATP bus workers in South, Central and West London now poised to strike. More than 300 London Transit staff are being balloted for industrial action, bringing the total number of RATP bus workers poised to strike to over 2,100. The London Transit drivers and engineers, who are based at Westbourne Park bus garage in Notting Hill, are angry at a three per cent pay offer. This is a real terms pay cut, as the RPI rate of inflation was 5.1 per cent when the pay increase was supposed to be implemented in December 2023. The dispute is also over an attempt by London Transit to impose an unacceptable scheduling agreement. In addition, around 100 London United engineers based at eight garages providing services for South, Central and West London, have joined 1,600 London United drivers in balloting over pay. The engineers have been offered 3.6 per cent, which again is a real terms pay cut. London United and London Transit are both part of the French state owned RATP Group, which had a turnover of €6.5 billion in 2023. In total, more than 2,100 RATP London-based bus workers are now being balloted for strike action…The London Transit ballot closes on 31 July, while the London United engineers ballot closes on 1 August. London United drivers will finish balloting on 22 July. Strike action will cause severe disruption to bus services in South, West and Central London read more
Wales Valley Vets staff fight profiteering VetPartners in historic strikes (9 Jul) – VetPartners profits over £500m but staff on poverty pay and using foodbanks. Nearly 100 workers employed by Valley Vets in South Wales are to take the first ever strike action at a private veterinary practice, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today (Tuesday). Valley Vets has offered its lowest paid staff a derisory pay rise that takes them to slightly above the minimum wage. This is despite 80 per cent reporting that they regularly borrow money to meet basic living costs and five per cent reporting having to use food banks…The workers, who undertake a range of roles including veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses, receptionists and animal care assistants, will strike for two weeks from 16 July until 30 July. Industrial action will severely impact Valley Vets operations and will escalate if the dispute is not resolved read more
Birkenhead workers at Cammell Laird balloted for strike action over outrageous suspension of staff (1 Jul) – Seven staff suspended after hundreds refuse to cross picket line. Hundreds of workers at Cammell Laird shipbuilders on Merseyside are to be balloted for strike action following the reprehensible suspension of seven employees, Unite the union confirmed today (1 July). Unite and GMB members working at the Birkenhead facility refused to cross an RMT picket line last Tuesday (25 June). To avoid a similar problem re-occurring Unite had organised talks with the company providing our members were not targeted. However, on Thursday (27 June), seven members of staff, including Unite’s convener and a further four Unite members were informed they were immediately suspended pending a full disciplinary investigation. Outraged workers convened an emergency meeting and agreed to be balloted for potential strike action over the victimisation of the workers by Cammell Laird management. The ballot for Unite members will open on 8 July and close on 5 August read more
Glen Dimplex workforce to be balloted on strike action to save jobs (28 Jun) – Portadown rally hears Unite demands political action to save manufacturing jobs and skills. Unite will ballot its members at Glen Dimplex in Portadown for strike action. The ballot follows a threat by the company to shutdown its sites in Portadown offshoring the production of storage heaters to Lithuania. The threat to jobs is the latest in a series of blows to the local industrial base. More than 500 jobs have been lost at Thompsons Aero seating, more than 100 at BT and Sonoco has also recently confirmed its intention to seek redundancies. Hundreds of workers and the wider local community gathered this afternoon (Friday 28 June) in the town for a Unite rally in defence of manufacturing jobs and skills in the Upper Bann area. The rally was called to demand action from politicians ahead of next week’s general election…The ballot will open on July 15 closing on August 8. Industrial action could take place before the end of the summer read more
Birkenhead hospital workers increase strike action over pay and grading (28 Jun) – Healthcare staff not being recognised for roles and responsibilities. Healthcare workers at the Arrowe Park Hospital in the Wirral, Merseyside, are escalating their strikes next week over a continued failure to recognise their workplace responsibilities and pay them accordingly. Members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, who work as recovery theatre practitioners, who care for patients recovering from serious operations, are not being paid appropriately by their employer, the Wirral University Hospital Trust. Workers will walk out from 1-7 July. The vital healthcare workers are being paid a band below the level of responsibility and duties they are providing. Workers have been left up to £8,000 out of pocket due to being wrongly graded read more
UCU workers escalate dispute with trade union (27 Jun) – Employees angry over working practices at education union. Nearly 200 workers at the University and College Union (UCU) are escalating their strike action in protest at their employer’s working practices, it was announced today (Thursday). Unite, the UK’s leading union, represents UCU’s staff and they are unhappy over the complete breakdown of industrial relations and the unreasonable approach taken by their employer to negotiations. Unite’s members voted overwhelmingly for strike action. Strikes are due to take place on 1 and 3, 10, 11 July read more
Greenwich council housing strikes suspended (27 Jun) – Industrial action paused to allow council to rule out fire and rehire threats. Strikes planned for next week (1-2 July) by over 150 housing maintenance workers employed by Greenwich council have been “paused” to allow the local authority more time to resolve the dispute. The workers, who are members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, voted for strike action after the council brought forward plans to cut the workers wages by up to 30 per cent over a four year period, following a highly contentious “benchmarking exercise”. The council had also indicated that it was considering using extremely controversial “fire and rehire” practices to dismiss the workers and cut their pay. However, following the initial strike action earlier this month the council has not progressed its attempts to cut the workers ‘pay or to fire and rehire the workforce. Given those circumstances the workers decided to suspend the planned industrial action to give the council a further opportunity to return to negotiations to resolve the dispute read more
Redbridge refuse workers escalate summer bin strikes (25 Jun) – De facto overtime ban put in place as council refuses to acknowledge issues. Refuse workers in the London Borough of Redbridge are to escalate their industrial dispute with a de facto ban on overtime working, Unite the union announced today. Workers for Redbridge Civic Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of the council, are subject to terrible working conditions, including non-existent vehicle maintenance and aggressive pressure to work overtime on weekends which is inflicting a toll on workers’ mental health. Their sick pay is also worse than workers employed directly by the council. Unite has seen its membership skyrocket since the dispute began and now has over 100 members. The workers are to enact a ban on working additional hours after their shifts each day. This requirement has become standard practice, despite officially only being required in “exceptional circumstances”. No additional hours will be worked from 8 July until the end of the month read more
Cornwall facing bus chaos as drivers ballot for strike over pay (24 Jun) – Workers angry profitable Go Ahead is paying drivers elsewhere nearly £3 an hour more. Around 250 Go Cornwall Bus drivers are being balloted for strike action over pay, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today (Monday). The workers are demanding that their wages be brought more in line with their colleagues in other parts of the country. For instance, Go Ahead drivers in Oxford are currently paid £2.84 more per hour than the Cornwall drivers, while drivers in Brighton are paid £1.83 more. Even under Go Ahead’s current 2024 offer for the Cornwall drivers, Oxford drivers would still be earning £2.24 an hour more, while drivers in Brighton would be paid £1.23 an hour more. To narrow the pay difference, the Cornwall drivers are demanding their wages be increased by 6.6 per cent to £16 per hour for 2024, instead of the £15.60 Go Ahead is currently offering…In March, Go Ahead reported revenues of £3.2 billion and profits of £89 million. The industrial action ballot will close on 1 July, strikes, which could begin later next month, would severely impact bus services across Cornwall read more
University Hospital Waterford: Unite warns of dispute escalation amidst management threats (24 Jun) – Health Service Executive accused of violating public service agreement. Trade union Unite, which represents support staff at University Hospital Waterford (UHW), today (Monday) warned that the current work-to-rule by laundry, catering and portering grades may escalate unless the Health Service Executive (HSE) reverses its decision to withhold pay increases due to staff. Workers have been engaging in a work-to-rule since 27 May following the HSE’s failure to include laundry workers at UHW in a regrading scheme and their decision not to award incremental credits to portering and catering workers read more
Plymouth facing bus chaos as drivers ballot for strike over pay (19 Jun) – Workers angry profitable Go Ahead is paying drivers elsewhere nearly £3 an hour more. Nearly 600 Plymouth Bus drivers are being balloted for strike action over pay, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today (Wednesday). The workers are demanding that their wages be brought in line with their colleagues in other parts of the country. For instance, Go Ahead drivers in Oxford are currently paid £2.84 more per hour than the Plymouth drivers, while drivers in Brighton are paid £1.83 more. Even under Go Ahead’s current 2024 offer for the Plymouth drivers, Oxford drivers would still be earning £2.24 an hour more, while drivers in Brighton would be paid £1.23 an hour more…In March, Go Ahead reported revenues of £3.2 billion and profits of £89 million. The industrial action ballot will close on 1 July, strikes, which could begin later next month, would completely shut down Plymouth’s bus network read more
Dounreay nuclear station strike postponed following improved pay offer (18 Jun) – Strike action on Wednesday 19 June by around 600 Unite members suspended. Strike action on Wednesday 19 June by around 600 Unite members employed by Nuclear Restoration Services Limited (NRS) at Dounreay nuclear power station has been suspended to allow workers to be balloted on a new pay offer. Unite can confirm that an overtime ban and an end to working voluntary appointments will continue during the ballot process. If the new offer is rejected by the membership, fresh strike action will be announced. The union’s membership previously rejected a pay offer which amounted to a one-off £500 payment on top of a basic 4.5 per cent increase. Unite’s NRS membership includes craft technicians, general operators, engineers, maintenance fitters and safety advisors read more
Drivers at Greater Manchester Accessible Transport forced to strike over ‘poverty pay’ (17 Jun) – Industrial action to take place over failure of company to improve pay offer to acceptable level. Bus drivers in Greater Manchester who transport the elderly and disabled have been forced to take strike action over low pay by Greater Manchester Accessible Transport (GMAT). Members of Unite, the country’s leading trade union, are paid incredibly low wages to do a physically and mentally demanding job. They provide an invaluable service, transporting the elderly, infirm or disabled from their homes across Greater Manchester to vital medical appointments, for essential shopping or for leisure and entertainment… Following a successful industrial ballot, members will be taking strike action for a week from 1 July – 7 July read more
Unite warns of prospect of strike at Northern Ireland Fisheries and Harbour Authority (16 Jun) – Members of Unite who maintain harbours are paid minimum wage by DAERA arms-length body. DAERA minister challenged on his department’s status as an accredited Living Wage employer. Unite has written to Rural Affairs (DAERA) Andrew Muir to seek an urgent meeting on poverty pay afflicting harbour and fisheries workers. The union represents the overwhelming majority of the workers employed by the Northern Ireland Fisheries and Harbour Authority (NIFHA), an arms-length body funded by DAERA. A strike of NIFHA workers would immediately shutdown the ability of Northern Ireland’s fishing fleet to land their catch at the primary harbours of Kilkeel, Ardglass and Portavogie. The union is seeking intervention by the minister to raise pay of all workers initially to the living wage and to provide pay increments which were recommended in an external grading review conducted in 2019 but which were never implemented read more
Basildon CNH tractor strikes suspended for vote on new offer (12 Jun) – Strikes by more than 500 workers employed at CNH Industrial’s Basildon tractor factory have been suspended to allow workers to ballot on a new pay offer. Industrial action scheduled for 18, 19, 20, 25, 26 and 27 June will not take place. If the offer is rejected by the membership, fresh strike action will be announced read more
Coventry electric Hackney cab workers to strike over pay (10 Jun) – London Electric Vehicle Company earning billions as wages fall by 20% in real terms. Around 100 workers employed at the London Electric Vehicle Company (LEVC) in Coventry will strike over pay, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today (Monday). The workers have rejected a 3.5 per cent pay rise plus £400 one off payment for those on lower grades. This is a real terms pay cut, as the real rate of inflation, RPI, was 4.9 per cent when the increase was supposed to be implemented in January this year. Adding to the workers’ anger, is the fact that due to years of below inflation pay rises, wages at LEVC have fallen by 19.9 per cent since 2016. LEVC, which designs, develops and produces electric commercial vehicles and is best known for its electric hackney carriages, is wholly owned by the China-based Geeley Auto group. In the year to December 2023, Geeley had a net cash flow of £3 billion and made profits of £584 million… The workers will take an initial day of strike action on 13 June, followed by an overtime ban. Further strike dates will be called if the dispute is not resolved. Industrial action will severely impact vehicle production at LEVC’s Coventry site read more
Jiffy packaging workers in Cheshire to strike over pay and conditions (6 Jun) – Over 50 workers at the Jiffy packaging plant in Winsford, Cheshire, are to strike next month following a pay offer from their employer that Unite general secretary Sharon Graham described as “paltry”. Workers at the plant have been offered a mere 1.5 per cent pay increase despite a cost of living crisis and real rate of inflation (RPI) standing at 4.3 per cent, when the pay increase was due. Workers are therefore receiving a real-terms pay cut. Unite’s members are demanding an eight per cent pay increase backdated to the 1 April 2024. Additionally, workers are furious that they only receive eight weeks of sick pay and want to see an increase to 12 weeks alongside the reinstatement of breaks during the working day and changes to bank holiday working practices…The workers will walk out for nearly two weeks beginning on 1 July and continuing until 13 July. Jiffy Packaging is synonymous with padded envelopes and other packaging materials read more
Unite the union workplace reps vote to call off strike action scheduled for tomorrow (3 Jun) – Decision comes after ‘meaningful’ progress made in talks between the four education trade unions and the employer side. Unite the union workplace reps met this afternoon and voted overwhelmingly to call off scheduled strike action tomorrow [Tuesday June 4] following receipt of an opening draft offer for workers from the Education Authority and Department of Education this afternoon. The decision follows a similar one on Saturday by Unite workplace reps to call off today’s [Monday 3 June] strike action to provide space for negotiations 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 welcomes Bibby Stockholm announcement (23 Jul) – PCS General Secretary Fran Heathcote hopes the government’s announcement that the barge will stop housing asylum seekers from the end of January will signal the end of an inhumane system. The barge currently moored in Dorset, was set up by the last Conservative government as one of its attempts to cut hotel bills for people who had come to the UK via small boat crossings and were awaiting for their cases to be heard. But the Home Office has now confirmed it will end the contract from next year read more
Talks on civil service pay begin with the Cabinet Office (22 Jul) – A PCS delegation met with the Cabinet Office on Friday (19) for the first time since the Labour government was elected. A PCS delegation, including our national president Martin Cavanagh, met with the Cabinet Office on Friday (19) for the first time since the Labour government was elected on 4 July. The meeting was the first of three scheduled meetings to discuss the 2024-25 pay remit guidance read more
ISS strike suspended after improved pay offer from employer (19 Jul) – The outsourced facilities workers employed at DESNZ were due to start strike action next Monday (22). PCS members working as cleaners, security guards and other facilities roles at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), but employed by outsourcing giant ISS, have suspended five days of strike action due to start on Monday 22 July. The dispute centred on pay and terms and conditions, which are lower than those of the civil servants who they work alongside in the government building. Members on these outsourced contracts are disproportionately likely to be from Black, Asian, and minority ethnic backgrounds. After intensive talks with management and the government resulted in improved offers, PCS feels there is room to potentially negotiate a final deal read more
PCS agrees donation to support Justice For Jay Abatan campaign (19 Jul) – the campaign for justice for Jay Abatan, who was murdered in a racist attack, will receive a boost of £3000 from PCS towards legal work. Jay, a 42-year-old father of two and member of the PTC – a predecessor union of PCS, died following the attack in Brighton 25 years ago read more
Membership soars as G4S DWP security guards strike again (15 Jul) – G4S security guards that work in jobcentres and other DWP offices are on strike again all of this week. PCS membership among G4S security guards working in DWP offices has more than doubled since the start of this dispute and now stands at over 360 read more
Use the e-action to fight de-recognition of PCS at the Imperial War Museum (12 Jun) – The e-action sends an email to the director general asking her to halt plans to derecognise PCS, and preserve workers’ voices and rights. 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. The three unions, Prospect, PCS, and FDA have a constructive and collaborative relationship and all three have appealed to management at the IWM not to derecognise PCS and FDA read more
Vibrant picket line kicks off latest round of Heathrow walkouts (31 May) – The first day of the latest Heathrow Border Force strike action got off to a brilliant start with reps and members out on a vibrant and playful picket line. More than 500 PCS members in Border Force at Heathrow airport started 3 days’ strike action today in an ongoing dispute over a new roster that has been imposed. It will be followed by 3 weeks of action short of a strike that will include a work to rule and overtime ban running from 4 to 25 June read more. Sign the petition to support striking Heathrow workers
Conference deplores dismissal of HMRC reps (23 May) – Conference deplored the actions of HMRC in dismissing two PCS reps from Benton Park View, and in recent weeks, for launching a further two conduct and discipline cases read more
PCS strike ballot results published (15 May) – The ballot papers have been counted in our strike ballot that closed on 13 May. Our ballot of 171 civil service and related areas for strike action over our national campaign demands closed on Monday, 13 May. The ballot papers have now been counted. The total percentage of members voting yes for strike action was 83.7% of those who voted. But while a large percentage of members voted for action, the number of people who can strike is severely limited by the Tories’ anti-union laws. We achieved over 50% (the turnout required by law for strike action) in employers including DVSA, HM Land Registry, DEFRA, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) and Rural Payments Agency. This means that in those areas we have a legal mandate to take strike action. The turn-out figures in the areas that were below the 50% needed for action still place us in a strong position for negotiating with the government in those specific areas and more generally across the civil service. The PCS national executive committee (NEC) is meeting today to discuss the results and our annual delegate conference in Brighton next week will decide on the next steps in the campaign. Reports of decisions made at conference will be posted regularly on the PCS website read more
PCS members to begin industrial action at ONS (25 Apr) – The action short of a strike from 8 May will take the form of non-compliance with the mandatory return to the office directive. PCS members in the Office for National Statistics (ONS) will begin action short of a strike on 8 May over the organisation’s introduction of a mandatory workplace attendance policy. Members voted overwhelmingly for strike action and action short of strike in a ballot that closed on 2 April, in response to an instruction that staff spend at least 40% of their working time in an office, with effect from the start of April read more
Sign our petition for members in Hinduja Global Solutions to keep their jobs – 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
Harland and Wolff problems highlight serious issues with the FSSS procurement process (22 Jul) – The Government has announced that it will not guarantee a loan to Harland and Wolff, the Belfast-based shipyard read more
Firefighters at Jersey Airport to be balloted for industrial action over pensions (1 Jul) – Firefighters at Jersey Airport are to be balloted for industrial action by their trade union Prospect in a dispute over pensions read more
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
GMB
Harland & Wolff yards need long-term sustainable future (22 Jul) – GMB Union has responded to today’s statement from the Department for Business and Trade read more
Asda Wisbech faces fresh strike (22 Jul) – Workers at Wisbech have announced a fresh strike. More than 150 Asda workers will walk out of the store from 03:00 to 22:00 on Friday 2 August 2024 read more
Workers need protection in hot weather (19 Jul) – Workers need protection in soaring temperatures, GMB Union has warned. With temperatures today [19 July] set to hit potentially dangerous highs, employers need to make adjustments. GMB is calling for a legal maximum temperature for work to be set at 25°C. Currently there is a legal minimum, but no legal maximum, the union adds read more
U-Turn on Fermanagh & Omagh council job security must be stopped (18 Jul) – Fermanagh Lakeland Forum staff have been told that their jobs are at risk by Fermanagh & Omagh District Council. The latest communication to staff contradicts earlier promises that the project would not lead to job losses. GMB alongside other unions is urging FODC to make clear the situation and ensure every worker’s future is secure read more
Amazon faces legal challenge as recognition drive fails (17 Jul) – Amazon faces a legal challenge over union-busting tactics after workers drive for union recognition misses out by just a handful of votes. 49.5 per cent of the 2,600 workers who voted backed union recognition, falling short by just 28 votes. This result comes just weeks after union-busting tactics at the Coventry site were exposed when it was revealed workers had been bombarded with an unrelenting campaign of anti-union messages by company bosses, including multiple anti-union seminars. Amazon now faces an outstanding legal challenge – known as an Inducement Claim – for pressuring workers into cancelling their union membership during the ballot period read more
Unions walk out of Wiltshire Council ‘Fire & Rehire’ dispute meeting (16 Jul) – GMB and other unions’ negotiators refused to continue talks, with a ‘gun to the head’. GMB and sister unions were last week dismayed by Wiltshire Council’s continued refusal to remove the threat of ‘Fire & Rehire’ and were forced to walk out of a negotiation meeting when Council bosses refused to budge. ‘Fire & Rehire’ is the controversial practice whereby an employer effectively terminates a worker’s contract in order to re-engage them on altered – and often inferior – terms and conditions. The long-running dispute centres around the removal of contractual out-of-hours payments and has seen teams of social workers and parking wardens taking multiple days of action. The Council intends to cancel these key workers’ contracts in order to push through these contractual changes, which will result in a salary reduction of up to 20 per cent in some cases. Previous council tactics to avert strike action include an email from the former CEO which was deemed unlawful by an Employment Tribunal and was immediately followed by his resignation read more
Job Centre securty guards stage mass rally as 1,500 walk out (15 Jul) – Where: Supreme Court, Parliament Square, SW1P 3BD; When: Wednesday 17 July 2024. Assemble 1pm for March at 2pm. Job Centre security guards will stage a mass rally at the Supreme Court as 1,500 strike across the UK. The guards – employed by private outsourcing giant G4S – will then march to DWP and G4S headquarters. ore than 1,500 guards are on strike today [Monday] until Saturday 20 July across the UK read more
Briar Chemicals faces strike vote (11 Jul) – Workers at Briar Chemicals in Norwich are voting on strike action in a dispute over pay. GMB Union has been negotiating with the company since November 2023, currently the only offer on the table is for a dental plan. More than 160 workers feel they are not being taken seriously and a vote for industrial action is the only way to make the company listen. GMB members are asking for an 8 per cent pay rise over two -years. The strike ballot runs until 23 July read more
More than 250 Bentley workers back strike action (10 Jul) – Bentley car workers in Crewe have overwhelmingly backed industrial action. The vote comes after workers were offered 3.5 per cent and a one off non-consolidated payment, while bosses were offered bonuses of over £14,000. Now 86 per cent of workers have backed strike action. The employer has not come forward with any new offer to avert strike action. Management at Bentley Motors also tried to force through a new Fit for Work policy – which would have impacted sick and disabled workers. This was stopped through worker action read more
Hundreds of Medirest workers to strike at Northwick Park Hospital (10 Jul) – Hundreds of Medirest workers at Northwick Park Hospital have voted to strike. Staff are locked in a dispute over pay, conditions, disparities in contracts and a missing £1,300. GMB members – including caterers, ward hosts and porters – will walk out for several days from Friday 12 July after a majority of 97 per cent voted for industrial action. Angry Medirest workers have not been paid £1,300 from last year’s NHS pay deal – cash already paid to directly employed and some outsourced staff. They also suffer worse terms and conditions than NHS staff and have significant disparity in terms even with each other – despite often doing exact the same job. Finally, GMB has received credible reports of Medirest management intimidating members and attempting to dissuade them from taking strike action read more
Northern Ireland mass education strikes could be at an end (3 Jul) – Northern Ireland’s mass education strikes could be at an end after GMB members accepted a pay deal. More than 3,000 GMB members, including classroom assistants, drivers, bus escorts, catering staff, cleaning staff, administrative, building supervisors have taken several days of industrial action in a dispute over pay and grading. But today [Wednesday] a majority of 83 per cent of GMB Members voted to accept the new pay and grading proposal from the northern Ireland Executive. The Executive has now committed a financial package to implement Stage one of the proposal. GMB will now wait for the results of other unions’ ballots read more
Industrial action woes escalate for defence giant Rolls Royce (11 Jun) – Workers will refuse overtime work in the ongoing dispute over pay and conditions. GMB union has today announced that members at Rolls Royce’s submarine programme in Derby have backed an escalation in the ongoing industrial action facing the company. Workers will now engage in an overtime ban, meaning company managers will not be able to call on staff to fulfil already groaning order books outside of contracted hours. An overtime ban will come into place from Friday 31 May for one month read more
More than 130 NHS workers strike at Liverpool hospital (10 Jun) – More than 130 porters cleaners and catering staff will walk out today. Workers at Royal Liverpool University Hospital and Broadgreen Hospital will start day two of strike action today [Monday]. The NHS staff were employed by an arms length provider – which means they missed out on a lump sum payment given to other health worker colleagues. The strike, which could go on for another eight days, comes after their first day of action Friday (7 June) read more
Stonehenge School rocked by strike ballot (5 Jun) – Wiltshire school close to famous landmark being balloted by GMB union. GMB, the union for school support staff, is balloting members at The Stonehenge School in Amesbury, Wiltshire over changes to working practices. More than a dozen members of support staff are being balloted over changes to working practices, including additional duties interrupting the lunch breaks enjoyed by some colleagues for 17 years. The ballot opens on Monday 10 June and closes on Monday 1 July read more
Strike set to ‘decimate’ services at Orpington’s Princess Royal Hospital (28 May) – More than 100 workers at Princess Royal University Hospital are set to down tools from early morning on Wednesday 29 until midnight on Thursday 30 May.
Members of GMB, the union for healthcare workers, voted to take action over a number of workplace issues, including regularly delayed pay and non-payment of a Covid bonus paid to other colleagues on site. The striking workers are employed by the hospital’s private contractor ISS as cleaners, caterers, porters and security staff. Anyone wishing to visit the picket line can do so any time from Wednesday 29 May 00:01 to Thursday 30 May at 23:59, with a demonstration photocall between 9am and 10am on Wednesday. The demonstration will be outside the Princess Royal University Hospital, Farnborough Common, Orpington, BR6 8ND read more
Nottinghamshire hospital workers announce more strikes (24 May) – Private contractors at three of Nottinghamshire’s biggest hospitals are set for two more days of strikes. Employed by Medirest, a private contractor in Nottinghamshire’s Sherwood Forest Hospital Trust, workers are furious as company bosses refuse to keep terms and conditions in line with colleagues employed directly by the NHS. Strike action will take place from 06:00 on Thursday 30 May through to 05:59 on Saturday 01 June. Nearly three hundred workers, including porters, cleaners, security staff, catering workers and reception teams will take part in the walkout at King’s Mill, Mansfield Community and Newark Community Hospitals read more
Birmingham faces school strike escalation (22 May) – GMB Union will ballot members in 35 additional schools. Along with the thirty-five that took part in strike action earlier this month, this brings the total number of Birmingham schools facing equal pay strike distribution in the city to 70. Workers including teaching assistants, catering staff and grounds maintenance workers will take part in the ballot. The vote comes after the union slammed council bosses for delays and broken promises on settling GMB members claims for equal pay read more
BCP Council hit by GMB union strike ballot (20 May) – Council workers being balloted over non-disclosure of information relating to job re-evaluation. Members of GMB, the union for BCP Council, are now being balloted as part of a long-running dispute, centred around the council’s job re-evaluation and regrading process. The workers are based within the council’s waste, recycling and street services and are based at the Southcote Road and Hatchpond Depots. The council is aiming to harmonise pay across the council, after the coming together of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Borough Councils on 1 April 2019. Despite several meetings with GMB union since members first rejected the council proposal in mid-March, council staff are still not being allowed to see data informing them of how changes will affect them personally. The formal ballot, scrutinised by Civica, is now open and will close on Wednesday 29 May, meaning any strike action could take place as early as mid-June read more
Cheshire nuclear workers vote to strike (13 May) – Nuclear workers in Cheshire have voted to strike in a dispute over pay. Around 500 staff at the Urenco Nuclear site in Capenhurst voted for industrial action after pay talks broke down. Unions GMB, Unite and Prospect will now meet with members to discuss strike dates 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
School, early years and family centre staff in Scotland begin strike vote over pay, says UNISON (23 Jul) – Tens of thousands of staff in schools, early years education and family centres in Scotland are being balloted for strike action from today (Tuesday) in an ongoing dispute over pay, says UNISON. If staff vote in favour of action, the union says there could be closures across the country in September. UNISON announced last week that waste, recycling and street cleaning staff would be going on strike, which prompted council employers organisation Cosla to make a revised 1 year offer of 3.2%. The union say this is no better than what was already on the table and industrial action will continue. The pay dispute affects all council workers in Scotland read more
Local government strikes to go ahead despite Cosla talks, say UNISON (19 Jul) – The largest union in local government says strikes are set to go ahead after they rejected a revised pay offer in talks with the employer’s organisation Cosla today (Friday). UNISON say that in cash terms Cosla’s revised 1 year offer of 3.2% is no better than what was already on the table. The union say that waste, recycling and street cleaners in 13 councils in Scotland have voted to strike, and they will be balloting 38,000 school, early years and family centre staff next week read more
Waste, recycling and street cleaning staff to strike in 14 councils and employers in Scotland, says UNISON (17 Jul) – Waste recycling and street cleaning staff across Scotland have voted to strike in 14 councils in a dispute over pay, says UNISON today (Wednesday). The pay dispute is over what UNISON says is an inadequate pay offer and affects all council workers in Scotland read more
Recap: Three days on the Derriford picket line in Plymouth (22 Jul) – Over 140 healthcare workers were treated to warm weather and blue skies. Hundreds of healthcare workers at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth took three days strike of strike action last week in their dispute over pay. Healthcare assistants, maternity care assistants, imaging care assistants and clinical support workers at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust walked out at midnight on Wednesday 17 June for 72hours. Over 140 healthcare workers were treated to warm weather and blue skies while they stood strong on the picket line from 7am – 1pm everyday read more
Council and school workers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland asked to vote on possible strike action, says UNISON (19 Jul) – Thousands of social workers, teaching assistants, planning officers, caretakers and other school and council staff are to be asked if they’re prepared to take strike action over this year’s pay offer, says their union UNISON today (Friday). The move follows a recent consultation concerning the 2024/25 wage rise for local authority and school workers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In this vote 81% of the workers who took part opted to reject what they’d been offered. The pay offer from the local government employers was for £1,290. The wage rise was due in April. The offer has been accepted by the GMB, but not by UNISON or Unite. Ballot papers will now be sent to around 360,000 UNISON members across England and Wales, with Northern Ireland to follow later. The ballot will open on 4 September and close on 16 October read more
UK Covid-19 Inquiry shows austerity was ‘reckless self-sabotage’ (18 Jul) – The same mistakes can never be repeated. Commenting on the publication of the first report by the Covid-19 Inquiry today (Thursday), which highlights ‘significant flaws’ in the UK’s preparedness for a pandemic, UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said: “This first report shows how austerity was a reckless act of self-sabotage that fatally undermined the UK’s resilience and preparedness for a pandemic…” read more
Swindon healthcare workers balloted for strike action in row over NHS pay deal, says UNISON (17 Jul) – “These dedicated staff keep NHS services running in Swindon”. Hundreds of the lowest-paid workers at Great Western Hospital are to be balloted for strike action after being denied a pay rise worth at least £1,655, says their union UNISON today (Wednesday). An industrial action ballot will open next week (Wednesday 24 July) and could see strike action take place in the autumn. The ballot will close on Wednesday 21 August read more
Lewisham Council faces unrest over union busting, racism and £25m cuts
• Protesters slam “shocking and blatant union busting” as Lewisham Council moves to sack union reps
• Move comes as Council prepares to implement £25m of cuts
• Strike action on the cards, say union officials
Protesters gathered outside a Lewisham Council meeting on Wednesday evening in response to the Council’s attempts to sack both of its UNISON branch secretaries. Campaigners say that senior managers are using the sackings to hamstring Lewisham UNISON as the Council prepares to make £25m of cuts, with children’s services and adult social care set to take the worst hit. Justine Canady is the youngest UNISON branch secretary in the UK, and has transformed the branch since her election last year. After initially pulling back from plans to sack her, Lewisham Council is now moving ahead with the deletion of her post. The Council is also moving to sack Jay Kidd-Morton, alongside the rest of her team in the legal services department. She was previously Black Members’ Officer and had lodged a whistleblowing complaint about discriminatory practices. In an email to members earlier this month, Lewisham UNISON described the moves as “a shocking and blatant attempt at union-busting.” It added: “The Council has now moved to dismiss both of your union’s joint Branch Secretaries in exceptional circumstances, with 5 people in total likely to lose their jobs very soon. There is now a case not only of anti-trade union victimisations, but also of racism.” Union officials have stated that UNISON could move towards strike action if the sackings are not called off. The protest on Wednesday drew wide support, with trade unionists attending from across London. Solidarity greetings were read out from UNISON’s national president and its national executive. For more information, please email [email protected]
Barnet UNISON Mental Health social work strike update (16 Jul) – On Monday 15 July our members returned to work after taking 81 days of strike action. UNISON have suspended strike action and are in the process of agreeing some dates for further talks with Barnet Council read more
Send messages of support to [email protected]
‘Left behind’ Surrey and Sussex healthcare staff to strike, says UNISON (8 Jul) – More than 350 staff at Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust (SASH) will begin two days of strike action tomorrow (Tuesday) in a dispute over their employers’ failure to pay the full rate for the work they do read more
NIPSA
Branch Consultation On 2024/25 NI Civil Service Pay Claim (8 Jul) – from Carmel Gates General Secretary: The branch consultation on the pay claim for 2024/25 has now concluded and members have overwhelmingly endorsed the claim. The following claim will now be submitted to the NICS management on behalf of members in the NICS and in those ALBs that mirror NICS pay read more
Message Received Loud And Clear – Industrial Action In Health And Social Care (5 Jul) – from Kevin Kelly Assistant Secretary: Dear member, Firstly, on behalf of NIPSA and the wider membership I wish to thank all those who took part in the recent industrial action in the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust. These members set out to send a message to the Department of Health (DoH) and the Minister that staffing levels within Social Work has hit a crisis point and urgent action needs to be taken. They stood on picket lines in Lisburn, Ards and Downpatrick facing weather conditions of a typical NI summer of 4 seasons in one day. This did not deter them nor the various supporters from other Branches and HQ Staff. They followed this up with a protest to the Secretary of State’s office at Erskine House, today Friday 5 July 2024. As a result of this action the DOH have made direct contact with NIPSA and they are now seeking discussions to address these issues in a more meaningful way. This is by no means an end to the dispute but it shows that our message has been heard loud and clear and for that reason, everyone should be proud of the stance that they have taken read more
PSNI members ballot for industrial action (3 Jun) – NIPSA’s members in the PSNI are participating in a ballot for Industrial Action and Action Short of Strike Action. This is in relation to the years of stagnation whereby police staff are given significantly less than their Police Officer counterparts in what is widely known as “danger money”, formally named the “Revised Environmental Allowance” (REA). IPSA members face similar threats as their Officer counterparts on a daily basis yet are only afforded 1/7th of the financial reward of their colleagues in green. This threat is solely linked to being employed by the PSNI and our members are considered ‘legitimate targets’ by those who wish to disrupt society and threaten peace read more
Royal College of Nursing
Urgent workforce intervention needed as nursing applications fall by 27% in 3 years (18 Jul) – Government-funded nursing degrees, introduction of maintenance grants and a loan-forgiveness scheme could all support the next generation of nursing staff read more
COVID inquiry: failure to invest in nursing workforce left every care setting chronically understaffed (18 Jul) – Pandemic response was deeply flawed, stemming from a failure at the very top of governments to plan, prepare and resource health and care services effectively, says RCN 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 respond to reports on PRB pay recommendation (20 Jul) – The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) has responded to reports that the NHS Pay Review Body (PRB) has recommended an above-inflation pay rise of 5.5%. The PRB says this is in line with increases in private sector pay, that’s according to The Times today read more
BMA
Donate to support striking junior doctors
(From the Mirror) Talks begin next week to end junior doctors’ strikes as Labour gets to work (5 Jul) – As his first act in office, Wes Streeting says he has spoken to the British Medical Association (BMA) to re-start negotiations in a bid to end the dispute over pay and working conditions read more on Mirror website
(From BBC website) Hospital consultants suspend strike action in NI (19 Jul) – Senior doctors have suspended taking any strike action for now. Consultants in Northern Ireland have suspended their forthcoming industrial action. The British Medical Association (BMA) has announced that the Department of Health have put forward a credible pay offer that it wishes to explore further. The senior doctors were due to take part in a 24-hour walk out from 26 to 27 June. The decision had been voted for as part of a long-running dispute over pay read more on BBC website
Urgent action demand on pay in Northern Ireland (6 Jun) – Junior doctors begin another round of industrial activity. Junior doctors will gather at Stormont today in a rally to mark the latest round of industrial action in Northern Ireland. Hundreds of junior doctors are expected to take part in the event at the home of the Northern Ireland Assembly to call for urgent action to reverse years of real-terms pay decline read more
HCSA
Hospital doctors call for urgent implementation of Covid inquiry module 1 recommendations (18 Jul) – HCSA – the hospital doctors’ union, has issued the following statement on the release of the Covid Inquiry’s Module 1 report and recommendations read more
HCSA Consultant and SAS doctor members in Northern Ireland vote yes for strike action (17 Jul) – HCSA consultant and SAS doctor members employed by the NHS in Northern Ireland have returned a decisive Yes vote for both strike action and action short of strike on pay. Members voted 85% for strike and 100% for action short of strike read more
NEU
NSSN sends our congratulations and solidarity to Waltham Forest NEU and its members at Chingford Foundation School who have won a victory after 6 days of strike action
Graduates put off teaching by pay and workload issues (18 Jul) – NFER analysis shows: uncompetitive pay, high workload, lack of flexible working options key factors in graduates not choosing to enter the teaching profession read more
Support staff pay – Over the last two weeks, our consultation asked support staff members in state funded schools in England and Wales whether they accepted or rejected the Local Government Association (LGA) pay offer for 2024-25. In England 92 per cent voted to reject on a 49.5 per cent turnout. In Wales the vote was 96 per cent to reject on a 48.9 per cent turnout. Members had already voted in an indicative ballot to take action in pursuit of the recognised National Joint Council (NJC) unions’ (Unite, Unison and GMB) pay claim, so there was no need to ‘chase the vote’. This makes the response even more impressive and reflects the growing level of workplace organisation of support staff. Both Unison and Unite members voted to reject the offer, though GMB have accepted it. At their meeting yesterday, the national executive agreed that we should approach Unison and Unite with a view to arranging co-ordinated action. The teachers’ snap poll in September may also open up possibilities of co-ordinated action in the sector. More details and the latest support staff newsletter are available here
NASUWT
Nottingham teachers strike to protect working conditions (17 Jul) – Members of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union are taking two days of strike action at The Trinity Catholic School in Aspley, Nottingham, in response to changing working conditions which will have an adverse effect on staffing levels, planning time and class sizes. These changes will impact both on teacher workload and the education of the students read more
Wiltshire teachers strike over concerns with management (16 Jul) – Members of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union at Melksham Oak Community School in Wiltshire will strike on Wednesday 17th and Thursday 18th July over adverse management practices. Teachers at Melksham Oak are concerned for the safety and wellbeing of themselves and their pupils after a series of decisions made by senior leadership have made it increasingly difficult for the teachers to do their jobs read more
Unions join forces to fight ULT pension plans (15 Jul) – NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union, has today joined with other education unions in demanding that United Learning Trust drops its plans to encourage thousands of teachers to leave the Teachers’ Pension Scheme read more
Teacher pensions raid prompts strike action at Palmers Green school (5 Jul) – Members of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union at Palmers Green High School in Enfield are taking two days of strike action next Monday and Tuesday over attempts to erode teachers’ access to a decent pension. Teachers at the school are being asked to choose whether to accept a real-terms pay cut and stay in the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS) or agree to move into an inferior Defined Contribution pension scheme which will offer less financial security in retirement. In addition, new staff joining the school will have no option at all to join the TPS read more
Further strike action by teachers at Chester college over pensions attack (4 Jul) – Members of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union at Abbey Gate College in Chester are taking further strike action next Monday and Wednesday over attempts to make teachers choose between their pension or their pay. Teachers have taken six days of strike action in the ongoing dispute as the employer has refused to negotiate over plans to remove staff from the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS). Instead, hard working and dedicated teachers have been told that if they remain in the TPS their salaries will be reduced read more
Manchester teachers strike over sacking of union rep (24 Jun) – Members of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union are starting the first of eleven planned days of strike action tomorrow (Tuesday) at William Hulme’s Grammar School in Manchester over the decision by employers to select the NASUWT’s workplace rep for redundancy and other adverse management practices. NASUWT maintains that the employer has failed to provide a legitimate reason or business case for redundancy and that there is evidence of discrimination on the grounds of trade union membership. The dismissal of a trade union rep is the latest in a pattern of adverse management practices at the school which are impacting the wider staff. These include the way in which staff absence is being managed and the use of support plans read more
Teachers at Ealing school strike over pensions attack (18 Jun) – Members of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union at St Benedict’s School in Ealing are starting the first of eight planned days of strike action tomorrow (Wednesday) 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 scheme which will offer less security in retirement. If teachers choose to remain in the TPS they must accept a pay cut to stay in the scheme read more
Strike action in Northumberland schools over jobs threat (5 Jun) – Members of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union are starting the first of six planned days of strike action tomorrow (Thursday) at three middle schools in Northumberland where approximately 50 to 60 teachers are at threat of losing their jobs over reorganisation plans. From the outset, Northumberland County Council committed to protect staff from Job losses, but they have so far failed to honour this pledge. Northumberland County Council plans to close Glendale, Tweedmouth and Berwick Middle Schools as part of a move to a primary and secondary school system. Currently, the Council is refusing to consider either redeployment or voluntary redundancy schemes for affected teachers read more
Llangors Church In Wales primary teachers shunned by Powys LA (5 Jun) – Now in their 13th week of industrial dispute over adverse management, governance and avoidable redundancy through financial mismanagement, members of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union at Llangors Church in Wales Primary School are due to take their 11th day of strike action (Thursday 6th June). Powys County Council’s persistent failure to negotiate with NASUWT continues and the reduction of the teaching workforce is still proceeding, despite the ending of a dismissal process by compulsory redundancy of a member of staff read more
Wembley teachers strike over forced academy plans (3 Jun) – NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union is taking the first of eleven planned days of strike action tomorrow (Tuesday) at Byron Court Primary School in Wembley over plans to force the school to become an academy. Removing the school from local authority control threatens teachers’ jobs and their terms and conditions. Parents as well as school staff oppose the forcible academisation of the school, which follows an Ofsted inspection late last year and the triggering of an automatic academy order by the Department for Education read more
Cheadle teachers fight pay and pensions attack (14 May) – Members of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union at Lady Barn House School in Cheadle are taking the first of six planned days of strike action on Thursday after they were threatened with being fired from their jobs unless they accept a pay cut to retain access to the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS). The employer is threatening teachers with ‘fire and rehire’ to force through new and inferior contracts which impose a 3.5% pay cut in return for remaining in the TPS. Despite current financial forecasts from the school stating they can afford to continue paying pension contributions up to 2028, the employer has refused to delay the imposition of contractual changes on staff read more
EIS
Scotland’s College Lecturers Deliver Vote for Industrial Action as Long-Running Dispute Continues (22 Jul) – Scotland’s college lecturers have voted in favour of industrial action on pay, as the long-running national dispute continues. The statutory ballot was organised by the EIS and covers EIS Further Education Lecturers’ Association (EIS-FELA) members in colleges across Scotland. It was necessary because UK law requires industrial action mandates to be renewed every six months. In the ballot, 71% of those voting supported Action Short of Strike (ASOS) in support of the campaign for a fair pay settlement, and almost 67% supported Strike Action read more
Lecturers strike back against “deeming” of pay by college employers (1 Jul) – Lecturers at two Scottish Further Education Colleges have voted in favour of strike action in protest at college employers ‘deeming’ (i.e. withholding) pay from lecturers engaged in industrial Action Short of Strike (ASoS). Lecturers at Ayrshire College and South Lanarkshire College were balloted by the EIS, following colleges managements’ decision to withhold pay from lecturers engaged in ASoS. The result was a powerful vote in favour of strike action in protest at the action by the colleges, and in order to recover salaries withheld by deeming read more
Pay Settlement Delay Unacceptable – Statement by SNCT Teachers’ Panel (24 Jun) – The Teachers’ Panel of the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT) has met today to consider the lack of response from local authority employers, following the failure to acknowledge the Panel’s unanimous rejection of an unacceptable pay offer made at the beginning of June. The moving of the implementation date for a pay settlement to 1st August 2024 had been previously agreed, at SNCT, by both COSLA and the Scottish Government as part of the previous teachers’ pay settlement read more
Glasgow teachers vote YES to industrial action (12 Jun) – Glasgow teachers have voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action with 96% voting Yes to Action Short of Strike and 90% voting for Strike action, in a ballot organised by the EIS. The Consultative Ballot of more than 5000 EIS members in Glasgow was conducted as the next stage in the dispute the EIS lodged with Glasgow City Council (GCC) on March 15th which called for a reversal in the proposal to cut 450 teaching posts over GCC’s three-year budget read more
INTO
Non Teaching Staff Strike Action 03 June 2024 – INTO acknowledge that our sister unions must pursue their objectives in ways most appropriate to their members. The interests of INTO and our non-teaching trade unions are not dissimilar, and to be clear, the INTO supports their endeavours. Our non-teaching education staff are essential and vital to the running of our schools. Indeed, our schools simply would not function without them. Our members have reported, over many years, difficulties in recruiting and retaining staff to the many essential non-teaching roles in schools. This is directly related to their salary and how they are valued. Our children need these workers to be appropriately remunerated for the essential role they fulfil. Therefore, we stand fully behind them in this dispute and will take no steps to undermine their campaign. INTO members should not reduce the efficacy of the industrial action of classroom assistants. Our members should undertake no duties that would be untypical of that day read more
UCU
UCU welcomes call for 16-19 year old pupil premium (24 Jul) – UCU added its voice to calls for increases to further education (FE) funding to help support the most disadvantaged students. UCU welcomes call for 16-19 year old pupil premium read more
University of Portsmouth to prevent staff accessing Teacher’s Pension Scheme (23 Jul) – The University of Portsmouth wants to stop all new staff from being able to access industry standard defined benefit (DB) pension schemes. From Thursday 1 August, Portsmouth intends to employ all new staff through a wholly owned subsidiary company that will deny them access to the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) and Teacher’s Pension Scheme (TPS), enrolling them on a drastically inferior defined contribution scheme instead. The punitive pension change comes just months after the university put almost 600 (597) staff at risk of redundancy read more
Strike action announced at Goldsmiths ahead of crunch talks (15 Jul) – Staff at Goldsmiths, University of London will strike from Monday 23 to Friday 27 September 2024 in a long-running dispute over a brutal redundancy programme. UCU will also meet Goldsmiths management at ACAS later today and is demanding the university halts all compulsory redundancies so that an improved voluntary severance scheme can be explored, as per the branch’s counterproposals during the consultation process. Goldsmiths staff are also engaged in an ongoing marking and assessment boycott, which is causing significant disruption to graduations and student progression, and are balloting to extend their ability to take industrial action into the next academic year. They recently took ten days of strike action, which ended on Friday 28 June. The dispute is over the extraordinary cuts the university is set to make. Over 130 staff were originally set to be made redundant, including more than one in six academics. This has now fallen to 97 who remain at risk of losing their jobs before the start of the next academic year in September. Goldsmiths has been criticised for trying to close its Black British literature course and for the impact of its cuts on the arts and humanities. UCU is also engaged in a global academic boycott of the institution and is calling on members, university workers, trade unionists, and supporters worldwide to boycott the university read more
UCU sends its solidarity to teachers at the British Council Taiwan balloting over low pay (13 Jun) – On behalf of the 125,000 members of the University and College Union in the United Kingdom, we send solidarity greetings to our colleagues in the Teachers at the British Council Taiwan regarding your current strike ballot over pay read more
Staff vote to strike at University of Lincoln over job cuts (6 Jun) – UCU has today announced that members at the University of Lincoln have voted to take industrial action over drastic cuts to over 200 jobs. 80% of members who voted supported industrial action, on a turnout of 55%. Dates for strikes will be announced in due course, but may be as soon as next month which could impact clearing and open days. The looming threat targets over 220 employees across the university, including one in ten academic staff. This is despite the most recent accounts showing that in 2022/23 the university ran a £3m operating surplus and had £46m in cash reserves read more
University of Winchester staff to strike tomorrow (3 Jun) – University of Winchester staff will strike tomorrow over brutal job cuts. Staff will be picketing the university from 8am tomorrow morning. They will then begin action short of strike on Wednesday (5 June), including working to rule and refusing to cover for absent colleagues. The action follows an overwhelming 79% of UCU members voting to strike on a turnout of 59% in a fight against plans to cut around 40 academic staff and increase workloads. UCU fears the changes will lead to unmanageable working hours read more
Staff vote to strike at Sheffield Hallam University over ‘vicious job cuts’ (3 Jun) – UCU today announced that members at Sheffield Hallam University have voted to strike over drastic cuts and erosion of terms and conditions. 87% of members who voted have supported industrial action, on a turnout of 53%. Dates for strikes will be announced in due course. UCU has accused the university of pushing ahead with expensive building projects and satellite campuses, while launching a wholesale attack on staff and students through an unprecedented cuts programme, severely breaching the post-92 contract and national framework, and destroying working conditions read more
UCU fighting fund: the link is here and donations to the fund are spent on supporting members involved in important disputes.
FBU
Fire Brigades Union responds to damning report into Oxfordshire fire service (25 Jul) – The Fire Brigades Union has responded to the latest inspection report into Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service. Released today, the report by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) finds Oxfordshire fire service “requiring improvement” in four key areas. The service also failed to meet its own targets for responding to fires, with the time taken for the first fire engine to arrive at a fire having increased to 11 minutes and 10 seconds from 10 minutes and 35 seconds. This is above the national average of 9 minutes and 13 seconds. The report outlines failures to promote the “right values and culture”, with staff reporting being shouted at by managers at work when struggling. The service was not rated above “adequate” in any performance area read more
Whip must be restored to two-child cap rebels, says firefighters’ union (24 Jul) – Labour has withdrawn the whip from seven MPs who voted for an amendment to scrap the two child cap on benefits last night. Matt Wrack, Fire Brigades Union general secretary, said: 1.6 million children are affected by the two child cap, and 300,000 childen live in poverty as a result of it. The UK is a rich country with ample resources for everyone to live a decent life. The seven MPs who voted to scrap the cap spoke for millions of trade union members and many Labour Party members. Keir Starmer must restore the whip to them immediately.” Read more
FBU hails end of “living nightmare” of Bibby Stockholm barge (24 Jul) – The government has announced that the Bibby Stockholm barge will no longer host asylum seekers from January. Matt Wrack, Fire Brigades Union general secretary, said: The Bibby Stockholm must be consigned to history along with the cruelty it represents. The Fire Brigades Union warned that the barge was a potential death trap – these dangerous and inhumane conditions must never be recreated. The asylum seekers forced on board have endured a living nightmare and should be provided with appropriate accommodation immediately. Labour must leave the Conservative’s divisive legacy behind and put an end to attacks on refugees.” Read more
Firefighters’ union urges MPs to back King’s Speech amendments (19 Jul) – With the government set to face challenges to the King’s Speech next week, the Fire Brigades Union has urged MPs to back amendments on repealing the child benefit cap, ending arms sales to Israel, and for public ownership of water read more
Firefighters urge Starmer to invest in public safety two years on from UK’s ever hottest day (19 Jul) – T wo years on from the UK’s hottest ever day, the Fire Brigades Union has issued call on the new Labour government to “urgently invest in the fire service to protect public safety”. The call comes as a yellow heat alert is issued for parts of England. Since 2010, the fire and rescue service has lost 1 in 5 firefighter jobs and more than 30% of its central government funding. As climate change accelerates, firefighters are warning that a failure to put resources back into the fire service could cost lives read more
Firefighters urge Starmer to invest in public safety two years on from UK’s ever hottest day (19 Jul) – Two years on from the UK’s hottest ever day, the Fire Brigades Union has issued call on the new Labour government to “urgently invest in the fire service to protect public safety”. The call comes as a yellow heat alert is issued for parts of England. Since 2010, the fire and rescue service has lost 1 in 5 firefighter jobs and more than 30% of its central government funding. As climate change accelerates, firefighters are warning that a failure to put resources back into the fire service could cost lives read more
Fire Brigades Union responds to Covid inquiry report with call for funding (18 Jul) – The UK Covid-19 Inquiry has published its Module 1 report, confirming the impact of austerity on pandemic preparedness read more
Merseyside fire authority postpones vote on “dangerous” crewing policy after firefighters’ uproar (26 Jun) – FBU members gathered outside Merseyside fire authority meeting. Merseyside fire authority has today postponed a vote on proposals to send firefighters to incidents in crews of three on a fire engine, as firefighters rallied outside the meeting in opposition to the “dangerous” policy. The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) says that a minimum number of five firefighters is needed to respond to incidents safely and professionally. A fire engine with three firefighters on board cannot deploy breathing apparatus and must wait for back-up to arrive to safely respond to a range of incidents, including when lives are at risk. FBU representatives, including general secretary Matt Wrack, attended this afternoon’s fire authority meeting, voicing opposition to crews of three as well as the Community Risk Management Plan outlining the removal of watch managers from fire engines and reintroducing downgraded ‘small fires units’, which the union argues will put firefighters at greater risk. The Labour Party has committed to national standards for fire and rescue in its manifesto, including firefighter crewing levels. The fire authority has said that proposals will be discussed at the next fire authority meeting, which will take place on a date after the general election read more
POA
Prison Service Pay Review Body Recommendations 2024 (23 Jul) – I am sure you are all aware of the leaks at the weekend in the media regarding the pay review bodies for Education and NHS workers and the speculation around what has been recommended for those workers. The leaks may or may not be correct, but they are far from helpful, and I do know that those unions involved have no further information as to the accuracy of the media reports and the government response read more
Pay Review Body 2020, Judicial Review Application (9 Jul) – On 7 April 2022 the Court of Appeal refused the POA permission to appeal against a judgment dismissing a judicial review application. That application argued, among other matters, that the decision announced on 10 December 2020 to reject a recommendation made by Prison Service Pay Review Body (‘PSPRB’) was a breach of article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights. Article 11 deals with the freedom of association and assembly which includes the exercise of trade union related rights. Following the decision of the Court of Appeal, the POA instructed lawyers to apply to the European Court of Human Rights arguing that there has been a breach of article 11 read more
National Chair update June 2024 read more
NAPO
Enough is enough – a consultative ballot on pay and workloads read more
How to vote in the Consultative Ballot – NAPO’s consultative ballot on pay and workloads closes at 12 noon on Friday 5th July and we have made some improvements to the voting process which should make it quicker and easier for you to get involved read more
BFAWU
Support the campaign to unionise Samworth Brothers – get organised, sign the petition read more
BALPA
Bristow Helicopters Dispute Update Statement (16 May) – In response to the latest Bristow Helicopters statement to media, BALPA General Secretary Amy Leversidge said: “We appreciate Bristow Helicopters management finally acknowledging that pilots and tech crews are critical to the success of the company and indicating they want to come back to the table to negotiate with us. However, they need to accept that in a ballot of our members 95% rejected the current offer on the table. After the ballot we entered back into ACAS talks and after over a week of trying to get movement from Bristow management they tabled an offer that was virtually indistinguishable from the rejected offer. There is no confusion or misunderstanding on our part, our members are clear and resolute – we need an offer that is just focused on pay and is not reliant on reducing terms and conditions…” read more
Nautilus International
RFA: industrial action gets MOD back around the table (26 Jun) – Nautilus members at the RFA began industrial action after 14 years of pay austerity, which has seen their salaries drop by 30% in real terms due to inflation. Image: Nautilus International. The Ministry of Defence has agreed to return to the negotiating table with Nautilus International following industrial action short of strike by members at the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA). For 25 days Nautilus members have undertaken work responsibilities commensurate with their job title and have not provided cover or acted in a capacity above or below their job title. The industrial action has affected ordinary operations across the RFA flotilla and shore-based establishments. Nautilus members continue to work as normal during active operations and continue to work in full compliance with all safety guidelines and policies read more
NUJ
Broadcasting funding plan fails to address core issue, says NUJ (24 Jul) – The National Union of Journalists has expressed “grave disappointment” at the decision of the Irish government to retain the current TV licence system while welcoming increased funding for RTÉ read more
NUJ says cuts to BBC will harm quality and breadth of news (23 Jul) – The corporation’s annual report shows a drop in licence fee revenue and a move to becoming a “leaner” organisation read more
NUJ condemns vile abuse of reporter (19 Jul) – The union has condemned the vile online abuse of a reporter employed by Reach Ireland following her coverage of the court appearance of several individuals charged with incidents at Coolock, Dublin recently arising from anti migrant protests. The journalist has been subjected to threats and online abuse and has had to seek Garda assistance read more
NUJ granted leave to join covert surveillance case at Investigatory Powers Tribunal (18 Jul) – The union will be able to enter evidence in the hearing into the cases taken by journalists Barry McCaffrey and Trevor Birney arising from surveillance revealed in the aftermath of unlawful police activity read more
NUJ describes the Wall Street Journal’s sacking of Hong Kong Journalists’ Association chair as “shocking” (18 Jul) – Michelle Stanistreet said the newspaper’s action flies in the face of its claim to be a beacon for press freedom read more
Equity
Save Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club (22 Jul) – Equity is campaigning to save the iconic London venue. Equity is campaigning to save Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club (BGWMC) which is threatened with closure. We have launched an online petition urging the BGWMC committee to halt plans to close the iconic London venue which is home to drag and cabaret events read more
*Emergency Rally* Save Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club! – Monday 29 July 12pm Midday Outside Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club, Pollard Row, E2
10,000 sign petition to save Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club (25 Jul) – A petition launched by Equity to save Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club has gathered over 10,000 signatures read more
Musicians’’ Union
Union Members Vote Yes to Potential Strike Action at Welsh National Opera (17 Jul) – Welsh National Opera’s orchestra have voted overwhelmingly in favour of potential strike action, in response to proposals that would reduce the employment of the orchestra from a full-time to 85% contract, along with a 15% pay cut read more
Protect Welsh National Opera: Sign the Petition Now – Musicians at Welsh National Opera orchestra are campaigning to keep the orchestra full time and secure the company’s future read more
RWCMD Petition Hits 10,000 Signatures and is Discussed at Senedd Petitions Committee (4 Jul) – More leading figures from music and the arts sign the Union’s open letter in support of Young RWCMD, as the Senedd Petitions Committee call for urgent action to protect the programme read more
Protect the Junior RWCMD department: Sign the Petition – Members at the Junior RWCMD department are campaigning to keep the college’s junior music and drama programmes open read more
Community
New era for working people welcomed (23 Jul) – Community General Secretary Roy Rickhuss has hailed the beginning of a new era for working people following a landmark meeting in Downing Street today. Roy Rickhuss joined fellow Labour-affiliated union leaders for a meeting with the Labour Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister this afternoon read more
Meeting with Business Secretary to discuss Tata Steel (10 Jul) – Today the steel unions met with the new Business Secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, to discuss the urgent situation at Tata Steel UK read more
Union votes for strike action over Tata job losses (9 May) – Community said 85% of its members backed industrial action. Members of the largest steelworkers’ union, Community, have voted in favour of industrial action over Tata Steel’s restructuring plans. The union said 85% of those who voted supported the move. Workers were balloted after Tata Steel announced 2,800 job losses across the UK as part of the closure of Port Talbot’s blast furnaces and a transition to greener steelmaking read more on BBC website
USDAW
Shoplifting up by 13% in Northern Ireland, having doubled since Covid – Usdaw calls for a protection of shop workers’ law (25 Jul) – Retail trade union Usdaw is deeply concerned by the latest recorded crime statistics from the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) showing a further 13.4% uplift in shoplifting in the year to the end of June. That amounts to a doubling since the pandemic with shoplifting incidents rising from 4,464 in 2020/21 to 8,890, according to the latest figures read more
Northern Ireland retail staff and employers jointly call for a protection of shop workers’ law after shoplifting doubles (23 Jul) – Retail trade union Usdaw and the employers’ organisation Northern Ireland Retail Consortium (NIRC) have jointly written to Naomi Long MLA, Minister of Justice, urging action to protect retail workers from violence and abuse, amid a huge increase in the number of incidents in recent years read more
UVW
Private school cleaners fight cuts in hours and pay (15 Jul) – “I can’t believe they have cut our pay. It is blackmail what they’re doing – forcing us to agree to a cut in hours or a cut in pay. I don’t feel valued. I feel outraged. We are people. They don’t treat us like people. (…) We will fight back with everything, we are fighting for our rights and the rights of anyone else who ever works in this company. The fight is not just for me. It is for everyone” – Nelsa Jimenez, a cleaner at JAGs. Cleaners at the prestigious £24,000-a-year private school James Allen’s Girls’ School (JAGS) in Dulwich, London, are in a fierce battle against severe pay cuts and slashed hours. The unlawful 12% reduction, from £13.15 to £11.55 per hour, came without warning on July 9, immediately after a historic unanimous strike vote—the first ever among JAGS cleaners, finalised on July 5. The abrupt pay cut has devastated the hard-working cleaners, many of whom have faithfully served the school for over a decade. Already among the lowest-paid at the school, they now face an even more dire financial situation, barely above minimum wage read more
IWGB
Find out more about the couriers’ strikes on the X/twitter of the IWGB Couriers’ branch @IWGB_CLB
Mandate (Ireland)
The Day 10 Workers Changed the World – The Dunnes Stores Anti-Apartheid Strike (19 Jul) – This day 40 years ago (19th July 1984) one of the most iconic strikes in history took place on Henry Street in Dublin. Ten young Dunnes Stores workers, aged between 17 and 24, refused to handle goods from apartheid South Africa because of how their government treated black people. This courageous and selfless act led to a strike lasting two years and nine months read more
SIPTU (Ireland)
SIPTU win 21% pay increase for craft workers employed in the motor industry (Jul 25) – SIPTU has agreed a new three-year pay deal with the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI), the national trade association for the motor industry, which secures a 21% increase in wages for craft workers employed across the sector over the next three years read more
SIPTU members disagree with Government’s planned funding model for RTÉ (Jul 24) – SIPTU members employed in RTÉ have made clear that they do not agree with the Government’s plan, announced today regarding the future funding of the national broadcaster read more
Minister Ryan refuses to meet with Bord na Móna recycling workers (Jul 24) read more
National Advocacy Service Staff pause Strike Action for talks (Jul 22) – National Advocacy Service staff brought their protest to outside the constituency office of the Taoiseach, Simon Harris, in Wicklow last week to highlight their demand that a Labour Court recommendation on their pay and conditions is respected so they can return to work assisting vulnerable people with disabilities read more
The Laundry Strike (21 Jul) – In 1945, women laundry workers went on strike for a second week’s holiday. The strike took place in the summer of 1945 and it lasted for 14 weeks. It involved around 1,500 workers and affected 14 laundries in Dublin. This week’s Sunday Read is dedicated to them and all the women of the IWWU read more
New HSE recruitment policy means 2023 vacancies are now lost (18 Jul) – The ICTU group of healthcare unions representing staff in the HSE has said it remains concerned over the ability of the national health body to staff its services adequately, as the HSE’s latest staffing strategy shows that vacancies up to the end of 2023 have been effectively suppressed read more
Other news
SAT 27 JULY: DEMONSTRATE: Unite against fascist Tommy Robinson in London (Promoted by Stand Up To Racism) – assemble 12noon Russel Square London WC1HB 5EH details
Affiliate with STAMMA – at this year’s NSSN Conference, Gary Clark retired CWU Royal Mail rep and a member of the NSSN Steering Committee spoke about 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
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
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. The next central London protest in on Saturday 3rd August, assemble 12noon Park Lane
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)
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:
Strike announced to defend unfairly sacked member (22 May) – Further to my previous Circular (IR/123/24, 19th April 2024), all RMT members at Oxford Circus Area are congratulated for standing firm together against injustice during the strike action from 3rd to 4th May. Gerald’s appeal hearing has now taken place but regrettably, LUL upheld the decision to dismiss him rather than taking action to rightly resolve this dispute. This matter has been considered by the National Executive Committee, which has taken the decision to instruct all RMT members at Oxford Circus Area to take strike action and NOT TO BOOK ON FOR SHIFTS THAT COMMENCE BETWEEN: 00:01 hours on Friday 28th June until 23:59 hours on Saturday 29th June 2024. The NEC has also taken the decision to escalate this dispute and ballot all other Station Grades members in the Bakerloo South Cover Group Area. Ballot papers were sent to members at Charing Cross Area, Elephant & Castle Area and Piccadilly Circus Area on Wednesday 15th May and these ballots will close on Thursday 30th May. I will keep Branches advised of all further developments 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
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
RMT stands in solidarity with Australian building workers (19 Jul) – Specialist transport union RMT stands in solidarity with the Construction Division of the Construction Forestry Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU) in Australia which is facing attacks from the media and the government. The effective shutdown of CFMEU activities in defence of its members following trial by media is an attack on an organisation committed to winning a better deal for working people read more
Serbia: Yura must stop union-busting and negotiate (20 Jul) read more
Georgia: Support striking workers at Evolution Gaming 21 Jul) read more
Bangladesh: journalist killed at protest (24 Jul) – The National Union of Journalists has joined the International Federation of Journalists in strong condemnation of the killing of a journalist amid ongoing protests read more on NUJ website
Palestine: IFJ and PJS launch first media solidarity centre in Khan Younis (23 Jul) read more on NUJ website
Russia: NUJ condemns journalists’ imprisonment (25 Jul) read more on NUJ website
Solidarity with the striking textile workers at Ozak in Turkey – read more on Twitter of Solidarity with the People of Turkey @spotturkey
Diary
2024
September
8 NSSN TUC Congress Rally & Lobby – 1pm The Old Ship Hotel Brighton
October
5 Troublemakers At Work Conference Central Hall in Manchester details
CONTACT US
PHONE 07952 283 558
EMAIL mailto:[email protected]
TWITTER – https://twitter.com/NSSN_AntiCuts
FACEBOOK NSSN GROUP or STOP The CUTS Likes page
ADDRESS NSSN, PO Box 54498, London E10 9DE