This week, we headline the NSSN bulletin with the strike by NEU members in Sixth Form Colleges on 28 November, 3 December and 4 December. Please support these strikes and all the others that are publicised in our weekly NSSN bulletins.
NEU: Sixth form college strike days announced (13 Nov) – Following a resounding 97% vote in favour of strike action by National Education Union members who teach in sixth form colleges, strike days have been announced across 32 colleges on the following dates: 28 November, 3 December and 4 December 2024. Despite efforts by the NEU to resolve the dispute through clarification from the Secretary of State for Education that non-academised sixth form colleges could utilise the additional funding allocated to the sector in the budget for staff pay, no such clarification has been received. Academised sixth form colleges had previously received funding to implement the same 5.5% pay award as announced for school teachers read more (including which colleges are striking)
- Post-picket rally, from 12-1pm on the first day of action, on Thursday 28 November, outside the Department for Education (DfE) building in central London (20 Great Smith St, London SW1P 3BT)
NEU: SFCA judicial review (15 Nov) – All sixth form colleges should be allowed to spend additional funding on staff pay read more
(This coming week’s NEU strikes can be found in the NEU section in the ‘Union News’ part of our bulletin)
Please sign and share the following petitions:-
- RMT: Sign petition: To Neil McNicholas – Managing Director Unipart Rail: Tell Unipart Rail to stop De-recognition of RMT Union
- Unite: Support the sacked TGI Fridays workers: Sign this petition
- Unite: Please sign this letter to Lizzie Hieron, chief customer officer: Shame on Sanctuary – Rents up, bills up. Wages down. Fair pay and union recognition now! Support Sanctuary Housing repair workers!
- Unite: Sign this petition – Striking Haringey housing workers need a pay rise now!
- Stand with PCS reps at Benton Park View, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne
- BFAWU: Stop the job cuts at Morrisons’s Rathbones bakery in Wakefield
- BFAWU: Write to the Morrisons Board
Unions must keep the pressure on for a real Workers’ New Deal and Budget – no new austerity
The NSSN headlined our recent bulletin on the Labour Government’s unveiling of its Employment Rights Bill. We welcome any improvements in workers’ rights in this bill, which is due to come into effect in 2026.
We also welcome the commitment to repeal the most recent Tory anti-union legislation, namely the Minimum Service Levels Act and the Trade Union Act. The latter law enshrines the undemocratic 50% industrial action ballot voting thresholds. However, we call on the Government, with its overwhelming majority of nearly 160, to enact emergency legislation to immediately abolish these brutal laws.
But we also call for the bill to go much further. The POA should have the right to strike for its prison officer members restored. And, all the Tory anti-union laws going back to Thatcher and Major should be repealed.
These laws and their attack on the ability of unions to act collectively outline the main weakness of the Government’s bill.
As Professor Keith Ewing and Lord John Hendy KC have stated in their article in the Morning Star: “The bitter truth is that what working people (half the total population of Britain — with most of the rest dependent on them) need is not more individual rights, welcome as they may be, but greater power. Power to have a real say over the pay, terms and conditions on which they work. That means freeing the trade unions from the shackles imposed in six Acts of Parliament by Thatcher’s crew in the 1980s and ’90s. No-one else will represent workers. And to do that job unions need the power, when necessary, to organise industrial action and compel employers to bargain with them. What is also needed is a framework of laws which support collective bargaining and decent terms and conditions…Much of the Bill is thus about individual employment rights…There are welcome new employment rights and improvements of existing rights. But it does not do nearly enough to remove the restraints on trade unions or to give them the powers they need to make a significant difference to the lives of the millions of workers who are without a voice at work.”
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham has said: “This Bill is without doubt a significant step forward for workers but stops short of making work pay…Failure to end fire a rehire and zero hours contracts once and for all will leave more holes than Swiss cheese that hostile employers will use. The Bill also fails to give workers the sort of meaningful rights to access a union for pay bargaining that would put more money in their pockets and, in turn, would aid growth. Unite will continue to make the workers’ voice heard as we push for improvements to the legislation as the Bill goes through parliament.”
It is essential that the union movement scrutinises the proposed legislation in order to demand that it is strengthened. We also demand a Workers’ Budget – no new austerity, make the rich pay not workers.
The annual TUC Congress in September passed an EIS-led composite motion: ‘End of the hostile environment towards workers and unions’ which included an amendment from PCS – “Congress notes the Labour Party’s 2024 general election manifesto committed to implementing ‘Labour’s Plan to Make Work Pay: Delivering a New Deal for Working People’ in full – introducing legislation within 100 days. If the government has not legislated within the first hundred days, a special TUC congress will be called to discuss next steps.”
Such a congress would be an important tool for the unions and their members to draw a balance sheet about the bill and the plan of action needed to fight for a real Workers’ New Deal and Budget.
The Campaign for Trade Union Freedom is holding TWO on-line only webinars on the Employment Rights Bill during the Autumn 2024, looking at what’s good in the Bill and also looking to campaign on the Employment Bill’s shortcomings.
Webinar 1 – Thursday 21st November at 6:00 pm
Speakers: Jo Grady – General Secretary, University & College Union
Prof Keith Ewing – Campaign for Trade Union Freedom
Lord John Hendy KC – Campaign for Trade Union Freedom
Chair: Carolyn Jones – Campaign for Trade Union Freedom
To register for this event Webinar 1 click here:
or paste in this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_o295k-UWSjGUgfXMQcIvsQ
Webinar 2 – Thursday 12th December at 6:00 pm
Speakers: Fran Heathcote – General Secretary, Public & Commercial Services Union
Prof Keith Ewing – Campaign for Trade Union Freedom
Lord John Hendy KC – Campaign for Trade Union Freedom
Chair: Tony Burke – Campaign for Trade Union Freedom
To register for this event Webinar 2 click here:
or paste in this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_KkwLdVXwQDKmpggLBolsLw
From Strike Map: London book launch & social: A Manual of Industrial Unionism – Join the exciting launch of our reprint of A Manual of Industrial Unionism by William Z Foster 6.30pm on 29 November at Marx Memorial Library more details
Strike Map data report launch – 6pm 5th December Mechanics Institute 103 Princess St, Manchester M1 6DD. Speakers: Sarah Woolley (BFAWU), Dr. Emma Runswick (BMA) as well as the report writers Dr. Stephen Mustchin and Dr. Andy Hodder. Strike Map invites you to a very a special launch of the strike data that they have collected for 2023. This report has been written by Dr. Andy Hodder (University of Birmingham) and Dr. Stephen Mustchin (University of Manchester) and is the first analysis of all the strike data we have been capturing. It will review the data and link it to other sources such as the Office For National Statistics (ONS). All those attending in person will get a copy of the report to take away
Organise Now, are leading a campaign to organise the coffee shop and bakery chain, GAIL’s – they have just announced a week of action on 25 November- 1 December. Click here to join this campaign and sign up for one of the volunteer briefings later this month
TUC: Join the workplace day of action on Thursday 28th November calling for immediate ceasefire in Gaza – The TUC and unions are supporting the workplace day of action calling for an immediate ceasefire, on 28 November. Members are encouraged to liaise with your union about solidarity actions in their own workplaces. Tens of thousands of trade unionists in Britain have already carried out an array of solidarity actions
The next national demonstrations are:-
Saturday 23rd November – ‘All Scotland demo: Stop all arms sales to Israel’ – assemble 11.30am by the McLennan Arch in Glasgow Green
Saturday 30th November – ‘National demo for Palestine – end the genocide – hands off Lebanon’ – assemble 12noon Park Lane, London
More info on these and other demos, see Stop the War website
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
RMT condemns re-privatisation of Elizabeth Line (19 Nov) – RMT has criticised the decision to reprivatise the Elizabeth Line after GTS Rail Operations Limited won a bid to run the London rail service. GTS was awarded the lucrative contract, meaning that profits will leave the capital and subsidise shareholders making millions at the expense of Londoners. The union also warned Mayor of London Sadiq Khan that he is creating an “island of privatisation” within London’s rail network at a time when much of the UK’s railway is transitioning back into public ownership. Last year, the Elizabeth Line saw £7.6 million in private dividends flow out of the network—an amount equivalent to a 2.4% reduction in passenger fares. Continuing down the privatisation path risks further short-changing passengers and undermining the financial sustainability of the capital’s transport system, said the union read more
Rail for London Infrastructure strike to go ahead after bosses refuse to negotiate (15 Nov) – RMT members working for Rail for London Infrastructure (RFLI) will go on strike Saturday, after the company failed to meet with the union to resolve a raft of serious issues. The 24-hour walkout will begin at 6:00am on Saturday and finish at 5:59am on Sunday this weekend, affecting critical infrastructure repairs and maintenance across the network read more
RMT accuses ScotRail of deception over true scale of ticket office cuts (15 Nov) – Rail union RMT, has accused ScotRail of misleading the public over the true scale of proposed cuts to ticket office hours. Despite ScotRail’s claims that only 54 stations would be affected, RMT analysis reveals that 101 stations – or 70% of the network’s staffed locations – will face significant reductions in ticket office hours, jeopardising the safety, accessibility, and quality of passenger service across Scotland. ScotRail’s public claims fall far short of the reality, with an additional 47 stations set to lose critical ticket office hours. ScotRail claims that staffing levels will be maintained. However, RMT warns that these cuts leave no guarantee for future staffing, as ticket offices are the only regulated staffing requirement at stations. Closing these offices opens the door for staffing reductions by stealth, with no obligation for ScotRail to consult the public read more
RMT suspends tube strikes after significantly improved offer (1 Nov) – An RMT spokesperson said: “Following intense negotiations with London Underground management and a significantly improved offer, we have suspended the strikes scheduled to start this evening. London Underground have sensibly abandoned their proposed changes to pay structures which now means all our members will receive the same value in any pay award. Further discussions will take place next week regarding the pay offer but progress has been made which would not have been possible without the fortitude and industrial strength of our 10,000 members on London Underground.” Read more
Unipart Rail’s threats fail to intimidate workers (31 Oct) – RMT members defied unlawful threats by Unipart Rail management by going on strike today over a union recognition dispute. Unipart workers at the Crewe site have a legal mandate to strike in response to the disgraceful decision to derecognise RMT by the company. Despite this lawful vote, Unipart managers reportedly forced the entire workforce into meetings earlier this week, warning that anyone joining the picket line would face disciplinary action. Staff were also reportedly required to sign an attendance sheet to confirm they understood these threats. RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch said: “Unipart Rail’s threats to dismiss our members for exercising their democratic right to strike are an outrage and a clear attack on all workers. We will not sit back while our members are threatened and bullied in this disgraceful manner…” read more. Sign petition: To Neil McNicholas – Managing Director Unipart Rail: Tell Unipart Rail to stop De-recognition of RMT Union
DLR security and revenue protection workers strike (23 Oct) – DLR security and revenue protection workers striking in support of unfairly sacked colleague. RMT members working in security and revenue protection for ISS on the Docklands Light Railway are on strike today, in protest against the unfair dismissal of Mmaduka Joshua Obi. Mr Obi, an RMT representative with 15 years of service, was unjustly sacked for defending the rights of his colleagues by the company and the union will not stand for it. The union says he is a victim of a third party dismissal where KeolisAmey Docklands (KAD) who run the DLR insisted that his employer ISS remove him from the contract. This is despite the fact a full investigation by ISS found that Mr Obi should continue in his role
RFA take two days strike action (3 Oct) – Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) seafarers are set to strike on Friday 4 October and Tuesday 8 October due to a long running dispute over pay. While discussions between the RMT union and the Ministry of Defence have been constructive, no satisfactory offer has been made. Further talks are scheduled to take place next week in an effort to resolve the dispute. During the strike, all RFA workers will be standing down from their duties, though essential safety measures—such as monitoring moorings and gangways—will remain in place read more
Heathrow Express 48-hour strike action begins on Monday (20 Sept) – Heathrow Express staff will take 48 hours of strike action, from Monday, in response to a pay offer that was overwhelmingly rejected by members. Despite multiple attempts to resolve the dispute, members will take the action next week read more
ASLEF
Dignity for Drivers – access to toilets at work (19 Nov) – Everyone should be able to use toilet and hygiene facilities when they need to, but for many train drivers that isn’t the case during the working day. That’s why ASLEF is launching our report and campaign Dignity for Drivers to mark World Toilet Day today. World Toilet Day is a UN day of action to raise awareness of the millions of people who do not have safe access to clean toilets and hygiene facilities. Train drivers are among thousands of transport workers worldwide who continue to have to fight for appropriate toilet access during the working day read more
Our unity is burned on their minds (14 Nov) – Colleagues, for the last six weeks, and more, the Leader of the Opposition, Rishi Sunak, has raised the issue of drivers’ salaries at Prime Minister’s Questions – not the political dispute his Conservative Party started, and lost, and not the serial bad faith we endured under him and the tenure of so many other Tory Prime Ministers in recent years. It seems we live permanently in their minds – to the extent that they falsely conflate the sum it cost to resolve the dispute with the winter fuel allowance, and not the £2 billion the dispute cost the British economy, which happened on their watch; never mind all the other industry disputes with other working people that also took place while the Tories were in power. I hope your solidarity and unity is burned on their dissolute, deceitful and corrupt memories forever read more
Tube strikes called off after union talks (5 Nov) – Planned strikes on the London Underground have been suspended following talks over pay between the Aslef union and Transport for London (TfL). Industrial action was due to begin on Thursday and a walkout was also planned for next Tuesday. Aslef said it had been given a “significantly improved” pay offer by London Underground management and it would discuss that offer with union members on Thursday read more on BBC website
TSSA
TSSA heralds passing of ‘landmark’ Railways Public Ownership Bill (20 Nov) – Rail union TSSA has hailed as a ‘landmark’ the passing of the Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill which will see the transfer of passenger rail services in Great Britain into public hands. TSSA has been at the forefront of a decades long campaign to end the privatisation of the railways and today’s passage of the legislation through the House of Lords means it now only needs Royal Assent to become law read more
TSSA calls on London Mayor to ‘think again’ over Elizabeth Line (20 Nov) – Rail union TSSA has called on the Mayor of London and Transport for London to reconsider after it emerged that the running of the Elizabeth Line – the major east to west rail line across London and beyond – has been awarded to a new private operator. TSSA members work in station staff grades – key hands on operational roles essential to the running of the railway read more
Scottish Labour correct over winter fuel payments – TSSA (19 Nov) – Labour affiliated union TSSA has backed Scottish Labour’s pledge to reintroduce universal winter fuel payments for pensioners and called on Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves to think again. The move by the party at Holyrood stands in contrast to the announcement by the Labour government in Westminster to means test the payment read more
Passengers need train station ticket staff – TSSA response to rail prosecutions review (13 Nov) – TSSA today welcomed Louise Haigh’s announcement today that the Office for Rail and Road (ORR) will be carrying out an independent review of prosecutions and enforcements for rail fare evasion read more
Unite
‘Save Grangemouth – Scotland’s Last Oil Refinery’: From the Workplace to the Capital – 28th November, Assemble 10 am, Johnston Terrace to Holyrood free transport details
Unite holds Labour government to account over Grangemouth and launches survival plan (18 Nov) – New union plan proves refinery could become bio-fuels hub for Britain – saving thousands of jobs. Grangemouth transition to SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) production would be a huge net zero achievement for Britain and also a vital strategic asset. Unite, the UK’s leading union, which represents the workforce at Grangemouth, has written to energy secretary Ed Miliband demanding action on Grangemouth. In September, Grangemouth’s owners Petroineos announced that it intended to close the only refinery in Scotland with the loss of over 400 directly employed jobs, in the second quarter of 2025. The closure would also result in thousands more jobs being lost in the company’s supply chain read more
BREAKING NEWS!! Plymouth care staff to strike over being forced to work twice for pay (22 Nov) – Shortfall shift system means vital care workers made to work unpaid. Essential care workers at Plymouth council are to take strike action for the first time due to disgraceful management practices at the Independence @ Home (I@H) department. Workers at I@H provide support and care across the city for vulnerable adults at all times of day and night. They care for adults with mental health issues, substance addictions and terminal illnesses read more
Greater Manchester braced for bus and tram passenger service strike disruption (21 Nov) – Transport for Greater Manchester workers vote for industrial action after years of falling wages. Around 200 bus and tram network workers employed by Transport for Greater Manchester (TGM) have voted in favour of strike action over pay. The predominantly low paid workers are angry at having suffered years of below inflation pay rises that have resulted in their wages falling in real terms. The workers have rejected an offer of a £1,290 pay increase and are demanding a rise that reflects the increased cost of living and reverses the fall in the value of their wages…Strike action will be announced in the coming days and will impact ticketing, passenger assistance and information services across the Greater Manchester bus and tram network read more
Wrexham Oscar Mayer workers vote to extend fire and rehire strikes (21 Nov) – Huge 97 per cent vote in favour of escalating industrial action. Wrexham Oscar Mayer strikes will intensify after nearly 600 workers overwhelmingly voted in favour of extending their industrial action mandate, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today. The workers, who make up the vast majority of the Wrexham factory’s workforce, have been striking since September over the company’s plans to fire and rehire them to slash pay by up to £3,000 a year…Oscar Mayer is one of the UK’s major ready meal manufacturers and supplies large quantities of its products to Tesco, ASDA, Greggs, Aldi, Waitrose, Sainsbury’s and the Co-op. The next round of strike action takes place from 28 November to 5 December. With the extension of the industrial action mandate, further strikes impacting supermarket Christmas supplies will be announced in the coming days read more.
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Unite heads to French Parliament as Veolia campaign continues (20 Nov) – Delegates meeting with National Assembly vice-president. Veolia shareholders also targeted. Campaigners from the Unite, the UK’s leading union, have been invited to meet senior French politicians in Paris as the battle against union-busting at Veolia in Sheffield continues. Tomorrow (Thursday) morning, Unite delegates have been invited to meet with Nadège Abomangoli, Vice President of the French National Assembly, and her fellow National Assembly member Gabriel Amar. At the meeting, Unite members will be pressing the case for recognition of Unite for collective bargaining purposes at Veolia’s site in Sheffield and the immediate reinstatement of sacked members. Workers at Veolia’s Lumley Street depot in Sheffield have been taking part in continuous strike action since 20 August. The dispute is a result of the fact that, despite representing significant numbers at the depot, and despite Unite having many other recognition agreements with Veolia, the company refused to sign a recognition agreement with Unite for bargaining over pay, conditions, and health and safety. Veolia then needlessly escalated the dispute by sacking four Unite members…Veolia has made verbal concessions on recognition but Unite is calling on the company to finalise the recognition agreement as soon as possible. Unite is also demanding the reinstatement of its members who have been sacked since the dispute begun read more
Veolia Sheffield Bin Dispute moves to Leeds City Council (19 Nov) – Refuse Workers to Demonstrate at Leeds Civic Hall. Striking Veolia refuse workers from Sheffield will demonstrate at Leeds Civic Hall tomorrow. They will be joined by Unite members and activists representing different parts of the region, The group is seeking the support of Leeds council’s executive board and is asking them to intervene in this damaging dispute. Veolia enjoy a very lucrative contract with Leeds council and the workers want the elected committee to call them to account over their actions read more
Knowsley Livv Housing strikes intensify as repair and maintenance services suffer (20 Nov) – Call backlogs, delayed jobs and faulty repairs by third-party contractors impacting services for 13,000 homes. Knowsley Livv Housing strikes by hundreds of workers have intensified causing further disruption to repair and maintenance services. The dispute is a result of workers experiencing many years of below inflation pay rises. As a consequence, the workers have rejected a pay increase of five per cent because this does not reverse the real terms pay cuts they have previously experienced. Livv Housing, which manages and maintains over 13,000 properties primarily in the Knowsley area, reported reserves of £110.6 million in March 2024…Unite’s members will take fresh strike action on 22, 25, 28, 29 and 30 November and 1 December. Unison members will take further strike action on 22, 25, 26 and 29 November. Additional strikes will be called if the dispute is not resolved read more
Unite calls on SNP government to restore winter fuel payments (19 Nov) – Unite, the largest union in Scotland, is calling on the SNP government to commit to restoring universal payments for all Scottish pensioners, in next month’s budget. Unite made its call after Anas Sarwar the leader of Scottish Labour announced his party’s commitment to restore the payment if his party forms the next administration following the elections in 2026 read more
Birmingham bin workers ballot for strike over pay attack (18 Nov) – Workers balloting over plans to downgrade Waste Recycling and Collection Officer roles. Around 400 Birmingham refuse workers are being balloted for strike action over the council’s plans to slash wages. The vote comes after the council refused to back down on its plans to cut pay by removing the safety critical Waste Recycling and Collection Officer (WRCO) role…The ballot for strike action opens this Friday (22 November) and closes on Wednesday 4 December read more
World Toilet Day: Unite puts bus employers on notice over toilet dignity (18 Nov) – Unite, the UK’s leading union, is marking World Toilet Day today by putting bus companies on notice, that routinely denying workers access to decent toilets will not be tolerated on any level. The warning to the bus companies comes at a time when the union is increasingly making a lack of toilet dignity a key industrial issue. It has been a focus in a number of recent disputes read more
Stagecoach Highlands drivers secure wage win ending strike threat (18 Nov) – Around 200 Unite members back double digit pay package. Unite the union has delivered a double digit pay deal for around 200 Stagecoach drivers across the Highlands and Islands, Scotland’s leading transport trade union confirmed today (18 November). In the first year of the deal running from July 2024, drivers will receive a basic pay rise of around 7.5 per cent. Their pay package will be further boosted by overtime rates rising by up to five per cent, which for some drivers based on hours worked will mean a double digit pay rise. The driver hourly rate will increase by a minimum of two per cent or the rate of inflation in July 2025. Overtime rates will also rise from £16.50 to £17.50 in the second year of the deal. The deal ensures that the minimum hourly rate will amount to the real living wage plus an additional three per cent. It means the minimum hourly rate increases from the current £12.98 to £14.28 in July 2025, which is the equivalent to a rise of over 10 per cent read more
Vauxhall Luton and Ellesmere Port warning shot fired by Unite over plants’ future (17 Nov) – Unite, the UK’s leading union, has demanded Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares commit to the future of both Luton and Ellesmere Port. Stellantis is expected to conclude a ‘strategic review’ into its UK manufacturing sites later this month and Unite is calling on the company to end the uncertainty this has caused for hundreds of workers. Stellantis CEO Tavares announced the strategic review in July, citing the potential impact of the government’s Zero Emission Vehicles (ZEV) mandate. Unite is already seeking to improve the ZEV, but this issue cannot be used as a smokescreen for Tavares’ own corporate mismanagement. Tavares’ ultra-aggressive management strategies have already led to repeated threats to UK plants and have caused Stellantis workers in Italy to take national strike action for the first time in 20 years. Meanwhile, Stellantis workers in the United States have balloted for industrial action. Unite members at Luton have delivered on every target that has been asked of them to prepare the plant to start production of electric vehicles in 2025. Similarly, Ellesmere Port has already transitioned to full electric production following negotiations with Unite reps. Any decision to threaten either UK plant would be the latest manifestation of Tavares’ brutal campaign of cost cutting to boost earnings. In addition to unions, Stellantis investors and dealers have raised the alarm that Tavares, who will leave his role next year, is taking a short-termist approach that is damaging the company read more
Defence spending: Unite calls on commitment to Buy British (15 Nov) – Defence workers fearing for their future due to previous government indecision
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham has met with the defence secretary John Healey to seek assurances from the government that it will commit to purchase UK produced defence equipment, including fast jets, helicopters, ships and satellite technology read more
EU Directive: Ireland denied a pay rise through bargaining inaction (15 Nov) – Unite issues policy toolkit demanding ‘Our Seat at the Table’. Union calls on all parties to commit to full implementation of EU “collective bargaining” directive read more
Southampton hospital porters announce strikes in bullying and toilet dignity dispute (14 Nov) – Hospital management fails to act on litany of concerns prompting walkouts. Hospital porters employed at University Hospital Southampton will begin extensive strike action later this month, after management failed to act on the appalling levels of bullying and harassment workers are suffering. The 60 plus porters who are members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, have voted overwhelmingly for strike action. The first 24 hour walkout will take place on Thursday 28 November. This will then be followed with strikes on Monday and Friday each week throughout December and January read more
Winter Fuel: Northern Ireland govt delivers on Unite’s call to reverse cuts (14 Nov) – Unite which has been leading the campaign for the UK government to reverse its decision to cut winter fuel payments, has welcomed the announcement by the Northern Ireland executive, that it will provide partial support for affected pensioners read more
Winter fuel protests in Leeds to target Chancellor (13 Nov) – Unite polling shows Rachel Reeves’ own constituents oppose cuts. Protests will take place in Leeds on Thursday (14 November) in opposition to the government’s cuts to winter fuel payments. Organised by the Unite trade union and the Yorkshire and Humber Pensioners’ Convention (YHPC), protests will be taking place near the constituency of chancellor Rachel Reeves read more
Bus drivers victims of historic high levels of abuse as majority say they don’t feel safe at work (14 Nov) – Trade union demands ‘protection’ for Scottish bus drivers as it reveals mass survey findings. Unite the union today (Thursday 14 November) released the findings of a mass survey of 1,100 bus drivers across Scotland which reveals historic high levels of abuse and major concerns over safety on public transport read more
Unite achieves Supreme Court victory for Newcastle Metro workers (13 Nov) – Union went all the way to highest court in the country to fight for members’ pay. The UK’s highest court, the Supreme Court, has ruled in favour of trade union members employed by the transport company Nexus on the Tyne and Wear Metro. The case was argued on behalf of Unite and the RMT concerning workers’ pay. The Supreme Court’s judgment stems from a long-running dispute over Nexus’s interpretation of a 2012 agreement with Unite, RMT and other unions, in which a productivity bonus was incorporated into employees’ basic pay. Employees argued that this adjustment should have increased their shift allowances, calculated on basic pay. Nexus disagreed, leading to years of litigation. In the initial employment tribunal, Nexus was found to have underpaid employees by not reflecting the increase in shift allowance, but Nexus subsequently sought to rectify the original agreement to avoid these liabilities read more
Ford staff strike escalates as anger over pay and contract changes grows (11 Nov) – Targeted industrial action hits key Ford operations in Dagenham and Speke. Strikes by Ford salary staff escalated today over the company’s refusal to address the workers’ concerns around pay and contract changes. Ford has failed to offer its workers a permanent pay increase. Instead, the company has offered many of its office workers a one-off payment for 2024 and wants to impose 100 per cent performance related pay from 2025 for all staff. Despite absences running at less than two per cent, it is attempting to change the long-standing sick pay policy and also wants to change the collective bargaining agreement with Unite
Safehouse Habitats workers in three months strike action over attack on pay and conditions (11 Nov) – Dundee firm provides working shelters for major oil and gas operators. Unite the union can confirm that Safehouse Habitats workers based in Dundee will begin three months strike action from today (11 November). The dispute at Safehouse Habitats involving over a dozen technicians has escalated into all-out strike action following the refusal of the company to make any pay offer to the workforce. The company is also attempting to force through detrimental changes to the sick pay policy which could leave workers facing the minimum statutory sick pay level instead of six months full pay. The Safehouse Habitats workers made a salary sacrifice of around three per cent two years ago in order to access the scheme. The Safehouse Habitats technicians will be taking strike action commencing at 00:01 hours on 11 November continuing each day up to 2 February 2025 when the three months’ industrial action will conclude at 23:59 hours unless there is a resolution to the dispute read more
Support the sacked TGI Fridays workers: Sign this petition – On 7th October, over 1000 TGI Fridays workers were given 57 minutes notice of a call with their CEO at which they were all sacked. 35 sites across the company were padlocked and workers locked out of their workplaces with valued possessions inside. Support our national petition to demand legal, financial and political justice for these workers
‘Hypocritical’ Sheffield First bus slammed for strike breaking in poverty pay dispute (8 Nov) – First says Bidvest Noonan workers should get real living wage but is providing labour to undermine industrial action. Sheffield bus refuelling and cleaning strikes over poverty pay have intensified despite ‘hypocritical’ First South Yorkshire’s attempts to undermine the industrial action. First has publicly supported the Olive Grove depot workers’ demand that contractor Bidvest Noonan pay them the real living wage before the contract renewal date of November 2026. The company, however, is using its own staff to move buses within the depot – a role normally carried out by Bidvest employees – to undermine the two-month-old strike…Industrial action has now been extended to four days a week throughout November, with Bidvest Noonan workers employed at First’s Doncaster Leger Way depot also joining the strikes read more
Union takes pay dispute to Iceland in support of striking Spalding food workers (7 Nov) – Unite activists and members have taken the fight for fair pay to Reykjavik, Iceland as part of the industrial dispute with food processing company Bakkavor. Over 700 workers are currently taking part in continuous strike action at the Bakkavor production plant in Spalding, Lincolnshire after years of real terms pay cuts. Bakkavor’s biggest shareholders are Icelandic “tycoons” Agust and Lydur Gudmundsson. Lydur Gudmundsson was previously convicted for financial fraud against the people of Iceland. Now he and his brother are making millions on the backs of poorly paid workers in the UK. Together they own half of Bakkavor shares and have huge power over the company. Bakkavor made £94 million in profit last year. In the last five years it has paid out £158 million to shareholders. But most workers in Spalding are only paid £11.54 an hour, just 10 pence above the minimum wage. The workers have seen their pay decrease by 10.6 per cent in real terms over the last three year. Unite members are demanding a pay rise of 81 pence an hour on average. This amounts to just two per cent of Bakkavor’s profits. Protests took place across the Icelandic capital yesterday (6 November) including at the homes of the Gudmundsson brothers, at the headquarters of their holding company and at the Icelandic film school owned by Agust. Unite representatives were joined by comrades from the Efling Icelandic trade union as they made noisy protests, handed out leaflets and projected images onto the sides of buildings read more. Send messages of support to [email protected]
Airlines braced for foodless fights as catering workers at eight UK airports ballot for strikes (7 Nov) – Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, Glasgow, London City, Stansted, Bristol, and Birmingham dnata workers ballot for industrial action
Passengers at airports across the country are facing the prospect of having no onboard food or drink during long and short haul flights as dnata catering workers ballot for strike action. More than 700 dnata workers providing food for airlines at Heathrow, Gatwick, Glasgow, London City, Stansted, Bristol, Manchester and Birmingham airports are balloting for strike action. The production line, warehouse and delivery workers are angry at the company’s attempts to change their terms and conditions without consultation. If strikes go ahead, major airlines, including easyJet, Ryanair, TUI, BA, Emirates, America Airlines and Air India, will be impacted read more
Guys and St Thomas’ staff in protest against merciless jobs cull (30 Oct) – Workers in trust’s facilities and capital development division face 58 per cent jobs cuts. Members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, employed at the Guys and St Thomas NHS Trust will hold a protest this week against plans to slash a huge number of jobs from the in the Essentia in-house facilities and capital development team. Under the trust’s plans the in-house team covering facilities and capital development including roles such as fire safety, water quality, major projects, maintenance and minor construction work, will be reduced from 154 roles to just 64. To add insult to injury all the workers in the division will be required to reapply for their jobs, with many of the new posts being paid at a lower rate for principally the same work read more
MEBSCA dispute: WRC issues invitation to Unite and employers (27 Oct) – Union agrees pause in industrial action pending engagement. Unite, which has been in a trade dispute with employers belonging to the Mechanical Engineering & Building Services Contractors’ Association (MEBSCA) since early September, has accepted an invite to talks from the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC). The dispute centres on Unite’s claim for restoration of the first hour of ‘travel time,’ which was cut in the wake of the 2008 financial crash. The WRC has invited both parties to exploratory talks to establish if circumstances exist for a pathway forward read more
Llanelli Gestamp auto workers to strike over poverty pay (23 Oct) – Strikes to severely impact Nissan, BMW, JLR, Aston Martin and INEOS. Strikes by Llanelli Gestamp workers will severely impact the supply of critical metal components to Nissan, BMW, JLR, Aston Martin and INEOS, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today. Around 200 workers on various grades will begin strike action later this month over unacceptably low pay rates by Gestamp. The Spanish-based company brought in revenues of €12.3 billion in 2023 and reported a profitability (EBITDA) of €1.4 billion. Despite Gestamp’s huge wealth, many of the workers at the Llanelli factory earn the national minimum wage and will only be taken slightly above it under the company’s current offer…Strikes will take place from 28 October to 11 November. Industrial action will escalate if the dispute is not resolved read more
Unite local government workers to continue local pay disputes (23 Oct) – Unite, the UK’s leading union, has confirmed that it will fully support its members who have secured an industrial action mandate. The union’s decision follows the announcement yesterday that the other local government unions have accepted this year’s ‘Green Book’ national pay offer, which covers the majority of workers in the sector. Unite recently completed balloting its local government members. Where it has secured an industrial action mandate it will go ahead with strike action on a council by council basis. Further details of this industrial action will be announced in due course once it is agreed with local members…In addition to the local industrial action Unite will also be focussing on local government funding. Several councils have effectively filed for bankruptcy, many others are on the verge of doing so while most have been forced to cut essential services read more
Marshalls construction materials workers ballot for strikes across England (22 Oct) – 300 workers in West Yorks, Cleveland, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Lancashire reject derisory pay offer. Workers employed by construction materials manufacturer Marshalls at sites across England are being balloted for strike action, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today. The workers have rejected a ‘derisory’ pay offer of a one-off non-consolidated £700 payment for 2024. Marshalls annual report for 2023 states it brought in revenues of £671.2 million and had an adjusted operating profit of £70.7 million. Chief executive Matt Pullen, who joined the company in March, is paid a salary of £580,000…The ballots for strike action at five of Marshall’s sites opened yesterday and will close on 11 November. The sites are located in Halifax in West Yorkshire, Stockton-on-Tees in Cleveland, Sandy in Bedfordshire, St Ives in Cambridgeshire and Ramsbottom in Lancashire read more
West Midlands Citizen Housing strikes impact maintenance services for 30,000 homes (21 Oct) – 200 repair workers in Birmingham, Coventry, Hereford and Worcester walk out over pay. Citizen Housing’s gas engineers, electricians, construction workers and admin staff will begin strike action over pay this month, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today. The workers are angry at a derisory four per cent pay offer from Citizen Housing, which had a turnover of £192.6 million and an operating surplus of £48.3 million for 2023/24. Even with the four per cent offer, some workers will still only be on the national minimum wage. Meanwhile, Citizen Housing’s tradespeople are furious that years of falling wages in real terms have left them being paid thousands of pounds below industry standards. The housing association is trying to justify keeping wages low because it enacted a long overdue reward review scheme in May over terms and conditions. But this is totally separate from annual pay negotiations…The workers will strike on 28 October and 1, 4, 8, 11, 15, 18, 22, 25 and 29 November. Industrial action will intensify if the dispute is not resolved read more
Princes “in a pickle” product shortages predicted in pay dispute (18 Oct) – Unite members at the Princes food production factories across the country are balloting for industrial action over pay that could see popular household staples disappear from shop shelves including big supermarkets like Sainsbury, Tesco, Waitrose M&S, Asda, Lidl and Aldi. Over 800 workers at five sites (Long Sutton, Wisbech, Cardiff, Bradford and Glasgow) are being balloted after rejecting a pay deal from the company’s new owners that would leave them worse off than the offer promised by the previous owners. Princes produce tinned meats, fish, vegetables, sauces, soups and soft drinks for some of the most well-known household brands including Branston, Crosse & Blackwell, Napolina and Batchelors. If workers agree to take strike action, many of these products could quickly become unavailable in shops. Unite’s members who work as line operatives and engineers had been offered between a 4-7 per cent pay rise dependent on salary by the previous owner, Mitsubushi. The company was subsequently bought by Newlat S.p.A who withdrew that offer. Instead they are offering just a three per cent pay rise. Staff at the factories, are furious at this behaviour and after attempts to negotiate with the employer failed are now balloting for strike action. The ballot opens on 24 October and closes on 19 November read more
Crisis in Haringey housing department leads to continuous strike action (14 Oct) – Housing maintenance and repair workers at Haringey council begin strike action tomorrow over the continued crisis within the council’s housing department.
Unite’s members haven’t had a pay rise in over a decade despite a cost-of-living crisis and inflation running rampant in recent years. The lack of pay increases for productivity is estimated to have left workers over £6000 out of pocket. Following previous industrial action this year, and with no sign of the council listening or negotiating, workers have been left with little choice but to escalate their industrial action to a continuous strike from 15 October. Unite has compiled a “dodgy dossier” following years of broken promises by management to meaningfully negotiate with union members on pay, terms and conditions read more. Send messages of support to [email protected] and messages of protest to: [email protected] Haringey Council CEO and Council Leader at [email protected]
Sign this petition: Striking Haringey housing workers need a pay rise now!
To: Councillor Peray Ahmet and Andy Donald, Leader and CEO of Haringey Council
Newham ICT workers balloted on strike action over outsourcing plans (14 Oct) – Vital workers set to down tools this autumn over “catastrophic” privatisation scheme that could put resident’s data at risk. Unite members working for Newham council’s ICT department are being balloted over potential strike action this autumn after the council announced plans to outsource the department – putting jobs at risk and endangering residents’ data. Following the release of a previously withheld report documenting the council’s plans for the ICT department, workers reacted with dismay at Newham’s shortsighted plans. The main issue with Newham ICT is the lack of resources as no recruitment has taken place since 2012 to fill vacancies. There are currently around 45 full time staff and a number of posts being covered by contractors. The current business case clearly outlines a staffing capacity of around 130 to deliver the aspirations of Newham. While councils across the country have recognised the cost of outsourcing and have begun returning ICT departments in-house, Newham will now buck this trend because it claims to be unable to attract staff because its pay and conditions are “poorer than elsewhere” read more
Strikes to escalate at Fareham aerospace company with new dates announced (4 Oct) – Workers at Eaton Ltd manufacturing to stage further walks out over pay. Approximately 150 highly skilled aerospace workers in Fareham, Hants, are escalating their strike action after their employer, Eaton Ltd, continued to fail to make a pay offer that would bring them in line with industry averages. Unite members at the company voted overwhelmingly for strike action at the factory which produces essential parts and products for the aerospace sector. Fitters, technicians, supervisors and other staff will strike on the following dates: 16-19 October, 21-26 October, 29 October–1 November, 4-9 November, 11-16 November read more. Send messages of support to [email protected]
Ealing parking free for all as traffic warden strikes intensify into November (3 Oct) – Council refusing to recognise traffic wardens’ union despite working with it to insource service. Strikes by Ealing traffic wardens will intensify from next week in a dispute over union recognition, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today. Around 40 parking services workers employed by council-owned Greener Ealing Ltd have been on strike since late August over their employer’s refusal to recognise their long-term union Unite for pay and other matters. The workers were previously employed by Serco before being transferred to Greener Ealing Ltd earlier this year. Their roles are completely different to the rest of Greener Ealing’s waste management workforce. As a distinct group, they want Unite, which has represented the workers for a decade, recognised for collective bargaining on their behalf read more
Altrad workers at Sellafield to strike over broken pay promises (2 Oct) – Unite members offered four per cent less than previously promised by employer. Vital workers operating at Sellafield are to strike this month following a string of broken promises from their employer, Altrad Services. Unite members at the site, who are responsible for access and maintenance of the Fellside site which produces steam for the wider Sellafield site next door, are taking industrial action from 10-15 October, 17-22 October and 24-29 October 2024. Workers at the site are furious that their employer, Altrad Services, has reneged on previously agreed pay deals, potentially costing workers thousands of pounds. Members were originally advised and agreed to a 11.3 per cent rise in January 2024. Prior to that during the cost of living crisis, Altrad paid an additional four per cent salary increase which staff were told was permanent. However, Altrad have only now given members a 7.3 per cent rise, rather than the agreed 11.3 per cent – the reduction being the same as the cost of living increase. This broken promise and backtracking has caused outrage among staff who have been left with little choice but to take industrial action read more
Waterford City and Co Council: Stoppage by members at Dunmore Depot deferred pending engagement with management (1 Oct) – Dispute surrounds unilateral change to work practices. Unite, which represents members working for Waterford City and County Council, today (Tuesday) said that it has deferred a 24-hour work stoppage by Unite members at Dunmore Depot in Waterford, which had been scheduled for tomorrow (Wednesday), as a gesture of good faith ahead of local engagement with management next week read more
Biomedical scientists in Yorkshire to strike over unsustainable workloads (26 Sept) – Unite members in York and Scarborough hospitals to walkout over fears about patient safety. Biomedical scientists at hospitals in York and Scarborough are to take strike action this autumn in protest over unsustainable workloads that are putting patient safety at risk. Microbiologists at York Hospital and blood scientists at Scarborough & Bridlington Hospital, both part of the York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust, have been forced to continually deal with workloads far beyond safe levels. Following a successful ballot, they will be taking strike action on 30 September, 7 October and 11 October 2024 read more
School staff to strike in Greenwich over job cuts and restructure, say unions (9 Sept) – Mulgrave School workers will walk out over threat to their livelihoods. Dozens of support staff at a London primary school are to strike on Wednesday (11 September) over a proposed restructure that would lead to 14 job cuts. Teaching assistants and other workers at Mulgrave School represented by Unite, GMB and Unison are walking out in response to Greenwich Council plans that involve scrapping flexible working arrangements, creating additional unpaid duties and cutting the pay of remaining workers. Staff represented by the three unions are furious at the plans and will be on the picket line to make their voices heard. The school and local authority have repeatedly failed to disclose the accounts to justify any restructuring and have called in neighbouring Hackney council to help support the restructure due to a lack of resource and expertise within Greenwich council read more
Unite will escalate ABC council dispute (5 Sept) – Bin workers based at Armagh depot suspend strikes but union members stand ready to defend reps. ABC council senior management have presided over a ‘hostile environment’ for union reps and their behaviour is ‘shameful’. Unite members employed in waste collection at the Armagh depot have voted to suspend a seven-week strike taken in response to the sacking of their union rep. Unite has vowed to continue to pursue justice for its sacked shop steward through all available avenues, including at employment tribunal where the council will have to justify its decision. The strike action will be suspended from midnight [Thursday] tonight with employees returning to work tomorrow. In a meeting notifying management of the decision to suspend, union officials demanded the council conduct an audit into its industrial practices, which they have agreed. The union has described the behaviour of senior council management at Armagh, Banbridge, Craigavon (ABC) council towards its team of workforce reps as ‘shameful’ and warned that any further aggression towards its reps or to the jobs, pay, terms and conditions of its members will be completely opposed by workers read more
Support the Sanctuary workers – contact the Unite LE/1111 Housing Workers branch to offer support or if you are a housing worker wanting to get organised [email protected]. “At Sanctuary Housing we are also campaigning for recognition. Sanctuary is a massive employer. It has 14,000 members of staff but currently recognises no union. Scandalously this organisation receives millions of pounds in public money. Shamefully much of this money comes from Labour authorities. No Labour authority should hand out contracts to union hostile employers! You can help us in our fight by dropping a few Join Unite@Sanctuary leaflets at your local Sanctuary care home, supported living or estate office. Message me via this platform, personally or via email if you can help. [email protected]. You can search your nearest Sanctuary workplace via this link: https://www.sanctuary-supported-living.co.uk/
Please sign this letter to Lizzie Hieron, chief customer officer: Shame on Sanctuary – Rents up, bills up. Wages down. Fair pay and union recognition now! Support Sanctuary Housing repair workers!
CWU
CWU LIVE – Postal Special with Dave Ward and Martin Walsh – End The Chaos Culture at Royal Mail (21 Nov) – With a potential takeover by Czech billionaire Daniel Křetínský’s EP Group, tens of thousands of jobs and the future of our postal service are on the line. Join Dave Ward & Martin Walsh as they provide updates on the ongoing negotiations and the plans to protect our future. Questions are taken from the live chat read more
CWU LIVE – The Outrageous Post Office Closures (14 Nov) – Post Office Closures Special with Michael Walker | This week we’ll hear from Assistant Secretary Andy Furey on the devastating Post Office closures. We’ll also speak to our new Telecoms Officer Ken Wooley and Midlands Divisional Rep Paul Kennedy about our latest Midlands All Reps Conference read more
TV Licensing workers need respect, CWU warn BBC (11 Nov) – The Communication Workers Union have written to the BBC warning that TV Licensing (TVL) workers balloting for potential strikes are a “disrespected workforce”. In a letter addressed to BBC Chief Customer Officer Kerris Bright, CWU Assistant Secretary Andy Furey wrote about the dispute, which is related to the real terms pay freeze that TVL workers are having forced on them at the insistence of their contractor, Capita. The contractor was awarded the contract to do this vital work by the national broadcaster for the sum of £456 million over five years. Capita bosses are demanding that these 500 workers be subjected to a pay freeze for 2024, with the pay date intended to be for 1st April. Bosses claim that the pay freeze is necessary, and that any raise is financially impossible. However, as Furey says in the letter, Capita can “readily afford” a pay rise with reflects the cost of living, due to this “very lucrative” contract read more
Capita TVL BBC contract members to vote on strikes (1 Nov) – Industrial action ballot process begins, after employer refuses to offer pay rise. “We’ve now entered a formal Trade Dispute in accordance with the law, as a consequence of Capita imposing a pay freeze on our members working on the TVL / BBC Contract,” CWU assistant secretary Andy Furey told CWU News this morning. Nearly 500 CWU members are set to take part in the ballot, which asks two questions, on strike action and action short of a strike (ASOS). Ballot papers are being sent out next Friday and the result will be declared on Tuesday 3rd December read more
PCS
You can show your support to the strikes by PCS members by:
- Making donations to the PCS Fighting Fund Levy account, sort code: 60-83-01, account no. 20331490
- Sending solidarity messages to [email protected]
PCS calls for urgent meeting as permanent secretary announces mass MOD cuts (21 Nov) – PCS has called for an urgent meeting with defence ministers after permanent secretary David Williams told MPs today that thousands of civil service jobs are likely to go at the Ministry of Defence over the coming 5 years. As reported by Civil Service World, the senior civil servant told the parliamentary defence committee this morning that he expected to see a headcount reduction in the region of 10% over the course of the current parliament. He said present numbers are in the region of 56,800 – with the implication that the MoD will have at least 5,000 fewer full-time equivalent staff by the end of the decade read more
Disability History Month – Bullying and Harassment (21 Nov) – This year’s theme is “Disability Livelihood and Employment”. Throughout the month, we’ll be sharing guidance on a range of disability topics focussed on the workplace read more
Met Police office attendance: ‘Like a tax on dedicated staff’ (20 Nov) – Following the launch of a ballot for industrial action, PCS members in the Met Police explain the impact of the new policy that will impose 60-100% office attendance. Following the Metropolitan Police’s announcement of a new hybrid working policy, PCS is now in formal dispute with the employer and is balloting the members for strike action read more
Trans Day Of Remembrance (20 Nov) – Every Transgender Day of Remembrance, we commemorate the trans lives that were lost this year through violence read more
PCS wins historic battle against government departments in the Supreme Court (20 Nov) – PCS has today won a stunning victory in the Supreme Court against government departments that withdrew the check-off facility. The victory opens the door for the union to now claim substantial further damages. In 2013, the then Tory/Liberal Democrat coalition government began its attempt to bankrupt PCS by removing check-off. The facility enabled members to have their union dues deducted from their salary by their employer, who then handed them over to the union. The government hoped that by withdrawing the facility, the union would go out of business. They were wrong. In a magnificent fightback by PCS members, representatives and staff, our members recommitted to the union in overwhelming numbers by signing up to direct debit to pay their subscriptions read more
DBS members back call for strike (18 Nov) – PCS members working in customer services for the Disclosure and Barring Service have voted for strike action and action short of strike. The dispute is in relation to the new customer contact model being introduced in DBS Customer Services and outsourced work. The new system was due to come in tomorrow (19) but has been delayed. PCS is pressing for changes to the proposals to be withdrawn or amended before they are introduced read more
Ballot launched over HMRC BPV rep dismissals (18 Nov) – The statutory ballot for strike action of more than 200 members in employer services within PT Ops at HMRC Benton Park View, Newcastle was launched today in defence of 3 reps sacked at the branch read more. Following a successful consultative ballot, PCS is to hold a statutory ballot for industrial action for members in AA and AO grades working in employer services at Benton Park View in support of the sacked reps. We will move to industrial action if HMRC does not re-employ the reps who were unfairly dismissed. The ballot will open on 18 November and run until 9 December. Over 200 members in PT Ops Employer Services will be balloted read more. You can also email your local MP and send messages of support to Steve Swainston, PCS Revenue and Customs group secretary at [email protected]. Email your local MP to ensure they add their support to the campaign. Sign petition: stand with PCS reps at Benton Park View, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne
PCS announces strike ballot in HM Land Registry (15 Nov) – PCS has notified HM Land Registry of our intention to ballot more than 3,800 members for strike action and action short of a strike in a dispute over office attendance, change of work classification and use of performance data. Members should begin to receive ballot papers from 28 November. The ballot will run until 23 December meaning strike action and action short of a strike can begin by 6 January read more
Met Police strike ballot now open (15 Nov) – PCS members in the Met Police have started casting their votes in a statutory ballot over the proposed unilateral removal of the blended, or hybrid, working policy by their employer. The existing policy allows staff the flexibility to combine working from home and in the office and is under the terms of an agreement that has been in place for over 4 years. Members are being asked to support strike action and action short of a strike to place pressure on the Met to reach a negotiated settlement which does not arbitrarily mandate staff to be physically present for a set time read more
PCS research: 4-day week could save Defra £20m+ a year (13 Nov) – The government could save £21.4 million a year by allowing Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs staff to work a 4-day week, according to PCS research read more
Further strike dates announced in Facilities Management disputes (11 Nov) – The new dates will see strikes taking place during November and December and into 2025. PCS has served notice of extra strike dates in the dispute involving facilities management staff employed by OCS and G4S. PCS members employed by OCS as caterers and cleaners and employed by G4S as security officers at the FCDO at Abercrombie House in East Kilbride are set to strike for the month of December until 3 January. PCS members employed by G4S as security officers, receptionists and pass office staff at a number of workplaces in London including Cabinet Office, Department for Business and Trade, the Canary Wharf Hub and Department for Science, Innovation and Technology will take five more days of strike action in November (25 to 29) and a further five days in December (9 to 13). The strike dates signal a significant escalation to the ongoing disputes in relation to pay, terms and conditions. OCS members have been taking strike action since September and the G4S members have taken two weeks of strike action in October and November. Both G4S and OCS have failed to table an acceptable pay offer which lifts members out of poverty and improves their working lives by improving terms and conditions, including the introduction of company sick pay and an increase in annual leave read more
New strike dates announced for G4S members in jobcentres – The members will walk out for more dates in October and November in their long-running dispute over pay. The PCS members, employed by G4S as security guards in jobcentres, recently voted overwhelmingly to reject the pay offer made by G4S and to take further strike action. The pay offer made was just 32p per hour above the national living wage. Members voted by 84% to reject the pay offer and by 89% for more strike action. The workers have already taken 41 days’ strike action in their dispute, resulting in jobcentres being closed and a reduced service being offered in others. The new strike dates are from 1pm on 18 October to 11:59pm on 20 October, 1pm to 11.59pm on 21 October, from 1pm on 25 October to 11:59pm on 27th, 1pm to 11:59pm on 28 October and 1pm on 1 November to 11:59pm on 3 November, 1pm to 11:59pm on 4 November, 1pm on 8 November to 11.59pm on 10 November and 1pm to 11:59pm on 11 November read more
PCS members in DBS Customer Services to be balloted for strike action (22 Oct) – Staff are angry that new systems are being introduced without proper consultation. Over 50 PCS members working for the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) in Liverpool are to be balloted for strike action. The staff who work in customer services are in dispute over the planned introduction of a new customer contact model and outsourced work read more
Enforced roster changes leave Heathrow Border Force members feeling suicidal (3 Sept) – PCS members working at passport control at Heathrow Airport have reported major adverse impacts to their family life, physical and mental wellbeing as a result of enforced roster changes. Amongst over 250 responses to our survey, PCS members were unequivocal in their condemnation of the changes to the roster, with several members reporting that not only were they finding it difficult to maintain a work life balance, but that several had lost access to their children completely…Members on the picket line at Heathrow airport during the four days of strike action that finish today have been holding signs with personal testimonies, including: “I’m so tired that I’m scared I’ll make a mistake” and “The shifts are so long that I just never feel like I have a break from work.” After a solidarity visit to the picket line from Hayes and Harlington MP John McDonnell, , members are more determined than ever. Plans are in place for more parliamentary work to help bring the dispute to the attention of the new government. The members will now follow a work-to-rule and overtime ban until 22 September read more
Use the e-action to fight de-recognition of PCS at the Imperial War Museum – 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
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
GMB
Ofwat blocking bonuses ‘welcome’ (21 Nov) – GMB, the water union, has welcomed Ofwat’s decision to block some water companies from using customer money to pay bonuses read more
Liverpool NHS strike ends as workers win covid bonus (20 Nov) – A strike among more than 130 workers at Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen Hospitals has ended after workers won their covid bonus. Porters, cleaners and caterers had taken 19 days of industrial action in their fight for the one off payment that they had missed out on due to outsourcing. An offer from the trust received by workers on Monday pledged to pay the lump sum. GMB members voted last night to accept the offer read more. More than 130 Liverpool NHS workers strike for covid bonus (18 Nov)
Retailers’ job cuts warning ‘utterly pathetic’ (19 Nov) – GMB Union has described big retailers warning they will have to slash jobs if forced to pay a bit more tax as ‘utterly pathetic’ read more
Thames Water ‘in perilous state (18 Nov) – GMB has today [Monday] responded to an investigation showing Thames Water has £23 billion of assets that are in urgent need of repair and the supply of water to its 16 million customers is “on a knife-edge” read more
South London hospitals facing winter disruption as more than 300 workers strike (19 Nov) – Key hospital services will be severely impacted unless ISS meet GMB to discuss member grievances. More than 300 members of GMB, the union for hospital staff, will strike at multiple hospital sites across South London this winter. Porters, cleaners and caterers employed by outsourcing giant ISS will take four days of industrial action from 29 November across four sites at Croydon and South London & Maudsley NHS trusts – Croydon University Hospital, Maudsley Hospital, Lewisham Hospital’s Ladywell Unit and Bethlem Royal Hospital. The dispute centres around a number of workplace issues, including pay, excessive workloads, staffing cutbacks and management bullying read more
Just 1 in 12 health workers say NHS better prepared for winter this year (14 Nov) – Just eight per cent of health workers say the NHS is better prepared going into this winter than it was last year. A poll of almost 2,000 NHS and ambulance workers ‘Do you feel the NHS is better prepared going into winter than last year?’ A massive 92 per cent said ‘No’. The survey also revealed two thirds (67 per cent) said patient care had got worse during the past 12 months. The latest NHS performance figures out today [Thursday] show while waiting lists have fallen, long waits in A&E have soared. GMB Union conducted the survey as it gathers evidence for a Pay Review Body (PRB) submission on 26 November read more
Labour’s cash-strapped Lambeth Council set to lose £300,000 a week as parking strike hits borough revenue (12 Nov) – Cllr Claire Holland, Leader of Lambeth council is burying her head in the sand about the strike hitting council’s parking service. GMB, the union for local government workers, has estimated that the current strike being carried out by parking wardens in Lambeth is set to cost the local authority around £300,000 a week in lost revenue. Lambeth Council’s parking contractor Apcoa employs the traffic wardens within the borough, as well as neighbouring boroughs Kingston, Richmond and Wandsworth. Dozens of members are taking action over a litany of workplace issues, including the fact that some workers have been offered no pay rise at all for 2024 read more
More than 200 parking wardens to strike across three London Boroughs as last-ditch talks fail (8 Nov) – Zero pay rise, no recognition and disrespect towards members has led to strike, says GMB. More than 200 parking wardens and environmental officers across three London Boroughs are set to walk off the job from 7am on Monday 11 November until Midnight on Sunday 17 November. The strike will take place across the boroughs of Wandsworth, Richmond and Lambeth, with members in Kingston also currently voting on whether to join their colleagues read more
Luxury headscarf makers walk out again later talks break down (7 Nov) – Dozens of headscarf workers will walk out for four more days after talks broke down. Skilled weavers at Lappet Manufacturing, in Carlisle, will walk out today, tomorrow [Friday], Saturday [9 November] and Sunday [10 November] in anger at low pay and ‘crushing’ targets, GMB has said. Workers need years of experience to make the high end headscarves, predominantly for the Saudi Arabian market, but their pay does not reflect that, says GMB Union read more
Winter walk-out headache for British Gas over supplier strike (15 Oct) – Strike action by contractors in the energy giant’s supply chain could lead to delays, says GMB. GMB Union has announced today that workers at British Gas supplier TVS Supply Chain Solutions have voted overwhelmingly for strike action. More than 90 per cent of workers rejected the company’s pay offer and were willing to take industrial action, which comes after 10 months of talks and a three year pay-freeze for TVS staff. The company provides parts and maintenance support across British Gas home heating products, including home boilers and metering. Around 150 workers at the company’s Leicester and Coventry HQ are expected to take eight days of strike action between 18 – 21 and 25 -28 October 2024 read more
Tetley’s workers walk out again (9 Oct) – Tetley workers will walk out again today as GMB announce 12 more strike dates. Almost 150 GMB members working at Tata Consumer Products, which makes Tetley Tea in Teesside, will down tools in anger at ‘poverty pay’. Dates of further industrial action, likely to be during the next two months, will be announced in the coming days read more
Brighton & Hove Council refuses talks on multi-million pound equal pay claims (10 Oct) – Any hope that the employer would engage with GMB union early have been dashed – now staff must make legal claims. Brighton and Hove Council has refused to talk to workers about their multi million pound equal pay claim, GMB Union has said. GMB members at the council have submitted equal pay claims on the advice of their union. The claims relate to historic underpayment of roles within the council, predominantly carried out by women. In less than a week, the deadline to submit claims – potentially worth thousands of pounds each – will expire. As part of the equal pay process GMB has not only written to the council requesting talks but also asked the Government’s independent conciliation service Acas to facilitate talks. To date the council has refused to engage with GMB or Acas read more
Asda Skelton faces strike (18 Sept) – Asda Skelton faces strike action after workers voted to walk out. More than 110 staff at the store will talk industrial action in anger at health and safety issue, a loss of working hours in the store and the wider fight for equal pay. A protest will take place outside the store tomorrow [September 19] at 11.30am. The ballot saw a total of 575 per cent of GMB members vote to walk out. Strike dates will be announced in the coming days read more
Farmfoods faces frosty future as workers down tools (19 Sept) – Workers at fast growing food retailer will take strike action on Monday. GMB Union has today announced that Farmfoods workers at a Solihull distribution centre will take part in a two-day walkout in a dispute over pay, conditions and union rights. The campaign to improve conditions has already seen work rates fall by over 15%, but workers are furious after company managers have turned down requests for union recognition and fair pay. The strike action will take place on Tuesday 24 and Wednesday 25 September, with around 100 workers expected to take part read more
Consultative ballot open for Wexham Park Radiographers (17 Sept) – Stakes rise as radiographers at Wexham Park Hospital vote to protect NHS service provision. Members of GMB, the union at NHS Frimley Health Foundation Trust, are voting in a consultative ballot in a dispute against the outsourcing of radiology services. The proposed contractor, InHealth, already provide some Diagnostic and Imaging Services to the NHS and run contracts worth over £300 million per year. The union members are employed as Radiographers, Radiology Assistants and associated support staff at Wexham Park Hospital near Slough. A grievance has previously been submitted to the Trust’s Chief Executive Lance McCarthy and Chairman Bryan Ingleby, with a formal meeting date to discuss concerns yet to be scheduled. The ballot opened on Friday and remains open until Friday 27 September and may lead to a formal industrial action ballot, pending the result read more
Leicestershire faces waste chaos as strike action looms (11 Sept) – Workers in the County’s tips are balloting for industrial action. GMB Union has today announced that workers in Leicestershire waste and recycling centres will begin balloting for strike action. The news comes after Leicestershire County Council announced plans to slash wages by as much as £1300 for workers at the sites in a bid to cut spending. Around 50 workers are expected to take part in the vote read more
Concrete makers escalate strike as fat cat bosses wine and dine (6 Sept) –Dozens of GMB members at Acheson & Glover’s (A&G) Toome are escalating industrial action. Further strike action comes after ‘fat cat’ bosses were wined and dined and a swanky awards ceremony. The workers, who make up more than 70 per cent of the workforce at the plant producing pavers and flagstones, will begin their fifth week of strike action on Monday [9 September]. The dispute arose when staff were offered a 2.5 per cent pay increase for 2024/2025, representing a real terms pay cut with RPI inflation at 3.1 per cent. The company announced pre-tax profits of £3.4m, while this week bosses wined and dined each other at a lavish awards ceremony 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 –
Care sector faces ‘long and hard’ road to recovery after years of neglect, says UNISON (6 Nov) – Fair pay agreement and national care service are needed for people to get vital support read more
UNISON Scottish Police Staff members have voted to REJECT the pay offer and are willing to take industrial action to secure a fair and reasonable pay deal PoliceStaffScotland @UNISONPSS on X/Twitter
Grimsby maternity workers to strike for two weeks in row over back pay, says UNISON (6 Nov) – Maternity support workers in Grimsby are set to strike for two weeks from next Monday (11 November) over their employer’s failure to compensate them fairly for the many years they were paid incorrectly, says UNISON today (Thursday). The staff at Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital in Grimsby were moved up a grade last year in recognition of the extra clinical duties they were carrying out. The workers say the hospital needs to reward them for their previous underpaid work read more
Fury as leaked video shows ESNEFT boss telling staff at outsourcing would go ahead regardless (29 Oct) – Health workers striking to stay in the NHS are up in arms after a leaked of the East Suffolk and North Essex Foundation Trust (ESNEFT) chief executive surfaced suggesting the decision to privatise jobs had been made months ago, says UNISON today read more
Serco workers at Swindon’s Great Western Hospital to escalate strike action (28 Oct) – Workers will begin their second 48-hour walkout at 7am on Monday 11 November. Caterers, housekeepers, security guards and porters employed by Serco at Great Western Hospital in Swindon will take further strike action in their ongoing dispute over pay, says UNISON today (Monday). Workers will begin their second 48-hour walkout at 7am on Monday 11 November as they demand the same one-off payments already awarded to their NHS colleagues. They previously took action in September read more
Support the East Suffolk and North Essex NHS support staff strikes – Cleaners, caterers, porters, housekeepers and other East Suffolk and North Essex support staff are striking to stay in the NHS. They want to defend the quality of services they provide to the public as well as their own pay and conditions read more
Plans by Essex trust for mass outsourcing of NHS services are out of order (18 Sept)
Support Manchester EIS Strike by Unison and Unite members – Mental Health workers in Early Intervention in Psychosis will be on strike. It’s not over pay, which is not enough, but over serious concerns for the service, it’s users, & the community. Show your support. @MancStrikeNHS. Picket line: Friday 8th & Monday 11th November, 8am -11am outside Prestwich Hospital, M25 3BL
Strikes will close schools for two weeks in first minister John Swinney’s constituency (8 Oct) – UNISON, the largest local government union, has notified Perth and Kinross Council that schools and early years centres will close for two weeks from 21 October, in a pay dispute that affects all council staff in Scotland, the union says today (Tuesday) read more
Workers at Livv Housing to strike as pay and conditions row heightens (7 Oct) – HUNDREDS of workers at a housing association will be next on strike on November 18, 19, 22, 25, 26 Knowsley Unison
Local government strike ballot could be extended to more workers (10 Sept) – Scotland’s largest local government union is considering widening its strike ballot to more than 90,000 staff in councils and associated services over pay. The move comes after all council workers in the union overwhelmingly rejected Cosla’s latest pay offer in a consultative ballot a week ago read more
Council workers vote overwhelmingly to reject latest pay offer (3 Sept) – Council staff in Scotland belonging to UNISON have voted overwhelmingly to reject the latest pay offer from local government employers, says the union today (Tuesday) read more
Strike ballots to be issued to staff working in social care charity (6 Sept) – Hundreds of staff working for Enable, one of Scotland’s largest charitable social care providers, are to be asked if they’re prepared to strike over pay, UNISON says today (Friday). UNISON has written to the charity to say that if its workers back industrial action there could be mass walkouts by Enable Scotland’s social care staff later in the autumn. The union says this is the first strike ballot for over a decade in Scotland’s charitable social care sector and shows the deep dissatisfaction that exists over pay read more
NIPSA
Rally For Workers Unity And Hope! – Saturday 23 November, 1pm, Larkin Statue, O’Connell St, Dublin 1 – The trade union movement is built on the simple idea of uniting working people to stand stronger together, both at home and abroad. We believe that people, no matter who they are or where they were born, should have a decent job that pays well, a safe, warm, affordable home and care when they’re sick. A small number of violent extremist and ideologically committed far right actors, have been organising to stoke hate, fear and violence, targeting people at work in libraries, schools, on our buses and trains, and shops. They benefit by making us afraid of each other, and they distract by scapegoating and turning us against each other. As a movement of people working in Ireland, we believe that everyone deserves to feel safe in their place of work and their communities, no matter where they were born or the colour of their skin. It is only through unity and hope that we can ensure those in power deliver for everyone in our communities, no exceptions. Join us at the rally in Dublin!
Industrial Action Update in Children’s Social Work Services (9 Nov) – NIPSA moving to CAP caseloads to protect social work members. The purpose of this article is to provide Social Work members with an update on the current industrial action situation in Children’s Social Work services, which is driven by chronic staffing shortages and unsafe workloads. Despite months of discussion with key representatives from the Department of Health and the five HSCT’s and subsequent assurances that an offer was imminent. Negotiators reported that there has been no contact with NIPSA, from the Department since 4 October 2024. Branch Officers from the five HSC Trusts, therefore met this week to review the current situation. It was unanimously agreed that a significant escalation of current action was now unavoidable due to the employer’s inaction. The action agreed will take the form of calling a halt on employers exploitation of our members’ good will and professionalism. NIPSA will move to implement a ‘cap’ or ‘ceiling’ on the number of cases assigned to Social Workers in all Looked After Children (LAC) and Family Support/Family Intervention Services across Northern Ireland. Action being developed, in addition this will include limits on Social Workers supervising contact, limits on Social Workers covering Duty and an extension of current industrial action on private law to include Article 56 work. Given the complications around these issues, and to ensure consistency in this escalation regionally, it was agreed Branches will meet with their members working in these areas, to address any queries this escalation may entail read more
Royal College of Nursing
Agenda for Change non-pay commitments do not address challenges facing NHS nursing staff (21 Nov) – These recommendations are a missed opportunity to reset priorities and demonstrate nursing is valued read more
Long COVID: nursing staff still being denied access to financial support (16 Nov) – We’re urging the UK government to act and recognise COVID complications as occupational, following recommendations from the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council made 2 years ago today read more
NHS pay consultation in Wales: RCN members vote reject (4 Nov) – RCN members working for the NHS in Wales have overwhelmingly voted to reject the 2024/25 pay award from the Welsh government read more
NHS pay consultation in England: members vote reject (23 Sept) – Two-thirds of members who voted said the 5.5% pay award isn’t enough 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
Statement from HSC trade unions Northern Ireland (15 Nov)
RCM press for progress on pay for members in Northern Ireland (7 Oct) – The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) in Northern Ireland says it’s pressing the Government for progress on an overdue pay award for its members. Midwives and maternity support workers (MSWs) in Northern Ireland were due their pay uplift on 1 April and the RCM says its completely ‘unfair’ that its members remain in limbo. The RCM alongside colleagues from other HSC trade unions last week met with the Health Minister, Mike Nesbitt to press for immediate progress, with the RCM saying the delay is eroding staff morale, particularly as there have been announcements for members in all other parts of the UK read more
RCM urges members in Wales to have their say on pay award (23 Sept) – The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) is calling on all its members working in NHS in Wales to have their say on the 5.5% pay award announced by Wales First Minister Eluned Morgan earlier this month. The call comes as the RCM today opens a two-week consultation with midwives and maternity support workers (MSWs) in Wales. The RCM says it’s pleased the award is above inflation which meets the asks set out in its pay claim and that it’s on a par with what midwives and MSWs will receive in England read more
CSP
CSP members urged to have their say in NHS 10 Year Plan consultation (21 Nov) – Have you ever wished you could tell the health secretary about your workplace pressures? Or give him your ideas for making the NHS work better? Read more
NHS pay across the UK (24 Sept) – As pay for 2024-25 moves forward in three of the four UK countries we look at the latest information read more
Scotland – members overwhelmingly vote to accept offer
Wales – members should look out for their opportunity to have their say
England – the majority of members feel the award is acceptable
Northern Ireland – awaiting Executive response to PRB recommendations
SOR
Statement from HSC Trade Unions Northern Ireland (15 Nov)
Pay award consultation for Scottish SoR members open now (4 Sept) – The Society wants to hear responses from members in Scotland over the proposed 5.5 per cent pay increase read more
BMA
Resident doctors accept pay deal in Scotland (21 Nov) – A significant majority voted to accept the latest pay offer, but there is still work to be done read more
Local activism can make lasting change (21 Nov) – When a hospital trust cut its already low extra-contractual pay rates, doctors came together to fight it. In August 2023, University Hospitals Sussex secured extra-contractual rates at 98% of the old BMA rate card for consultants and autonomous SAS doctors. This success was achieved through a programme of local activism, resulting in £158/£211/£264 for day/weekend/night rates, and £106/hr for non-resident on-call, rates that have now been in place for over a year. This demonstrates that unity can drive change read more
Taking action where you work (18 Nov) – Strikes don’t have to be nationwide – when we’re organised, we can win improved pay and conditions locally read more
NEU
Support the following NEU strikes:-
| Action | Date | Content |
| New City College (BSix Campus) / Hackney (pay/workload) | 27-29 Nov | David Davies [email protected] |
| George Dixon Primary / Birmingham (transfer of employer) | 25-29 Nov | David Room [email protected] |
| Beecroft Garden Primary / Lewisham (redundancies/workload) | 26-28 Nov | Karina Maloney [email protected] |
| Longcroft School & Sixth Form / East Riding (conditions of service) | 28-29 Nov | Steve Scott [email protected] |
| Haggerston School / Hackney (conditions of service) | 26-27 Nov | David Davies [email protected] |
| Wirral Send Team / Wirral (terms & conditions/pay) | 25-29 Nov | Ian Harris [email protected] |
| Clifton College / Bristol (pay) | 27 Nov | Tom Bolton [email protected] |
NASUWT
Report highlights toll on teacher mental health (20 Nov) – Commenting on Education Support’s Teacher Wellbeing Index 2024, Dr Patrick Roach, NASUWT General Secretary, said: “These findings are a reflection of the years of failure to address excessive and unnecessary workloads in the teaching profession and the deliberate removal of investment in the wider network of support for children, young people and families under the previous Government…” read more
Members in Northern Ireland to be balloted on industrial action (13 Nov) – Members of NASUWT – The Teachers Union in schools across Northern Ireland are being balloted over industrial action, the Union has announced today. Education Minister Paul Givan has been informed of the Union’s intentions to ballot for industrial action on pay. The announcement follows the failure of the Department of Education and employers to bring forward a satisfactory pay offer for 2024-25. A three year pay offer was agreed in April 2024 for the period September 2021 to August 2024 read more
Teachers strike after failure to make progress on behaviour and wellbeing (8 Oct) – On Wednesday 9th and Thursday 10th October, members of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union, at Ysgol Nantgwyn, Rhondda Cynon Taff, will take strike action after promises of change from the employer to deal with poor pupil behaviour failed to materialise read more
Northumberland teachers strike to save jobs (7 Oct) – Members of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union are continuing their campaign of strike action at three middle schools in Northumberland following the failure of Northumberland County Council to engage in meaningful consultation over plans to close the schools, which has resulted in over 100 redundancy notices being issued. The council wants to close Glendale, Tweedmouth and Berwick Middle Schools as part of a move to a primary and secondary school system. The NASUWT have tried for months to secure firm commitments from the Council and from Berwick Partnership Headteachers, to put in place real mitigations to avoid unnecessary compulsory job losses and teachers took strike action earlier this year in June. Teachers begin the first of seven days of strike action over the next three weeks beginning today (Monday 7 October). They will be on strike on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday this week and further action will take place on Tuesday 22, Wednesday 23 and Thursday 24 October. Members will be demonstrating on Berwick Bridge on Monday and Tuesday between 8am and 9.15am and National Executive Member John Hall will be available to speak to media on Tuesday 8 October on Berwick Bridge read more
Lincolnshire teachers strike for safe and healthy working conditions (30 Sept) – Members of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union at The Deepings School in Lincolnshire will take two days of strike action tomorrow (Tuesday) and Wednesday over working practices and a management culture which is driving up teachers’ workload and failing to support them to promote positive pupil behaviour. The strike action will take place despite extensive negotiations by the NASUWT with the employer, Anthem Schools Trust. NASUWT called off planned strike action last July after a series of talks on the key concerns facing members. It was agreed there would be consultation with union reps on those issues. However, on returning to school for the new academic year union members were presented with a revised policy on pupil behaviour that had not been agreed or even discussed with reps. Workload, due to staff shortages and management actions is a significant and growing problem in the school and new staff are expected to work through their lunchbreak as part of “The Anthem Way” read more
EIS
Anti-Bullying Guidance is a Positive Step, But Schools Need Resources to Deliver It (13 Nov) – The EIS has welcomed the publication of the Scottish Government’s updated anti-bullying guidance. The publication, entitled Respect for All, is helpful in that it aims to ensure a consistency of approach to tackling all forms of bullying of children and young people, including that which is prejudice-based, not only in schools but across all sectors and communities read more
INTO
Rally for Unity and Hope – Saturday, 23rd November, 1:00 PM, Larkin Statue, O’Connell Street, Dublin. The trade union movement was built on the simple idea of uniting working people to stand stronger together, both at home and abroad. We are committed to fighting poverty, discrimination, racism, misogyny, homophobia, transphobia, Islamophobia, antisemitism, disablism, and fascism. In short, we stand for unity and hope. We stand for solidarity, decent work, and the pursuit of better lives and social justice for all, regardless of background. We are the antithesis of the far-right. Where they sow division, we stand for unity and bold solutions to the challenges faced by working communities, refusing to blame those who come here in search of a better life. Everyone deserves a home, care when ill, decent work, and safe, thriving communities read more
Teacher Guidance on Homelessness in the Classroom (21 Nov) – As homelessness continues to impact thousands of children across the country, the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) today launches our updated digital resource, Homelessness in the Classroom: Guidance for Primary Teachers, which was originally drafted in collaboration with Focus Ireland in 2019 read more
Join INTO’s National Education Debate (19 Nov) – Be part of a key moment in Ireland’s General Election campaign by tuning into INTO’s National Education Debate on Tuesday, 19 November 2024, from 4:30pm to 6:00pm. This live-streamed event will shine a spotlight on the critical issues impacting primary and special education, directly engaging the political leaders seeking your vote read more
Member Update on Pay and ETI school inspections (6 Nov) – INTO, in conjunction with our teacher union colleagues in NITC (Northern Ireland Teachers’ Council) have been seeking to engage with Management side on Teachers’ Pay for 2024. We have been informed that DE does not yet have a budget and is therefore not in a position to make an offer to the teachers’ unions on pay at this time. The Westminster budget was announced on Wednesday 30 October 2024 detailing money for the Executive. The Stormont executive now need to agree a budget for each department so effective negotiations can begin. The INTO Northern Committee at its most recent meeting in October agreed that, should no acceptable offer be forthcoming, to seek permission to ballot members for industrial action read more
UCU
Northumbria University to close business and language courses (18 Nov) – Northumbria University has withdrawn its business with French and business with Spanish undergraduate degrees with immediate effect. The university’s executive director for academic services emailed impacted staff last week to announce that students accepted onto the programmes will now be unable to enrol and current students will be ‘taught out’. The announcement comes just a month after the university’s vice-chancellor told all staff (in an email sent on Wednesday 9 October) ‘there are no planned programme closures or redundancies’, as part of the ongoing university wide restructure, and committed to maintaining Northumbria ‘as a comprehensive university, offering a wide range of disciplines’. UCU has written to the vice-chancellor and asked why staff in the Northumbria Language Centre were called to a meeting and informed that specific programmes were to be withdrawn with immediate effect and taught out read more
HE offer 2024/25: member consultative ballot – Following a decision by UCU’s higher education committee, we are running a formal electronic consultation of HE members in participating institutions on the final pay and conditions offer for 2024/25. This launched on Tuesday 12 November 2024 and closes on Tuesday 3 December 2024 at 17:00. UCU’s higher education committee recommends that you:-
- vote to REJECT the pay element of the offer, and
- vote to ACCEPT the terms of reference on the pay-related elements (contract types/casualisation, workload, equality pay gaps, pay spine review).
This consultative electronic ballot launches on 12 November and closes on 3 December read more
UCU response to ‘disappointing’ further education pay recommendation (11 Oct) – UCU has today responded to the latest further education pay recommendation from the Association of Colleges (AoC). The further education employer body is recommending a pay offer of 2.5% or £750, whichever is greater. As part of the union’s New Deal For FE campaign, UCU members are calling for a 10% or £3k pay rise along with: parity with schoolteacher pay, a minimum starting salary of £30,000, closure of equality pay gaps, national agreements on workload, a return to national bargaining read more
UCU calls on Open University to withdraw fire and rehire threat (20 Sept) – UCU today called on the Open University (OU) to scrap its plans to fire and rehire staff. The OU first began consulting on fire and rehire plans in 2023 and expects to cut up to 26 tutor jobs by January 2025, if the tutors refuse to have their working hours and pay reduced. If tutors are fired and rehired, they would have the reduction of hours and pay imposed, without compensation read more
UCU fighting fund: the link is here and donations to the fund are spent on supporting members involved in important disputes.
FBU
Firefighters demand release of fire engine donation at Israeli embassy protest (19 Nov) – Group of protestors holding FBU flag outside Israeli embassy gates
Firefighters held a protest at the Israeli embassy in London on November 18, calling for the release of a fire engine donated to Palestinian firefighters which has been impounded by Israeli authorities since August. Members of the Fire Brigades Union in Scotland sourced a fire engine, stocked with lifesaving equipment including firefighting kit and PPE, breathing apparatus and medical supplies, and arranged shipment to the West Bank to assist with rescues. The engine has been transported 3,500 miles, with firefighters driving it from Dundee to Southampton, where it was shipped to the Israeli port of Ashdod. The donation arrived with the necessary paperwork but has remained impounded by customs for months. Fire Brigades Union members travelled to the embassy to deliver a letter to the Israeli ambassador, signed by the FBU executive council, calling for the fire engine to be granted immediate entry to Palestine read more
POA
National Chair Update October 2024 read more
Video tribute to Joe Simpson
POA campaign to repeal Section 127 of the Criminal Justice Public Order Act 1994 – The POA held a Parliamentary Reception in the House of Commons on 21st October 2024. At the same time the second reading of the Employment Rights Bill was being debated as well. Many Members of Parliament raised concerns there was nothing in the Bill regarding the right to strike for Prison Officers in the England/Wales service and in Northern Ireland. I am extremely grateful for the interjections of those MPs on our behalf as part of our campaign. The Employment Bill now moves to committee stage early next year with January 2025 pencilled in. Previously I asked all POA members to engage in this campaign for the repeal of this pernicious piece of legislation. Many branch officials and individual POA members have sent letters to their respective MPs seeking their support and we have received some good support, however we now need to step up the campaign and every POA member needs to play their part. The specimen letter already drafted is available on the POA website to download read more
BFAWU
News from Bakers Union: Union Fury at Private Equity Owned Morrisons Bakery Closure (20 Nov) – The BFAWU have reacted furiously at the beyond disappointing announcement today that Morrisons are to close their Rathbones site in Wakefield and make redundant 400 loyal workers, with many more in the supply chain and agency workers also impacted. Many of the workers losing their jobs have worked at the site throughout the 20 years it has been producing bread for Morrisons. This news comes after Morrisons were taken over by Private Equity firm Clayton & Dubilier in 2021 read more
Support the campaign to unionise Samworth Brothers – get organised, sign the petition read more
Nautilus International
Nautilus members vote to support RFA personnel and monitor AI in maritime at UK Branch Conference (20 Nov) – Nautilus International members at the Union’s UK Branch Conference – held online on 20 November 2024 – have voted unanimously for a motion reaffirming support for striking seafarers at the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA), and a motion committing Nautilus to campaign for the responsible use of artificial intelligence in the maritime industry read more
RFA officers overwhelmingly vote to continue strike action (6 Nov) – Nautilus International members at the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) have voted by an overwhelming majority to continue both strike action and action short of strike. Even more members voted in favour of industrial action than the first ballot in early 2024, strengthening the Union’s mandate in the fight for fair pay at a service where wages have shrunk by 30% in real terms since 2010. The Union was required by law to reballot members in order to continue industrial action, which began with action short of strike on 1 June and has since escalated to include five days of full strike action – the first strikes in the history of the organisation. However, the mandate for industrial action is now even stronger after the government’s failure to put forward a serious pay offer. On a turnout of 63%, 97% of members voted for action short of strike and 90% voted for strike action. In the previous ballot, the turnout was 60% with 79% voting yes to strike action and 85% voting yes to action short of strike read more
NUJ
Guardian & Observer journalists vote to strike (20 Nov) – Journalists at the Guardian & Observer will undertake two 48-hour periods of strike action on 4-5 December and 12-13 December following a resounding ballot result in favour of industrial action. 93% of journalists voted in support of a walkout over the planned sale of The Observer, pursued by the Guardian Media Group (GMG). The NUJ has repeatedly urged GMG to halt exclusive talks with Tortoise Media and engage constructively with the union on the future of the title. The union discovered during ACAS negotiations on 19 November that the GMG board had taken the decision on Friday to recommend the title’s sale, despite the company telling the NUJ on Thursday that due diligence hadn’t at that point been completed read more
NUJ urges Sinn Féin to reconsider Gaza coverage review (20 Nov) – The union believes the proposal would set a dangerous precedent in terms of direct and indirect State interference in the remit of Coimisiún na Meán read more
Reach risks “debilitating drain of morale” over cuts, says NUJ (20 Nov) – The National Union of Journalists has urged transparency and meaningful commitments on jobs from publisher Reach, following a meeting of the union’s Reach group chapel read more
NAIC reps gather for annual summit (12 Nov) – Newspapers and Industrial Council (NAIC) reps met to discuss priority issues spanning organising to pay. This year’s summit took place in Birmingham on 9 November, with representatives from across the union’s sector chapels read more
NUJ condemns National World cuts as company U-turns on commitments (8 Nov) – The National World group chapel has called on the publisher to rethink proposals of cuts to reporter and editor posts in Sunderland and Manchester, recognising its effect on local journalism. The National Union of Journalists has condemned National World’s plans to cut journalists jobs in Sunderland and Manchester, following an announcement to staff this week. The NUJ National World group chapel says new proposals run contrary to the stated strategy of having local editors when David Montgomery, National World executive chairman, took control of the company read more
NUJ Disabled Members’ Council calls for action to address the disability pay gap (7 Nov) – Thursday 7 November is ‘Disability Pay Gap Day’, the day when the average disabled person stops getting paid compared to the average non-disabled person read more
Industrial action over sale of The Observer avoidable, says NUJ (7 Nov) – Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ general secretary, has called for greater transparency from the Guardian Media Group, urging engagement with the union that resolves the dispute. The NUJ is balloting journalists at the Guardian & Observer over their willingness to participate in industrial action, as part of its dispute with Guardian Media Group opposing the sale of The Observer. The union has voiced its concerns shared by journalists at both titles about the impact a sale to Tortoise Media would have on jobs, the title’s trusted journalism, and its future ability to withstand headwinds of the media industry. The ballot closing on 19 November follows an overwhelming indicative ballot in favour of industrial action. 93 per cent of journalists confirmed their willingness to strike, with 96 per cent in favour of action short of a strike read more
NUJ condemns RELX for its union-busting decision to derecognise the union at LexisNexis and LexisNexis Risk Solutions (4 Oct) – The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) has today received notification from LexisNexis and LexisNexis Risk Solutions (formerly RBI) of its intention to terminate long-standing recognition agreements with the union. The NUJ strongly condemns the decision, urging a reversal of the ill-judged attempt to remove collective bargaining rights from journalists and editorial workers read more
Equity
Campaign to stop closure of Applecart Arts and save freelancing jobs (21 Nov) – The creative arts space is facing immediate cashflow issues due to funding cuts, with the doors likely to be closed before Christmas if action is not taken. Equity’s London branches have launched a fight to save Applecart Arts, a much-loved community performance space in Newham, East London, from imminent closure. The centre is facing immediate cashflow issues due to funding cuts, with the doors likely to be closed before Christmas if action is not taken read more
Bristol City Council must keep promise on Bottle Yard Studios consultation (19 Nov) – Equity is asking Bristol City Council to keep their promise regarding the proposed sale of Bottle Yard Studios read more
Equity’s Class Network supports call to reinstate National Theatre’s primary school touring programme (13 Nov) – Network “stands in complete solidarity” with letter calling on National Theatre to reinstate their primary school touring programme read more
Welsh National Opera Chorus strike action update (8 Nov) – Industrial action short of strike is ramped up and strikes planned for February. Equity members of the Chorus at Welsh National Opera today agreed to postpone planned strike action set for Friday 15 November, but other industrial action will continue. Further talks are expected and both sides hope to build on progress made in recent weeks. However, Equity members are clear that the situation cannot drag out, and strike action is now planned for 6, 7 and 8 February 2025 if the dispute is not resolved, in addition to further industrial action short of strike. The 30-strong Chorus are taking action to save jobs and prevent compulsory redundancies. Industrial action short of strike has seen Chorus members wear campaign t-shirts on stage during curtain calls, make speeches to the audience from the stage, demonstrate outside venues, and hand out campaign leaflets as audiences arrive read more
Tower Hamlets Council say Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club can only be used as a cultural venue (5 Nov) – Equity is encouraging people to sign an open letter calling on Tower Hamlets Council to save the venue by buying it and leasing it back to a community group read more
Musicians’’ Union
Protect Welsh National Opera: Email Your Political Representatives for Support (30 Oct) – Email your political representatives to support musicians campaigning to protect Welsh National Opera jobs and secure the company’s future, including touring in England and Wales read more
Musicians’ Unions Worldwide Back Call to Save Northern Ballet’s Orchestra (5 Nov) – The International Federation of Musicians backs Northern Ballet Sinfonia in a message of solidarity signed by over 20 musicians’ unions worldwide read more
Community
Disability History Month 2024: Commemorating 50 Years Since the Fire at The Royal Glasgow Workshops for the Blind (20 Nov) – In a guest blog, Community President and National League of the Blind and Disabled Vice-Chair Steve McGurk reflects on the 50th anniversary of the devastating fire at the Royal Glasgow Workshops for the Blind read more
HelloFresh workers protest mass dismissals (18 Oct) – Workers and members of the community gathered in Birmingham today to protest HelloFresh’s decision to dismiss 79 workers from its Nuneaton warehouse. The company dismissed workers via email last week following concerns being raised about the dire working conditions on site read more
USDAW
Usdaw launches a strike ballot at KP Snacks in Ashby-de-la-Zouch in a dispute over pay (1 Nov) – Usdaw has today opened an industrial action ballot for its members at the Ashby-de-la-Zouch site of KP Snacks. The formal ballot over a dispute about pay closes on 25 November and follows a recent consultative industrial action ballot read more
Tesco distribution workers at eight sites reject a less than 5% pay offer – Usdaw consults members on industrial action (28 Aug) – Retail distribution trade union Usdaw has launched a consultation ballot, asking Tesco workers at eight sites across Great Britain if they are prepared to take a dispute over pay to industrial action. Members at all eight sites overwhelmingly rejected Tesco’s pay offer of between 2% plus £500 and 4.4%, depending on contract, along with some additional enhancements. The eight sites affected are: Hinckley, Magor, Southampton, Daventry Clothing, Goole, Lichfield, Livingston and Peterborough. The consultative ballot will run from 9 to 24 September 2024 read more
UVW
She asked for a chair three years ago… and she’s still waiting. a disabled science museum guard sues her employer for discrimination (20 Nov) – “I’m really happy we all joined the union and are fighting for our rights. My fight through the courts and our strike at the Science and Natural History for better pay and conditions are intimately connected, because no one should be discriminated against or treated poorly at work. We deserve dignity and respect in our workplace” – Malina Nowicka, disabled security guard at Science Museum and UVW member. Malina is a disabled cancer survivor with a fainting condition who works at the Science Museum as a security guard. She asked for a chair at work to help her avoid fainting, but her requests were ignored for years. On five occasions, an ambulance had to be called to the museum due to her condition, yet no action was taken to alleviate her situation. Now she is taking the Science Museum and security contractor Wilson James to court read more
V&A Museum security guards join the fight for fair pay! (18 Nov) – “We’ve been let down by Wilson James and we’ve been let down by the V&A. We work in the same building, for the same corporation as the directly employed staff, everyone should be paid and treated fairly. Cleaners get more than we do and they deserve to, they work hard as we do. But this shows how we are unappreciated” – Edi Palale, V&A Duty Shift Manager of 15 years. The security guards at the Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum have joined the fight for £16 per hour and improved working conditions in the security sector. They will be balloted for strike to strike between 22 November and 6 December in what is a first for the museum’s guards. The guards, members of United Voices of the World (UVW), at all three of the world-renowned South Kensington-based museums, V&A, Science and Natural History Museum guards are now in dispute with outsourced contractor for security, Wilson James. The V&A vote follows the strike ballot at the other two world-renowned South Kensington-based museums, which saw a 96% yes vote out of a 95% turnout read more
“We want to have a voice”: Battersea Power Station migrant cleaners demand fair wages and union recognition (12 Nov) – “We are getting organised with our union, so we can negotiate collectively for fair treatment and respect. We want to have a voice, and to be able to say: we’re here too, and we have rights” – Carlos Vásquez Ortiz, Colombian cleaner and UVW member. After years of relentless overwork and staff shortages, under a series of cleaning contractors, the cleaners at Battersea Power Station—one of London’s most iconic landmarks—are demanding change. The recent takeover by OCS is seen as an opportunity to start afresh, and the workers, many of them migrants, are calling for official union recognition in a joint effort by United Voices of the World (UVW) and GMB unions. Their demands include better pay, improved working conditions and an end to the chronic issues that have left them exhausted and feeling undervalued for years read more
“We call Scrooge”! Hundreds of Harrods workers preparing to strike over Xmas bonus and more! (11 Nov) – “There’s a real sense that everyone’s fed up and has had enough, and we’re ready to push for more. It feels like they throw us breadcrumbs and expect us to accept it, while they only seem to care about their own business interests. It’s on us to stand up and ensure workers are protected, and we’re prepared to strike to make that happen” – Alice Howick, Harrods waiter and member of UVW. Instead of a Christmas carol, Harrods is singing from the same old tune of neglect Much like a modern-day Scrooge, Harrods is denying Christmas bonuses, fair wages and working conditions for its dedicated workforce, prioritising profits and paying grotesque sums to its owners – among the richest people in the world. Hundreds of workers across Harrods’ retail, restaurant, kitchen and cleaning departments have had enough and yet again are going to be balloted for strike action over the busy Christmas season unless the luxury London store promptly addresses their demands. This will be UVW’s fifth campaign at Harrods, following four previous wins for tips, substantial pay rises and against unfair leave policies read more
Now, that’s what you call a picket! Over 300 join striking Natural History and Science Museum security guards (31 Oct) – “I’m here at the picket line because my colleagues and UVW had no choice. We’ve felt ignored and undermined for so long, we had to make a stand. There was no other option. Being on strike is an empowering experience and you win confidence. There’s a lot of people supporting you, different trade unions, MPs speaking, members… Others should make a stand too. It’s not impossible. It can be done“ – Bayo Owolabi, museum guard on strike. On Saturday 26 October, UVW staged its largest-ever picket, with over 300 striking security guards and supporters gathering outside the Natural History and Science Museums read more
UVW threatens landmark private prosecution over use of strike breakers (29 Oct) – UVW has instructed the Public Interest Law Centre (PILC) to serve notice on Wilson James, the security contractor at the Science and Natural History Museums, and the BMSL* agency that private prosecutions will be brought against them if they use agency workers to cover security guards on strike. Strikes have been called for between 25 and 27 October 2024, and between 30 October and 1 November 2024. This would be the first prosecution in relation to these regulations and the first time an employer could be held criminally liable as an accessory read more
IWGB
RESPEITO E DIGNIDADE: Support the eCourier strike! – “For years, our company, eCourier, has been denying me and my colleagues our basic rights by illegally misclassifying us as independent contractors. In 2017, eCourier, owned by Royal Mail, were found to have broken the law in not classifying as workers, and committed to an internal investigation. Since then, no investigation has taken place. Every time workers at eCourier try to speak out, we are met with bullying and harassment from management, led by CEO Malcolm Fullick. We’ve tried to go through the courts to take back what is rightfully ours, but we’ve come to realise that no one is coming to save us. If we want to transform our workplace, it’s our job to make that happen ourselves. We’re taking the fight directly to eCourier, demanding worker status, dignified pay, a fairer workplace and an end to bullying and harassment. We’re balloting for strike action, and we won’t back down until we win what we deserve. We’re up against huge companies like Royal Mail, with deep pockets and institutional power, so we’re going to need all the help we can get to achieve justice. Help us win our fight by joining us on the front lines, fighting against lawlessness and exploitation in the gig economy. Please sign our petition and donate to support the campaign
Workers at Royal Mail subsidiary eCourier vote to strike with 94% yes vote (30 Oct) – Couriers working at last mile delivery service eCourier have voted 94% in favour of strike action with an 84.75% turnout. The couriers, represented by the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB), will take strike action for 6 days between now and the end of the year read more
Mandate (Ireland)
Retail workers’ union supports calls for stronger protections for shop workers, but say employers need to play their part too (17 Nov) – Mandate Trade Union has welcomed calls from retail bodies for greater protections for shop workers who face abuse, harassment or assault. However, the Union, representing more than 20,000 workers in the sector, says employers have a greater role to play in protecting staff and ensuring their safety read more
SIPTU (Ireland)
SIPTU DGS says Irish failure on workers’ rights will see industrial action and protest (21 Nov) – SIPTU Deputy General Secretary (DGS), Greg Ennis, has forecast industrial unrest and protest due to the Government’s failure to implement a new EU Directive that should necessitate the introduction of greater protections for trade union activists, at a SIPTU Divisional Conference in Waterford today (Thursday, 21st November)
SIPTU members in Becton Dickinson in Drogheda commence industrial action today (25 Sept) – SIPTU members employed in the Becton Dickinson manufacturing plant in Drogheda, County Louth, commenced a ‘work-to-rule’ industrial action today due to the failure of management to meaningfully engage with their Union concerning the threatened closure of the facility read more
Citizens Information Service staff vote in favour of strike action (23 Sept) – SIPTU members employed in the Citizens Information Service have voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action in a dispute over pay in a ballot counted this morning in Liberty Hall, Dublin read more
Other news
Alan Hardman ‘Need not Greed’ – Alan Hardman’s razor-sharp political cartoons collected for the first time. Coinciding with the 40th anniversary of the Miners’ Strike, Need Not Greed is a career-spanning collection of visual art by one of Britain’s greatest unsung political cartoonists. Alongside Alan Hardman’s essential work, the book also includes a contribution from former President of the National Union of Mineworkers, Arthur Scargill, as well as a foreword by Jeremy Corbyn order a copy – £45 each
CRAMLINGTON Train Wreckers Play – tour dates
This is OUR history! Incredible response with venues selling out and many almost full. Thousands have attended talks about the General Strike/Cramlington Train Wreckers over the past 18 months, and three thousand have bought tickets for the world premiere of the stage show that opens this week. It’ll rock!
First show: Cramlington Learning Village 4 pm & 7 pm Thursday 7th November, and then Gateshead 8th Nov, Bishop Auckland 9th Nov, Hexham 10th Nov, Barnard Castle 12th Nov, Whitley Bay 13th Nov, Alnwick 14th Nov, Gosforth 15th Nov. South Shields 16th Nov
Can you help? Crowdfunding to tour a production and exhibition of The Grunwick Strike Autumn 2025 – 2026 – We wanted to get in touch to let you know we are crowdfunding for a new production and interactive exhibition. The theatre show will tell the story of Jayaben Desai – the inspirational leader of the 1976-78 Grunwick Film Processing Factory Strike. We need your help to get this production and exhibition on the road, any donation you make will mean we are one step closer to getting this very important story out there performing to audiences across the UK. Any money raised will be matched by other funders. We’ve just got eight weeks to reach our target. Please find the link for our crowdfunding campaign HERE. Link to our Crowdfunding video Here. www.cramlingtontrainwreckers.co.uk
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
Make Equality Real – campaign call 23 October – We are a coalition of 14 national trade unions, community & campaign groups.We believe that social economic duty should be written into the Equality Act 2010 as part of a campaign to end austerity and make equality real. Ensuring that everyone in Britain can live secure and fulfilling lives. Find below our campaign petition, pledge for local councillors and materials to use in your workplace and beyond. Support the campaign to end austerity and make equality real read more
From Strike Map – Our final instalment of the ‘Industrial Unionism’ series with Manifesto Press is here. Building on this success of our other pamphlets- which has sold over 2,000 copies, our next pamphlet in our series is the infamous ‘A Manual of Industrial Unionism’ by William Z Foster. Click the button here to pre-order your copy for you and your organisation
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. This has now escalated and widened.
See Stop the War website for info on protests.
A number of unions have issued statements on the situation in the Middle East, including: the TUC, FBU, RMT, NEU, Unite, Unison, PCS, ASLEF, TSSA, UCU, EIS, CWU, Equity, BMA, NUJ, UVW, GMB, SOR, RCM, RCN, IWGB, Prospect, CSP, NAPO, INTO (Ireland), SIPTU (Ireland) and Mandate (Ireland)
Fight blacklisting and victimisation of union reps
Blacklisting collusion investigation update:-
Statement from the independent investigation into union collusion in blacklisting, commissioned by Sharon Graham:
“90 per cent of the investigation has been completed. However, in preparing the last 10% some new issues have been thrown up which need some urgent investigation, and these issues have to be looked into which will cause a delay.”
The independent investigation into union officials colluding in blacklisting was one of the first things Sharon Graham set up when she was elected as General Secretary of UNITE the union. The independent legal team is headed up by Nick Randall KC (Matrix chambers), alongside JC Townsend (XXIV Old Buildings) and Paul Heron (Public Interest Law Centre). Witness statements, documentary and electronic evidence has been collated over the past two years.
The investigation was set up because blacklisted union members in the Blacklist Support Group, the Construction Rank & File and UNITE branches campaigned for it. An oversight committee made up of blacklisted workers, has been assisting the legal team, and has ensured that the investigation is independent from the union itself. There has been much speculation about the likely outcome of the final report. This statement gives an indication that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
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
Germany: Request for solidarity message for German strikers who are mainly responsible for cash transport – They are in the ver.di trade union in Berlin-Brandenburg. The drivers have very precarious conditions (some have 10 to 11 hour shifts without a real break as they are not allowed to leave their vehicles) and are generally on a low wage. The bosses are blocking improvements and demand changes for the worse which has heightened anger. The latest strike saw over 2000 of the 10,000 workers nationally striking. Next strike starts on 11 November. Email messages of support via [email protected]
Nigeria: Support the campaign to demand the dropping of the charges of Adaramoye Michael (Lenin), Babatunde Oluajo(Sankara), Mosiu Sodiq and 1 other person abducted by the state. They are not criminals! They were leaders of the #Endbadgovernance protests in Abuja. You can make donations through the link below to support the campaign for their release.
Model motion – https://linktr.ee/nigeriansolidarityuk
Turkey: Fernas mining workers marched to Parliament against slave-like conditions (4 Oct) read more on website of SPOT – Solidarity with the People of Turkey
Diary
2024
November
29 from Strike Map: London book launch & social: A Manual of Industrial Unionism
Join the exciting launch of our reprint of A Manual of Industrial Unionism by William Z Foster 6.30pm on 29 Nov at Marx Memorial Library more details
2025
July 5 NSSN Annual Conference 2025 11am-4.30pm Conway Hall London
CONTACT US
PHONE 07952 283 558
EMAIL mailto:[email protected]
TWITTER – https://twitter.com/NSSN_AntiCuts
FACEBOOK NSSN GROUP or STOP The CUTS Likes page
ADDRESS NSSN, PO Box 54498, London E10 9DE
