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NSSN 770: We won’t pay for the bosses’ crisis! Come to 2026 NSSN Conference 27 June

20th annual National Shop Stewards Network NSSN conference: Saturday 27 June 11am-4.30pm Conway Hall 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL

Be there on 27 June! This conference is for you, come and take part. Let’s get organised and fight back.

Confirmed speakers so far: Steve Gillan POA General Secretary, Sarah Woolley BFAWU General Secretary, Steve Wright FBU General Secretary, Dave Semple PCS Deputy President elect (personal capacity), Rob Williams NSSN Chair, Unite Birmingham binworkers, RMT London Region.

Prices are going through the roof while oil companies profiteer. It’s workers who suffer for capitalist crises. Never has it been more vital that workers and our unions lead the fightback.

This year is 100 years since the 1926 General Strike, when millions of workers went on strike together to support the miners, whose slogan of defiance was “Not a penny off the pay, not a minute on the day.” And we don’t need to go back a century – the 2022-23 strike wave saw the highest level of strikes for three decades during the post-Covid hyper-inflation.

We’re still waiting for the 50% strike ballot threshold brought in by the Tories to be repealed, two years after his government was elected with a 170+ majority. Prison officers in the POA still don’t have the right to strike.

And how do we face down Reform’s poison of division? Farage has looked to dishonestly exploit the political vacuum created by Starmer’s pro-big business agenda. The unions must put themselves at the leadership of the movement against Reform and the far-right, and combat their politics of hate with a proworker political programme, starting with the slogans adopted by the TUC in 2018 – ‘Jobs, homes not racism.’

This bosses’ system increasingly means continuing wars, climate change and further austerity alongside wider division based on race, gender, sexual orientation and ability.

That’s the future that faces workers, our families and our communities. The NSSN Conference will be a forum for union reps and activists to share experiences of fighting in the workplace, for our rights and to defend our living standards, and plan how to fight against the bosses’ offensive.

The May elections were a referendum on Starmer’s Labour Government, with workers giving the verdict that they don’t stand for us.

The Unite Birmingham binworkers have fought for well over a year, against a Labour council firing and rehiring them to the tune of £8,000 a year. But heroic strike action, mostly indefinite, has finally forced an offer from the council. But what now for the hundreds of thousands of workers employed in the councils and devolved governments and the millions who depend on their services who also face attacks from those councils? What is the industrial and political strategy needed by workers and their unions?

Conference agenda:-

  • 10am-11am: Registration
  • 11am-1pm: We won’t pay for the bosses’ crisis! Discussion on how we fight for our rights and to defend our living standards
  • 1pm-2pm: Lunch
  • 2pm-4:30pm: Forum: the fightback in local government after May’s elections

The NSSN was initiated 20 years ago by the RMT rail and transport union under the leadership of the late, great Bob Crow. We have a proud history of supporting striking workers, and organising for the action that’s needed against the bosses and their political representatives.

Download and distribute our NSSN Workplace Report - ‘We’re Struggling Down Here’    

Affiliate your union branch/trades council to NSSN (£50).    

Renew/donate online (HSBC: 40-06-41, 90143790)    

Cheque (NSSN, 16 Warren Rd, London E10 5QA).    

Affiliation letter     

Contact us: email – [email protected].    

Support the Birmingham bin workers – over a year of indefinite strike action

The Unite Birmingham bin workers have taken over a full year of indefinite strike action against the brutal £8,000 slashing of their wages by the Labour Council, shamefully on the watch of a Labour government.

Council statement on improved offer for Birmingham bin workers vindicates year long struggle, Unite (27 Apr)

The Birmingham council statement today by leader John Cotton – in relation to an improved offer based on the “ballpark” deal agreed at the conciliation service Acas and blocked by government commissioners – is a vindication of the bin workers’ struggle for a decent deal following their job evaluation regrading. This move shows the power of workers and how that can be realised when they are backed by their union. It is an absolute abhorrence that this deal has been blocked not just once but twice by unelected unaccountable commissioners and officers at Birmingham City Council, who enjoy eye watering pay packets and no consequence for their actions. The commissioner model is a licence for a few unelected individuals to print money and play games. The reason the offer has not yet been completed and gone to our members is because at the eleventh hour the government backed commissioners attempted to stop it, which has led to today’s statement of intent by the leader of the council. Negotiations took place over the last few months to get the original Acas deal back on track, between: Sharon Graham general secretary of Unite, John Cotton leader of the council, Richard Parker mayor of West Midlands, facilitated by Lord Brendan Barber. The roles played by mayor Parker and Lord Barber should be recognised as they very quickly saw that the deal was both reasonable and doable. But ultimately it was the resolve of striking workers and their union that has got this ballpark deal back on the table. The full details of the deal will remain confidential awaiting  the detailed offer from the council and it will have to be voted on by the bin workers…Unite general secretary, Sharon Graham said: “As I have said on many occasions, the workers come first and we will always do everything in our power to ensure that our members are treated with dignity and respect. The move made today by the leader of the council is a vindication of the bin workers’ struggle for a decent deal…” read more

Unions must demand Starmer scraps 50% strike ballot threshold now!

Starmer’s Labour government’s Employment Rights Act received royal ascent on 18 December. The NSSN welcomes any improvements in the rights of workers and trade unions. But in the Government’s press briefings, there is nothing about the undemocratic 50% threshold in industrial action ballots, brought in by Cameron in 2016.

This raises yet further unacceptable delays, despite being an election promise by Starmer before being elected with a massive 160+ seat majority in the 2024 general election. It should have been scrapped on day one of the new Labour government. Workers have voted for action by huge majorities, only to fall foul of this outrageous attack on democratic union rights. Unions must now demand that the 50% is scrapped immediately.

We also support the call of the POA union for the restoration of the right to strike for prison officers.

The NSSN demands the repeal of all the Tory anti-union legislation, going back to Thatcher. We will continue this fight.

We will continue to support workers taking action to resist the cost of living squeeze, while at the same time continuing to demand that the TUC calls a national weekend demonstration against Starmer’s austerity offensive. This action was passed at last September’s TUC Congress and is now TUC policy. The TUC and the unions must now name the date! 

Consider taking this brief model motion to your next union meeting:-

  • This union NEC/branch/union branch committee/trades council welcomes the unanimous vote at this year’s TUC Congress for the motions from the TUC Disabled Workers Conference and Trades Councils Conference.
  • We fully support the demand in the motions: “for the TUC to organise a weekend demonstration against Labour austerity as a launchpad for sustained trade union action in defence of workers and young people.”
  • We welcome that this is now official TUC policy and call on our union NEC to demand that the TUC name the date for such a demonstration.

Workers unity against the far-right – on 28th March, the NSSN proudly marched on the Together Alliance demonstration in Central London along with hundreds of thousands against the poisonous division of Reform and the threat of the far-right.

The far-right are again trying to whip up racist division by scapegoating refugees and migrants. The NSSN calls for the unions to play a leading role in opposing this offensive, which will only weaken our movement in the interests of the employers. We call on the TUC to implement the policy passed at its 2018 Congress, to launch a campaign of ‘Jobs and homes NOT racism.’

For details of protests, check your local trades council and go to the website of Together Alliance

CSP expresses solidary with marginalised communities ahead of hate march (13 May)

   

Union News     

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RMT     

RMT National Dispute Fund      

Sign this petition to Tricia Williams, Managing Director, Northern Trains

Northern Trains: End the dispute with Carlisle and bring outsourced rail workers in-house

RMT to ballot Heavy Haul Rail members over job cuts and restructuring (14 May) – Rail union, RMT will ballot members at Heavy Haul Rail Ltd for industrial action after the company refused to rule out compulsory redundancies and pressed ahead with sweeping restructuring plans. The union says the employer is seeking to cut jobs, merge grades and impose revised job descriptions across Control, Rosters, TOPS, Train Planning, Administration and Management grades. RMT has warned that members are being asked to take on extra duties and flexibility without any guarantee of additional pay and being asked to relocate hundreds of miles away. The major Rail Freight Bulk Haulage company which supports critical infrastructure building programmes, as well as renewal and maintenance work on Network Rail, has rejected the union’s call for a no compulsory redundancy agreement. They have also dismissed proposals to protect existing Roster Clerk jobs and mitigate further redundancies in the crucial function of controller grades. Bosses are trying to load extra duties onto staff, including control and delay attribution work, while refusing to guarantee they will be properly paid for it read more

RFA strike Friday 8 and Wednesday 13 May over pay (7 May) – RMT members at the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) will strike on Friday 8 May and Wednesday 13 May in a dispute over pay, transparency and concerns around compliance with National Minimum Wage legislation. During the 24-hour strike action, members will continue to ensure the safety of vessels is maintained at all times, including the management of moorings and gangways. The union says that despite ongoing talks and some progress in negotiations, no acceptable proposal has been tabled by RFA management to address members’ concerns. The union argues that RFA seafarers can routinely work up to 12 hours a day and more when operational duties demand, often spending months at sea, while there remains no clear or transparent formula explaining how pay is calculated against hours worked. RMT has also warned that years of below average pay settlements, combined with poor transparency and growing dissatisfaction over conditions, are contributing to retention problems across the service read more

Compressed Working Strike Action Bulletin (19 Apr) – Please download and distribute the attached bulletins which explains the reason Tube drivers are striking read more. The next RMT Tube drivers strikes: 19–20 May (12:00pm Tuesday to 11:59am Wednesday) 21–22 May (12:00pm Thursday to 11:59am Friday)

RMT accuse TfL of U-turn in negotiations ahead of tube strike (18 Apr) – RMT has accused TfL bosses of reneging on promises to negotiate in good faith, making tube driver strike action next week inevitable. During the dispute over a fake four day week imposition, TfL wrote to the union, offering to negotiate on all elements of the proposals. However, this week they informed RMT that their proposals to condense the working week into 4 days against the expressed wishes of most drivers in two separate referendums, will now be imposed. As a result strike action will take place as scheduled and further action is planned for the coming months read more

Video: Four Day Week Update – RMT Regional Organiser Jared Wood explains where we are with the Compressed Working Week dispute in this video

TSSA

TSSA responds to transport measures in King’s Speech (13 May) – Rail union TSSA has welcomed the intention in the King’s Speech to further build capacity on the railways with a Northern Powerhouse Rail Bill – but said timing and delivery of the projects would be key. The union has also highlighted that while it supports the proposed Northern Powerhouse Rail, there remains a ‘worrying cuts’ to DfT capital spending over the current parliament even after the King spoke of the country’s economic security being dependent upon ‘world class infrastructure’ read more

Unite     

Hundreds of Greater Manchester bus drivers ballot for strikes over pay (13 May) – Go North West drivers in Bolton, Denton, Heywood and Wigan angry over huge pay disparities with Bee Network colleagues. Nearly 600 Bee Network drivers employed by Go North West in Bolton, Denton, Heywood and Wigan are to be balloted for strike action over pay, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today. The workers are angry that their pay is significantly below that of Bee Network drivers employed by other operators and have rejected a 3.8 per cent pay offer. Bee Network drivers employed by Metroline and Stagecoach earn £19.06 per hour compared to just £15.51 per hour for Go North West drivers read more

New HSE guidance on deadly stone worktops inadequate as Unite calls for ban (12 May) – Engineered stone used in kitchen worktops and banned in Australia causes deadly lung disease. Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidance published yesterday on safer working with engineered stone, which is used to make kitchen worktops and other construction materials, is inadequate, Unite, the UK’s lead union, has said. Engineered stone is banned in Australia because its dust when cut causes silicosis, which is a deadly lung disease. Thousands of UK workers are having their health put at risk as the man-made material is widely used throughout the construction and manufacturing sectors. Rising numbers of workers are being diagnosed with silicosis after being exposed. The HSE guidance includes that water suppression techniques must be used when cutting engineered stone. Unite is calling for a full ban as the HSE guidance fails to require adequate control for exposure and is unachievable for localised fitting, cutting and finishing of stone worktops in people’s kitchens and living areas…Unite is calling on members of the public to sign a petition demanding the government ban engineered stone read more

Stansted Airport strikes ended as ABM workers accept better pay deal (12 May) – Strikes by ABM workers at London Stansted Airport have been averted, as Unite members have accepted an improved pay offer from their employer. Approximately a hundred staff for the firm, who look after passengers with disabilities, were due to walk out earlier this month in a dispute around pay. The workers have now accepted a two-year pay deal. First, they will get an improved offer of an 3.8 per cent uplift, backdated to November 2025, plus an additional one per cent from this month, then in year two they will have a pay rise of 3.5 per cent. This year they will also get a £350 pro rata payment read more

Unite saves jobs for Heathrow catering workers left in limbo by ‘disgraceful’ employers (12 May) – Unite, the leading union in the civil air transport sector, has saved over 90 Unite members’ jobs that were put at risk by catering firms Dnata and Do & Co. Heathrow catering workers based at Dnata’s Heston, west London site, who made meals for American Airlines flights are now in the process of being transferred to Gate Gourmet after a TUPE agreement between the two other catering firms was stopped with little rationale given. In March American Airlines had a dispute with Dnata, who provide inflight meals on journeys from London Airport, after passengers and crew reported seeing mice on aircraft. Without consultation, the airline then transferred its catering operation for first and business class services to rival firm Do & Co. Then, four weeks later American Airlines served one month’s notice to Dnata to terminate the contract, with initially close to 200 employees identified as being potentially impacted. After strong challenges from Unite the number went down to less than 120. On 30 April these workers, which include Unite members, were told they would now be working for Do & Co as it would be the catering provider for American Airlines. Yet, one day later when coaches arrived to take workers to Do & Co with staff ready to work, they were met by a heavy security presence and not allowed in to start their jobs, leaving them in limbo. However, Gate Gourmet has now confirmed it will take on these affected workers after Do & Co has wrongly continued to insist it does not believe the situation constitutes a TUPE transfer. Instead of taking on these permanent staff, Do & Co is continuing to rely on agency workers read more

Encirc Elton industrial action ended as workers accept safety improvements (12 May) – Long-running strike action at glass manufacturer Encirc’s Elton, Cheshire site has ended after the employer agreed to health and safety improvements. Since March, over 100 workers at the plant have been taking industrial action after a headcount reduction led to staff taking on longer shifts which left them fatigued and concerned about their wellbeing and safety in the workplace. Following strike action and negotiations between Unite and Encirc, a solution was agreed for additional cover to be provided which allayed members concerns. After being balloted on the new proposal, members voted in favour of accepting this, ending the dispute and cancelling planned strikes due to end this Friday (15 May) and in June read more

Cambridge University pay strikes by hundreds of staff escalate (11 May) – Unite members demand ‘Cambridge weighting’ supplement to match Oxford, as staff wages fall behind soaring cost of living. Strikes by nearly 600 Cambridge University workers over pay will escalate throughout May, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today. The workers, including library, museum, estates management, finance, student services and IT staff amongst others, are demanding the introduction of ‘Cambridge weighting’. This is a pensionable local pay supplement for all staff to address the exceptionally high cost of living in the city. The workers are also seeking a full pay review to tackle severe compression at lower grades which has resulted in a lack of fair wage progression. Cambridge University has imposed a 1.4 per cent pay increase for 2025/2026, which is a significant real terms pay cut…The workers previously took strike action on 21, 22 and 30 April and 1 May causing full or partial closures of the Fitzwilliam Museum, Whipple Museum, Scott Polar Museum, Zoology Museum, Haddon Library, and the Architecture and Art History Library. Further strikes will take place on 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, 26, 27, 28 and 29 May and will cause significantly more disruption, particularly for tourists over the Whitsun half term. Finalist judging for the Fitzwilliam Museum, which is shortlisted for Museum of the Year, has been postponed due to the strikes read more

Ireland Ambulance dispute: Strike action to proceed tomorrow (11 May) – Resolution of dispute up to management as workers wait over six years for recognition. Trade union Unite, which represents members at the National Ambulance Service, has confirmed that members working as emergency medical technicians, paramedics, advanced paramedics, paramedic specialists and paramedic supervisors will engage in a 24-hour stoppage tomorrow from 08:00 tomorrow (Tuesday 12 May) to 08:00 on Wednesday. Last month, Unite and Siptu members voted overwhelmingly for industrial action due to management’s ongoing failure to implement the 2020 ‘Roles and Responsibilities Review’ read more

Unite leader says election results show Labour will die if it doesn’t fundamentally change course now (8 May) – Responding to the election results Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “The writing is on the wall for this Labour government and it could be the beginning of the end for the party itself. The working class have been abandoned and have delivered their verdict read more

Unite secures UK Nestle workers inflation beating pay rise (8 May) – Unite, the UK’s leading union, has secured an inflation beating 3.9 per cent pay rise for Nestle workers. The union represents over 1,200 members at Nestle, which is the world’s largest food and drink company, including at its sites in Buxton, Carlisle, Halifax, Tutbury and York. Following pay talks, the workers voted to accept the offer, which is 0.3 per cent above the RPI rate of inflation… The one year pay deal will be backdated to April 2026 read more

Delays to medicine packaging as Amcor workers strike (7 May) – There will be delays to medical packaging supplies as around 30 workers at Amcor’s plant in Cramlington, Northumberland will walk out in a dispute over pay. The Unite members, who make packaging for several major pharmaceutical companies in the UK and worldwide, have turned down a pay rise of 4.1 per cent, as they believe this does not address the cost of living crisis and previous years of low pay offers. Strikes will take place every Monday from 18 May until 6 April 2027, with the potential for further escalation. When there is a bank holiday, the action will take place on a Tuesday instead read more

Unite response to RNLI’s Isle of Wight base closure plans (7 May) – Unite the union has today (07 May) responded to plans by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) to close its Inshore Lifeboat Centre. Around 70 people work at the base in Cowes, Isle of Wight. They do a highly skilled role supplying and maintaining lifeboats for over half of the 238 stations run by the charity across the UK. After months of speculation, the RNLI has today confirmed that it will be closing the site by 2028 at the latest. This will lead to job losses, have a detrimental effect on the local community as there are few work opportunities on the island and put the lifeboat service at risk, making it less safe for those who need it read more

Scottish airport workers head towards summer strike action (6 May) – Unite in pay disputes with companies based at Aberdeen, Edinburgh, and Glasgow airports. Unite has confirmed that 900 workers are heading towards summer strike action in pay disputes with companies based at Aberdeen, Edinburgh, and Glasgow airports. Several industrial action ballots open this week including for workers employed by Edinburgh Airport Limited and Menzies Aviation at the capital’s airport, involving around 500 Unite members. Approximately 70 ICTS members based at Aberdeen airport will also be balloted in a dispute over an unacceptable pay offer. Last week, Unite announced that ICTS workers are being ballot over industrial action at Glasgow with a further 140 Menzies Aviation workers now balloted at the same airport. If the disputes are not resolved then strike action is set to occur at the peak of the summer holiday rush coinciding with the World Cup, and the Commonwealth Games being held in Glasgow read more

Glasgow airport summer strike action on horizon as security staff balloted over pay (30 Apr) – Disruption by 170 ICTS central search workers to hit World Cup and Commonwealth Games. Unite, Scotland’s leading aviation trade union, confirmed today (30 April) that ICTS central search members based at Glasgow airport are being balloted for strike action in a pay dispute. Around 170 ICTS workers have emphatically rejected an unacceptable pay offer from the company. The ballot will open on 1 May and will close on 21 May. If the ballot is successful, then strike action could start at the peak of the summer holiday rush coinciding with the World Cup, and the Commonwealth Games being held in Glasgow read more

Unite calls on health board director to resign as strikes escalate in Wales (5 May) – Health visitors at Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board announce further strike action. The Unite union has called on the HR director responsible for the dispute with health visitors in Wales to resign over the way he has handled the dispute. Health visitors at the Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board (CTMUHB) have announced further strike action today as their demand to be fairly paid at their correct grade are being ignored. The industrial action will see essential, mandatory appointments go unfulfilled due to the stubbornness of their employer who is refusing to pay them the correct salary based on their qualifications which is costing workers between £8000 to £9000 per year. Unite is now calling for the resignation of the lead negotiator for CTMUHB Mr Hywel Daniel, director of people due to the disgraceful way this dispute has been managed… Members have already undertaken 10 weeks out of the 12 weeks of strike action notice already served and Unite has now issued notice of a further 2 months from 15 May to 17 July read more

Unite wins recognition for workers at Harrods (5 May) – Unite has won recognition for almost 50 workers at luxury west London store Harrods. Engineering, maintenance staff and members of the fire, health and safety teams will now be formally represented by Unite, allowing for collective bargaining on pay and conditions. They join their colleagues who work as security guards and cleaners in having formal recognition. Workers had been seeking formal recognition for several months read more

Doncaster bus strike next week suspended after pay talks (1 May) – Industrial action by around 230 bus drivers at First South Yorkshire has been suspended, following negotiations between Unite, conciliatory service Acas and the company. Doncaster drivers were set to walk out next week, from Wednesday (6 May) in an ongoing pay dispute where they were seeking pay parity with Sheffield-based workers at the same bus company. However, all further strike action now been halted to allow the drivers to vote on a new offer read more

Bilfinger offshore workers to strike over jobs, pay, and conditions (1 May) – Ithaca operated Alba FSU and FPF1 assets set for disruption. Unite workers employed by Bilfinger on North Sea assets operated by Ithaca Energy will strike in a dispute over jobs, pay, and conditions. Around 20 workers are involved in a dispute over the refusal by Ithaca Energy to extend a retention bonus worth up to £14,500 to Bilfinger workers on the Alba Floating Storage Unit (FSU) and its floating production facility (FPF)1. Unite members involved in the ballot unanimously voted for industrial action with a series of 24-hour stoppages set to take place on 8, 15, 22 and 29 May read more

Unite secures wage win for Motherwell based Resideo workers (1 May) – Strike action called off with 13 per cent uplift over two years. Unite, Scotland’s leading union, confirmed today (1 May) strike action has been called off at Motherwell based Resideo, after workers secured a significant wage increase over two years. Unite secured an increase of eight per cent this year with a further increase of a minimum of five per cent in 2027. Around 70 operators had unanimously backed strike action with action set for next week, until Resideo made an improved pay offer. Resideo has further agreed to match any inflation increase if the cost of living surpasses five per cent. The wage increase is equivalent to over £3,500 for some operators read more

Second Unite rep sacked at Manchester’s Kimpton Clocktower amid union dispute (29 Apr) – A second Unite representative has been sacked at Manchester’s Kimpton Clocktower hotel after workers began organising for better conditions. The worker was suspended for over 35 days before being dismissed. Kimpton Clocktower owner InterContinental Hotels Group had previously been accused of union busting by Unite, after it also sacked another rep on unfair charges following workers’ attempts to unionise and fight for recognition. Unite believes the two members of staff were targeted for undertaking trade union activities, something that is illegal under UK employment law read more

Workers to protest Queens University Belfast café closures by Clements (28 Apr) – Clements is proposing closing its four café outlets at Queens University Belfast with the loss of over 30 jobs. Unite which represents the majority of workers is challenging management on the way workers are already being directed towards the Redundancy Payments Service, raising the prospect of taxpayers picking up the bill for redundancies. Management is refusing to engage in meaningful collective consultation with the union. The union met with Queens University to raise the workers’ concerns last Friday [24 April] read more

Barking, Havering and Redbridge NHS pathology privatisation concerns mount as outsourcing scandal grows (22 Apr) – Strikes increase as answers demanded over outsourcer Siemen’s funding of chief executive trip to Munich conference and £1.3m reimbursement for failure to service MRI machines. Strikes at Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust will increase, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today. The industrial action, which began in January, involves both pathology and clinical engineering staff based at Queen’s Hospital in Romford over outsourcing and pay protection…The workers will strike outside of Queen’s Hospital from 27 April to 1 May after having taken eight days of strike action in March and February. Industrial action will intensify if the dispute is not resolved read more

Luton Arriva bus engineers strike over serious sexual harassment and assault issues (20 Apr) – Unite shop steward fired after he demanded issues be taken seriously. Arriva bus engineers in Luton will strike in April and May over the company’s despicable response to matters of incredibly serious sexual harassment and assault within the workplace. The workers are also striking in defence of a Unite shop steward fired on supposedly unrelated matters after he refused to allow the company to ignore the sexual harassment and assault issue. They believe he was suspended and then dismissed in retaliation for holding the company to account. The individual at the centre of the allegations, who was in a managerial role, is no longer employed after the police were called. The workers, however, are angry that Arriva previously dismissed the allegations as “banter” and “horseplay” and completely failed to offer adequate support to those impacted. Multiple workers, including young apprentices, reported being subjected to unwanted touching, squeezing and striking, including kicking and striking in sensitive areas. They also reported being exposed to simulated sexual acts and gestures as well as offensive and sexually explicit remarks about close family members. In addition, repeated intimidation, mocking and humiliation of staff was also reported. The workers will strike from 27 April to 1 May, from 11 May to 15 May and 25 May to 29 May. Strike action will intensify if the dispute is not resolved. Strikes will severely impact Arriva’s bus operations in Luton and the surrounding area read more

1,100 Unite members set to strike at five Scottish universities (20 Apr) – Latest 24-hour action due to successive real terms pay cuts. Over 1,100 Unite members at five Scottish universities are set to take part in the latest round of 24-hour strike action on Friday (24 April) in an escalating dispute over an imposed real-terms pay cut. The strike action at Glasgow, Strathclyde, Glasgow School of Art, Edinburgh Napier and Heriot Watt universities follows successive poor pay awards and years of industrial unrest in the higher education sector.  On 10 April, members at Glasgow, Strathclyde and Napier universities took 24-hour action as part of the same pay dispute. The dispute is based on UK universities imposing a 1.4 per cent pay offer for 2025/26 on the Scottish university workforce. With RPI inflation currently running at 3.6 per cent – and significant increases in inflation expected due to the war in Iran – this represents a massive real terms pay cut. Pay talks involving the joint trade unions and the Universities & Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) impacting 138 higher education institutions across the UK have already taken place for 2026/27 with a further meeting scheduled for 13 May. The joint trade unions in higher education are demanding an increase of at least RPI plus three per cent or £3,000, whichever is the greater to be paid in full in August 2026. Unions are also demanding a minimum hourly rate of pay of £15. Over a decade and a half of below inflation pay rises has led to higher education wages falling by around 30 per cent in real terms since 2010. The union’s members work primarily in non-academic roles within the higher education institutions including estates and security staff alongside cleaners, technicians, libraries and administrative roles.

Hundreds of Filton aerospace workers could strike at GKN over pay (16 Apr) – Unite members being balloted over below inflation pay offer while CEO makes millions. Workers at world-leading aerospace supplier GKN Aerospace are set to take strike action over pay as they are balloted following below-inflation pay offers from the company. GKN is a supplier of airframe and engine structures, electrical wiring and landing gear, with a presence on 90 per cent of today’s aircraft. Around 700 workers at the Filton site in Gloucestershire make wings for the Airbus A320. For years workers at GKN have seen their pay slip behind that of other nearby aerospace firms like Airbus and Rolls Royce that has seen many employees leave in search of better pay.  GKN has offered just a 3.3 per cent increase.

Unite members have exhausted all avenues of negotiation and are now balloting as a last resort. The ballot for industrial action opens today (16 April) and closes on 7 May. If the ballot is positive for industrial action dates could take place across the spring and summer read more

JLR Solihull DHL logistics workers to take indefinite strike action over pay (16 Apr) – DHL JLR HGV drivers also voted for strike action with dates to be announced if talks fail. Around 300 DHL logistics workers based at JLR in Solihull will begin indefinite strike action over pay in early May, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today. More than 300 DHL HGV drivers working on the JLR contract in Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Solihull and Widnes have also voted in favour of strike action, with dates yet to be announced. The logistics workers and HGV drivers, involved in delivering parts and cars to and from JLR’s West Midlands and North West operations, are angry at an unacceptable three per cent pay offer for 2026…DHL’s offer is a real terms wage cut with the RPI rate of inflation standing at 3.6 per cent. DHL recently announced operating profits of 6.1 billion euros for 2025. DHL JLR Solihull workers will begin indefinite strike action at 00:01 hours on 7 May. DHL JLR drivers have agreed to meet with the company for further talks under the auspices of the conciliation service Acas. If an acceptable offer is not put forward, strike action will be scheduled read more

London bus turmoil as TfL workers vote to strike over rota changes (16 Apr) – London bus services will see disruption this month as over 150 Unite members at Transport for London will strike over roster changes. Workers, who are bus station and network traffic controllers, will walk out from 23 to 25 April, to coincide with RMT workers taking action on the London Underground. The dispute is around changes to rosters with increased weekend working and further travel to sites across London that teams haven’t previously covered. Unite members say this will leave them fatigued and also put them at risk of disciplinary action as they are unlikely to be able to travel to every site in time read more

Fresh East London bus disruption as Bow bus garage strikes escalate (10 Apr) – There will be further disruption to bus services going across east to central London beginning from next week, as over 300 drivers at the East London Bus & Coach Company have escalated industrial action. The dispute concerns bus driver fatigue. Drivers at the East London Bus & Coach Company (part of Stagecoach) are driving long distances without adequate breaks, have had increased weekend working and are not given sufficient time between shifts to recuperate. Meanwhile, meal breaks are not being scheduled at the depot with many workers taking these on the side of the road instead of in an adequate rest area. This situation is leaving drivers concerned about their own health and safety as well as that of passengers and pedestrians. Drivers at Bow bus garage have reported having ‘near misses’ while driving due to the fact they are driving while fatigued…Strikes will take place on 17 and 24 April and 15 May. Industrial action last month caused cancellations of bus services as well as delays. Industrial action will impact services that operate from Bow bus garage and go to central London and Westfield Stratford City shopping centre. These are the 8, N8, 25, N25, 45, 205 and N205 read more

Unite rally at Village Hotel as workers enter fourth month of strike action (27 Mar) – Long-running dispute over poverty pay and working conditions. Workers at the Village Hotel Glasgow are holding a rally tomorrow (Saturday 28 March) to coincide with strike action entering its fourth month in a long-running dispute over jobs, pay and conditions. Village Hotel workers including staff in the Pub & Grill and the franchised Starbucks have been on all-out strike action since 28 November 2025 fighting for the real living wage for all workers, union recognition, and safe working conditions including taxi fares for late and unsociable hours worked read more

Disruption to student buses as workers at Universitybus, University of Hertfordshire ballot for strikes (25 Mar) – There is set to be disruption to bus services to and from the University of Hertfordshire, as almost 200 workers including drivers at Universitybus Limited are balloting for industrial action. The dispute centres around union victimisation. In November, Unite’s lead representative at the Hatfield depot, who had worked for the firm for over 15 years, was unfairly suspended, pending disciplinary investigation. Workers at Universitybus, which trades as Uno, want the rep reinstated and believe they were targeted for trade union activity. This is illegal under UK employment law. Meanwhile, there is a dispute with the company on behalf of members regarding the inconsistent and unfair way the company deal with disciplinary procedures, with junior staff believing they are treated more harshly by management than more senior workers…The ballot is ongoing and closes on 14 April. Strikes could coincide with the busy exams period in late spring read more

Unite responds to this year’s local council pay offer (25 Mar) – Unite has today (25 March) responded with dismay to this year’s local government pay offer. The offer of 3.3 per cent from 1 April has been presented as “full and final” by the national employers without any meaningful negotiation with Unite or its sister unions. Unite believes this offer represents a real terms pay cut and does not address historic problems with low pay for the local authorities sector…Unite is set to meet with its members in the coming weeks to obtain their views and discuss next steps read more

Northern Ireland pubs could run dry in Drinks Inc pay dispute (13 Mar) – Strike at Northern Ireland’s largest drinks distributor will halt all deliveries to bars, restaurants and off licenses. Unite is opening a strike ballot of its members working in for Drinks Inc (Musgrave Distribution Ltd). The strike ballot opens Tuesday, 17 March and closes Tuesday, 31 March with industrial action possible by mid-April. The pay dispute has erupted over the interpretation of a three-year pay deal which included an inflation escalator clause for the third year [2026]. Unite highlights that cumulative inflation has risen above the threshold which means that the pay deal for the third year has to be revisited. Management is disputing this read more

Dale Farm farmers warned of risks from milk outsourcing plans (12 Mar) – Any move to de-recognise Unite will result in strike ballot of drivers at outsourced companies. Unite has warned Dale Farm of potential industrial action should plans to outsource milk collection threaten union rights. Unite represents around 60 farm collection tanker drivers at the company. Dale Farm management intends to expand outsourcing of milk collection from 40 per cent to 75 per cent. Wauchope is to take on collection at Omagh with Pennybridge-based collection going to Milk Trans and Woodside. Unite warns any move to derecognise the union by the new operators will be met with a strike ballot read more

Unite to ballot Nelipak workers for strikes in real living wage dispute (9 Mar) – Dismissal of workforce rep during pay negotiations will be fought for Unite by all means available. Unite is balloting its members at Nelipak, a manufacturer of sterile barrier systems for medical devices and pharmaceuticals, based in Derry/L’Derry, in a dispute over pay. The low-paid workforce voted overwhelmingly to reject Nelipak’s inadequate pay offer. They are demanding the company become an accredited Living Wage employer, with workers being paid at least £13.45 an hour. During the current pay dispute one of Unite’s workforce reps was dismissed and this has further damaged industrial relations at the site. The ballot opens on Monday 16 March and closes on Thursday 2 April. If workers vote for industrial action, strikes could begin in the middle of next month read more

CWU

CWU/RMG Agreement 2026 – FAQs 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]     

Slow progress for pensioners (13 May) – More delayed pensions are coming into payment this month. The seventh update from the Recovery Taskforce gives some approximate numbers. Around 1500 pensions have been put into payment in the last two weeks and it is expected that all members who received their lump sums some weeks ago will have been allocated to an automated payroll cycle by the end of May. Over the last week the number of pension quotes issued increased to around 2,500, from only 400 per week previously. Capita has committed to producing pension quotes at this level to clear the backlog. To set this in context, the number of new applications to partially or fully retire can easily reach more than 600 per week so it will take time to have an effect. It is reported that 2024/25 Annual Benefit Statements (ABS) have now gone live in the Scheme Portal read more

Join our protest over pension scheme crisis (12 May) – PCS members and supporters will protest outside Capita’s AGM on Monday (18 May) to demand action over the ongoing civil service pension scheme crisis. Capita’s failures have left thousands of retired civil servants without their pensions, causing serious financial hardship. Bereaved spouses face long delays, future retirees fear having no income, and a major data breach has exposed members’ personal information. Parliamentary committees are now examining the situation. PCS continues to call on the government to end Capita’s role in administering civil service pensions and bring the service back in‑house. Join us on 18 May to demand accountability and justice at Capita’s AGM, which will be attended by company directors and shareholders. Make sure they know how we feel about their company’s disastrous administration of civil service pensions. Meet us at 9:45am in Sheldon Square before moving to protest at the following location: 4 Kingdom Street, Paddington, London W2 6BD read more

FCDO – industrial action re-ballot starts Monday 18 May (12 May) – Everyone must vote to make sure we achieve the 50% legal minimum threshold, FCDO2030 re-ballot – post your ballot paper as soon as you get it. We came so close to winning our industrial action ballot opposing job cuts that we are re-balloting members. The voting turnout was 48.76%, so we were literally a handful of votes short of getting over the 50% minimum threshold required under UK employment law. The votes showed strong support for action, with 93.8% voting for action short of strike and 76.9% voting for strike action. The re-ballot opens Monday 18 May and closes at noon on Monday 22 June read more

Landmark case in Scotland on domestic abuse and suicide (11 May) – For the first time in Scotland an abuser has been held criminally responsible for the suicide of their partner. Trigger warning: this article discusses domestic abuse and suicide which might be distressing for some members read more

Improved Cabinet Office guidance on time off for union reps secured (6 May) – PCS has been able to secure radical improvements to the current ‘Facility Time’ framework for trade union representatives read more

PCS to re-ballot FCDO members on restructure (1 May) – We are re-balloting for industrial action and the new ballot opens 18 May. PCS is holding a second ballot because there remains huge uncertainty for staff, processes are unclear, and we were just 19 votes short of the ballot turnout threshold of 50% required before a union can take lawful action. This result shows strong support for PCS demands and industrial action, with 76.9 % voting for strike action and 93.8% voting for action short of a strike. For the re-ballot, the branch has strengthened our methods and approach and is confident we can achieve over the 50% turnout threshold this time. The second ballot opens on Monday 18 May and closes at noon on Monday, 22 June. As with the first ballot this is a statutory ballot, and members will be posted a ballot paper by 1st class post on Monday, 18 May read more

Get the PCS Samba Band to your protests and demonstrations – go to their Facebook page and on X/Twitter @PCS_Samba_Band

Prospect

AWE members turn out for strike action over shambolic restructure (12 Mar) – Prospect members working at the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) went on strike today, Thursday 12 March, over a shambolic and botched restructure programme, where the senior management have failed to consult properly with staff. There was a strong and highly visible union presence at several of the entrance gates at the main AWE site at Aldermaston and there was also a vibrant picket line at the Burghfield site read more

GMB  

British Steel nationalised in ‘decisive’ intervention (11 May) – GMB Union has responded to an announcement by the Prime Minister today [Monday] that British Steel will be nationalised read more

Doncaster airport saved after union campaign (11 May) – Doncaster Airport has been saved following a campaign by unions, workers and politicians. The facility had been in doubt after Reform-led Doncaster Council broke its promise to provide a £57 million loan for upgrades the airport. But at a council meeting today [Monday], the councillors approved the loan after all read more

Strike action begins at Crane Building Services and Utilities (11 May) – More than 100 workers at Crane Building Services and Utilities (BS&U) in Hitchin have started two weeks of strike action in a row over pay. Strikes will continue until Friday 22 May inclusive and stop manufacturing on the site. The workers, who are represented by GMB Union, voted 84 per cent in favour of strike action following frustrations around an unsatisfactory pay offer that has left them feeling undervalued. This vote marks the second time in two years that Crane BS&U workers have had to take industrial action to secure a decent pay award that matches their skills and experience read more

More than two hundred South London hospital staff to strike over cuts (5 May) – ‘Wards in disarray’ and ‘bad food’ facing three mental health sites for three days

GMB members working for OCS across three hospital sites within South London & Maudsley NHS Trust will take strike action between Wednesday 6 and Friday 8 May. More than 200 workers are expected to take action, who work in cleaning and catering at Maudsley Hospital, Bethlem Royal Hospital and the Ladywell Unit, Lewisham. Having been outsourced to OCS, the contract is now facing a proposed 2000 hours of cuts, which represents a drop in service provision of twenty per cent read more

Thousands of Evri drivers to be balloted over pay (5 May) – Thousands of Evri drivers will be balloted over pay – with GMB recommending they reject the deal. More than 6,000 couriers will vote on the offer– which dates back to 2025 – which could represent a pay cut for many workers. GMB Union, which has had a recognition deal with Evri since 2019, is recommending drivers reject the deal for the first time. The ballot opens on tomorrow [6 May] and closes on June 9. If the offer is rejected, GMB will meet with couriers to discuss next steps read more

Cumbria packaging workers to strike (30 Apr) – Cumbria packaging workers to strike. Almost 100 workers at a Cumbria packaging firm will strike in a dispute over pay. Staff at Futamura will walk out after a majority of almost 90 per cent voted for industrial action. The site in Wigton makes cellulose film for packaging. GMB members turned down an offer of 1.2 per cent, which represents a real terms pay cut read more

Brighton Pavilion to be rocked by second day of strike action (14 Apr) – Buildings and collections may face closure as staff walk out over terms and conditions proposal. GMB members within the Brighton Pavilion and Museums Trust will tomorrow take their second day of strike action against a proposal to remove them from National Joint Council (NJC) contracts. The members were outsourced from Brighton & Hove City Council in 2020 but retained their local government contracts, including access to pay, annual leave and other contractual rights. Trust management have this year instructed staff to sign new contracts which will pull them out from the NJC terms package and leave them vulnerable to contractual changes. This second day of action follows a successful strike day on Saturday 4 April read more

Thurrock Council caretakers protest over ‘disrespectful’ downgrading plans (9 Apr) – Thurrock Council caretakers are today [Thursday 9 April] staging a protest over a proposal by the council to downgrade their roles. The workers, who are represented by GMB Union, are furious about the council’s plans to downgrade around 50 caretaker roles by one band, which could result in average salary reductions of around £2,000. The caretakers involved clean and maintain properties across the council’s housing estate, including removing graffiti, clearing litter, and ensuring fire, health, and safety measures are in place. The council is under intense financial pressure after a series of failed solar farm investments, with estimated debts of £1.4 billon read more

Strike ballot opens at Crane Building Services and Utilities (8 Apr) – More than a hundred workers at Hitchin-based Crane Building Services and Utilities (BS&U) will today [8 April] begin voting in a formal industrial action ballot in an ongoing dispute over pay. The ballot, which is organised by GMB Union and closes on Wednesday 22 April, will determine whether members take strike action after months of pay negotiations failed to secure a fair offer. Workers have raised serious concerns that the company is refusing to recognise the skill involved in their roles and maintain appropriate pay differentials, with the latest offer rejected by 81 per cent of members. Angry workers have accused Crane BS&U of ‘flushing their core values down the drain.’ Any strike action would effectively shut down the company’s operations in Hitchin read more

GMB responds to council workers (24 Mar) – GMB Union has responded to the pay offer of 3.3 per cent for more than one million council employees and school support staff read more

Cadent gas workers announce strike days (24 Mar) – GMB members at Cadent Gas will walk out for six days as a dispute over excessive weekend working intensifies. Dozens of staff in the North West will strike on the following dates:-

Saturday 4 April, Sunday 5 April, Monday 6 April, Friday 10 April, Friday 17 April, Friday 24 April. Frontline staff say they are regularly required to work more than half of all weekends, leaving little opportunity for proper family time, rest days or holidays. Despite repeated warnings from workers Cadent management, who do not work weekends, continue to insist the current rota is ‘reasonable’. Workers are calling for a modest improvement: reducing their weekend commitments by just one weekend a year read more

Shell Bacton Gas Terminal workers vote to renew strike action (20 Mar) – Altrad employees at the Shell Bacton Gas Terminal in Norfolk have voted overwhelmingly to continue their pay-related strike action, which entered its sixth month today [20 March]. GMB Union, which is representing the members, recorded 100 per cent vote in favour on a 96 per cent turnout. Altrad employees are currently paid around £1.20 per hour less than workers doing the same jobs at neighbouring terminals. The vote to continue strike action comes after the workers rejected a pay offer from Altrad, which would have seen them enjoy two weeks of pay parity before being paid on average 71p less an hour than their colleagues from April read more

Almost 1,500 cash protection officers ready to strike (19 Mar) – Almost 1,500 cash handlers working for G4S and Loomis are ready to strike over pay. In separate consultative ballots across both companies, more than 90 per cent said they were ready to walk out after bosses announced pay freezes. Almost 95 per cent also rejected the offer, which represents a massive real terms pay cut in the face of rising inflation. GMB Members working for G4S Cash and Loomis deliver millions of pounds each week across the country to banks and businesses – a dangerous job which leaves them open to attack. If the workers went on strike, ATMs might be left without cash, while airports may run out of foreign currency read more

‘Defiant’ hospital workers plan further protests over pay and sick pay (18 Mar) – Outsourced Lewisham Hospital workers determined to win adequate sick pay and the London Living Wage, says GMB. As part of an ongoing campaign, GMB members at Lewisham Hospital will stage two demonstrations tomorrow [Thursday 19 March]. Domestic, portering and catering staff who have been outsourced to transnational company ISS will protest outside the hospital main entrance at 12noon and then again at 2pm. They are demanding the London Living Wage as well as an adequate sick pay scheme in a GMB campaign, which has already seen them hold three lunchtime demos read more

Net-A-Porter workers in strike vote (6 Mar) – More than 100 workers at the luxury retailer’s Charlton warehouse will vote on whether to walk out over the broken promise. Net-A-Porter – which sells high end goods including a £9,000 bag, £14,000 dress and a £158,000 necklace – promised to pay the London Living Wage in 2021 but has now offered workers significantly less. Under current proposals the lowest paid staff will receive £14.41 per hour. Meanwhile the designer store just completed a redundancy process in which many workers who volunteered to leave were refused because they were considered ‘too valuable’ to the business read more

Docker strike hits petroleum giant (6 Mar) – GMB union has today announced that workers at Immingham based petroleum contractor Briggs Marine will take strike action next week. The industrial action will begin on Monday 9 March with nearly fifty workers expected to take part. The dispute comes after company bosses were accused of dismissing employees outside of due process, with the union labelling the process ‘a disgrace.’ Workers at the Briggs Marine site at Immingham Docks operate one of the UK’s largest petroleum product terminals, handling imports and exports of vital fuels from across the world 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   

Labour government must put workers ahead of the wealthy to succeed, says UNISON (8 May) – Reform poses an unprecedented threat to the union movement. Commenting on the election results for councils in England and devolved assemblies in Scotland and Wales, UNISON general secretary Andrea Egan said today (Friday): “Labour faces political oblivion because it’s simply not delivering for the majority of people…” read more

Opinion: How Turkish trade unionists finally walked free after 14 years on trial (5 May) – UNISON has long shown solidarity with the women belonging to KESK, the largest public services union federation in Turkey read more

University of Gloucestershire workers to walk out in pay dispute (16 Apr) – “Universities can’t hide behind national bargaining when staff are struggling. They should be using their voice to push for a fair deal”. Support staff at the University of Gloucestershire will take strike action today (Thursday) after rejecting a below-inflation pay offer of just 1.4%, says UNISON. Library assistants, administrators, IT workers and other support staff are taking action because the proposed increase fails to reflect the rising cost of living and follows years of pay deals that have lagged behind inflation, says the union read more.  University of Gloucestershire UNISON members will be on strike again this week. Picket schedule as follows:

Tuesday 12th May – City Campus, Gloucester (King’s Square entrance) from 11:00 to 13:00.

Wednesday 13th May – City Campus, Gloucester (King’s Square entrance) from 11:00 to 13:00.

University of Bristol staff begin three-day strike over pay (14 Apr) – “A pay rise of 1.4% is nowhere near enough when rents, food and energy bills continue to soar” read more

Further strike at Leeds Conservatoire this week (25 Mar) – Support staff at a leading music education institute in Leeds are set to walk out on Friday (27 March) in an ongoing dispute over pay and conditions. Workers at Leeds Conservatoire, including performance assistants and studio technicians, staged a two-day walkout last month unhappy at what they say are broken promises over pay and holidays. Following a restructure three years ago, many employees were transferred out of direct employment by the conservatoire to provider Luminate Education Group. UNISON says this resulted in some staff receiving lower pay and fewer holidays. Those remaining on Leeds Conservatoire contracts were told their pay would match that of staff transferred to Luminate. However, they’ve received worse pay offers and have less annual leave read more

School support workers vote overwhelmingly to strike in support of victimised trade union rep (20 Mar) – UNISON members at Ash Field Academy, a SEND school in Evington, Leicester, have voted overwhelmingly to take strike action to demand the reinstatement of their elected representative. In a formal industrial action ballot which closed on 18th March, 87% of voting members supported strike action over the suspension of their workplace steward, Tom Barker – who has been suspended since October 2025 – and the attack this represents on their trade union rights. The turnout easily cleared the legal 50% participation threshold. For more than four months, UNISON’s Leicester City branch has been campaigning for Tom’s reinstatement. Discovery Schools Academy Trust (“DSAT”), the multi-academy trust which runs the school, claims that they are still investigating his case – though they have changed the allegations they claim to be investigating since the initial suspension. More than 400 trade unionists, including the UNISON’s new General Secretary Andrea Egan and prominent MP Zarah Sultana, have signed an open letter demanding Tom’s reinstatement read more

KCL: Strike action: 25 & 26 March 2026 – This year’s pay offer of just 1.4% is the lowest offer of all public sector areas. We balloted our members on this offer, and 89% of participating members voted to strike. We are now calling for further strike action for the pay deal KCL workers deserve read more

NHS pay rise improvement talks are vital, say unions (17 Mar) – Staff crisis will continue to grow without restructure progress. The government must improve on its inadequate 3.3% pay rise for NHS staff by putting significant extra funding into long-delayed pay restructure talks or the workforce crisis will continue to grow, health unions say today (Tuesday). In a joint letter to health secretary Wes Streeting, they warn the pay award fails to keep pace with the cost of living, won’t repair years of lost pay and doesn’t address lower rises for those on Agenda for Change contracts than other groups. Staff are angry and feel deeply let down after years of falling wages and relentless pressure, say the 14 unions representing more than a million health workers. They point out that by relying on the discredited NHS Pay Review Body process rather than negotiating directly with unions, ministers have wasted an opportunity to deal with headline pay awards and much-needed reform of the pay structure at the same time through comprehensive talks. The 2026/27 headline rise will be imposed in a fortnight (on 1 April), with negotiations to follow on structural fixes, which would mean additional rises for some staff if a deal is reached. But unions say those talks were promised more than 18 months ago and the ongoing delay has wrecked trust read more

Sign this petition: To: Northern Care Alliance – Our Skills Don’t Pay The Bills!

Critical Care NHS workers striking after Greater Manchester’s Northern Care Alliance cuts pay. NHS staff working at Salford Royal, Royal Oldham and Fairfield Hospital, Bury are in dispute with Northern Care Alliance Foundation Trust after the trust decided to cut their pay when they undertake overtime to cover staff shortages. The Trust fails to pay overtime in line with their terms and conditions of employment, NHS Agenda for Change. NCA have engaged an alternative private employer, ’NHS Professionals’, to cover shifts which means staff that assist the Trust in covering staff shortages are now seeing a significant drop in pay as well as being able to avoid employer pension contributions. NHS Professionals last year posted pre tax profits of a staggering £11.4M. Critical Care units across the Trust which cover Salford, Oldham, Rochdale and Bury are heavily reliant on covering shifts to meet safe staffing requirements or critically ill patients.  The specialist nature of the care required in critical care means most shifts are picked up by staff already working on the unit. UNISON members are calling on the Trust to be given the right to choose whether to work the shift as Overtime or NHSP Bank rates. This choice would allow staff to be paid the correct pay for the crucial duties they are undertaking and no less for additional work they carry out whilst also being able to contribute to their pension. The worrying reliance on a private entity in the NHS is forcing UNISON members into financial hardship. A UNISON member said “I’m a highly trained and skilled clinical professional and I literally keep people alive. NCA has reduced my pay by £10 an hour for our extra hours rates that we rely on and I’m now struggling to make ends meet at home”. After over a year of trying to resolve this issue with the Trust UNISON members have now voted 98% in favour of strike action support striking workers

Defend Ameen Hadi and Salford City UNISON against the Far Right sign petition – ‘We, the undersigned, stand in solidarity with trade unionist and lifelong anti racist campaigner Ameen Hadi. He has been placed under investigation by Salford City Council, following a malicious allegation, driven by far right YouTubers and Fascist Tommy Robinson, after a TOGETHER unity rally in Manchester on International Women’s Day’

Reinstate Connor UNISON Newham libraries rep! Connor is a UNISON Steward at Newham Council, East London. He works in libraries, and was suspended from work on 18 Feb 2026 following his participation in the ‘Save Newham Libraries’ public campaign. Save Newham Libraries is a community campaign setup to stop the Council slashing the libraries budget by 50%, with closures, staff cuts, and service reductions for residents threatened Sign this open letter

Andrea Egan speaks at rally against university cuts in Southend: The job cuts in Southend are symptomatic of a “growing financial crisis across universities” (6 Feb) – General secretary Andrea Egan (pictured above) joined the crowds of union members at the University of Essex yesterday at a protest against job cuts and the closure of the university’s Southend campus. UNISON is one of three unions fighting back against the university’s plans to cut 400 jobs and close the Southend campus over the summer. It represents the cleaners, student support workers and other non-academic staff affected by the cuts and is in a formal dispute with the university read more

Stop the Council Cuts – Sign the petition: Save our Services – Nottingham City Unison    

Support Camden Unison school support staff members at Richard Cobden school for fair pay and safe staffing levels Camden New Journal: School strike over cuts to support staff

NIPSA

Group Of DAERA Vets To Begin Industrial Action From 1 May In Long Running Pay Dispute (1 May) – A group of Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) veterinarians represented by Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance (NIPSA) will begin industrial action from 1 May following an overwhelming vote in favour of action in a statutory ballot. The dispute involves over 30 vets across all areas of Northern Ireland and relates to a long standing pay and grading issue that has remained unresolved for more than ten years. In the ballot, 92% of members voted in favour of action short of strike action, with 88% also backing strike action if required, highlighting the depth of frustration among staff. As part of the first phase of industrial action from 1 May, Veterinary Inspectors will withdraw from all on call rotas, cease participation in online training systems and stop providing training or informal support to new and agency staff. Action will also include the withdrawal of supervision and approval processes linked to on-farm TB testing of cattle. NIPSA has warned that if the dispute continues, the action will escalate on a phased basis read more

NIPSA Annual Report 2025 ‘For Working Class Unity and a Socialist Economy’ is now available to download here

NIPSA Demands Immediate Payment of Overdue Civil Service Pay Awards (23 Apr) – Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance (NIPSA), which represents over 80% of the Northern Ireland Civil Service workforce, is demanding urgent political action to deliver overdue pay awards for civil servants who are being pushed to breaking point by the continuing cost of living crisis. With inflation now at 3.3%, the cost of fuel, energy, food and other essentials continues to rise, placing further pressure on workers whose pay has already failed to keep pace with living costs. Despite this, more than 25,000 civil servants across Northern Ireland have still not received the pay uplift due from 1 April 2026, leaving thousands of households falling further behind each month read more

   

Royal College of Nursing     

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

Isle of Man RCM members urged to have their say on three-year pay offer (29 Mar) – Royal College of Midwives (RCM) members working in the Isle of Man are being urged to have their say as a consultation opens today on a three-year pay offer from Manx Care. The RCM, alongside other staff side unions, has been in collective negotiations with Manx Care, facilitated by the Manx Industrial Relations Service (MIRS), and is now asking members to vote on the offer read more

RCM to ballot Barnsley members on industrial action over ‘fire and rehire’ threat (24 Apr) – The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) has announced its intention to move to a formal industrial action ballot of members at Barnsley NHS Foundation Trust, following escalating concerns over the use of “fire and rehire” following changes to breaks. The decision comes after months of engagement with the trust regarding proposed changes to staff breaks, which would see midwives and maternity support workers working an additional seven hours a month due to longer unpaid breaks. RCM members in Barnsley have made clear that these proposals are neither safe nor workable. Staff report they are already unable to take their existing breaks due to clinical pressures, raising serious concerns about the impact on both staff wellbeing and the safety of care provided to women and families. Despite constructive efforts by trade unions to reach a compromise, including a negotiated proposal with mitigations, RCM members overwhelmingly rejected the deal in consultation. The trust has now moved to a formal dismissal and re-engagement process, placing hundreds of staff at risk, including more than 100 working in maternity services. A consultative ballot of RCM members showed strong support for escalation, with a clear majority backing a move to formal industrial action. The RCM says the use of “fire and rehire” in the NHS is unacceptable and risks damaging trust, morale and ultimately patient care read more

CSP

CSP condemns reported homophobic attack (5 May) – We are deeply concerned by reports of an attack in Bristol, in which a man has been left in a critical condition following a serious assault that police are investigating as a hate crime read more

NHS pay structure negotiations begin (28 Apr) – The CSP is among the union delegations beginning talks this week over improvements to the NHS pay structure read more

BMA

Ballots to strike owing to pay and conditions open (11 May) – Consultants and SAS doctors in England and Northern Ireland, and resident doctors in Northern Ireland, are voting on whether to seek industrial action over failures to restore their pay and value read more

Doctors in Northern Ireland to vote on strike action (21 Apr) – Doctors in Northern Ireland will vote on whether to take strike action in response to an unacceptable offer on pay, in a ballot opening next month read more

GPs vote to reject contract changes (1 Apr) – GPC England considers next steps after referendum result reveals overwhelming opposition to Government proposed contract changes read more

Secondary care doctors prepare for strike ballot (31 Mar) – Consultants and SAS doctors in England respond to ‘inadequate’ pay award read more

GPs vote to reject contract changes (26 Mar) – GPC England considers next steps after ballot result reveals overwhelming opposition to Government proposed contract changes. GPs across England have roundly rejected contract changes set to be imposed from next month, with the BMA calling on the Government to return to negotiations. More than 16,000 GPs and GP registrars voted to oppose the planned changes to the GMS and PMS GP practice contracts for 2026-27, following the outcome of a ballot released today [26 March]. The ballot, which was launched last month following the abrupt release of contract reform proposals by the Government, saw 98.9 per cent of those participating vote against the changes, with the vote having a turnout of 55 per cent. Under the terms of the contract, which is set to be imposed from 1 April, the BMA has warned that GPs would effectively be required to ‘more with less’ by having to provide a range of enhanced services read more

New resident doctor strike dates announced (25 Mar) – Resident doctors in England are set to strike from next month following the BMA’s rejection of an offer on jobs and pay put forward by the Government. Resident doctors in England are set to strike from next month following the BMA’s rejection of an offer on jobs and pay put forward by the Government. The association’s resident doctors committee voted to reject the offer yesterday [24 March], accusing the Government of ‘moving the goalposts’ on the pay element of the deal. The offer had included commitments to reforming the structure of pay scale nodal points and pay uplifts for doctors successful completing their ARCP (annual review of competence progression). However, RDC negotiators said that, at the last moment, the Government had opted to reduce the value of the original investment on the pay element of the offer and stretch this over a period of three years. In response, the RDC has today [25 March] confirmed that doctors will stage a six-day walkout from 7 April until 13 April. This announcement comes as the DDRB (Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration) 2026/27 pay recommendations have proposed a 3.5 per cent increase for all doctors, below the RPI (retail price index) measure of inflation which stands at 3.6 per cent read more

Government offers doctors in England below-inflation pay award (25 Mar) – The Government has announced a pay award of 3.5 per cent for doctors in England, below RPI inflation levels, following a recommendation from the doctors’ and dentists’ pay review body (DDRB). The BMA says this will be a ‘crushing blow’ to doctors in England and will ‘dash any hope’ that the Government is prepared to properly recognise a profession that is ‘burning out’ read more

NEU

NEU to launch a formal ballot for strike action (9 May) – The national executive of the NEU has today (Saturday) taken the decision to move to formal ballots for strike action over pay and funding. The formal ballots of teachers and support staff in state-maintained schools in England will open on 3 October and close on 15 December. Early reports indicate that the recommendations of the School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB) report and the decisions of the Chancellor and Education Secretary will not result in a fully-funded pay offer for teachers that exceeds inflation, nor in sufficient funding for schools to prevent redundancies and rises in workload. The NEU is today signalling that we will move to formally ballot our members for strike action in October if the government does not take urgent action to address these issues. This is part of the NEU’s campaign to save education. The formal ballot follows NEU indicative ballots of teachers and support staff in England, carried out between February and April. Members voted overwhelmingly in support of strike action over the issue of pay, funding and workload read more

Golders Green attack (8 May) – The NEU was horrified by the attack on the Jewish community in Golders Green on 29 April, which has shaken communities nationwide.  Our thoughts are with the two men who were stabbed, their family and wider community. We deplore this attack, which followed other recent attacks on Jewish places of worship, properties and ambulances. We express empathy, concern and solidarity with those injured and reiterate that there is a shared responsibility to counter anti-semitism and prevent threats of violence read more

NEU members at Llantwit Major High School are today taking their third day of strike action (23 Apr) – NEU Cymru members at Llantwit Major High School strike over consequences of attack on members terms and conditions. NEU members at Llantwit Major High School are today taking their third day of strike action. Members voted overwhelming to take this action after the school and governors confirmed a decision to cut our members Planning Preparation and Assessment time to the absolute minimum allowed under current rules. Our members are clear that by taking this action, longstanding behavioural issues at the school will get worse as sufficient PPA time is essential for dealing with these issues. While meetings have taken place between the unions, the employer and ACAS as yet it has not been possible to reach agreement so therefore the NEU is taking strike action to highlight the situation and the seriousness with which our members take this issue. Some of the communications around this issue from the school have not helped the situation and have made resolution more difficult. We call on the employer to get back around the table with the unions and find a resolution to this issue read more

Results of NEU indicative ballots on pay, funding and workload (17 Apr) – Two indicative ballots of NEU members have now closed. Teacher and support staff members working in state schools in England were consulted online in separate ballots between 28 February and 17 April 2026. Teacher and leader members of the National Education Union (NEU) have voted to reject the government’s proposed unfunded pay offer of 6.5 per cent over three years. Teachers, leaders and support staff in England all indicated their willingness to take strike action not only over pay, but also funding and workload…The national executive will meet next month to determine the next stepsread more

Support the strikes:-

  • Avenue Primary / Newham (Comp redundancies) 12-14 May; NEU Contact: Louise Cuffaro [email protected]
  • Children’s Hospital School at Great Ormond Street and UCH / Camden (Conditions of service) 6-7 May; NEU Contact: Megan Quinn [email protected]
  • Connaught School for Girls / Waltham Forest (Compulsory redundancies, unreasonable management practices and victimisation of an elected trade union representative) 15 May; NEU Contacts: Pablo Phillips [email protected] and Mallainee Martin [email protected]
  • South Chingford Foundation School / Waltham Forest (Redundancies) 11-15 May;   NEU Contacts: Pablo Phillips [email protected] and Mallainee Martin [email protected]
  • Chingford Foundation School / Waltham Forest (Redundancies) 11-15 May;   NEU Contacts: Pablo Phillips [email protected] and Mallainee Martin [email protected]
  • Cowley International College / St Helens (Conditions of service) 12-14 May; NEU Contact: Stephen Addison [email protected]
  • Corfe Hills / Dorset (Conditions of service) 12-13 May; NEU Contact: Rebecca Pearce [email protected]
  • Haberdashers’ Elstree Schools / Herts (TPS) 13-14 May; NEU Contact: Shaun Murtagh-Howard [email protected]
  • Eggbuckland Community College / Plymouth (Workload) 12-13 May; NEU Contact: Mika Jefferies [email protected]
  • Flixton Girls School / Trafford (Redundancies) 14 May; NEU Contact: James Starnes [email protected]
  • Bransford, Malvern, Worcs 11 & 14 May; NEU Contact: Sean McCauley [email protected]
  • Highgate Wood School / Haringey 11-13 May  

NASUWT   

Haberdashers staff strike over pensions raid (11 May) – Teachers at Haberdashers Boys and Girls Schools in Elstree are to start five days of strike action on Wednesday over attempts to impose detrimental changes to their pensions. Employers are trying to cap their future contributions to the Teachers’ Pension Scheme, meaning that teachers would have to foot the bill for any future increases in the employer contribution rate, rather than the employer meeting the additional costs. The employer has used fire and rehire tactics to try to force through these changes, with large numbers of teachers receiving letters of dismissal and reengagement on amended contracts. Teachers from NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union at both schools are due to take strike action on 13th, 14th, 19th, 20th and 21st May. Teachers will be picketing outside the school between approximately 7.15am and 9.30am read more

Workload threats prompt strike action at two Lincolnshire schools (10 May) – Teachers from NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union at Banovallum School and Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School, both in Horncastle, are due to begin four days of strike action tomorrow (Monday) over the detrimental impact of job cuts and changes to working conditions on teacher workload. The Horncastle Education Trust, which runs both schools, is making seven voluntary staff redundancies and is proposing to cut the time allocated to teachers for planning, preparation and assessment from 15% of timetabled teaching time to 10%. Strike action is planned for 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th May. NASUWT teachers will be picketing outside the school on each strike day between approximately 8am and 9am read more

Strike action begins at St Helens college (7 May) – Teachers from NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union at Cowley International College in St Helens began the first of four days of strike action today as a result of adverse management practices, escalating workload pressures, and a breakdown of trust caused by the school’s leadership. Teachers have been subjected to unprofessional treatment by the employer and a persistent failure by senior leadership to address workload and safety concerns. By the time the employer began to acknowledge the seriousness of the concerns raised, trust had already collapsed. Teachers now have no confidence that commitments made by management will be honoured. Despite this, they have agreed to attend work to ensure exam classes are taught, demonstrating their continued commitment to their pupils read more

Trust failings prompt further action at Rochdale school (30 Apr) – Teachers from NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union at St Cuthbert’s RC High School in Rochdale are beginning a further four days of strike action today (Thursday 30th April) as a result of the continued failure of Trust leadership to address serious concerns around behaviour, health and safety, staffing and resourcing. St Teresa of Calcutta Academy Trust, which runs the school, has confirmed they intend to progress with a planned restructure which the Union believes will worsen staffing, the ability of teachers to provide a safe and calm learning environment for students and the safety of the workplace. NASUWT believes that the Trust has failed to invest in and maintain the school, resulting in an unsafe and chaotic working environment for staff. This has led to volatile and violent behaviour from some pupils, which is not adequately addressed, and unacceptable levels of workload, high levels of staff absence and working conditions that are impeding teachers’ ability to deliver for pupils. Teachers believe that the school has been stripped of staff and resources since it became part of St Theresa of Calcutta Academy Trust. It is of profound concern to the Union that Salford Diocese continues to force catholic schools in the area to join the Trust in light of the problems which have developed at St Cuthbert’s since St Theresa of Calcutta trust took over its running. NASUWT teachers have already taken nine days of strike action since February and further strike action is planned for 30th April and 5th, 6th and 7th May. NASUWT will be picketing outside the school on each strike day between 8am and 8.45am. NASUWT teachers will continue to teach their year 11 pupils on the strike days to ensure they receive continuity of support in the run up to their GCSE exams read more

Job cuts threat prompts strike action at Nottingham and Lincolnshire schools (23 Mar) – Members of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union at Our Lady of Perpetual Succour Catholic Primary Academy in Nottingham and Our Lady of Good Counsel Primary School in Sleaford are due to begin two days of strike action tomorrow (24th March) over proposed job cuts which they believe would seriously affect the quality of education and support provided to pupils. The Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Multi Academy Trust, which runs both schools, is planning to reduce the number of teaching jobs across the Trust. The proposed staffing cuts equate to 2.5 members of staff at Our Lady of Good Counsel and 1.03 at Our Lady of Perpetual Succour. This is on top of planned cuts to teaching assistant posts and some voluntary staff redundancies. The Trust has cited financial pressures as the reason for proposing these staffing cuts, however financial data shows that in August 2025 the Trust had reserves of £5.69 million. Strike action is planned for the 24th and 25th March. NASUWT will be picketing outside the school on each strike day between approximately 8am and 9am read more

Further strike action at Stockport school over continued threat to jobs (23 Mar) – Members of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union at St Mary’s Catholic Voluntary Academy in Stockport are taking two further days of strike action tomorrow (Tuesday) and Thursday as a result of the failure of the employer to engage meaningfully over planned job cuts. NASUWT teachers have already taken three days of strike action over the last two weeks over plans by the St Ralph Sherwin Multi-Academy Trust, which runs the school, to cut one full-time equivalent teaching post, reduce six hours from the admin assistant role and cut ten Kids Club administration hours. The Trust has not responded to NASUWT requests for further negotiations since before the start of strike action on 12th March. The Trust’s failure to engage with us has made further strike action necessary. The Trust has cited financial pressures as the reason for proposing staffing cuts, however the Union does not believe that these planned reductions in staffing will solve the significant financial issues being experienced by the Trust and believes that stronger financial management and accountability are needed. NASUWT will be picketing outside the school on each strike day between approximately 7.45am and 9am read more

Further strike action at Hexham school over continuing failure to address behaviour management (23 Mar) – Members of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union at Haydon Bridge High School in Hexham will be taking the first of 12 planned days of strike action tomorrow (Tuesday) over the continuing failure of school management to put in place an effective pupil behaviour management system. NASUWT teachers at Haydon Bridge took strike action in December over a lack of action to deal with poor pupil behaviour. Further action was suspended to allow school management to implement a new behaviour policy and measures to tackle disruptive behaviour. However, several months on and there has been no improvement, leaving NASUWT with no choice than to take further strike action. NASUWT teachers will take strike action on 24th, 25th, 26th and 31st March and 1st, 2nd, 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 28th, 29th and 30th April. NASUWT will be picketing outside the school tomorrow (Tuesday 24th) and on April 1st between approximately 8am and 8.45am. This action excludes year 10, 11 and 13 examination classes. NASUWT members will attend work and teach these lessons only read more

Fire and rehire threat prompts strike action at Westminster school (23 Mar) – Members of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union at Arnold House School in St John’s Wood are due to take strike action tomorrow (24th March) over attempts to make teachers choose between their pension and their pay. Teachers being threatened with fire and rehire if they do not agree to either withdraw from the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS) and be enrolled in an inferior pension scheme, or to give up some of their pay through salary sacrifice in order to remain in the TPS. The school is already in phased withdrawal from the TPS, but existing members of the scheme had been assured by school management at the time that decision was taken that they could remain in the TPS. There was no suggestion at that time that they would have to sacrifice any of their pay in order to do so. NASUWT will be picketing outside the school between approximately 7.45am and 9am read more

Abergele teachers strike over culture of bullying and intimidation (6 Mar) – On Monday 9th March, teachers from NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union at Ysgol Emrys Ap Iwan will take a day of strike action in protest of the continuous bullying and intimidation they face from the school’s leadership team. NASUWT Cymru has had concerns about the wellbeing of members at the school for a long time. Following a rushed restructure where management positions were removed but management work was not, teachers experienced increased workloads and problems with school systems and policies. When they raised concerns, they were penalised by senior leaders. The union has tried to work with leaders to resolve these issues but does not believe that the restructuring consultation was meaningful. Progress made at meetings does not seem to be translated to the workplace read more

Job changes prompt strike action by Kent teachers (4 Mar) – Members of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union working for Specialist Teaching and Learning Services (STLS) at Kent County Council began five days of strike action today over fundamental changes to their job roles which are undermining their ability to provide high-quality support for schools and pupils with disabilities and special needs. Teachers working for STLS work with schools to provide education support services for children and young people across Kent with disabilities or complex needs. Last September the council took control of STLS and made significant changes to job roles, effectively removing STLS teachers from working directly within schools. Strike action is planned for 4th, 5th, 10th, 11th and 12th March read more

    

EIS   

EIS to open Statutory Industrial Action Ballot at GCU over Redundancy Threat (27 Apr) – The EIS ULA Branch at Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) has announced it will be opening a statutory ballot for strike action this coming Friday. This significant step comes as the union seeks a firm guarantee from GCU management that there will be no compulsory redundancies as a result of the University seeking to cut up to 100 jobs at the institution. The ballot opens on Friday, 1st May 2026, and will close on Friday, 22nd May, 2026. The decision to move to a statutory ballot follows a period of unproductive discussions with university management regarding the announcement that the institution is looking to cut 100 jobs to address an anticipated £10M deficit this academic year read more

INTO

NITC Lodges Dispute with Department of Education over Teacher Workload Response (12 May) – On 28 April the Minister published his response to the report from the Independent Panel on Teacher Workload. NITC met with the Minister and a range of representatives to discuss the response. The five teaching unions then met with their executive bodies and took comment from members regarding the report. Subsequently, the concerns which were expressed from members right across the system were compiled into a document for consideration by the Minister and the Department. The plan as it currently stands is simply not acceptable to the NITC. Members were informed on Tuesday 5 May that NITC submitted the letter detailing the concerns and requested a reply by Monday 11 May. No reply was received with DE indicating that we may receive a response next week. NITC as a whole, and each constituent union, took the decision in the absence of a response on the date requested, to lodge a dispute with the Department of Education. These actions were taken today. The dispute relates to the failure of the Department of Education to publish a plan which is capable of fully implementing the recommendations from the Independent Review of Teacher Workload read more

UCU     

UCU Stop the Cuts campaign  

Sign petition against the education cuts  

MP report shows government ‘asleep at the wheel’ as universities face ‘financial cliff edge’, says UCU (12 May) – The Education Committee’s report into higher education shows the government has allowed the sector to go to the wall, said UCU read more

Four strike days begin tomorrow at Capital City College Group over workload issues (11 May) – Staff at Capital City College Group (CCCG) begin four consecutive days of strike action tomorrow after the employer failed to meaningfully negotiate over workload concerns. UCU members will be on picket lines each strike day (Tuesday 12, Wednesday 13, Thursday 14, and Friday 15 May) from 8am across the eight college sites. The dispute is over excessive workloads, and the action comes after CCCG failed to meaningfully progress workload issues after belatedly meeting with the union last week, in response to the strike threat (Wednesday 6 May). Prior to that meeting, management had failed to meet with the union over workload concerns since January (when inadequate notice was given to UCU reps of the meeting date), despite committing to two further meetings before the Easter break. UCU demands include increased tutorial time, more support for students with special educational needs, and additional student wellbeing staff read more

Dozens of Teesside University professors face the chop (7 May) – The University and College Union (UCU) has today called on Teesside University to tell the union how many staff it intends to axe. The call comes after management told around 50 professors yesterday that compulsory redundancies are on the cards with staff set to go as soon as next month (June 2026). The union wants to know how many jobs management wants to cut, where the axe will fall, and why it is trying to get rid of staff so quickly. The university has celebrated its strong financial position, so the rationale behind the cuts and the need for such a hasty process is unclear read more

Outrage as DfE hire refuses national recommendation to raise pay (5 May) – Staff at Windsor Forest Colleges Group (WFCG) will strike tomorrow (Wednesday 6 May) as they continue to fight for fair pay. College principal Gillian May is now set to leave at the end of the month to take up a senior post, as deputy commissioner for further education, at the Department for Education. Despite holding down her own staff’s pay, she has accepted a 7.8% increase to her own salary of over £10,000. The group runs four colleges across Berkshire and Surrey: Slough and Langley College, Windsor College, Strode’s College, and the Berkshire College of Agriculture. Staff have already taken five days of action and are asking for a fair pay award. WFCG has refused to even meet the 4% pay award recommended by the Association of Colleges, unlike every other college in the region read more

Marking boycott set to stop University of Nottingham students graduating (1 May) – Staff at the University of Nottingham will boycott all marking and assessments from Wednesday 20 May in a fight to protect more than 600 jobs. The boycott comes after an overwhelming 87% of UCU members voted yes to the action on a turnout of 64%. It would mean staff boycott all marking and assessment duties for the rest of this academic year, if management refuses to resolve the dispute, this will effectively prevent students from graduating. Staff will also strike on Friday 22 May and be on picket lines from 8am across the campus. The dispute is over concerns the university is set to announce a swathe of cuts next week as part of phase two of its restructuring programme, including plans, reported in the media, to axe more than 600 jobs read more

Strike ballot opens over unprecedented attack on all academic staff at LSBU (1 May) – A strike ballot at London South Bank University opened today over plans to tear up the contracts of all academics. The ballot runs until Friday 22 May and a successful result could pave the way for industrial action to begin this academic year. The ballot is over LSBU’s decision to terminate the contract of every single academic member of staff and pit them against each other in a “redundancy” selection process determined by the flawed Research Excellency Framework. The university has announced its intention to tear up local and national agreements and divide the workforce into two (‘teaching and research’ (T&R) or ‘teaching and scholarship’ (T&S)).  The new contracts also increase working time without any corresponding increase in pay.  In addition, the university will deny all new T&S starters access to the current industry standard pension scheme by employing them through a subsidiary company. UCU members at the university have, for years, refused to bargain away their rights.  Faced with this nuclear option instigated by the new vice-chancellor, they have asked management to halt the proposals and properly engage with the union read more

University of Essex strike, rally & call for vice-chancellor to resign (22 Apr) – Staff at the University of Essex will strike again tomorrow (Thursday 23 April), having already taken 16 days of action in a fight to save jobs, protect course provision and keep the university’s Southend campus open. UCU members will be on picket lines tomorrow morning from 8am. Staff, students and community members will also be demonstrating on Saturday 25 April Staff, students and local community members will hold a rally to save Southend campus meeting at 1pm at the top of Pier Hill and marching to Broadway. The strike and protest come after more than 400 staff overwhelmingly passed a motion of no confidence in the vice-chancellor and university’s senior leadership team. Over 96% of staff voted in favour of the motion, which was tabled last week by UCU, Unison and Unite. The motion calls for the resignation of vice-chancellor Frances Bowen and an apology from the senior management team, as well as the re-opening of the cuts consultation process, including the threatened closure of Southend campus. The dispute is over the wave of cuts management is forcing through. The university originally said it intended to axe 200 academic and 200 professional staff and close Southend campus before the start of the next academic year. It has now confirmed it has made over £10m in savings – more than half of its target – after staff worked together to reduce their hours and many made the tough decision to take voluntary redundancy. UCU is also pressing the university to confirm how many staff remain at risk, as numbers set out vary by more than 700 people. Last month, more than a dozen staff were incorrectly told their jobs were safe before management confirmed they were still at risk read more

Solent University staff to strike for 5 days in fight to save pension (22 Apr) – Southampton Solent University staff will begin five days of strike action next week after management began forcing them out of their pension scheme by threatening them with the sack…The strike comes after management emailed 357 academic staff who are on the Teacher’s Pension Scheme (TPS) during the Easter break (Tuesday 31 March) to tell them it wants to employ them through a subsidiary company from Wednesday 1 July. This means they would be forced out of the scheme, leaving them poorer in retirement. The university says it needs to slash pension benefits to achieve financial savings, but its own analysis shows that the proposed cuts are less than a quarter of the outstanding deficit for the current financial year. However, the challenges faced by Southampton Solent University are not caused by the industry standard pension benefits, but by management failure to grow the university, despite it receivingTEF Gold in 2023, the highest rating in the UK’s Teaching Excellence Framework, and toppingthe Hampshire rankings of the National Student Survey last year. Last December, management forced all 286 professional support staff onto the inferior pension scheme by threatening to cease their employment “immediately” and without compensation if they refused to transfer over. UCU estimates the pension cut would reduce pension benefits by a third, leaving Southampton Solent University’s academic staff up to £10,000 worse off per year in retirement read more

Statement on Ulster University job cuts (16 Apr) – The shocking announcement to cut 450 jobs at Ulster University is unprecedented and represents a direct threat to the quality of education, respect for staff, desires and ambitions of students and the long-term future of our institution. Staff already work under sustained pressure, with rising workloads and impossible demands. Imposing redundancies on this scale is deeply alarming and unsustainable. Removing hundreds of staff will fundamentally damage the student experience and weaken academic provision. Our members deserve full transparency, genuine consultation, in line with legal obligations, as well as the opportunity to challenge the assumptions underpinning these decisions. Any process that falls short of this will be robustly contested and our members will not be afraid to take action to challenge these decisions. We are also clear: compulsory redundancies will be strongly resisted. This is not just about jobs; it is about protecting the integrity of higher education in Northern Ireland. Ulster University plays a critical civic role, and decisions of this magnitude if forced through would have far-reaching detrimental consequences for students, local communities, and the wider regional economy read more

Sheffield University censured by UK academic community as it continues attacking staff (15 Apr) – The University and College Union (UCU) today announced the formal censure of the University of Sheffield by the UK academic community. The union’s move comes in response to Sheffield management’s unnecessary and damaging series of ‘restructures’, their cynical punishment of striking staff, and a refusal to meaningfully negotiate with union representatives read more

Marking boycott looms at Goldsmiths over £20m of cuts to staff (14 Apr) – Staff at Goldsmiths, University of London, have overwhelmingly voted for industrial action in a fight to protect jobs, UCU announced today. In a ballot that closed on Friday 10 April, 92% of UCU members who voted backed taking industrial action, including a potential marking and assessment boycott, on a turnout of 63%. Following the ballot result, at a branch meeting this week, UCU members voted to launch a marking and assessment boycott as soon as legally possible, meaning it could potentially begin later this month. The boycott would see staff stop all summative marking and associated assessment activities and would effectively block students from progressing and graduating until the dispute is settled. The dispute is over plans by the university to make £22m worth of cuts by the end of the next academic year (2026/27). £20m of the cuts would come from staffing, including mass compulsory redundancies. According to its latest accounts, the university spends around £83m on staffing, so the cuts represent almost 25% of its staffing costs, and if split proportionately across the workforce would mean around a quarter of the 1,230 staff facing the axe read more

Ten-day strike at Aberdeen university starts today (13 Apr) – Members of the University and College Union at Aberdeen university begin the first of ten days strike action today in a dispute over job cuts and the threat of compulsory redundancies. The strike comes after staff at the university also walked out for four days last month.  Staff are striking today, tomorrow and for another eight days through to May.  In total the university will have been disrupted for 14 days this term.  The dispute is over plans by managers to cut jobs.  The union says that management are also holding back on academic promotions and refusing to rule out using compulsory redundancies despite being repeatedly asked. In the vote authorising the strike members backed strike action by 83% with a 60% turnout.  Staff are also taking part in action short of strike including working to contract, not undertaking voluntary duties or covering for absent colleagues read more

Staff back further industrial action at Edinburgh University (1 Apr) – Staff at the University of Edinburgh have backed strike action in the coming year in a ballot over £140million cuts, up to 1,800 job losses, hidden redundancies and meaningful consultation with trade unions. In the ballot of UCU Scotland members at the university, 88% voted to back strike action with a turnout of 55%.  94% of those voting also voted to back action short of strike which could include working to contract, not covering for absent colleagues and the possibility of a marking and assessment boycott read more

8 days of strikes to hit London Met this month over jobs cull (26 Mar) – Staff at London Metropolitan University will begin eight days of strike action on Wednesday 15 April over plans to sack up to 120 staff, including more than one in five academics. The dispute is over London Met’s plan to restructure every academic school, delete 295 jobs and to axe up to 120 staff through compulsory redundancy by the end of the academic year (Friday 31 July). The cuts primarily impact academics and UCU believes over a fifth would go under the plans read more

Strike vote at Sheffield Hallam over plan to axe pensions (26 Mar) – Staff at Sheffield Hallam will begin voting to take strike action from Tuesday 31 March in a fight to protect their pensions. The ballot will run until Tuesday 5 May read more

Ballot for strike action opens at Glasgow Caledonian University (25 Mar) – A ballot for industrial action opens today at Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) in a dispute over job cuts and the possible use of compulsory redundancies. UCU members at GCU are being balloted on whether they are willing to take strike action and action short of strike against job losses and the threat of compulsory redundancies. Action short of strike could include working to contract and not covering for absent colleagues. The ballot runs from today until Thursday 23 April. The ballot is being held in response to plans announced by university management to cut up to 100 posts through a targeted voluntary redundancy scheme in response to a predicted deficit of £10million. The university is not currently in deficit. The union says that it wants to work with management to save jobs and find alternative savings but called on senior management at the university to rule out the use of compulsory redundancies. A joint union rally at the university last week saw staff from across the institution and students join together to voice their opposition to the cuts and oppose compulsory redundancies. NUS Scotland also issued a statement of support with university staff across Scotland taking industrial action to oppose cuts and save jobs read more

Strikes escalate at University of Sheffield International College over pay freeze (24 Mar) – Staff are on strike today and Thursday at University of Sheffield International College (USIC) as action escalates in a fight against a pay freeze. UCU’s members have already been on picket lines for five days (Monday 16 February, and Tuesday 10, Thursday 12, Monday 16 and Wednesday 18 March) and will also strike on Monday 30 March, and Wednesday 1 April. A meeting took place yesterday with management representatives from USIC’s owner Study Group and UCU. The union made it clear that members are open to meaningful negotiation to resolve the dispute and end the strike action but no offer was made. An agreement was reached at the end of the meeting to bring in ACAS to try and break the stalemate. Staff are on picket lines each day of strike action [NOTE 1]. The strikes come as management told staff their cost of living pay increase, which had already been delayed by six months, would by 0% for the second year in a row. Despite freezing staff pay CEO Ian Chrichton took home over £600k in 2024, including a bonus of over £195k read more

Strike rally at Northumbria University over “pension theft” & pay freeze as management wastes millions on capital spend (24 Mar) – Northumbria University staff will rally on Wednesday 25 March as they protest management’s attempt to rob them of their pension. The rally takes place on the first of three strike days this week (Wednesday 25, Thursday 26 and Friday 27 March). Staff will be on picket lines from 9am Wednesday morning before the rally starts . They have already taken twelve days of action since February and will strike for five more in April if management refuses to enter meaningful negotiations to help resolve the dispute. The rally will begin at Newcastle Civic Centre at 12.30pm and attendees will march to Grey’s Monument. Speakers include UCU general secretary Jo Grady, president-elect Dyfrig Jones, as well as reps from Northumbria UCU, sister UCU branches also under attack and sister unions. The dispute is over management’s decision to force staff out of the post-92 university standard pension, the Teacher’s Pension Scheme, by freezing the pay of any staff member who tries to stay in it. The university has now told staff it needs to cut £25 million from university expenditure by the end of the year (December 2026) read more

Windsor Forest Colleges staff begin two-day strike tomorrow over low pay (16 Mar) – Staff at Windsor Forest Colleges Group will down tools tomorrow and Wednesday after management refused to make a fair pay award. Four colleges across Berkshire and Surrey will be hit by the action: Slough and Langley College, Windsor College, Strode’s College, and the Berkshire College of Agriculture. Staff will be on picket lines each strike day. The strike comes after management refused to make an improved offer at a meeting with UCU on Thursday 5 March and the board of governors refused to meet with the union. Staff had already voted to reject an improved offer of just £500 after they had also rejected an offer of 1.7%. Even with the additional £500, all staff would be paid below the rate recommended by employer body the Association of Colleges (4%) 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 defeat “dangerous” cuts to Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service (14 Apr) – Firefighters in Oxfordshire have successfully forced the withdrawal of plans to cut the county’s fire and rescue service, following months of campaigning by the Fire Brigades Union. The proposals would have seen three fire stations close, six fire engines removed, and at least 42 firefighter jobs cut. The FBU warned that the plans would put public safety at risk. After a sustained campaign involving rallies, public meetings and a consultative ballot for industrial action, the proposals have now been dropped read more  Oxfordshire FBU Facebook page

FBU launches national ‘Cuts Kill’ campaign – Our fire and rescue service is stretched to breaking point. The demands on firefighters are rising fast, with climate change creating more extreme wildfires, flooding and severe weather. Yet the service responsible for protecting us is being asked to do more with less. For over a decade, deep cuts have hollowed out the service. Across the country, fire engines are arriving at emergencies without enough crew on board to respond and save lives. Some engines aren’t leaving the fire station at all because there simply aren’t enough firefighters to staff them. Response times are getting longer every year. And in an emergency, every second counts. Cuts kill. Firefighters and communities have raised the alarm repeatedly, but those warnings have been brushed aside while politicians made decisions that stripped vital resources from the frontline. After 14 years of cuts and austerity, it’s time to draw a line in the sand… Join the fight

This fight is for every job, every station and every community. Wherever they try to force through more cuts, we must stand together and push back. Write to your MP and call on them to sign the Early Day Motion demanding investment in the fire and rescue service

To find out more about the campaign go to: https://www.fbu.org.uk/campaigns/cuts-kill

POA     

NEC minutes April 2026 read more

General Secretary update read more

National Chair update April 2026 read here  

Towards a 2nd Employment Rights Bill (17 Apr) – The Employment Rights Act, which received Royal Assent in 2025, was one of the headline policies of the incoming Labour government. Years in the making, the genesis of the act came from work done by former shadow cabinet member and employment lawyer, Andy McDonald, the MP for Middlesbrough and Thornaby East. McDonald worked closely with trade unions, carefully building a programme of legislative change that unions would not only support but had been central to creating. However, by the time of the Labour conference of 2021, McDonald resigned, frustrated and angry at Keir Starmer’s refusal to commit to a £15 per hour National Minimum Wage read more

POA Circular 23/2026 Right to Strike campaign – postcard action (2 Apr) – POA Circular 23/2026 was promulgated on 23rd March 2026 as part of our ongoing Campaign to have our Right to Strike Reinstated and explained that the POA would be distributing pre-printed postcards to all our members. The postcards contain a message to the Prime Minister urging him to Reinstate our Right to Strike. These postcards are addressed to the Prime Minister and will play a vital part in demonstrating our strength and unity on this issue read more

Right to Strike campaign – further action (2 Apr)

Annual Conference motion 86/2025 Simpson House – Following the adoption of Annual Conference Motion 86/2025. “That (POA North Regional Office) Linden House is renamed Simpson House in memory of Joe Simpson previous Deputy General Secretary.” I am delighted to inform you that the renaming to Simpson House is now complete at Land Registry and Title Deeds read more

Prison officers union accuses politicians of nauseating hypocrisy over pay award (26 Mar) – The Leaders of the Prison Officer’s Union have slammed UK Government Ministers accusing them of nauseating hypocrisy following the announcement by The Prison Service Pay Review Body that Prison staff will receive a 3.5% pay increase for the coming year. The increase comes at a time when inflation is sitting at 3% and millions of workers are facing a cost of living crisis fuelled by global conflict, soaring energy prices and an increase in everyday essentials such as food, housing, clothing etc. Anger has been stoked by the fact that the 3.5% award for Prison Officers is significantly below the 5% MPs will receive over the same period read more

BFAWU     

Spring Foodworker 2025 read more

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

Nautilus International

RFA officers to begin work-to-rule protest over unresolved pay and conditions dispute (30 Apr) – Ships’ officers in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) — the Ministry of Defence’s civilian maritime support service — will begin a work-to-rule on Sunday 10 May 2026. The officers, who are members of Nautilus International, will work strictly to their contracts and assignments. They will refuse additional duties and extended tours — as well as anything not written into their formal agreements. This is known as Industrial Action Short of a Strike (IASOS). RFA officers voted 95% in favour of industrial action short of a strike and 88% in favour of strike action in February 2026. This follows longstanding frustrations from long-running disputes over pay, working conditions, leave, and allowances. Talks with the Ministry of Defence and RFA management have continued since then, but the core concerns remain unaddressed read more

NUJ   

Ethics Council webinar: reporting on violence against women (13 May) – On 7 May, the NUJ held a webinar exploring how to report on violence against women and girls in an accurate, responsible, and considerate way. Members can access the full recording below read more

Journalists at BBC Newshour and The World Tonight vote for industrial action (8 May) – NUJ members at Newshour and The World Tonight within BBC World Service have urged management to meet the union to avert a strike after voting overwhelmingly to take industrial action over rota changes. The ballot results showed 94% supported both strike action and action short of a strike on a turnout of 97%. The ballot began on 20 April and closed on 8 May. Under the new Employment Rights Act, the legal mandate to hold industrial action now lasts for a year rather than six months. The proposed changes to rotas would lead to fewer opportunities for freelances and increased workloads for staff. BBC management have so far rejected the NUJ’s counter proposal and offer to meet, instead choosing to implement plans that would require staff to work an additional two days every four weeks due to slightly shorter shift times read more

Live coverage from STV strike (8 May) – Around 100 STV staff members are out on strike today (8 May) over pay, leading to coverage of the Scottish election results being cancelled and replaced by an episode of The Chase. Our members at STV are joined in the picket lines outside the Glasgow and Aberdeen offices by members of Bectu, which represents technical staff. Members of both unions voted overwhelmingly for strike action in March following management’s decision to offer a 0% pay award read more

NUJ members at STV to strike on election results day (7 May)

NUJ urges Reach to invest in its journalists at 2026 AGM (7 May) – The union attended Reach plc’s Annual General Meeting yesterday (6 May) and urged shareholders to support investment in quality journalism and oppose further cuts, warning that the company’s digital strategy depends on a properly resourced workforce read more

Equity

Equity writes to new Wales First Minister for commitments (13 May) – Equity has today written to Welsh First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth, calling on his government to place culture, fair work & workforce sustainability at the centre of its new Programme for Government read more

Equity members show solidarity for West End strike vote (11 May) – Performers and stage management working in London’s West End theatres have today addressed Equity’s annual conference, calling for “a real-terms pay rise” read more

Durham Pride and Equity sign landmark union agreement (8 May) – For the first time in its history, the organisers of Durham Pride have signed a brand new agreement with Equity, which sets minimum standards for pay, terms, and conditions for performers who work at Durham Pride. Alongside an agreement with Manchester Pride, it is one of the first Pride agreements to be brokered by Equity. News of the agreement comes after Reform-led Durham County Council cut the budget for this year’s Durham Pride completely. Despite this, the event is going ahead on Saturday 30 May read more

Dancers’ show of strength delivers win at Northern Ballet (5 May) – Equity members secure pay for mandatory recalls dancers previously made to work for free read more

Musicians Union

Why So Few Disabled Professional Musicians: The Barriers Built Into UK Music Education (8 May) – Why are disabled musicians still so rarely seen in the UK’s conservatoires, orchestras and freelance workforce? For Chun, the parent of accomplished young MU member Chapman, the answer lies not in a lack of talent, but in post-16 structures that continue to close doors on disabled progression read more

MU Stands with Staff and Students Fighting Nottingham University Cuts (7 May) – MU officials joined staff and students at the University of Nottingham yesterday to protest proposed job and course cuts, including the suspension of music courses for new entrants, as concerns grow over the wider threat facing arts subjects in higher education read more

Sign the Petition for Fair Work in Scotland’s Creative Industries (2 Apr) – With Scotland’s elections fast approaching, we’re calling on musicians to help secure real change by signing the petition for Fair Work across the nation’s creative industries read more

Community

Statement – British Steel (11 May) – “We welcome the Prime Minister’s speech today, and in particular the ambition shown for the future of British Steel. The nationalisation of the business will provide much needed certainty for the workforce, and with the issue of ownership resolved there is now an opening for investment which can secure the site’s long-term future as a vital strategic asset for the UK read more

BADN members vote ‘Yes’ to Community transfer (6 May) – We are delighted to announce that the British Association of Dental Nurses (BADN) will be transferring into Community following a ballot of the organisation’s membership read more

USDAW

Usdaw members vote overwhelmingly for strike action at the Morrisons Bridgwater distribution centre (4 Mar) – Retail distribution trade union Usdaw has balloted 100 drivers and transport clerical staff at Eddie Stobart Limited, who operate a Morrisons contract at the Bridgwater distribution centre in Somerset. Members voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action, in a dispute over the 2025 pay award, with an 83% yes vote. The ballot closed on 2 March and the turnout was 83% read more

UVW   

Migrant cleaner takes Hackney council to court for discrimination and breach of contract (29 Apr) – “I have felt bullied despite giving 100 percent of myself at work. It is not fair that at the slightest issue, workers can be made to feel belittled and pushed out as though they are worth nothing” – Maryori Pacheco Masias, UVW member. “I have felt bullied despite giving 100 percent of myself at work. It is not fair that at the slightest issue, workers can be made to feel belittled and pushed out as though they are worth nothing” – Maryori Pacheco Masias, UVW member. A migrant cleaner is taking legal action against Hackney Council, alleging bullying, harassment, and discrimination after her working conditions were abruptly changed, leaving her in financial hardship read more

100% YES! Concierges and cleaners at London luxury apartments vote unanimously for fresh strikes (23 Apr) – “We all have a right to a decent life and to feel financially secure…We remain positive, which is why we have voted to strike again. We are not letting our guard down” – Karin, cleaner and UVW member. Cleaners and concierges at West End Quay in central London have once again voted to take strike action, delivering a unanimous result in the third ballot in just over a year. The dispute, now in its 19th month, has become the longest-running in UVW’s history — and workers say they are determined to see it through. The 100% YES vote reflects growing frustration among staff, who say they are still waiting for the 2025 pay rise and a 2025 bonus that was never paid. Many feel they have been left with no choice but to escalate read more

V&A and Science Museum Guards on brink of strike action over pay and ‘sham’ sackings—one year after walkouts (25 Mar) – “After a long struggle, we managed to secure a trade union recognition deal, signed between UVW and our management. It is unfortunate that after last year’s campaign and the new recognition agreement, we have to again ballot for strike – and we may have to go on strike again -because management decided they were not going to respect the new agreements” – Evariste, UVW member and museum security guard. Outsourced security guards working at the Victoria and Albert and Science museums are set to ballot for strike action after their employer, Wilson James, refused to negotiate on a series of demands relating to pay and working conditions, as well as anger over the “sham” sacking of  a strike leader and two fellow union members. The ballot comes a year after major strikes in the institutions. The ballot organised by their union UVW comes amid growing frustration over contractor Wilson James’ refusal to negotiate a better deal, following years of low pay and poor conditions in the high-profile institutions they protect read more

Solidarity Financial Appeal: UVW’s office was targeted in a break-in! – in January 2025, laptops, essential equipment and other valuables worth several thousands of pounds were stolen, disrupting critical support for low-paid, migrant and precarious workers. This won’t stop our fight for justice. The theft comes as UVW leads critical campaigns with hundreds of workers taking strike action across London. Please support UVW during this critical time. Help replace stolen equipment and ensure campaigns for dignity and equality continue. Every donation makes a difference. Donate now: https://www.uvwunion.org.uk/donate. Read more on UVW Facebook page   

IWGB

RCA cleaners fired after protesting sexual harassment and workplace abuse (13 May) – Two cleaners at the Royal College of Art have been dismissed after taking part in a letter hand-in protest over alleged workplace abuse and sexual harassment, involving supervisors employed by the university’s cleaning subcontractor, PfP Students. The workers, who are members of the IWGB Union, say they are being victimised for speaking out about harassment and safety concerns in the workplace read more

MPs accuse Rockstar of obstructing legal process over alleged union-busting with ‘silence and closed doors’ (12 May) – Scottish Labour MPs Chris Murray, Dr. Scott Arthur and Tracy Gilbert have called for transparency and cooperation from Rockstar Games in the legal battle over alleged union-busting at the studio. In public statements shared today they urged the company behind Grand Theft Auto to comply with requests for the evidence and investigation reports that led to the mass firings of 34 workers last October. The 31 UK-based developers Rockstar dismissed without warning belonged to the IWGB Game Workers Union. The other three developers sacked were based in Rockstar’s Toronto studio, and therefore were not eligible for membership, but supported the unionisation effort read more

SIPTU (Ireland)   

SIPTU healthcare workers to begin strike action over pay failure (11 May) – SIPTU members of Blanchardstown and Inner-City Home Care will commence strike action on Tuesday (12th May) for failure by management to fully implement the 2023 Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) Agreement. Within the agreement, SIPTU members were to receive an 8% pay increase backdated to 1st April 2023. However, Blanchardstown and Inner City Home Care have failed to fully implement these increases or provide any of the outstanding money owed read more

Ambulance workers begin industrial action and prepare for 24-hour stoppage tomorrow (11 May) – Approximately 2,000 SIPTU members of the National Ambulance Service (NAS) began a campaign of industrial action today (Monday, 11th May) with work-to-rule measures implemented across the country as they prepare for a 24-hour work stoppage tomorrow (Tuesday, 12th May). The action arises from the HSE’s failure to implement the recommendations of an independent report on updating ambulance workers’ pay scales to reflect changes in their responsibilities and workloads over the last 20 years. Further work stoppages are scheduled for 19th May and 26th May, with further action planned during June. The work-to-rule will involve members strictly adhering to their contractual obligations and refusing to cooperate with new procedures or changes read more

SIPTU meets with TDs, Senators over ambulance dispute (8 May)

Strike action set at STERIS Tullamore in union recognition dispute (10 May) – SIPTU members employed by STERIS AST in Tullamore, County Offaly have served notice of strike action on their employer, in a dispute resulting from management at the contract sterilisation and lab testing facility’s refusal to engage with their Union on issues including sick leave and pay. SIPTU members will conduct work stoppages commencing at 8.00am on Friday, 15th May, and concluding at 8.00am on Saturday, 16th May 2026. During this time, pickets will be placed at the entrance to the plant read more

Connolly’s Vision Lives On But Workers Still Wait for Justice (10 May) – SIPTU General Secretary John King has delivered a major address to mark the 110th anniversary of the execution of James Connolly, trade union organiser, socialist thinker, and revolutionary leader, who was killed on 12 May 1916. Speaking at the commemoration, King drew on Connolly’s enduring legacy to call for renewed solidarity in the face of rising inequality, a cost-of-living crisis, and what he described as a government that has abandoned the interests of working people read more

RTÉ workers to hold protective ballot to prevent further outsourcing (16 Apr) – More than 600 SIPTU members in RTÉ will vote in a protective ballot indicating their intent to take industrial action, up to and including strike action, if management at the broadcaster attempts to further outsource any of the station’s core programme productions or other roles read more

SIPTU serves notice of strike action on National Ambulance Service (13 Apr) – SIPTU has notified the National Ambulance Service (NAS) of its intention to conduct strike action next month as part of a long-standing dispute with the HSE regarding unimplemented recommendations from a 2020 independent report. Last week, approximately 2,000 SIPTU members in the NAS, from across the country, voted overwhelmingly for industrial action, up to and including strike action. The first date of action will be a 24-hour stoppage on 12th May, followed by a 48-hour stoppage beginning on 19th May and a 72-hour stoppage beginning on 26th May, with further strike action planned for June read more

SIPTU members in Dublin Home Care provider vote for strike action (9 Mar) – SIPTU members working in Blanchardstown and Inner City Home Care have voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action over pay inequality read more

  

Other news     

The Employment Rights Act: shortcomings and opportunities – Join Troublemakers At Work for this public online discussion, jointly hosted by Troublemakers At Work and Free Our Unions, about the Employment Rights Act 2025: Tuesday 5th May 7pm details

This May Day, Strike Map launched the Solidarity Fund. A simple to use permanent place, you can contribute to support striking workers read more

Centenary of the 1926 General Strike – Monday May 4, marks the centenary of the 1926 General Strike and an event appropriately called Centenary will be held at Glasshouse Gateshead to commemorate that momentous occasion, which was the biggest rupture in British society since the English civil wars of the 1640s. Centenary will comprise songs, comedy sketches, stand-up comedy and recitations.  

Producer Ed Waugh penned Carrying David, Wor Bella, Hadaway Harry and The Cramlington Train Wreckers which transfers to Newcastle Theatre Royal in July.  

Ed explained: “Centenary is an appropriate name for the show because it’s amazing to think we’ll be performing the show exactly 100 years to the day that the General Strike actually started. “While Centenary will commemorate the UK’s only General Strike it will also celebrate other working class struggles from the Napoleonic Wars to the present time using popular culture.”

The one-off show will be compered by Micky Cochrane, who is the current  Performer of the Year (North East Culture Awards) for his outstanding performances in the Cramlington Train Wreckers and Carrying David.

Ed continued: “Paul Weller and Tom Robinson have has given us personal permission to use their  songs. Likewise the tremendous Paul Simmonds of The Men They Couldn’t Hang and the estate of the late-great Alan Hull of Lindisfarne.” He added: “Not only will it be first-class entertainment, we think people will come away inspired, having learnt about real, working class, history.”

The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists – adapted by Neil Gore from the book by Robert Tressell, directed by Louise Townsend details

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   

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    

STAMMA website    

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   

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   

     

Oppose Trump and Netanyahu’s attack on Iran

For details of protests, see the Stop the War Coalition website 

Stop the attack on Gaza    

Many NSSN supporters have joined marches and protests against the escalation of violence in the Middle East, particularly the invasion and bombardment of Gaza by the Israeli government.       

See Stop the War website for info on protests.

A number of unions have issued statements on the situation in the Middle East, including: the TUC, FBU, RMT, NEU, Unite, Unison, PCS, ASLEF, TSSA, UCU, EIS, USDAW, BFAWU, CWU, Equity, BMA, NUJ, MU, UVW, GMB, SOR, RCM, RCN, IWGB, Prospect, CSP, NAPO, INTO (Ireland), SIPTU (Ireland) and Mandate (Ireland)     

Oppose Trump’s attack on Venezuela

We oppose Trump’s brutal imperialist assault on Venezuela. We send solidarity greetings to the Venezuelan people, and support the protests taking place.

Oppose blacklisting & union victimisation

Spycops inquiry condemned as “fundamentally flawed” in statement by blacklisted workers – The SpyCops public inquiry that restarts evidence hearings this week is described as “fundamentally flawed” by the Blacklist Support Group (BSG). The comments appear in an opening statement for the inquiry’s Tranche 3 hearings. The statement opens with a section stating:

“Undercover police officers infiltrated and spied on trade unions. SDS reported on union meetings, union activists, union campaigns, and industrial disputes. For decades, police and security service records were used to blacklist trade union and leftwing political activists from employment. Through official and unofficial routes, the police intelligence was disseminated to government departments, major private sector employers and the unlawful blacklisting bodies; the Economic League and the Consulting Association”. The statement goes onto catalogue 10 years of missed opportunities and broken promises in relation to blacklisting, including highlighting how intelligence gathered by undercover police is used to provide state organised vetting for employers known as ‘List X companies’. One section of the statement reads: “The failure to fully investigate blacklisting is either a remarkable lack of curiosity, or an intentional self-imposed restriction of the Inquiry’s terms of reference. Either way it is against the public interest and is a failure to fulfil the Inquiry’s terms of reference as laid out by Parliament”. 

BSG’s opening statement is published on the inquiry’s website as part of the submission by Imran Khan KC, who also represents Baroness Doreen Lawrence OBE, Suresh Grover and the Monitoring Group. Full statement in link below – BSG section starts at page 35.

https://www.ucpi.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/T3P1-Opening-Statement-Imran-Khan-Partners.pdf

Opening statement to the Undercover Policing Inquiry on behalf of:

Lois Austin, Richard Chessum, ‘Mary’, Dave Nellist, Hannah Sell, Youth against Racism in Europe read here

Blacklist Support Group

book: http://newint.org/books/politics/blacklisted-secret-war/

video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNcgrNs6pB8

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/groups/blacklistSG/

blog: www.hazards.org/blacklistblog

   

        

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     

Turkey: Türkmen Remanded in Custody – Mehmet Türkmen, the General President of BİRTEK-SEN, who was detained yesterday because of a speech he gave during the protest of Sırma Carpet workers who took action for their rights, has been remanded in custody read more on the website of Solidarity with the People of Turkey

Nigeria: A Call for Solidarity – Drop Trumped-Up Charges against Soweto and Dele Frank Now! On March 11, 2026, Hassan Taiwo Soweto, member of the Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM) and spokesperson of #EndBadGovernance Movement Lagos, and Dele Frank (Arole Fela) are expected to appear before a magistrate court in Yaba, Lagos for the commencement of a sham trial on the trumped-up charges preferred against them by the Lagos State Police Command over their participation in a peaceful protest read more, including model letter of protest. Send copies of letters of protest to the Youth Rights Campaign (YRC) is [email protected]

USA: NSSN stands with workers, their unions and communities against ICE

We send our solidarity to the family of nurse Alex Jeffrey Pretti who was killed in Minneapolis on 24th January. His union American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) has issued this statement.

We also send our support and solidarity to all those who took part in the mass strike and shutdown in Minneapolis last Friday and have protested there and across the USA.

NSSN Chair Rob Williams sent this message of support

USA: Support the Starbucks strike – read more on Starbucks Workers United website and follow @SBWorkersUnited on X/Twitter

   

   

Diary      

  • 2026 NSSN Conference will be on Saturday 27th June 11am-4.30pm
  • NSSN lobby of TUC Congress will be from 1pm on Sunday 13th September in Brighton

  

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