RMT declares overwhelming mandate for national strike action on railways (24 May)
Railway workers have voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action across Network Rail and the train operating companies, in the biggest endorsement for industrial action by railway workers since privatisation. 71% of those balloted took part in the vote with 89% voting in favour of strike action and only 11% voting against. The union will now be demanding urgent talks with Network Rail and the 15 train operating companies that were balloted to find a negotiated settlement to the dispute over pay, jobs and safety.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch: “Today’s overwhelming endorsement by railway workers is a vindication of the union’s approach and sends a clear message that members want a decent pay rise, job security and no compulsory redundancies. Our NEC will now meet to discuss a timetable for strike action from mid-June, but we sincerely hope ministers will encourage the employers to return to the negotiating table and hammer out a reasonable settlement with the RMT.”
TSSA solidarity with RMT in rail dispute (24 May)
RMT: 4,000 station London tube staff to walk out on June 6 (23 May) – Tube union RMT has criticised TfL for threatening 600 job losses on the network. General Secretary Mick Lynch said: “TfL is trying to bulldoze through 600 job losses on London Underground and our members are not prepared to accept that…” read more
RMT response to Shapps strike threat (22 May) – Any attempt by Grant Shapps to make effective strike action illegal on the railways will be met with the fiercest resistance from RMT. The RMT today issued a stern warning that they will mount fierce resistance to any attempt by the government to reduce their right to strike on the railways. RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “Any attempt by Grant Shapps to make effective strike action illegal on the railways will be met with the fiercest resistance from RMT and the wider trade union movement. The government need to focus all their efforts on finding a just settlement to this rail dispute, not attack the democratic rights of working people. “Britain already has the worst trade union rights in Western Europe…” read more
Unite vows to confront head-on any further attacks on the right to strike (22 May)
TSSA vows to defy ‘desperate’ government anti-union laws over railways (22 May)
TUC National Demonstration Saturday 18th June Central London
11am assemble and 12pm depart from Portland Place W1A 1AA, rally 1pm at Parliament Square
The TUC has called a national demonstration this summer. The NSSN welcomes this so that the biggest possible national demonstration can be built as a platform for the mass co-ordinated industrial action that is needed as workers fight the squeeze on their living standards. This will be even more important as there are reports of further planned Tory attacks on trade union’s right to strike – RMT response
There is transport being organised in every area – details here: https://www.tuc.org.uk/travel-coach
More info – https://www.tuc.org.uk/DemandBetter
Also, in the run up to the demo, the TUC and unions are organising public Town Hall meetings around the country. Details of these can be found here
2022 NSSN Conference – Saturday 2nd July 11am-4.30pm Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL Facebook event
Confirmed speakers include: Sharon Graham Unite General Secretary, Steve Gillan POA General Secretary, Sarah Woolley BFAWU General Secretary and Unite Coventry bin striker
Attendance fee £6. Register on the day or email [email protected]
You can download the conference leaflet plus a letter for union branches, trades councils
Two weeks after the TUC demo will be the 15th national NSSN conference and the first in-person one for three years. As usual will be a vital forum for union reps and members along with anti-cuts campaigners to come together to talk about their struggles and discuss out the strategy, tactics and programme needed for the fight of our lives.
The NSSN will be again holding our rally at TUC Congress in Brighton on Sunday 11th September 1pm-3pm
NSSN fringe meeting at BFAWU Conference 2pm Monday 6th June – ‘How unions fight the cost of living squeeze’. Speakers include BFAWU General Secretary Sarah Woolley, Coventry bin striker, Rob Williams NSSN Chair
Support sacked P&O workers
NSSN supporters have taken part in demonstrations to support the 800 sacked P&O workers and their unions the RMT and Nautilus International and other seafarer unions. We will advertise solidarity protests in this bulletin and we will update it during the week, and on social media when they are announced. We support the calls for P&O to be nationalised to save jobs and defend communities.
Latest protests:-
Larne: Friday 27th May, 2pm Protest, Larne Harbour Ltd (port entrance) 9 Olderfleet Road, Larne Northern Ireland, BT40 1AS.
Cairnryan: Monday 6th June, 1.45pm blockade of P&O Cairnryan Port, DG9 8RG: Buses will be leaving from the RMT office, 180 Hope Street Glasgow G2 2UE at 11.45 am, returning from Cairnryan around 4pm. To reserve a space on a bus please email [email protected] or call 0141 332 1117.
Dover: Wednesday 8th June, Midday – Assemble RMT Maritime House, Snargate Street, Dover CT17 9BZ. Demonstration in support of the Fair Ferries campaign and against seafarer employment conditions at low cost ferry operators in Dover port, namely P&O Ferries and Irish Ferries
Stop union victimisation: support the Coventry bin strike
The Labour council has disgracefully targeted Pete Randle, one of the senior Unite shop stewards. We call on all our supporters to support Pete and his striking members
Sign petition to Councillor George Duggins – Coventry Council: Reinstate Pete Randle, stop union busting, stop strike breaking and pay the rate
Follow @UniteWestMids on twitter. Coventry bin worker’s strike fund – Unity Trust Bank; Name of Account: Unite WM/7116 Branch Coventry Local Government; Account number: 20302665 Sort code: 60-83-01; send messages of solidarity to [email protected]
Solidarity with GMB as arrests made on Wealden bin strike picket
The NSSN like many others in the trade union movement sent solidarity to the GMB after officers and a member were arrested last Friday. They remained in police custody for hours but were released later that day. This was an outrageous act. The NSSN will continue to support the GMB and its members in Wealden. Donate to GMB Southern region fighting fund
GMB responding to reports of arrests on Wealden refuse strike picket line this morning (27 May) – “GMB members, the majority of whom earn less than £10 an hour, working for Biffa in Wealden, East Sussex have been on strike for four weeks today. The protests have been peaceful throughout. GMB understands three of the picketers were arrested today whilst asking strike breakers not to cover the work of those fighting for better pay, including a manager driving a vehicle who GMB and the strikers believe does not have the correct paperwork to drive the vehicle he was in. This is a serious health and safety risk for GMB members on the picket line he was crossing and the general public. The licence violation was reported to the police. At ACAS talks on Wednesday, GMB made a counter offer to Biffa to settle the dispute, which included major concessions and which the company rejected. GMB remains ready to return to talks; anytime, any place, anywhere but the refuse workers of Wealden are determined to be paid enough to feed and support themselves and their families.”
Stop the war in Ukraine
The NSSN calls for the unity of working-class people across Ukraine, Russia and the whole region against war, militarisation and repression. We support the actions of independent trade unions in Ukraine and Russia in defending workers.
FBU Executive Council Statement – Invasion and War in Ukraine
Unite executive council – statement on Ukraine crisis
NIPSA statement: Russian Invasion of Ukraine
NSSN news
Get your trade union branch or trades council to affiliate to the NSSN – it only costs £50. Already affiliated? Please think about renewing it. Also, many of our supporters pay a few pounds a month. You can set up a similar standing order to ‘National Shop Stewards Network’, HSBC – sort code 40-06-41, account number 90143790. Our address is NSSN, PO Box 54498, London E10 9DE. Feel free to use this affiliation letter.
And if you can, come to one of our regional Conferences. If there is not one in your area, get in touch to either assist in organising or have a speaker at one of your meetings or events. Contact Rob or Linda on [email protected]
Union News
RMT
RMT suspends June 3 action (27 May) – Tube union RMT suspends June 3 action after “significant progress” with LUL. Station staff at Euston and Green Park stations have faced bullying and intimidation from a single manager for years, leading to a breakdown of industrial relations. However, following intense negotiations between RMT and tube bosses, an agreement was reached to have a review with union involvement to deal with the bullying issue. RMT says if no immediate improvements are seen and the review does not lead to a just settlement, then strike action for a different day will be called read more
Tube strike action set for Queen’s Jubilee (18 May) – Tube staff will take strike action at Euston and Green Park stations on June 3, if action is not taken against a bullying manager. RMT members at both stations have suffered years of intimidation, bullying and unjustified sackings of colleagues by a manager who has created a toxic atmosphere in the workplace. Strike action is set for June 3 which coincides with the Queen’s Jubilee and will last 24 hours read more
Support RMT strike on TransPennine Express – TPE conductors on major railway lines are striking over pay and Sunday. The company has point blank refused TPE conductors’ request to increase pay for staff coming in on their days off and Sundays. Members are instructed not to book on for any shifts that commence between:-
- hours until 23.59 hours on Sunday 13th March 2022
- hours until 23.59 hours on Sunday 20th March 2022
- hours until 23.59 hours on Sunday 27th March 2022
- hours until 23.59 hours on Sunday 3rdApril 2022
- hours on Saturday 16th April 2022 until 23.59 hours on Sunday 17th April 2022
- hours on Saturday 30th April 2022 until 23.59 hours on Sunday 1st May 2022
- hours on Saturday 4th June 2022 until 23.59 hours on Sunday 5th June 2022 read more
Support the London Night Tube strike: every Friday and Saturday nights on Central and Victoria lines read more
TSSA
TSSA warns “No Railway booking office safe from the axe” (27 May) – Rail union TSSA has today issued a stark warning to passengers after the Government released new guidance making it easier to close ticket offices across the rail network. Under the new guidance even busy ticket offices, defined as selling at least 12 tickets an hour, can be closed. This could leave thousands of railway stations across Britain without ticket offices and their experienced staff. Train operators can also now justify ticket office closures on the grounds that it will help to deliver staffing cuts required by the Williams Shapps Plan for Rail read more
Our Rail, Our Future: next steps for members (25 May) – TSSA’s Our Rail, Our Future campaign seeks to achieve pay rises and job security across Network Rail and train operating companies which fall under the Department for Transport read more
Unite
Pay victory for Unite refuse collectors & street cleaners in Rugby who took strike action (27 May) – Pay victory for Unite refuse collectors & street cleaners in Rugby who took strike action. Bin collections and street cleaning in Rugby will restart next Tuesday (31 May) after the workers who took strike action won significant pay increases. The members of Unite have been on strike since 26 April and are now due pay increases of up to 12 per cent. The street cleansers, HGV lorry drivers and loaders took action to demand a significant pay increase as spiralling price rises meant workers were struggling to afford the basics. The council had claimed they were bound by a nationally agreed local authority pay deal, however as soon as the workers withdrew their labour the Tory controlled council set about negotiating a solution to address poverty pay with Unite read more
Unite warns airport chaos will last entire summer season (27 May) – Chronic staff shortages cannot be overcome as employers continue to offer low wages and poor terms and conditions to new staff. Aviation industry is “paying the price of mass sackings during the pandemic”. Unite, which represents tens of thousands of aviation workers, expects that the delays at most major airports that occurred during the Easter holidays will be repeated next week during the half-term holidays and will be even worse during the summer holidays read more
Unite secures improved offshore pay deal for Total workers following constructive talks (27 May) – Unite the union has confirmed that offshore workers employed by Total Energies have today (27 May) voted to accept an improved pay offer, backdated to January 1, 2022. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Our members at Total Energies have secured this pay deal through their resolve and determination. This is yet another great deal won by Unite and demonstrates once again that in this time of crisis when living costs are being squeezed, Unite delivers better jobs, pay and conditions for our members.” Read more
Unite secures massive pay rise of over 20% for McPherson HGV drivers (26 May) – Unite the union has secured a basic pay increase of more than 20 per cent over two years for HGV drivers employed by McPherson Limited, raising the workers’ wages by at least £2,200 this year. The Elgin-based logistics company, which transports goods all over Scotland, has agreed with Unite the pay deal for around 300 drivers with a 9.4 per cent increase on basic pay achieved for 2022, and a further 10.01 per cent on top of that for 2023, taking it to 20.35 per cent over 2 years. Unite has also secured significant improvements to a number of working benefits such as overtime rates, which will rise by 15.5 per cent this year and 12.4 per cent in 2023. New vehicles used for distance work will also be installed with microwaves and fridges. It is estimated that the deal will deliver an improvement on the basic pay of McPherson HGV drivers by a minimum of £2,200 over the course of a year. The deal will also frontload the payments for the two years over the course of six months with the pay increase for 2022 coming into effect from July, and in January for 2023 read more
Pay strikes at UK’s only ink manufacturer to hit Daily Mail, Amcor, Scheizwer and Multi-Colour Corp (26 May) – Pay strikes at the UK’s only ink manufacturer, Sun Chemical, will impact the printing of the Daily Mail as well as production for Amcor, Scheizwer and Multi-Colour Corp. Nearly 200 Sun Chemical employees, members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, will take strike action at sites across the country over an ‘insulting’ three per cent pay offer. An overtime ban will commence on 6 June followed by a 24-hour strike on 9 June at seven sites, with more strikes set to be announced. The sites are in Bristol, Midsomer Norton in Somerset, Workington in Cumbria, Alfreton in Derbyshire and Heywood, Milnrow and Urmston in Greater Manchester. Sun Chemicals is part of the global DIC corporation. According to the DIC 2021 report, the corporation made £2.5 billion in profits, with its Europe and Africa division, of which Sun Chemicals is the largest company, netting profits of £60 million read more
Unite says ‘all options’ on table to save Caledonian Brewery (26 May) – Unite has responded to Heineken’s announcement that it plans to close the historic Caledonian Brewery in Edinburgh by saying ‘all options’ must be on the table to save production at the site. Unite can confirm it is scheduled to have talks with Heineken next week to discuss the potential impact on 30 workers currently employed at the brewery read more
GXO drivers on Co-op contract suspend strike action following new pay offer (25 May) – Strikes planned for next week, which would have affected supplies to over 400 Co-op stores, have been suspended following an improved pay offer. Over 330 lorry drivers and transport clerks employed by logistics giant GXO on the outsourced Co-op contract, and based at the company’s Elton Head Road distribution centre in St Helens, were due to hold an initial 48 hour strike beginning on Tuesday 31 May. However, following an improved pay offer, the first strike action has been called off to allow members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, to be balloted on the new offer. If the offer is rejected then the remaining 19 48 hour strikes scheduled throughout June, July and August will go ahead as planned, with the first one taking place on Wednesday 8 June read more
Yorkshire bus passengers face severe disruption as Arriva workers announce extensive strike action over `pitiful’ pay (25 May) – Bus passengers in Yorkshire are braced for substantial strike action next month as workers challenge Arriva’s failure to tackle low pay. Over 650 members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, have recorded 96 per cent vote in favour of strike action following the company’s pitiful offer of a 4.1 per cent pay increase, far below the real inflation rate (RPI) which currently stands at 11.1 per cent. Indefinite (all out) strike action will begin on Monday 6 June involving bus drivers and engineers based at depots in Castleford, Dewsbury, Heckmondwike, Selby and Wakefield read more
Carlisle can factory strikes to hit summer supplies of Coca Cola, Heineken, Brewdog and Magners (24 May) – June pay strikes at Carlisle’s Crown Bevcan factory will hit summer supplies of cans of Coca Cola, Heineken, Brewdog, Magners and Bulmers, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today (Tuesday 24 May). Around 200 workers, who have already taken two days of strike action over a three per cent pay offer, will strike on 4, 5, 8, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 June. The tin can production workers are seeking a pay deal that reflects rising living costs read more
Arriva London bus strikes end as improved pay offer accepted (24 May) – Strike action by over 1,000 London bus drivers employed by Arriva has been called off following an improved pay offer. The dispute concerned an outstanding pay increase for 2021. Members of Unite the union have voted to accept a revised pay offer backdated to August 2021, including an additional rise from April 2022 and a lump sum payment. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Our members’ strike action has secured an improved deal and brought this dispute to a conclusion. “Unite is entirely committed to defending the jobs, pay and conditions of workers and we will always back our members when they take industrial action to defend the value of their wages.” The workers had taken three days of industrial action in the pay dispute read more
Unite says Marine Scotland strikes on after impasse in talks with Scottish Government (24 May) – Unite the union has confirmed today (Tuesday 24 May) that strike action at Marine Scotland will go ahead following a failure by the Scottish government to make an improved pay offer. The trade union has been engaged in several rounds of discussions with the Scottish government following a two per cent pay imposition for 2021, which Unite contests could constitute an ‘unlawful inducement’. However, with the Scottish Government refusing to re-open pay talks for 2021, strikes are to go ahead. Unite members at Marine Scotland in seafaring roles will now take part in two separate periods of 48-hour strike action involving Marine Protection Vessels (MPV) Hirta on 26 and 27 May, and Jura on 3 and 4 June. The vessels are normally based at Aberdeen harbour read more
Strike off as Unite secures pay lift for GSK workers (23 May) – The threat of strike action at the multinational pharmaceutical company GSK has been averted after members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, accepted an improved pay offer. For the first time in the company’s history, over 1,000 workers including engineers, technicians, laboratory analysts, warehouse workers, firefighters and labourers had voted for strike action. Following an overwhelming yes vote for industrial action, fresh negotiations were held and an improved offer which amounted to a significant pay increase for workers was made, which members accepted. The revised offer was a substantial improvement on the 2.75 per cent that workers had originally been offered read more
Hinkley Point facing delivery delays as engineering workers strike in pay dispute (23 May) – The flagship Hinkley Point nuclear power plant development could face significant delays due to a pay dispute at Darchem Engineering in Stockton-on-Tees. Strike action will hit Darchem Engineering, which manufactures industrial pond liners for Hinkley Point as part of £200 million contract with the next delivery due in June. The workers are challenging an increasing pay disparity between trades at the company. The welders’ pay has increased by over £2 an hour but the company has refused to give a similar increase to the platers and sheet metal workers. Industrial action by Unite’s members will begin with an overtime ban starting on Monday 6 June. This will then be followed by three 48-hour strikes beginning on Monday 13 June, Monday 20 June and Monday 27 June. Further strikes could be called depending on the response of the employer read more
Southampton Exxon refinery pay strikes escalate risking petrol disruption (23 May) – Pay strikes at Exxon’s Fawley refinery near Southampton will escalate in June risking petrol supply disruption at a sixth of the UK’s petrol stations. Around 100 workers, who make up a third of the contractors at the Fawley Refinery, took three days of strike action in April and May over a 2.5 per cent pay offer and a lack of sick pay. Fresh strikes are now scheduled for 9, 10, 16, 17 and 20 June. Fawley is the UK’s largest refinery, supplying a sixth of petrol stations nationwide and all airports. As some workers, who are employed by Trant Engineering Limited, Veolia Services and Altrad Services, provide safety critical services, strike action could lead to shutdowns across the plant read more
Langford Lodge strikes to go ahead as Unite pursues pay rise and action on equal pay scandal – Unite has notified management at Crumlin-based Langford Lodge that their workers will commence a first week of strike action in pursuit of a pay increase from 00.01am on Thursday 26 May. The union also wants the scandal of unequal pay addressed at the company. A significant grouping of women machinists for example are being paid £1.93 per hour less than male colleagues while they do work of similar or equal value. The strike is an escalation of an overtime ban previously in force at the RLC Engineering-owned, precision engineering aerospace manufacturer. Last minute talks failed to result in agreement on the pay and equality improvements sought by Unite, leaving the union’s members with no alternative but to follow through on plans for a first week of strike action read more
Hackney council strikes escalate as parking services workers join pay dispute – Strikes at Hackney council will escalate in the coming weeks, Unite, the UK’s leading union, has warned, with 70 parking services workers now joining more than 200 of their colleagues in a dispute over pay. Staff working in refuse, building services and disability transport services took six days of strike action in late April and early May over an ‘insulting’ 1.75 per cent pay offer. With the real rate of inflation (RPI) now running at 11.1 per cent, strike action is set to step up in the coming weeks. In addition, Hackney parking services staff are to be balloted for industrial action over pay and conditions after their department was insourced back to the council on 1 April this year – potentially bringing the total number of striking workers to 270. Parking services staff have been told that negotiations over their pay, terms and conditions will not even be considered until next year. The workers are on inferior wages and contracts compared to other Hackney council workers read more
University of Dundee workers to strike over threat to pensions – Unite the union today (17 May) announced a ballot on strike action in a long-running dispute at the University of Dundee following the rejection of revised pension proposals. Over 100 workers will now participate in the ballot which will run from Monday (23 May) until 10 June with industrial action likely to commence with the beginning of the new academic year in September. The dispute stems from the University of Dundee’s proposal in March 2021 to close the Defined Benefits Pension Scheme to Grades 1-6 and replace it with a Defined Contributions Scheme. The changes mean that a worker with twenty years’ service stands to lose around £1,600 each year in retirement. The proposal would also disproportionally affect female workers who make up 70 per cent of the current scheme’s existing members. The University’s latest proposals have been met with an emphatic rejection by Unite’s members in a consultative ballot by 94 per cent. Unite’s members backed strike action in October 2021 but postponed taking further action after the University of Dundee agreed to remove the defined contributions proposal. The University now proposes to keep the scheme open but close it to new entrants. In addition, the revised proposals include increasing the retirement age from 65 to 68 and the scheme’s accrual rate from 1/80ths to 1/100ths read more
Lerwick Port industrial action back on as workers demand the rate for the job – Unite the union today (16 May) confirmed that its members working at the Lerwick Port Authority are set to re-start industrial action over pay, terms and conditions following a breakdown in negotiations. Around a dozen key workers will begin a continuous ban on overtime from 00:01 hours on 25 May at the main port in the Shetland Islands. With significant hours of overtime required to ensure the effective running of operations at the port, the overtime ban will have a ‘severe impact’ on the cruise liners and oil and gas vessels, as well as the general shipping, that use the harbour. Unite members are demanding that they are paid the same rate as that paid at other UK ports and are challenging a number of detrimental changes to basic pay, overtime, standby and call-out payments, and pension contributions. The changes will further cut the incomes for workers who already derive 40p in every pound of their pay from overtime payments read more
Strike action at Ulsterbus and Metro in Northern Ireland after inadequate pay offer rejected – Northern Ireland bus drivers at both Ulsterbus and Metro have rejected the latest pay offer from management as inadequate in the face of spiralling living costs. Following the result, Unite today gave notice to Translink of a first, one-week strike action from next Tuesday (17 May). The strike is likely to shut down all bus transport services for the duration. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham expressed her support for the bus drivers’ fight for improved pay read more
Unite warns of four more weeks of strike at `greedy’ Caterpillar in fight to win ‘cost of living’ pay – Unite the union has today (Tuesday 10 May) notified Caterpillar that their members working for the corporation at Larne and Springvale in Belfast will launch a further four weeks of strike action at both plants in the fight for a pay deal that reflects the deepening cost of living crisis. In a dispute that has already seen four weeks of strikes, the union has been battling Caterpillar’s ‘greed’ and the company’s hostility to efforts to find a negotiated solution. According to Unite, Caterpillar’s management has adopted anti-trade union tactics, including offering a payment bonus to office workers from other locations to cross picket lines and continue production. In the first quarter of this year, Caterpillar reported profits of £1.5 billion ($1.9 billion), using the vast majority of these funds to benefit shareholders through dividends and share buybacks. The business’ lead director enjoys a rewards package worth £18 million ($23 million) in compensation read more
C2C rail passengers warned of disruption as Alstom workers begin strike over pay attacks – Passengers using the C2C rails line between London and Southend are set for considerable disruption over the coming weeks as maintenance engineers employed by Alstom take strike action in a dispute over pay and conditions. Strikes are due to begin tomorrow (Monday 9 May) with further action scheduled for 13, 16, 20, 23, 27, 30 May and 3 June. Disruption to services is likely on both the strike days and on days following the strike action. An overtime ban is also in force. The workers are taking action following a series of attacks on their pay and condition and concerns about high sickness and low morale at Alstom, the French company that bought Bombardier in 2020. The workers recorded a 95 per cent yes vote in favour of strike action read more
Historic strike action begins by staff at Financial Conduct Authority in London and Edinburgh – Members of Unite have embarked on historic strike action at the Financial Conduct Authority today (Wednesday 4 May). This industrial action is the first action since the inception of the regulator. It follows many months of refusals by FCA management to listen to the concerns of their workforce. The FCA has rejected all approaches to engage in discussions with employee representatives read more
Unite to NI Local Authorities: stop misleading the public and use your powers to provide real pay improvement – As Unite members in councils, education and housing across Northern Ireland continue strike action, the union has hit out at the misinformation from the employers. The workers are on strike in pursuit of a pay increase to recover earnings lost through over a decade of attacks on wages and to help combat the harm to earnings caused by surging inflation. The union is challenging the National Joint-Council (NJC) employers to stop the disinformation and own up to the powers that they do have to end the dispute by improving workers’ pay read more
Unite industrial action set to hit Renfrewshire Council elections – Unite has today (29 April) confirmed days of industrial action which is set to hit the Renfrewshire Council elections on 5 May. Around 200 craft workers employed by the local authority will take part in strike action commencing at 08:00 hours on 3 May and up to 6 May when the action will conclude at 13:00 hours. An overtime ban will also be in place during this time. Unite’s members are responsible for setting up and dismantling the polling stations and were also due to deliver the ballot boxes to the count in the forthcoming council elections. Tradespersons and apprentices working within Building Services covered by the local authority craft agreement at Renfrewshire Council have previously voted unanimously to back strike action read more
Rugby GE Steam strikes could worsen as company uses outside consultants to ‘undermine’ union – The first strikes in 45 years at Rugby’s 120-year-old GE Steam turbine factory could worsen as the company uses outside consultancy firm Shape Associates to ‘undermine’ union organisation. Unite, the UK’s leading union, is preparing to re-ballot more than 75 of its members at the factory to extend strike action over attacks on pay. The initial round of strike action began on 17 April and is due to end on 2 May, with the next strike on 29 April. The union said GE Steam has given over the responsibility of running the factory to Shape Associates so the consultancy firm can force through cutbacks prior to the site’s sale to EDF read more
Unite urges Woolwich Ferry – seize opportunity to resolve dispute as strike ballot suspended to kick-start talks – Woolwich Ferry’s workers have suspended their industrial action and also plans to hold another strike ballot in a goodwill gesture to resolve the long-running dispute, Unite the union said today (Tuesday 5 April). Unite has put forward proposals, which remain confidential, to Transport for London (TfL) bosses to kick-start meaningful talks over the poor employment relations that have been the hallmark of successive operators of the troubled ferry. Six workers, including two Unite reps, still remain unfairly suspended when the last bout of industrial action ended on 28 March read more
Strike action continues as GE Aviation accused of ‘dirty tricks’ in Gloucester pay dispute – Workers at Gloucester’s Hurricane Road GE Aviation factory will be striking every Friday until their call for a fair wage is honoured, Unite the union has said today (Tuesday 29 March). Multinational GE Aviation has been accused of `dirty tricks’ in an attempt to undermine the workers. The 90-plus workers are employed by GE’s subsidiary Dowty Propellers. The workers have rejected a two year pay offer worth just 4.5 per cent which, with the actual level of inflation (retail price index) standing at 8.2 per cent, amounts to a real terms pay cut read more
Veolia workers across Edinburgh and Lothians set to strike over `insulting’ pay offer – Unite can confirm today (24 March) that more than 50 members working for Veolia Water across Edinburgh and the Lothians are set to take strike action in a dispute over pay. The strike action, involving plant operatives, electrical maintenance, mechanical, and administrative staff, was supported overwhelmingly by 94 per cent of Unite’s members in a ballot turnout of 83 per cent. The Veolia workers are demanding a significantly improved pay offer from the company. With the more realistic cost of living (RPI) currently running at 8.2 per cent per cent, Veolia’s offer of 2.6 per cent for this year is a pay cut. Strike action will take place from 7-13 April, and then continuous strike action from 21 April read more
PCS
Government sets cuts plan deadline as PCS votes for concerted campaign (26 May) – Hours after PCS conference voted unanimously to campaign against government plans to axe 91,000 civil service jobs, 30 June has beenrevealed as the deadline for secretaries of state to report back on their department’s cuts plans. The proposals will be reviewed by the chancellor, chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, the minister for government efficiency and the Cabinet secretary, and overseen by the ‘efficiency and value for money committee’. The final decisions on the 3-year mass job cuts plans are expected in the autumn. On the final day of PCS conference today, delegates unanimously affirmed our commitment to fight these devastating cuts with a concerted campaign including possible strike action read more
PCS goes into dispute with UKHSA over job losses (26 May) – PCS lodges a formal dispute with UK Health Security Agency over job losses. PCS, along with the collective trade unions recognised by the UKHSA has formally lodged a dispute with the employer, over the announced job losses which have been referred to as the “Covid ramp down.” We believe the management decision to initiate these job losses without formal consultations or organisational change processes is in breach of the collective agreement known as the UKHSA Employee Relations Framework Agreement. PCS believes that UKHSA could and should have initiated collective consultations under the organisational change policy for the “ramp down” job cuts read more
GMB
St George’s hospital faces ‘severe disruption’ as workers strike (26 May) – St George’s Hospital faces ‘severe disruption’ when staff go on strike next week, GMB Union has warned. Staff employed as cleaners and hostesses by outsourcing giant Mitie at the Tooting hospital will take their first three days of strike action from Monday [30 May] over pay and conditions. The company caused huge anger when wages were withheld for seven weeks whilst they restructured pay cycles – shortly before announcing they had acquired telecom company 8point8 for £10 million. The planned three days of strike action, which will begin on Monday 30th May for 24 hours, will include a march and a rally as GMB members demand that the contract is taken back in house by St Georges NHS Trust read more
Rhondda faces bin strike after workers vote for industrial action (26 May) – Rhondda residents look set to face a bin strike after GMB members in the waste and recycling department voted for industrial action. GMB members at Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council refuse and recycling dept have voted overwhelmingly to support industrial action with a majority of 95 percent. The move could see 130 people strike in May, leaving around 108,000 homes without refuse collections. The union is calling for amendments to the job evaluation scheme after the current system leaves essential workers short-changed for their work. During the pandemic, refuse workers alongside other essential service workers were put at risk, whilst council big wigs worked from home. Over the last decade local government staff have seen their wages cut by around 25 percent read more
Wealden bin strike to carry on after talks break down (26 May) – The long-running Wealden bin strike is set to continue until at least 11 June after GMB members turned down the latest pay offer from the company today [26 May 2022]. GMB Union yesterday arranged a meeting with Biffa – who employ the refuse collectors – with employment adjudicator ACAS present. No agreement was reached and the resulting offer was turned down by 98% of the workers this morning – so the strike, which has been ongoing since April 25, will carry on. The dispute was sparked by GMB members turning down a real terms pay cut from Biffa bosses. Almost 65,000 households are affected by the strike read more
Police make arrests on Wealden picket – the NSSN like many others in the trade union movement sent solidarity to the GMB after officers and a member were arrested last Friday. They remained in police custody for hours but were released later that day. This was an outrageous act. The NSSN will continue to support the GMB and its members in Wealden
Chesterfield bin strike looms after workers turn down pay deal (25 May) –
Workers employed by waste contractor Veolia Environmental services in Chesterfield voted by 100 per cent to reject a real terms pay cut offer of 4.48 per cent. Chesterfield could be facing a bin strike after refuse collectors at Veolia Environmental services voted unanimously to reject a real terms pay cut. GMB Union will now launch a formal industrial action ballot, the dates of which will be announced in the coming days. Workers are furious after being offered what amounts to a 3 per cent pay offer – with inflation rampant at more than 11 per cent. Tens of thousands of homes across Chesterfield could be affected if workers down tools read more
JCB delivery drivers call off strike after 10 per cent deal (24 May) – JCB delivery drivers have called off a strike after GMB members accepted a pay rise of almost 10 per cent. Dozens of GMB members, employed by delivery giant DHL, were due to walk out yesterday and today [23 and 24 May]. But bosses made a last minute offer of 9.5 per cent plus a £750 bonus. GMB members voted on the offer yesterday and an 80 per cent majority accepted the deal read more
British Gas workers vote to accept pay deal (20 May) – GMB members working at British Gas have voted overwhelmingly to accept a new pay deal. The deal, worth at least five per cent, comes just a year after 43 days of strike action which saw 460 engineers sacked during the company’s fire and rehire scheme read more
Budweiser workers announce summer strike dates (19 May) – Budweiser workers have announced a series of summer strikes following a pay dispute. A total of 225 GMB members working at BBG’s Samlesbury site, near Preston, will down tools in a series of dates in June in anger over a real terms pay cut. It is the first time workers at the site, which brews Budweiser, Stella Artois, Becks, Boddingtons and Export Pale Ale, have gone in strike in its 50 year history. After months of discussion with the world’s biggest brewer they tabled a full and final offer of 3 per cent increase for 2022 and 3 per cent for 2023 with increases in overtime rates. With the cost-of-living crises and inflation at 11.1%, the offer amounts to a massive pay cut in real terms read more
Thousands of Cadent workers to stage 48 hour strike (19 May) – Thousands of field force workers at gas giant Cadent will stage a 48 hour strike this month. Around 2,000 GMB members will down tools on Monday 30 May and Tuesday 31 May 2022 in a dispute over pay and conditions. The industrial action could potentially cause outages at homes and businesses throughout five regions in England; North West, East and West Midlands, East Anglia and North London. Workers resoundingly rejected a below inflation pay increase of 2 per cent for 2021 and 4 per cent from July 22. With inflation running at 11.1 per cent, the deal amounts to a massive real terms pay cut. Cadent made an operating profit of £901 million in 2021, while CEO Steve Fraser was paid £1.4 million in 2020/21. The company’s Australian owners MacQuarie are currently heading up a consortium to buy National Grid’s gas transmission and metering business for £4.2 billion read more
Wiltshire traffic warden strike continues to second day – GMB union has confirmed a second day of strike action by traffic wardens across Wiltshire on Tuesday 17 May. This follows a successful strike on Saturday 7 May, when parking enforcement was completely suspended across the county by the industrial action. The dispute is due to a proposed pay cut of up to 20 per cent through the withdrawal of a contractual unsocial hours payment. This affects 350 staff, with social workers losing 20 per cent – around £7000 – and traffic wardens losing 10 per cent, which equates to over £2000. Wiltshire Council has refused the offer by ACAS, the Government arbitration service, to facilitate talks to resolve the dispute read more
Fox’s Glacier Mint workers strike over fire and rehire threat – Fox’s Glacier Mint workers will take a full day of strike action tomorrow [April 14] in anger at the company’s fire and rehire threat. Staff at Valeo York, who also make Poppets and humbugs, mint assortments butter mints, rhubarb and custards and lemon sherberts for well-known supermarkets including M&S, will be joined by the Yorkshire Polar Bear and local councillors read more
Barrow bin strike: Six more days of industrial action – Refuse collectors in Barrow have announced six more days of industrial action in their fight for a living wage. GMB members working FCC Environment will walk out on from 30 March to 1 April and then 6 to 8 April read more
Unison
One week, all-out strike under way at University of Dundee – The strike started as employers are urged to “show some commitment to their loyal, low paid staff”. Members at the University of Dundee took to the picket line on Monday 18th April, and started one week of all-out strike action over the employer’s plans to impose changes to the university pension scheme. This is the third round of action taken at the university over the same issue and the initial five-day strike will be followed by selective action in high-impact areas over the coming three weeks. The previous rounds of strike action provoked a u-turn by the employer of the decision to close the defined benefit scheme, but the dispute now centres on the terms with which the scheme remains open – with proposals to increase the retirement age, diminish the accrual rate and close the scheme to new joiners. When consulted, members strongly rejected this package which was imposed rather than negotiated read more
NIPSA
Latest NIPSA News magazine here
New NICS Mileage Policy (24 May) – NIPSA is delighted to welcome the announcement today by NICS management of a new policy for claiming mileage expenses. This new policy which comes into force on 1 June 2022, brings to an end a long-running dispute between Management and NIPSA and is the culmination of years of negotiation read more
CWU
BT Group-wide strike ballot to commence on June 15 (May 26) – BT, Openreach and EE bosses given ultimatum to budge on pay, or face the first BT Group-wide industrial action ballot in 35 years. The countdown has begun towards the first national statutory industrial action ballot in BT Group since 1987. Barring movement from a senior management team which has so far shown itself impervious to a tidal wave of employee fury over the imposition of a real-term pay cut, voting papers will be despatched to 40,000 members in BT, Openreach and EE on Wednesday June 15. If, as the CWU confidently expects, the ballot confirms members’ outright rejection of a vicious attack on living standards by a hugely profitable blue chip employer, BT bosses will have no-one but themselves to blame for the first company-wide strike in 35 years. At the heart of the dispute, after all, is the company’s abandonment of time-honoured negotiating protocols based on partnership and consent that have underpinned decades of industrial peace. This year, for the very first time, an unagreed pay settlement has been imposed within 24 hours of its formal rejection by the CWU read more
Countdown to first BT Group-wide strike ballot since 1987 begins in earnest (May 24) – Members across Openreach, BT and EE are being urged to tune in to the union’s social media channels tomorrow (Wednesday) evening for a special live announcement on the forthcoming industrial action ballot on pay read more
Jubilee Crown Post Office strike (May 20) – Counters staff to walkout Saturday 4th June and Supply Chain and Admin workers will down tools Monday 6th as pay row escalates. A second bout of nationwide strikes was announced by the CWU today as Post Office management continued to refuse the union’s call for a fair pay deal. “Their latest offer is for a 2.5 per cent rise with effect from April 1st 2022, plus a £500 lump sum,” says CWU assistant secretary Andy Furey. “So not only is this way, way below the April 2022 RPI inflation figure of 11.1 per cent, it also offers absolutely no back-pay for whole 2021/22 period – for which Post Office is imposing a pay freeze. “Post Office bosses can hardly be surprised that this proposal has been emphatically rejected, particularly when we all know the Post Office can easily afford a decent pay rise – they announced £35 million in profits earlier this week and a decent pay rise for our members to settle the dispute would only cost around £5m.” The strike action takes place over the Jubilee Holiday Weekend at the beginning of June, with Crown Post Office staff striking on Saturday 4th and their Supply Chain and Admin colleagues hitting the picket lines on Monday 6th read more
CWU to Royal Mail – ‘you can afford it, so pay up’ (19 May) – Lively workplace meetings send loud & clear message to company bosses as our DGSP broadcasts to the nation. “Our members are lions and if you prod the lion it will attack,” warned Terry Pullinger in his Facebook Live interview this morning. Speaking just after Royal Mail Group released its annual financial results showing a Group-wide operating profit of £758 million, our deputy general secretary postal insisted that this proved beyond doubt that the business “absolutely can afford a pay rise.” The union has been seeking to negotiate a straightforward, ‘no-strings’ salary increase for hard-working Royal Mail Group (RMG) members in recognition of their fantastic efforts during the pandemic and also to mitigate the effects of the cost-of-living crisis. But so far, the only proposals from the RMG leadership have been considerably below inflation and have also been attached to various productivity and operational change demands read more
NEU
Government’s Academisation Plans (25 May) – Further academisation does not figure on the list of priorities for anyone involved in education. Commenting on an ‘implementation plan’ published today by the Department for Education setting out next steps on moving schools into academy trusts, Kevin Courtney, joint general secretary of the National Education Union, said: “Further academisation does not figure on the list of priorities for anyone involved in education, who have endured years of misconceived policies from a succession of Conservative-led governments. This drive for yet more structural change is therefore purely ideological and fully in character…” read more
Support these strikes:-
NASUWT
NASUWT rejects IOM pay offer (27 May) – The NASUWT – the Teachers’ Union has today rejected the second full and final offer made by the Isle of Man government on behalf of its members for a number of reasons: With CPI inflation at 9.0% (IOM April figure) the headline 3.6% pay rise represents a real terms pay cut of at least 5.4% for the majority of our members. This represents the largest single annual real terms cut since 2010. When the proposed pay award is added to the current pay points a significant number of teachers move into a high pension contribution band which in affect reduces the offer by at least 1%. The variable percentage pay increase which sees those on the lower pay grades receiving the most is extremely divisive given that those on the upper pay range have been those worst affected by the erosion of their pay over the past 12 years read more
IOM members to begin action over pay and working conditions – Isle of Man members of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union will begin a programme of action short of strike action from Wednesday (27th April) in a dispute over pay, workload and working practices. From this date members will no longer undertake a range of activities which do not directly relate to teaching and learning. These include attending meetings or responding to emails outside pupil session times, undertaking routine administrative tasks, providing cover for absent colleagues or submitting lesson plans. Teachers will still continue to prepare for their timetabled lessons, teach and mark and assess pupils’ work. Members were balloted for action earlier this month, with 94% in support of action short of strike action, based on a two-thirds turnout read more
Pocklington teachers strike to protect pensions – Members of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union at Pocklington School in East Yorkshire will be taking a further nine days of strike action over threats to sack them unless they sign new contracts which would leave them with worse pensions in retirement. The school’s Board of Governors want to remove them from the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS) and force them to be worse off in their retirement, threatening their financial security read more
EIS
EIS-FELA Urges College Management to talk in hope of Ending pay (24 May) – Ahead of an eighth day of national strike action by college lecturers and with the significant disruption of a results boycott looming, the EIS-Further Education Lecturers Association (EIS-FELA) has as of yet received no acceptance to a formal request for further negotiations with their employers read more
Scotland’s College lecturers begin strike action on pay – College lecturers across Scotland will today (Wednesday 20th April) take strike action seeking a fair pay award that recognises their efforts during the COVID 19 Pandemic. Members of the EIS-Further Education Lecturers Association (EIS-FELA) are taking action following protracted negotiations, regarding pay, that began with the submission of their pay claim in June 2021. In a move that evidences a strong sense of feeling amongst college lectures, EIS-FELA members will also commence a resulting boycott on the same day that strike action begins read more
Secondary Teachers in Dundee to take Strike Action over Council’s Faculty Plans – Secondary teachers in Dundee are set to take strike action in protest at the council’s faculty proposals which would remove subject specialist Principal Teachers from the authority’s Secondary schools. The first day of strike action is scheduled to take place on the 22nd of June across all of Dundee’s Secondary schools. Secondary members of the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) in Dundee have been voting in a statutory industrial action ballot over the past three weeks, and have voted strongly in favour of taking strike action over the council’s proposals. 88% of those voting in the ballot backed the move to strike action, with 12% against. Turnout in the ballot was 62%, and the ballot result comfortably exceeds strict UK government restrictions designed as a barrier to legal industrial action read more
UCU
Staff vote to escalate strikes as local MP calls on Richmond upon Thames College to withdraw fire and rehire threat (27 May) – UCU confirmed staff at Richmond upon Thames College have voted to take further strike action in a dispute over fire and rehire that has already seen five days of strikes, with new dates to be confirmed next week. The college’s constituency MP, Munira Wilson has now called on the college to withdraw the threat, saying: ‘the fact that the college has issued a section 188 notice (which begins the consultation process to fire staff), whilst still in the process of negotiating with those affected, undermines their ability to negotiate in good faith. I have urged the college to withdraw the section 188 notice, as I believe this could help bring the strike to an early end and allow for an amicable settlement to be reached.’ The college wants to sack all 127 members of its teaching staff and make them reapply for their jobs on new contracts that would see them lose 10 days holiday. UCU had offered to pause any further action if management lifted the threat of compulsory dismissals for staff that do not sign new contracts. However, management repeatedly refused. Today, in a meeting with UCU, college principal Jason Jones rejected the union’s offer once again. Earlier this month an overwhelming 97% of UCU members who voted in the industrial ballots said yes to strike action. The turnout was 88%, smashing the Tory anti trade union legal threshold of 50% read more
Staff strike at Richmond upon Thames College over Fire & Rehire (23 May) – Staff down tools today (Monday) after management confirmed that they intend to issue notices to sack every teacher at the college and force them to reapply for their jobs on worse terms and conditions if they want to stay. The strike will continue every day this week until Friday 27 May read more
University marking boycott begins Monday despite ‘lock out’ threats (20 May) – UCU urged vice chancellors to revoke pension cuts and meet staff demands for improvements to pay and working conditions as it confirmed that more than 20 universities will proceed to a marking boycott on Monday despite threats of 100% pay deductions from some rogue bosses. The boycott means university staff will stop marking work, returning marks and setting or sitting exams and coursework. The graduations of well over 100,000 students are set to be disrupted. UCU also warned rogue bosses against docking pay and using external contractors to bus in unqualified workers to mark work during the boycott read more
Association of Colleges’ 2.25% pay offer slammed as a ‘betrayal’ by unions (27 May) – UCU members working in further education in England are to be balloted over taking industrial action after the union rejected this year’s pay offer. Five unions representing staff in English further education colleges rejected the 2.25% pay recommendation for staff from the Association of Colleges, which was made at a joint negotiating meeting read more
MP joins protest at University of Cambridge over ‘gig economy’ working conditions (27 May) – Undergraduate supervisors who deliver the University of Cambridge’s tutorials are protesting today to demand an end to their ‘gig economy’ working conditions and for fair pay, secure contracts and paid training read more
University marking boycott begins despite ‘lock out’ threats (20 May) – UCU urged vice-chancellors to revoke pension cuts and meet staff demands for improvements to pay and working conditions as it confirmed that more than 20 universities will proceed to a marking boycott on Monday despite threats of 100% pay deductions from some rogue bosses. The boycott means university staff will stop marking work, returning marks and setting or sitting exams and coursework. The graduations of well over 100,000 students are set to be disrupted. UCU also warned rogue bosses against docking pay and using external contractors to bus in unqualified workers to mark work during the boycott read more
Strike off at Bury College as staff win big last minute pay offer (18 May) – Strike action scheduled to start today at Bury College was called off after staff overwhelmingly voted to accept an eleventh hour pay offer from management that is worth between 6% and 6.2% overall. The offer is triple management’s original offer of only 2%. UCU welcomed the improved offer and called on the five colleges that are seeing strike action today, as well as The Manchester College, which will face strike action on Friday (20 May), to urgently make pay offers to avoid continued disruption during the examination period. The five colleges facing strike action today are: Burnley College, City of Liverpool College, Hopwood Hall, Nelson & Colne College Group and Oldham College. Tomorrow staff at those five colleges will also be taking action short of strike, which includes working to contract, not covering for absent colleagues or vacant posts, and not rescheduling lectures or classes cancelled due to strike action. Staff at The Manchester College will begin action short of a strike on Monday 23 May read more
Colleges across North West England take strike action from tomorrow (17 May) – UCU members across the North West of England will be on strike tomorrow in a dispute over low pay read more
Furness College staff to strike on Wednesday over low pay (17 May) – On Wednesday 18 May lecturers at Furness College will strike after management refused to offer staff more than a paltry 1% increase in pay whilst staff face soaring inflation and a cost of living emergency. Inflation is currently at 9%, meaning the 1% offer is a real term pay cut. Staff will be picketing outside the main entrance of college from 8am Wednesday morning. The strike comes after overwhelming 93% of University and College Union (UCU) members who voted in industrial ballots said yes to strike action. Further days of strike action are planned for 8 and 9 June if management continues to refuse to pay staff more read more
Staff at 24 UK universities back further strike action in ballot over USS pension cuts –
- Almost eight in ten (79.5%) back strikes
- Dispute over cuts of 35% to guaranteed retirement incomes of staff
- UCU calls for new valuation of USS scheme as value of assets soars
- Union’s members holding meeting later this month to decide next steps in pension dispute
Staff at 24 UK universities have secured a mandate to take further strike action in a dispute over cuts to pensions which could see disruption continue throughout the rest of the academic year. Overall, eight in ten (79.5%) backed strike action with almost nine in ten (88.1%) voting for action short of strike (ASOS). The vote in favour of strike action is higher than it was during the ballots that concluded in November last year, where 76% backed strike action. Today’s results mean that staff at 27 universities have a mandate to take strike action over pensions which will last until October 2022. Staff at Queen’s University Belfast and Ulster University did not take part in the ballots but will join any possible action as their mandate remains live. Queen Mary University of London has a live mandate until July read more
Staff at 36 UK universities back further strike action in ballot over pay and working conditions –
- More than seven in ten (74%) back strikes
- Employers more intransigent than ever, UCU says
- Union’s members holding meeting later this month to decide next steps
Staff at thirty-six UK universities have voted in favour of strike action in a dispute over pay and working conditions which could see higher education hit by further disruption this academic year. Overall, over seven in ten of those who voted (74%) backed strike action with over eight in ten (85.9%) voting for action short of strike. The vote in favour of strike action is higher than it was during the ballots that concluded in November last year, where 70.1% backed strike action read more
Support the UCU Goldsmiths strikes – University and College Union (UCU) members at Goldmiths University are continuing to take strike action as part of an ongoing dispute over plans to sack 46 members of staff. Goldsmiths wants to make the cuts as part of a ‘recovery plan’ after years of financial mismanagement have left the university with a £12.7m deficit. The union says the ‘recovery plan’ is a deal struck with Lloyds and Natwest banks to use redundancies to improve the university’s finances. Following a failure by the university last week to reduce the number of compulsory redundancies staff have been left with no option but to take industrial action in defence of jobs. The university has already been hit with a global boycott which means UCU is asking its members, other trade unions, labour movement organisations and the international academic community to support its members at Goldsmiths in any way possible. Follow @GoldsmithsUCU on twitter and on Facebook
UCU fighting fund: the link is here and donations to the fund are spent on supporting members involved in important disputes.
FBU
FBU writes to demand Cumbria PCC drops fire takeover plan after consultation loss (May 25) – The FBU has today written to Cumbria Police and Crime Commissioner Peter McCall to ask he drops his plan to become Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner (PFCC) after the public rejected the proposal in a consultation. The letter asks “As the voice of the public and the staff have responded, the FBU ask are you now willing to withdraw your proposal and accept a democratically reached decision?” read more
BFAWU
NUJ
BBC proposals could threaten quality journalism (26 May) – The union will now engage with the BBC and joint unions to limit the impact of changes on members. The NUJ has warned that the package of cuts and restructuring outlined by the BBC risks undermining quality journalism and programming read more
BBC North West journalists vote for work to rule – NUJ members are making a stand about the damaging impact of job cuts on news outpt in the region. As well as working with a significantly reduced workforce, staff at BBC North West are now expected to take on more and more technical duties previously carried out by skilled technical staff. If allowed to continue, the quality of the regional news programmes will suffer and deteriorate, they say. More than 97 per cent of NUJ members in the chapel voted in favour of industrial action. It follows the BBC’s decision to cut £25m from BBC England’s budget, leading to 450 job cuts cross England. The vast majority of journalists who work for BBC North West are NUJ members read more
Prospect
Equity
We won! Phoenix Dance Theatre jobs saved (26 May) – Following our demo on 22 May, Phoenix Dance Theatre, Leeds, has decided to reverse its decision to lay off employees. Four employees (comprising two dancers and two creatives) will no longer be laid off from June 2022 to January January 2023 as was previously planned. Phoenix has now agreed to work with Equity on engaging with the union moving forward. Approximately 100 people attended the demo to demand that the contemporary dance company reverse their decision to lay off dancers, as well as call for an end to the job precarity experienced by performing artists. The union also handed in a petition – which had gained nearly 2,000 signatures – calling on Phoenix Dance Theatre to save jobs. The campaign was covered by publications including Leeds Live, The Stage and Arts Professional read more
Equity holds rally in Leeds to stop Channel 4 privatisation (22 May) – Yesterday (Saturday 21 May) we held a rally calling on the Government to stop the privatisation of Channel 4. Starting with a demo, around 50 Equity members brought placards and chants straight to the doorstep of Channel 4’s national headquarters in Leeds at 6.15pm yesterday. This was followed by a rally at Leeds Corn Exchange, which featured speakers such as the Shadow Culture Secretary Lucy Powell and Hollyoaks actress Dawn Hope, as well as representatives from an independent production company based in the North of England and the campaign group We Own It read more
USDAW
#ReinstateMax: defend sacked Tesco USDAW rep Max McGee – 3 months on from exhausting all appeals, Max McGee is preparing to take Tesco to an Employment Tribunal over his trade union victimisation and sacking. A GoFundMe page has been set up to donate to Max’s reinstatement campaign and trade union comrades are encouraged to raise the campaign at their Trade Union branches and Trades Councils over the coming weeks. Link to the page below:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/reinstate-max-usdaw-rep-socialist
Messages of solidarity and photos can be sent to [email protected]
UVW
Brighton bar staff vote on strike action and sue their employer (18 May) – “For me and my friends and fellow workers at St James’ Tavern, for the bare minimum conditions and respect at work. That’s why I’m striking.” Tris Houseman, bartender at St James Tavern and UVW member
A small team of pub workers in Brighton are taking on their bosses, voting to go on strike over pay and conditions and suing them for alleged harassment and discrimination. They are saying enough is enough! The determined group of workers and United Voices of the World (UVW) members claim they have been subjected to mistreatment for a long time, alongside poor working conditions. The situation was so dire that many felt compelled to quit their jobs and some of those remaining have second jobs due to their low wages. Bar staff at the emblematic St James’ Tavern (SJT) in central Brighton are being balloted in May for strike action over pay and working conditions. Some of the workers are also suing SJT for alleged harassment and discrimination, including allegations of transphobia, sexism and anti-Semitism read more
Security guards at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) have been taking strike action as part of their fight against racist outsourcing. The trustees need to do the right thing and give these workers the rights they deserve! Support the six-week GOSH security guards strike read more on UVW Facebook page
IWGB
Dalston couriers and community groups protest over-policing following immigration raids (25 May) – Food delivery couriers from the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) and other community groups will protest outside Hackney Town hall today at 6:15PM over the harassment of BAME couriers picking up orders at Ashwin Street by police and civil enforcement. Couriers in the area report a sudden spike in the issuing of anti-social behaviour (ASB) notices on Ashwin Street since April, when loading bay times were extended. Today’s protest follows two recent immigration raids targeting majority-BAME couriers in the area, under the guise of routine vehicle checks. At the most recent raid, which took place on Saturday 14 May, hundreds of Dalston locals gathered to support couriers. Police quickly became violent, and both this raid and an earlier raid in January have been condemned by Hackney Mayor Philip Glanville read more
Outsourced workers protest at University of London in fight for dignified pay and end to exploitative outsourcing (24 May) – Hundreds of outsourced cleaners and security staff employed at UCL and LSHTM will protest this Thursday at 5PM over pay and exploitative outsourcing. The protest, organised by the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB), is the latest in two recent campaigns launched at UCL and LSHTM amidst the cost of living crisis read more
In-house without fair pay is discrimination: London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine pay your workers a dignified salary! – We are cleaners, porters, post-room and security staff at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM). We are a majority Black, Asian, Latin American and migrant workforce. Many of us have worked for years at LSHTM and we work hard to keep this university running. We are fighting for an end to discrimination and for fair and dignified pay read more & support campaign
Write to London Bridge Hospital: End poverty pay & poor treatment of cleaners! Use this quick tool to back the workers by writing to the London Bridge Hospital bosses at HCA Healthcare and Compass Group read more
Write to Stuart Delivery, JustEat: END THE STRIKE, PAY RISE NOW!
Other News
Turkey: Statement of Solidarity with Imprisoned Gezi 8 – Signatories of a petition released today in Turkey sent a message of solidarity with the Gezi 8. “Whatever they said or did during the Gezi movement, we did the same, we said the same words. If they are convicted, we must be convicted too. If they are considered guilty, we are guilty too. We are reporting ourselves to the prosecutor’s office by declaring that we are in agreement with their ideas and actions” said the 888 signatories of the petition read more
Fight blacklisting and victimisation of union reps
Support GARY CARNEY, TRAIN OPERATOR – LONDON UNDERGROUND
Defend Adrian Mitchell RMT driver on London Underground
Donate to solidarity campaign of Moe Muhsin Manir Unite bus rep Email messages of support to Moe: [email protected]
Trade union rep victimisation at Woolwich Ferry reaches ‘obscene levels’, says Unite
Unite: Ealing’s Labour council ‘actively helping’ Serco ‘hound’ union rep from civil enforcement job
St Mungos management escalate dispute by suspending Unite rep – sign petition: End the culture of fear at St Mungo’s – model motion
St Mungo’s: Unite will not tolerate victimisation and bullying
Sign petition: Reinstate Gary Bolister sacked GMB rep at Islington Council
Watch Reel News video: Victimised union reps: Act like it’s you and fight back
Reinstate John Boken Shropshire NEU rep – For more details and send solidarity messages, email [email protected]
Sign petition to support Redbridge NEU Rep Keiran Mahon
Watch Reel News video: Huddersfield teachers strike to defend Louise Lewis
Victimised Tesco warehouse rep Max McGee fighting for reinstatement read more. There is now a GoFundMe to support the campaign (https://www.gofundme.com/f/reinstate-max-usdaw-rep-socialist) and Max can be invited to speak at Usdaw and other union branches plus trades councils ([email protected])
QC appointed to lead the independent Unite inquiry into blacklisting (25 Mar) – Unite is delighted to announce that Nick Randall QC and John Carl Townsend have been appointed to investigate the possible collusion by union officers in blacklisting. Over the past months, evidence gathering by Thompsons solicitors has continued, with many blacklisted construction workers and other witnesses having already been interviewed. The work of the independent investigators is expected to start officially on 11 April read more
#SPYCops Inquiry exposes state surveillance of workers movement
Keep up with developments and read and watch campaigners’ statements on the Campaign Opposing Police Surveillance (COPS) and Undercover Policing Inquiry websites and spycops info Facebook group
Builders Crack: The Movie
In the current situation, this long lost film from the 1990s about rank and file union organising in the construction industry is intended to lift the spirits, but also to spark a debate in our movement. Hope the youngsters in this film put a smile on your face.
Watch – Share – Discuss https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VZ-QMA1FMg
Blacklist Support Group
Book: http://newint.org/books/politics/blacklisted-secret-war/
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNcgrNs6pB8
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/groups/blacklistSG/
Blog: www.hazards.org/blacklistblog
Blacklist Support Group financial appeal: the Blacklist support group is desperately short of funds, to continue the incredible work we need more finance, would you please consider making a donation, raise it at your branches and trade councils. Please make cheques payable to Joint sites committee and send to 70 Darnay Rise Chelmsford Essex CM1 4XA. Please forward onto your contacts many thanks Steve Kelly (JSC Treasurer)
Blacklisted t-shirts available at: https://shop.hopenothate.org.uk/component/hikashop/product/78-blacklisted-t-shirt
International news
New ICC complaint submission over killing of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh (27 May) – The National Union of Journalists has echoed its support for a new case submission to the International Criminal Court following the killing of Shireen Abu Akleh and shooting of producer Ali Samoudi read more on NUJ website
The NSSN is continuing to report on how workers are organising during the coronavirus pandemic
The NSSN is opening up our weekly email bulletin, website and social media platforms of Facebook and twitter to provide a public forum for workers during the Coronavirus/COVID-19 crisis. We want to be a place where we can all share queries and experiences that workers are facing in their workplaces. These include reports of action taken by workers to defend themselves from their employers.
You can read about many of these actions in our weekly bulletin and out social media groups, especially our Facebook group: NSSN – defend workers’ rights under Coronavirus.
You can also send the NSSN your reports and queries via our website, twitter – @NSSN_AntiCuts and email – [email protected]
We welcome the information being sent to union members concerning the spread of coronavirus, including the Accord, Advance, AEP, AFA-CWA, ASLEF, BDA, BECTU Sector of Prospect, BFAWU, BOS-TU, College of Podiatry, Community, CSP, EIS, Equity, FBU, FDA, GMB, HCSA, MU, NAHT, NASUWT, National Society for Education in Art and Design (NSEAD), Nautilus International, NEU, NGSU, NUJ, PFA, Prospect, RCM, SoR, TSSA, TUC, UCU, UNISON, Unite, URTU, USDAW, WGGB and the RCN
But it is absolutely vital that unions retain their ability to organise and act independently in defence of their members and workers generally. This includes the right of unions to take industrial action. We are already aware of workers being forced to take unofficial action on health and safety grounds. We also believe that unions should have oversight of any government bans on protests and picketing. This is the same Tory government that tabled more new anti-union laws in the Queens Speech in December 2019 and cannot be trusted and is now attacking the right to protest through its Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill.
We believe that it is essential that workers are protected during this worrying period and are not impacted, whether in terms of their safety as well as their pay and employment rights. The Tory government have announced measures that include some workers receiving 80% of their wages. This furlough scheme was due to finish but has now been extended because of the 2nd lockdown. But it’s clear that the Tories are looking to end it asap.
However, we believe that no worker should pay the price for any spread of the virus. We say: work or full pay. Any worker who is required not to attend work or is unable to do so because of COVID, childcare or transport closures should receive full pay and not be forced to take annual leave. But unions have to remain vigilant that any government payments actually happen and also covers all workers, including those in precarious employment such as zero-hour contracts and in the gig economy.
We have drafted this model motion which we’ve made into a bulletin that can be downloaded and printed off to be distributed. Feel free to use in your union and trades council, in totality or partially to highlight the issues that need to be addressed.
Keep an eye out for other Facebook and social media groups and pages that are being created. The Coronavirus Support Group for Workers has been set up on Facebook and is a useful forum and you can catch up on disputes at Strike Map UK
Diary
June
18 TUC National Demonstration – 12noon Parliament Square, Westminster, London SW1P 3BD read more
July
2 NSSN Conference 2022 11am-4.30pm Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL Facebook event
9 Durham Miners’ Gala 2022 Facebook event
15-17 Tolpuddle Martyrs’ Festival 2022 read more
September
11 NSSN TUC Rally 1pm Brighton
CONTACT US
PHONE 07952 283 558
EMAIL mailto:[email protected]
TWITTER – https://twitter.com/NSSN_AntiCuts
FACEBOOK NSSN GROUP or STOP The CUTS Likes page
ADDRESS NSSN, PO Box 54498, London E10 9DE
