The Tories have been forced by the strikes across the NHS to put forward a pay offer. The fact that Sunak’s government has been pushed to this point only months after refusing to talk to unions about pay is a tribute to the fighting capacity of health workers. The latest group of NHS staff to hit the picket lines have been the junior doctors, who went out for 3 days last week, joining the biggest day of joint action yet on Wednesday’s Budget Day mass strike.
There can be no doubt now that striking gets results. The pay offer will now go to a vote in the respective unions, and there is a wide-ranging debate and discussion amongst health workers whether the offer is enough. It is being recommended by unions such as the RCN, RCM, Unison, CSP and GMB but not Unite. In addition, rank & file groups of health workers, such as ‘NHS Workers Say No’ is hosting a public meeting on the pay offer.
Many NHS workers are angry that the new offer, still below the high inflation rate, involves a non-consolidated lump sum and that there is no guarantee that the 5% rise for the coming year will be inflation-proofed. Moreover, because there has been no commitment from the Government that the deal will be fully-funded, it raises the likelihood of further cuts and growing staff vacancies.
NHS Workers Say No Zoom open meeting: NHS PAY OFFER #VoteReject: What next? for health workers to discuss next steps and share ideas – 7pm Wednesday 22nd March Facebook event
Zoom link Meeting ID: 837 7022 8254 Passcode: 521327
This year’s NSSN Conference will be on Saturday 24th June in Conway Hall, London 11am-4.30pm
Sign the TUC petition to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak: Protect the right to strike! – Our right to strike is under attack. Rishi Sunak has just detailed his anti-union legislation and plans to introduce new laws in the coming weeks. It means that when workers democratically vote to strike, they could be forced to work and sacked if they don’t. That’s wrong, unworkable, and almost certainly illegal. These new laws are a direct attack on working people’s fundamental right to strike to defend their pay, terms and conditions
Enough is Enough launches campaign and petition to Defend the #RightToStrike – The right to strike is under threat. New legislation proposed by the Tory government intends to override a workers’ right to withdraw their labour, forcing them to work against their will. The right to strike is a fundamental democratic right. It underpins our ability to win dignity in the workplace and earn a decent standard of living. It is no accident that this right is under attack at the very moment the public is fighting back against the cost-of-living squeeze. This government is determined to force workers to pay the price for a crisis caused by the greed of the elite yet again. We won’t accept it. We, the undersigned, pledge to defend the right to strike and oppose this latest legislation #RightToStrike
Sign your workplace up to save the right to strike (supported by Strike Map, ASLEF – The UK Train Drivers’ Union, Bakers Food and Allied Workers Union – BFAWU, Campaign for Trade Union Freedom, Fire Brigades Union, The Morning Star, NHS Workers Say NO, People’s Assembly and the NSSN) – The government has launched an attack on our rights. Their actions will destroy our fundamental right to strike. We want to encourage workers, union reps and branch officers to sign their workplace up to reject these changes and pledge to fight to protect our right to strike. Add your workplace name to our collective letter action and share it with every one of your co-workers. When we fight as a collective together we win!
Earthquake in Turkey & Syria – union donations
The NSSN sends our solidarity to all those affected by this disaster. Many will have relatives in this country. The NSSN is affiliated to ‘Support the People of Turkey’ who has launched an appeal, including for union branches and trades councils Turkey-Syria Earthquake Solidarity Appeal
Turkey Earthquake: A preliminary report from the ground
Unison: Turkey earthquake solidarity appeal
NUJ: IFJ launches solidarity call to support journalists in Turkey and Syria
NSSN news
This year’s NSSN Conference will be on Saturday 24th June in Conway Hall, London 11am-4.30pm
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 Katrine on [email protected]
The NSSN is developing a campaign pack for social care, which we hope to make available in the not-too-distant future for supporters to use in their localities. As part of this, communications officer Dave Gorton is keen to hear from supporters who:
(1) work in social care (either local authority, private or independently provided)
(2) represent social care workers for a trade union
(3) are in need of social care provision themselves or act as an (unpaid/underpaid) carer for a family member
Dave can be contacted in the first instance via [email protected]
Union News
You can receive this bulletin via email or you can choose to unsubscribe and stop receiving them. Like everyone else, the NSSN has to adhere to new data protection regulations. Therefore you must click here to subscribe/unsubscribe. Reports from unions do not necessarily reflect NSSN’s views.
RMT
RMT Calls on SNP Leadership candidates to rule out attacks on public ferry services (20 Mar) – Scotland’s largest ferry union, RMT has called on all the SNP leadership candidates to rule out the breakup and privatisation of CalMac Ferries. The former First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon had repeatedly provided ruled out privatisation or unbundling lifeline ferry services on the Clyde and Hebrides contract. CalMac’s current contract expires in September 2024 read more
RMT condemns Avanti West Coast contract extension (20 Mar) – Britain’s largest rail union RMT today condemned the decision to extend the Avanti West Coast contract by another six months. RMT has already revealed that the vast majority of Avanti West Coast cancellations are down to staff shortages and called for the company to be stripped of its franchise. The disgraced train operator Avanti also plans to scrap at seat service catering from May which will mean standard class passengers will not have the option of an at seat service, serving sandwiches, snacks and drinks. RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said that this was a case of reward for failure which will mean that Avanti owners First Group can continue to make profits on what even Ministers have today admitted is still a substandard service read more
RMT Network Rail members overwhelmingly vote to accept improved offer (20 Mar) – Rail union RMT announced today that its 20,000 members have voted to accept a new and improved offer covering pay, jobs and conditions by a margin of three to one. In a turnout of nearly 90 per cent members voted by 76 per cent to 24 per cent to accept the offer. The RMT National Executive has announced that the vote means the end of the trade dispute with Network Rail. The new offer which was also improved with the new money was made following the most recent strike action in January and the threat of more action read more
70 percent of sacked P&O workers have left the industry (17 Mar) – The majority of unlawfully sacked P&O staff have left the industry following their appalling treatment last year, an RMT survey has found. On the anniversary of P&O Ferries dismissing 786 seafarers, RMT release findings of a survey of those who worked for the disgraced company in Deck, Engine, Catering and Onboard Service roles. The findings are truly shocking, with hundreds of seafarers leaving the industry or taking early retirement, just at a time when there is a skills shortage in the ferry and wider UK shipping industry read more
Disgraced P&O owner DP World profits up by 35% (16 Mar) – Maritime union, RMT has hit out at the “obscene” profits made by DP World – the company that owns P&O Ferries. Ahead of the one-year anniversary when P&O unlawfully sacked 786 seafarers, DP World is raking in huge profits and revenues read more
Protest today Tuesday 21st March 11.30am DP World Head Office, 16 Palace St, London SW1E 5JQ. Speakers include Mick Lynch RMT General Secretary & Darren Proctor RMT National Secretary
Balfour Beatty engineers take strike action after profits boast (17 Mar) – RMT members working in engineering for Balfour Beatty will take strike action tonight in a row over pay. It will be the third 36-hour stoppage after members rejected the company’s 5.5% pay offer from April 2022. Balfour Beatty has just released its latest financial information from last year which shows huge profits and dividends for shareholders…Strike action will begin at 10pm on 17 March and end 9.59am Sunday 19 March read more
RMT slams rail companies ahead of strike (17 Mar) – Rail union RMT, has criticised a multimillion-pound train company for failing to run a decent service while workers are not on strike. Ahead of another 24 hours of strike action on Saturday across 14 train operating companies in the national rail dispute, the union said First Group which owns TransPennine Express and Avanti were in “complete chaos.” Read more
RMT members working for the 14 train operating companies will take strike action on the following days:
– 00:01 hours and 23:59 hours on Thursday 16th March 2023
· 00:01 hours and 23:59 hours on Saturday 18th March 2023
· 00:01 hours and 23:59 hours on Thursday 30th March 2023
· 00:01 hours and 23:59 hours on Saturday 1st April 2023
Railway Fat Cat pay increases (16 Mar) – Fat cat rail bosses award themselves eye watering annual pay hikes while lecturing rail workers on need for pay restraint and reform. On the day that rail workers take strike action in defence of their jobs, pay and conditions and railway services new RMT research (below) has revealed that bosses at seven rail companies have awarded themselves annual pay rises of between 15- 275% whilst most rail workers have been subject to a pay freeze read more
Tube strike shuts London Underground (15 Mar) – Over 10,000 RMT members have today shut London Underground in a strike over pensions, job cuts and attacks on working conditions. The job losses planned will affect every aspect of the tube including stations and maintenance, leading to the likelihood of more unstaffed stations and a lowering of safety standards. Workers from across London Underground set up picket lines across most major tube stations, ensuring that London Underground was completely shutdown. RMT joins several unions taking strike action today across the economy on a variety of industrial matters, including better pay, good working conditions and job security. The union wrote to London Mayor Sadiq Khan yesterday outlining how job cuts must be halted and that safety of the travelling public was foremost in tube workers minds read more
RMT update on new Network Rail pay offer and referendum (8 Mar) – Rail union, RMT will hold a referendum on a new and improved offer from Network Rail on pay and benefits. The new offer involves extra money and is not conditional on accepting Network Rail’s modernising maintenance agenda which RMT does not endorse. Network Rail’s offer amounts to an uplift on salaries of between 14.4% for the lowest paid grades to 9.2% for the highest paid. There is an additional 1.1% on basic earnings and increased backpay. The offer also has a total uplift on basic earnings between 15.2% for the lowest paid grades to 10.3% for the highest paid grades. The increased backpay will be implemented and paid as a lump sum. The improved offer also involves pulling forward the pay anniversary to October 2022 from January 2023. 55% of RMT members in Network Rail earn less than £35,000 so they will benefit from the underpin by seeing a salary uplift in excess of 9.2% up to 14.4% for the lowest paid. Similarly, they will receive an uplift in basic earnings more than 10.3% over the two years. Other benefits of the deal include 75% discounted leisure travel – a long held demand of Network Rail members. RMT members in Network Rail will now decide whether to accept the offer in a referendum starting on March 9th and concluding on March 20th at midday. In the meantime, industrial action on Network Rail is suspended. The RMT is not making a recommendation on how to vote during the referendum read more
RMT suspends Network Rail industrial action (7 Mar)
ISS workers to take strike action on DLR (23 Feb) – Contracted out staff working for ISS on the Docklands Light Railway will take 48 hours strike action from Friday. Cleaners, security, revenue protection and travel safe staff will walk out after rejecting an insulting pay offer of 1.8%. RMT which represents the workers have highlighted the fact ISS staff on the DLR are underpaid compared to others on TfL performing equivalent roles. On top of poor pay, ISS staff have so far not been told whether they will get access to the free travel facility. This is despite the fact London Mayor Sadiq Khan having already promised all contracted out staff would get free travel across TfL read more
Action called over Jubilee East, South and Centre Cover Group rosters (16 Feb) – defend jobs, pensions and agreements – London Underground – overtime and rest day working ban called. A resolution has been received from your RMT Jubilee South Branch, regarding the imposition of new rosters. The Company has taken no notice of your Reps advice that these rosters are unworkable, and members wish to fight back against the detrimental effect these cuts will have, including on your work/life balance. The National Executive Committee has thanked the Branch for its resolution and taken the decision to instruct:
All Station Grades members (Customer Service Assistants, Customer Service Supervisors, Customer Service Managers) on the Jubilee Centre, East and South Cover Groups (Canada Water Area, Westminster Area, Canary Wharf Area, Stratford Area, West Ham Area, London Bridge Area and Waterloo Area) not to work any overtime or rest day working from 00:01 hours on Sunday 12th March 2023 until 23:59 hours on Saturday 25th March 2023 read more
Reinstate Branch Secretary Jason Moriarty – A new newsletter has been produced as a part of our organising to get Jason Moriarty reinstated. Please download it to learn more. The RMT offers full support and solidarity with our comrade Jason Moriarty following his disclosure to his employer, London Underground, of a disability read more
ASLEF
Fair Pay: Stand with Train Drivers – Train Drivers deserve fair pay that keeps up with the cost of living. Why are tube drivers taking strike action? Train drivers on London Underground will be taking strike action on Wednesday 15th March 2023. During the pandemic, tube drivers and other London Underground workers were hailed as heroes. They weren’t furloughed and couldn’t work from home read more
TSSA
BREAKING NEWS!! TSSA warns TfL Pensions Response “threatens dispute” (21 Mar) – Transport union TSSA has reacted with anger and disappointment to the company’s latest response on the Transport for London (TfL) pensions review, warning the removal of the ‘no change’ option threatens an industrial dispute. In the Barber Review – conducted by Sir Brendan Barber in 2021-22 – ‘no change’ was a clear and viable option, maintaining TFL workers’ current pension provision. The pension scheme is performing well and is not in deficit. Other options favoured by the Conservative government include closing the current TfL scheme and replacing it with one which cuts the pension provision for workers read more
BREAKING NEWS!! Great British Railways a ‘halfway house’ which clings to failed privatisation (21 Mar) – Rail union TSSA has described Great British Railways (GBR) as a ‘halfway house’ which will not bring public ownership to the network, after it was revealed the new body will be headquartered in Derby. The city’s bid to house GBR – which will own and manage rail infrastructure, issue contracts to private firms to run trains, set most fares and timetables, and sell tickets – triumphed over rivals Doncaster, York, Birmingham, Crewe and Newcastle-upon-Tyne. However, the future of GBR has been uncertain for months with the original timetable already significantly delayed read more
TSSA Agrees ‘Significant’ Pay Deal with RSSB (20 Mar) – Rail and transport union TSSA has agreed a 6.5 per cent pay award for members at the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB). Dozens of union members at RSSB – which works to improve health and safety performance across Britain’s railways – backed the one year offer from the company in an online vote read more
TSSA accuses government of “rewarding Avanti’s failure” after West Coast contract extension (20 Mar) – TSSA today (Monday) accused the government of “rewarding failure” after Avanti West Coast’s contract was extended for another six months. Transport Secretary Mark Harper made the announcement today, despite Avanti still banning most advanced ticket sales and continuing to operate a significantly reduced intercity service read more
Budget leaves transport black hole (15 Mar) – Transport and travel union TSSA has slammed the government for a Budget which which” leaves a gaping black hole” on transport policy, just days after sneaking out delays to High Speed 2 (HS2). Delivering his Budget statement in the Commons Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, had nothing to say on transport policy beyond pothole repairs. However last Thursday the Conservatives tried to sneak out delays to parts of the High Speed 2 (HS2) rail project read more
Unite
BREAKING NEWS!! Unite member says he feels fully vindicated in Crossrail “blacklisting” case as open court statement delivered (21 Mar) – A landmark case involving allegations of contemporary “blacklisting” on the flagship Crossrail project has concluded following a statement in open court yesterday (Monday 20 March). Unite member Daniel Collins, an electrician, took a case for blacklisting, breaches of data protection and misuse of private information against construction companies Crossrail, Costain, Skanska, T Clarke and NG Bailey. Mr Collins had the full support of Unite who instructed employment solicitors Thompsons to act on his behalf. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “This was a hugely significant case and demonstrates how Unite will back its members to the hilt. Unite is totally focused on defending the jobs, pay and conditions of its members and it will use all avenues available to defend their interests.” Read more
BREAKING NEWS!! Pay dispute at Highlands and Islands airports over as deal reached (21 Mar) – Unite confirms wage uplift of up to 7 percent across 11 airports. Unite the union can confirm today (21 March) that the long-running pay dispute involving 120 Unite members across the Highlands and Islands Airport Limited (HIAL) Group is over after a revised pay offer was accepted. The pay dispute involving Unite, which lead to industrial action across all eleven airports that are part of the HIAL Group, is over following the membership accepting a revised pay offer by 93 per cent. The deal reached ensures a basic salary uplift of 7 per cent for those earning up to £44,000, and a 5 per cent increase to shift allowances. Unite represents security staff, baggage handlers, ground crew along with those working in fire and rescue, security and administration read more
BREAKING NEWS!! Over 300 Dundee City Council workers vote to strike in fight against plans to outsource services (21 Mar) – Huge 95% vote for strike against privatisation – action set to begin in April. Unite the union can reveal today (21 March) that around 320 tradespersons employed by Dundee City Council have voted in favour of strike action in a dispute over plans to outsource services to private contractors. By a huge 95 per cent joiners, plumbers, electricians, labourers and scaffolders have backed strike action. The dispute is centred on Dundee City Council’s plans to outsource public works to private contractors. All-out strike action is set to begin on 4 April for three weeks until 28 April, and then it will be followed by rounds of daily action until 23 June read more
BREAKING NEWS!! Imperial College strike action over ‘massive pay cut’ stretches into fifth month (21 Mar) – 10.1% pay attack for workers while Imperial has £1.7 billion reserves and paid vice chancellor record salary. More than 200 Imperial College workers, who are members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, will strike on Wednesday (22 March), as industrial action over a pay dispute stretches into its fifth month. The workers are striking over the imposition of a 3.3 per cent pay offer for 2022/23 by London’s Imperial College, which Unite says is a clear 10.1 per cent pay cut when the real rate of inflation, RPI, is running at 13.4 per cent. Imperial College’s latest financial figures shows it brought in an income of over £1.2 billion for 2021/22 and had cash reserves of £1.7 billion. Further, Imperial College is one for the best paying universities for senior leadership staff. Until July 2022, the university employed the UK’s highest paid vice chancellor with an annual pay package worth £714,000, a massive increase of 35.5 per cent on the previous year read more
BREAKING NEWS!! Sparrows strike action off on BP North Sea platforms after pay deal (21 Mar) – Unite secures three weeks extra leave for 50 offshore workers. Unite the union announced today (Tuesday, 21 March) that offshore workers employed by Sparrows Offshore Services have reached a deal securing an extra three weeks paid leave on BP assets. The union says the deal is equivalent to a 10 per cent rise in pay. Nearly 50 offshore Crane Operatives, Crane Maintainers, Lifting Personnel and Deck Crew secured the extra three weeks paid annual leave from time offshore with no reduction in wages. The Unite members are employed by Sparrows to work on BP’s Andrew, Clair, Clair Ridge, ETAP, Glen Lyon and Mungo installations. The agreement will also implement the 2022 pay rise across all elements of the workers’ wages, terms and conditions. The deal further includes the introduction of overtime at time and a half for hours worked above the normal 12-hour shift. Strike action by Unite members set from 29 March until 7 June across BP platforms will now not take place read more
West Midland’s bus strike to go ahead Monday after latest offer rejected (18 Mar) – Deal put to more than 3,100 bus drivers voted down by 71% today. All out indefinite strike action by more than 3,100 National Express West Midland’s bus drivers will begin at 00:01 hrs on Monday 20 March (see notes to editors for picket line locations). The workers voted by 71 per cent against a deal put forward by the company in a ballot held over Friday and Saturday. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “National Express is an extremely wealthy company and makes considerable profits from the hard work of our members, who are not paid enough for the difficult and stressful job they do. The company must come back with an offer our members can accept. Unite’s top priority is defending and improving our members’ jobs, pay and conditions and National Express’ workforce have their union’s full support during these strikes.” Read more
Portadown workers resolute on pickets at Kingspan Water & Energy (20 Mar) – Unite slams company for piling money into shareholders’ pockets but denying workers their bonus and fair pay. All-out strike action follows big rejection of inadequate eve of strike offer. Unite the union members at Kingspan Water & Energy Ltd have commenced all-out strike action today [Monday, 20 March 2023]. Pickets went up at the company’s Portadown site from 6am. The strike is severely impacting production at the factory which employs 200 and which manufacturers fuel and water tanks. The industrial action follows an overwhelming 99 per cent vote for strike action and 65 per cent rejection of an inadequate eve of strike offer from management which fell well short of Unite members’ demands for a cost of living pay increase. The Portadown workers are also angry that they have been excluded from a £1,000 cost of living payment that was provided to all other Kingspan Water & Energy employees read more
Kingspan workforce at Portadown to commence all out strike action for cost of living pay increase (15 Mar) – Industrial action follows 99 percent vote for strike action on 91 percent turnout. Workers unanimously reject ‘eve-of-strike’ offer providing only 5 percent consolidated pay increase. Unite the union has confirmed that its membership at Kingspan Water & Energy Ltd will be taking strike action on Monday [20 March 2023]. Pickets will be due to go up outside the company’s Portadown site which manufacturers fuel and water tanks from 6am. The strike will severely impact production at the factory which employs 200 and pickets are likely to impact traffic flow on the Gilford Road. The industrial action follows a ballot of Unite’s membership on the shopfloor which returned a 99 percent mandate for strike with a 91 percent turnout. Workers voted unanimously in mass meetings over the last two days to reject an eve of strike offer from management read more
NI childcare crisis: Chris Heaton-Harris must ensure Budget delivers for children, parents and childminders (20 Mar) – Ratio reform overdue as childminders flee sector. Unite seeking urgent meeting with Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. Trade union Unite, which organises Registered Childminders throughout Northern Ireland, is seeking a meeting with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Chris Heaton-Harris, to clarify which elements, if any, of the additional childcare funding announced in last week’s Budget have been earmarked for Northern Ireland. Speaking today (Monday 20 March), Unite’s Susan Fitzgerald said that working parents and women working as childminders are facing a growing childcare crisis read more
Woolwich Ferry workers make waves with a double digit pay hike after years of unrest (20 Mar) – Car park assistant’s pay will increase by £6,131. Years of campaigning including strike action paves the way for a hard fought agreement with TfL. A massive pay victory for Woolwich Ferry workers brings years of industrial unrest on the river Thames to an end. Following a series of strikes against low pay and bullying, the absolute determination of Woolwich Ferry workers has ultimately delivered an excellent pay deal which at long last recognises the contribution the workers make to the operation of the service. Car park assistants are in line to receive a 26 per cent increase from this April. They will also get an additional 7 per cent to recognise weekend working. Vessel crews will also receive significant increases in basic pay. For example senior deckhands on the Briggs contracts will see pay increase from £32,996 to £39,018, an increase of over 18 per cent to be implemented from April 2023. The vessel crews will receive an additional 10 per cent allowance to recognise night working read more
‘Tsunami’ of industrial action to hit oil and gas operators as 1400 offshore workers set to strike (20 Mar) – Dozens of platforms in UKCS set to be brought to a ‘standstill’ with BP, Shell and Total hit. Unite the union announced today (Monday 20 March) that major oil and gas operators in the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS) face a ‘tsunami’ of industrial unrest within weeks as around 1400 offshore workers across five companies demand a better deal on jobs, pay and conditions. Unite, whose members will take action at companies enjoying record-busting profits, predicts that platforms and offshore installations will be brought to a ‘standstill’ due to the specialised roles its members undertake. The action will hit major oil and gas operators including BP, CNRI, EnQuest, Harbour, Ithaca, Shell and Total read more
Sunak told to back UK steel in national interest (20 Mar) – Sharon Graham, general secretary of Unite, has written to prime minister Rishi Sunak, calling for urgent action to protect the UK’s sovereign steel making capability. The letter was written in the wake of last week’s budget, which failed to deliver the comprehensive support package the industry urgently needs. The letter warns Mr Sunak that as a result of the government’s failure to grow steel and make it more internationally competitive “the industry is shrinking and losing skilled jobs”. This is threatening the livelihoods of thousands of workers across Wales, Humberside, Yorkshire and the North East read more
JW Suckling drivers secure fantastic pay rise but Jet Garage strikes remain on in North West as Hoyer fail to make pay offer (20 Mar) – Unite the union has secured an inflation-busting pay increase for tanker drivers employed on the Phillips 66 contract delivering to Jet Garages and employed by JW Suckling. The deal is worth up to £11,000 a year for the drivers based in Essex, Grangemouth and West London. However, strike action involving Hoyer drivers based in the North West operating from the Bramhall terminal and who work on the same contract is set to take place for a week beginning on March 27, as the company has failed to enter into peace talks. The pay deal brings the annual salaries of Unite members from £43,315 to £54,579 per year. The deal also includes improved overtime rates increasing at least 29%, bonuses increasing by a stunning 47 per cent as well as the introduction of callout read more
JW Suckling Transport tanker drivers based in Grangemouth secure inflation-busting pay deal (17 Mar) – Unite delivers fantastic 26 per cent pay lift worth over £11,000 per year. Unite the union can reveal that tanker drivers based in Grangemouth are set to receive an inflation-busting pay deal worth over £11,000 a year. Around a dozen tanker drivers employed by JW Suckling Transport resolved a longstanding pay dispute. The drivers undertake work as part of the Phillips 66 contract, which supplies fuel to Jet Garages. The pay deal is the equivalent to a 26 per cent uplift bring the annual salaries of Unite members from at least £43,315 to £54,579 per year. The deal also includes improved overtime rates, bonuses, callout payments and allowances read more
Heathrow workers announce Easter airport strike in pay dispute (17 Mar) – Flights using Heathrow Airport will experience severe delays and disruption this Easter as workers take extensive strike action in a dispute over pay. Over 1,400 security guards employed by Heathrow Airports Ltd (HAL) and who are members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, have voted for strike action. The 10 days of strike action will begin on Friday 31 March with the final day of strike action on Sunday 9 April (Easter Sunday). The strike action involves the security guards employed at Terminal Five which is used exclusively by British Airways and Campus security guards who are responsible for checking all cargo that enters the airport read more
Unite Statement on Welsh Ambulance Strike action (17 Mar) – Unite has suspended its strike action at the Welsh Ambulance Service due to take place on Monday 20 March 2023. This follows continued progress in talks with the Welsh government. The pause in strike action will facilitate the continuation of these discussions. Unite will not be granting interviews during the negotiations read more
Newcastle and Northumberland facing Arriva bus strikes in pay dispute (17 Mar) – Bus workers employed by Arriva working in Newcastle and Northumberland are being balloted for strike action in a dispute over pay. The dispute involves 330 drivers and engineers who are members of Unite, the UK’s leading union. The workers have been offered a pay increase worth 10 per cent (paid in two stages) for the drivers on the highest pay rate, with other workers receiving considerably lower pay offers. These are a substantial real terms pay cuts, as the current real rate of inflation (RPI) stands at 13.4 per cent. The ballot opened this week and closes on Thursday 30 March. If the workers vote in favour of industrial action than strikes could begin after Easter read more
Unite response to NHS pay offer (16 Mar) – Responding to the government’s new pay offer for NHS workers in England Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Following months and months of unnecessary delay, the government finally gets into the negotiating room. They need to take full responsibility for their dither and delay, which has caused unnecessary pain to both staff and patients in the NHS. It is clear that the government has been forced into negotiations and the subsequent move, because of strike action and the support of the public for the NHS. The offer from government is not one that Unite can recommend to our members, but ultimately it is important that our members make the final decision. Unite will support members in whichever decision they now make. As Unite members are being consulted strike action will be paused…” read more
Crossrail ‘blacklisting’ case to conclude with open court statement (16 Mar) – A long running case concerning claims of ‘contemporary blacklisting’ on Crossrail will conclude next Monday (20 March) with a statement in open court. The case concerns Unite member Daniel Collins. Mr Collins was employed by the Costain/Skanska joint venture via an agency on the Bond Street Crossrail station project in February 2015, when he raised health and safety concerns. Soon afterwards he was told to leave the project. Mr Collins made a series of subject access requests and learnt that his information had been shared among a number of contractors and agencies. The companies involved in the case were Crossrail, Costain, Skanska, T Clarke and NG Bailey. All of the companies deny the allegations read more
Sainsbury’s union busting tactics at East Kilbride distribution depot slammed by Unite (16 Mar) – Union warns contract cleaners dispute could spread across UK. Unite the union has today (16 March) slammed union busting tactics at a major distribution depot in East Kilbride which supplies Sainsbury’s stores across the UK. Unite members working for DHL Services Limited at Langland Park depot are being balloted on strike action following a decision by Sainsbury’s to transfer workers to the cleaning and facilitates management NIC Group who fail to recognise trade unions. The ballot on industrial action opens on 22 March and closes on 6 April. The workers have also been informed by the NIC Group, pending the transfer, that they will receive no wage rise this year despite the ongoing cost of living crisis read more
Strike action ends with £4K pay hike for parking officers in Hounslow (15 Mar) – Pay will rise from £24,420.50 to £28,730 by November 2023. Deal struck after Unite escalated strike action indefinitely. By standing firm, Parking Enforcement Officers across Hounslow have secured a whopping pay boost. The workers took two weeks of strike action in January and a further month of strike action from Monday 6 February until 5 March, followed by indefinite strike action. The workforce has now voted to accept the 18 month pay deal worth almost 18%. Unite general secretary, Sharon Graham said: “This is a cracking pay deal for the parking officers in Hounslow. The workers’ rock solid determination has paid off. It’s more proof that Unite is fighting for better jobs, pay and conditions and winning.” Unite negotiated an additional 8% backdated to April 2022 (on top of 1.7% already awarded). Followed by a further 7% uplift from April 2023 and a further minimum 2% uplift from October 2023 read more
Edrington workers accept 12 per cent pay rise to end dispute over shift patterns (15 Mar) – Drumchapel based distillery workers set for £4,900 boost to wages. Unite members based at Edrington Distillers have voted to accept a pay deal worth 12 per cent over the course of the year to end a dispute over new shift patterns and unsociable hours. Around 40 Unite members including engineers, electricians and boilermen are set to receive a backdated 3 per cent rise in January with a further 9 per cent to come in April. The pay rise will see workers based at the Drumchapel based company receive a boost to their annual income from £2,450 up to £4,900 read more
Jet Garages facing empty fuel pumps as tanker drivers strike over pay (14 Mar) – Jet Garages across the UK are set to run out of fuel later this month as tanker drivers employed by JW Suckling and Hoyer Gas and Petroleum Logistics Ltd take strike action over pay. The 40 plus drivers who are members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, are based at depots in Essex, Grangemouth, Stockport and West London. The workers are part of the Phillips 66 contract that supplies fuel to Jet Garages. The dispute is a result of the drivers being paid £5 an hour less than drivers employed by other hauliers on the same contract and having poorer terms and conditions. Strike action will begin at 04:00 on Monday 27 March for an initial week for the JW Suckling strikes in Essex and West London and for the Hoyer dispute in the North West. The workers employed by JW Suckling at Grangemouth will be taking all out continuous strike action from 04:00 on Monday 27 March read more
Unite welcomes submarine announcement which will safeguard thousands of jobs at Rolls Royce and BAE Systems (14 Mar) – A ‘golden opportunity’ for Govt to prioritise UK skills by developing a national manufacturing apprenticeship programme and support the civil application of RR cutting-edge technology mini-nuclear reactors (SMR’s) for domestic power supply read more
Workforce at Queen’s University to take strike action to defend pay and pensions (14 Mar) – Unite the union striking on 16th March, UCU on 15th and 16th March. Both Unite and UCU at QUB are set to take further strike action at Queen’s University as part of their ongoing industrial dispute with management over fair and equitable pay, pensions, and precarious employment practices. The strike action follows ballots held by both Unite and UCU at QUB which provided a strong mandate for industrial action up to and including strike action at Queen’s. The UCU action is to continue on the 20th, 21st and 22nd of March and the union has action short of a strike in force continuously. Unite’s strike action is also set to continue with further strike dates identified in April read more
Lenny Henry told Murphy 4 sackings no laughing matter (14 Mar) – Unite members will hold a protest outside the Pipeline Industries Guild scheduled for 18:30 this evening (Tuesday 14 March) at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London’s Park Lane. The Pipeline Industries Guild is closely associated with the Murphy group of companies, with the group’s CEO John Murphy a past president of the guild, while the guild’s current chair is Andrew Ball, energy sector director with J Murphy and Sons. The protest is part of a campaign to secure the reinstatement of four Unite members, including a shop steward, dismissed by the Murphy group’s Irish subsidiary on what Unite members believe to be spurious grounds read more
Cargotec: Strike sends strong message in ‘bogus TUPE’ dispute (10 Mar) – Company must come to table and negotiate collectively. March 10th: Following a 93% vote for industrial action, Unite members working for cargo handling manufacturer Cargotec in Dundalk took to the picket line today in a move which saw production at the facility closed down. The dispute surrounds what Unite has termed a ‘bogus TUPE’ process which members fear could impact their terms and conditions going forward. Unite is calling on the company to come to the table and negotiate collectively with the workers affected read more
Unite leader hails successful defence of right to strike against legal challenge (9 Mar) – Unite shop stewards defended against legal attack. Mechanical strike going ahead tomorrow (Friday) at H.A. O’Neil and Leo Lynch. March 9th A strike by mechanical workers in HA O’Neil’s and Leo Lynch’s will go ahead tomorrow (Friday 10 March) after trade union Unite fought off an attempt today by HA O’Neil (Jones Engineering) to obtain an injunction restraining Unite members from taking industrial action. Accordingly, official pickets will be placed at HA O’Neil and Leo Lynch sites in Leixlip (Intel) and Grange Castle (Pfizer) tomorrow. The action follows an overwhelming vote for strike action in pursuit of a claim for restoration of the first hour of travel time, which was originally cut as a so-called ‘temporary measure’ following the 2008 financial crash read more
Liverpool refuse workers and street cleaners suspend strike action (9 Mar) – Refuse workers and street cleaners employed by Liverpool Streetscene Services Limited (LSSL), have suspended planned strike action, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today (Thursday). The more than 80 workers were scheduled to strike over pay on 10, 13, 16, 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24 March. The strikes have now been suspended to allow for constructive talks with LSSL’s management read more
Pay strikes at power grid for London, South East, East England to cause blackout delays (7 Mar) – Around 1,300 workers, responsible for repairing, maintaining and administrating the electricity grid for London and the South East and East of England, have voted to strike. The workers are angry that UKPN have offered an 8.3 per cent pay rise for 2022, when they are normally offered an annual wage increase that meets or exceeds RPI inflation. With RPI currently standing at 13.4 per cent, this is a substantial real terms pay cut. The offer is also conditional on the workers accepted a below RPI inflation pay deal for 2023, meaning their wages spending power would be reduced twice in two years. The deal is not worth around 18 per cent as the company is claiming. Meanwhile, UKPN (owned by Hong Kong based conglomerate CK Group), had an average operating profit margin of over 50 per cent between 2017 and 2021 – almost five times higher than the FTSE-100 average. During that period, the company made a massive £2.4 billion in profits, paid for by energy consumers through standing charges on their bills. Its latest financial report shows UKPN made £264 million up to March 2022, while it’s CEO, Basil Scarsella, was paid an annual salary of £2.3 million read more
Industrial Civil Servants, including Workers in Roads Service, Rivers Agency, Forest Service and Strangford Ferry, vote overwhelmingly for strike action in pursuit of pay increase (7 Mar) – Unite and GMB members employed in the industrial civil service are set to coordinate action with non-industrial civil service workers in NIPSA. Strike ballot occurs alongside existing industrial dispute by roads workers seeking end to productivity pay mechanism. Unite and the GMB have confirmed that in separate ballots of their members employed in the industrial civil service workers [which includes roads service, rivers agency and Strangford ferry] have voted overwhelmingly to take strike action in pursuit of a cost of living pay increase. In Unite the vote for strike action was passed by 91 percent while in GMB the vote for strike action was 77 percent. Both trade unions will now engage with NIPSA which represents non-industrial civil servants, and which announced its own successful strike ballot last week, with a view to taking coordinated strike action across the entire civil service in Northern Ireland read more
Unite recommends rejection of local government pay offer (7 Mar) – Members of Unite’s national committee representing workers in councils across England, Wales and Northern Ireland have decided to recommend rejection of the local government pay offer. Last month, the local government employers made a pay offer that was worth between 3.88 and 9.42 per cent for 2023/24, depending on grade. With the current real inflation rate (RPI) currently standing at 13.4 per cent this amounts to a real terms pay cut of nearly 10 per cent for some members read more
Christie Manchester cancer treatment staff join widening NHS pay strikes (1 Mar) – More than 100 staff employed at Manchester’s Christie NHS Foundation Trust and its linked pathology provider, which is a public/private partnership, will strike for 24 hours from 0700hrs on Thursday (2 March) over pay. The workers’ union, Unite, says that more strikes will be scheduled if the government fails to address poor pay and unsafe staffing across the NHS read more
Workers at Newry, Mourne & Down District Council prepare to return to industrial action for fair treatment (27 Feb) – Workers in Newry, Mourne and Down District Council have lost trust and confidence in the NDMDC Chief Executive Marie Ward, and are commencing a new ballot for refreshed industrial action, up to and including strike action, after management at the Council have neglected to honour a deal agreed in 2022. Two meetings of Council staff were held last week in Newry and Downpatrick, hosted by the four trade unions representing workers of all grades – NIPSA, SIPTU, GMB and Unite. Firstly, it was decided to call for a vote of no confidence in the current Chief Executive. This vote was carried unanimously in both venues and must be seen as message to those in a position of influence, that this type of leader who cannot, or will not, honour negotiated agreements is not acceptable to our members or their staff. Secondly, it was decided to carry out a ballot for industrial action, to include both action short of a strike as well as strike action. To give some background, Council workers from all four unions took part in a number of successful industrial action campaigns in 2021 and 2022 read more
Roads Service maintenance workers in Unite commence one week strike action (26 Feb) – Road Workers demand productivity payment be integrated into payscales to remove potential mechanism for pay victimization. More than two hundreds Unite members employed by the Roads Service of Northern Ireland will be joining with colleagues in the GMB in taking strike action for a week commencing Monday 27th February. The industrial action follows a ballot of Unite members which returned a 95.30 percent vote for strike. The workers seek changes to their terms and conditions meaning the integration of a productivity bonus into their payscales. Roads Service workers’ pay is dependent on a productivity-based payment which is subject to the determination of managers. In the recent year roads workers at some hubs have taken strike action over allegations of bullying and harassment and are now seeking to close down a mechanism which potentially leaves them subject to victimization by managers. The strike pickets will be established at 8am on Monday 27 February and will last seven days and affect roads maintenance work across Northern Ireland. Unite General Secretary Sharon Graham pledged her union’s full support for the Roads Service workers read more
Weekend strike action and protests resume over pay dispute at Diageo’s Leven plant (24 Feb) – Unite ‘actively’ exploring legal options amid claims workers could have been unlawfully induced to sign new contracts. Engineering workers based at Diageo’s plant in Leven are set to resume strike action tonight (24 February) and over the weekend in an increasingly bitter pay dispute with the drinks industry giant. The strike action will begin at 19:00 p.m. tonight and conclude on Monday (27 February) morning at 6 a.m. The strike action will directly impact on the engineering support for the bottling plant. Unite believes it is not safe to run the plant without the support its engineering members provide. Unite can also confirm that it will hold another protest on Saturday (25 February) at The Johnnie Walker Experience in Edinburgh from 12 noon to 2.30 p.m. There will be a further protest on Sunday (26 February) outside the bottling plant in Levenfrom 12 noon to 2.30 p.m. The protests are highlighting that some of Unite’s engineering members are set to lose around 6 per cent of their pay when moved to a proposed lower rate of pay read more
Merseyside JLR supply chain workers to strike over job and pay attacks (23 Feb) – More than 150 workers employed at a Halewood factory producing dashboards for JLR have voted overwhelmingly to strike over job cuts and a 19 per cent attack on their pay, Unite, the UK’s leading union said today. The workers’ employer, IAC, is planning to slash 87 jobs and to remove shift premiums and reduce working hours for remaining staff. The workers recorded a 100 per cent yes vote in favour of industrial action on a turnout of over 90 per cent, underlining the anger the workforce has for the company’s proposals. American-owned IAC brings in billions of pounds per year. The company recorded global revenues of £2.4 billion in 2021, including £221 million from the UK. The workers are demanding that all redundancies are voluntary and that their pay is not reduced…The dates for strike action will be announced in the coming days read more
Protestors expose Morrisons’ anti-union tactics in Gibraltar (22 Feb) – Supermarket giant sits on millions but flew workers to Gibraltar to deny low-waged workers fair pay. Union stages protest at Morrisons’ Bradford HQ. Campaigners will stage a protest on Friday 24th February at the head office of Morrison’s in Bradford to expose shabby mistreatment and anti-trade union tactics directed against Unite members in Gibraltar. Morrisons’ workers in Gibraltar have been on strike since 30 January in a dispute over a paltry 2.4 per cent pay increase when the retailer’s underlying profits for last year were a massive £828 million. According to Unite, instead of negotiating to end the strike Morrisons wasted money by flying in UK workers to replace the roles of striking workers in Gibraltar – paying them £2 an hour more than workers on the Rock. This pay disparity is one of the main reasons for the dispute. Unite general secretary, Sharon Graham said: “If Morrisons think it can sneak strike-breaking tactics into Gibraltar then, it should think again…” read more
Imperial College strikes stretch into fourth month over ‘10.1% pay cut’ (21 Feb) – University sitting on £1.7bn in reserves and paid record-breaking vice chancellor salary. Pay strikes at London’s Imperial College will stretch into their fourth month, as more than 200 members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, prepare to walkout on Thursday (23 February). The workers are striking over the imposition of a 3.3 per cent pay offer for 2022/23 by Imperial College, which Unite says is a clear 10.1 per cent pay cut when the real rate of inflation, RPI, is running at 13.4 per cent. Imperial College’s latest financial figures shows it brought in an income of over £1.2 billion for 2021/22 and had cash reserves of £1.7 billion. Further, Imperial College is one for the best paying universities for senior leadership staff. Until July 2022, the university employed the UK’s highest paid vice chancellor with an annual pay package worth £714,000, a massive increase of 35.5 per cent on the previous year read more
East Lancashire biomedical scientists latest to join NHS pay strikes (21 Feb) – Unite says government is failing the country as NHS strikes spread. Around 70 biomedical scientists at the East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust will strike at Royal Blackburn hospital from 0700 hrs to 1900 hrs on Wednesday (22 February). The workers’ union, Unite, says that more strikes will be scheduled if the government fails to address poor pay and unsafe staffing across the NHS. With more ambulance worker strikes also set for the coming weeks, Unite has again hit out at the prime minister for failing to get into the room to address chronic low pay and unsustainable workloads. These issues are driving a recruitment and retention crisis and devastating the NHS read more
New development in Hestia LIFE dispute. Poverty pay – some movement. – The Leader of Hounslow’s council has responded to pressure brought by Unite and he has finally agreed to speak with us regarding the dispute involving Serco employed Parking Attendants and Hestia LIFE employed support workers. Both groups of workers face poverty pay and anti-union bosses. This follows three separate periods of strike action at Hestia and a campaign aimed at encouraging Hounslow councillors to actively engage with striking workers at Hestia and Serco…Naturally we are pleased that the council leader has now responded to that pressure, but this is just a first step. We, as a trade movement, need to keep up the pressure to ensure that the council follows through on this initiative to ensure a successful end to both disputes which is why Unite have called a protest for next Tuesday 21st February outside the council cabinet meeting. We want that protest to be noisy, enthusiastic and pro-union. Please come along, bring your banners and family members to send a clear message to Hounslow Labour council – Workers need fair pay and decent conditions! read more
Outsourced Harlow housing repair and grounds workers to strike over pay (17 Feb) – Over 300 staff responsible for Harlow council housing stock and cleaning and maintenance of council grounds and buildings will strike over pay in late February. The workers, members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, are employed by HTS, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Harlow district council. HTS’s workforce voted by 87 per cent for strike action over pay being less than workers doing the same jobs at other local authorities. The workers are demanding a cost-of-living payment and for their pay bands to be re-graded, so they are brought up to industry standards. The council’s latest financial report showed it had assets of £63 million on 31 March 2022, an increase of £19 million from the year before. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Harlow council is fooling nobody. It is using HTS to keep these workers on inferior pay, terms and conditions. Harlow council can well afford to give these workers a cost-of-living payment and Unite is determined to ensure that is what happens. Our members’ jobs, pay and conditions are this union’s top priority and the HTS workforce will receive Unite’s full support during these strikes.” The workers will strike on 21, 23 and 28 February during which housing repair and maintenance, street cleaning, grounds maintenance, cleaning and caretaking of council buildings and parks and gardening services will be severely disrupted. More strikes will be scheduled if the dispute is not resolved read more
Airports set to close across the Highlands and Islands as strike action begins at Dundee Airport (16 Feb) – Unite confirms overtime ban across 11 airports in the HIAL Group. Dundee Airport will be closed tomorrow (17 February) due to strike action as part of a pay dispute involving over 120 Unite members across the Highlands and Islands Airport Limited (HIAL) Group. Strike action will begin tomorrow at Dundee Airport, and then resumes on Monday (20 February). There will be a strike demonstration starting from 11 a.m. at Dundee Airport on both days of action in close proximity to the airport entrance. Several days of 24-hour strike action is scheduled across all HIAL’s 11 airports following the action in Dundee. Strike action will take place on 21, 22, and 23 February at the HIAL Group’s other airports: Barra Airport, Benbecula Airport, Campbeltown Airport, Inverness Airport, Islay Airport, Kirkwall Airport, Stornoway Airport, Sumburgh Airport, Tiree Airport, Wick Airport. Due to the scale of Unite’s industrial action the HIAL Group has now informed the public that a number of airports will be fully closed including Barra, Benbecula, Dundee, Stornoway, Sumburgh and Tiree. Kirkwall Airport will operate on a limited basis. The trade union predicts its industrial action will impact the remaining airports differently from mail not getting through to offshore workers not being able to mobilise to installations, and to return home. Unite has further confirmed that its members will take part in a discontinuous overtime ban across all 11 airports starting on 24 February and continuing each day up to and inclusive of 2 March read more
Royal Holloway University strikes intensify over 10% pay cut presented as rise (9 Feb) – Pay strikes will hit Royal Holloway University in February as a dispute over pay intensifies, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today (Thursday). Non-teaching staff, members of Unite, have rejected an imposed pay deal set by the University and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) that amounts to three per cent for most workers. With the real rate of inflation, RPI, at 13.4 per cent, this is a real terms pay cut of 10.4 per cent. Meanwhile, the university’s latest financial report states it is in a strong financial position. It had total reserves of £293 million for the year ending 31 July 2022… The workers, who include cleaners, janitors, estates staff and technicians, will strike on 14, 15, 16, 21, 22 and 23 February in coordination with members of other higher education unions at Royal Holloway. More strikes will be scheduled if the dispute is not resolved read more
Petrofac workers resume 48-hour strike action (8 Feb) – New strike wave hits BP offshore installations. A fresh 48-hour strike is underway on BP Petrofac installations the UK’s largest offshore trade union, Unite, confirmed today (8 February). The 48-hour strike action which starts today at 06:01 involves around 80 workers, and it will conclude at 05:59 on 10 February. It is the latest round of strike action following no breakthrough in negotiations with Petrofac. The offshore contractor has failed to bring forward an acceptable offer to the workers with future rounds of strike action now scheduled to take place until 3 March read more
Strike action resumes at GSK pharmaceutical plant in Irvine (6 Feb) – Kaefer contractors begin week-long strike in dispute over bonus payments. Members of Unite employed in engineering construction roles at the GSK plant in Irvine will resume strike action today (6 February) in a dispute over bonus payments. Around 40 workers employed by contractor Kaefer Limited will take strike action from 07:30 a.m. on 6 February up to 07:29 a.m. on 13 February. A previous round of strike action took place from 9 to 23 January. The current round of strike action is in addition to an existing discontinuous overtime ban which ends on 2 April. The industrial action will directly impact on the maintenance of the plant. The dispute is based on Unite members seeking a bonus payment of £2.37 an hour, the maximum allowed under the relevant industrial agreement (National Agreement for the Engineering Construction Industry [NAECI]) read more
Wirral housing workers to strike over deadly asbestos fears (3 Feb) – Workers at social housing landlord Magenta Living are to take extensive strike action over fears that new working practices will expose them to asbestos. The 100 plus workers, who are members Unite, the UK’s leading union, are employed in repairs and maintenance roles for Magenta Living, which manages 13,000 properties mainly covering the Wirral. Magenta Living has imposed a change of policy when dealing with asbestos. Previously, the workforce was trained that when they identified asbestos to stop work. If it required removal, specialist contractors were employed. Under the new policy the workers are expected to work with asbestos read more
University of Leeds strikes intensify over 10% pay cut presented as rise (1 Feb) – More than 200 non-teaching staff striking over nationally imposed UCEA pay deal. Pay strikes will hit the University of Leeds in February as a dispute over pay intensifies, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today (Wednesday). The 200 non-teaching staff, members of Unite, have rejected an imposed pay deal set by the University and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) that amounts to three per cent for most workers. With the real rate of inflation, RPI, at 13.4 per cent, this is a real terms pay cut of 10.4 per cent read more
Reinstate Radek (Radoslaw Worbel) sacked Unite London bus rep at RATP London United Fulwell bus garage – send a message of complaint to [email protected] and a message of support to to Radek via the Unite Bus Combine: [email protected]
CWU
Support the CWU strikes in Royal Mail & Post Office – The CWU has launched a strike fund – please support: Unity Bank, CWU General Fund, 60-83-01 33019822
We support the call of the CWU for Royal Mail and BT to be re-nationalised. Follow the latest news via CWU’s Facebook page, website and Twitter @CWUnews
Massive Royal Mail re-ballot vote!! – CWU members in Royal Mail Group have delivered the biggest ever return in a major national strike ballot. YES 95.9% TURNOUT 77.3%
CWU to Royal Mail bosses: ‘You picked a fight with the wrong union!’ (17 Feb) – After achieving a higher percentage turnout than any general election since 1992, CWU activists meet in determined mood to discuss the next steps. Following yesterday’s ballot result, it was back to business today, with hundreds of senior field officials and branch officials gathering in Manchester for a national briefing to update on the dispute with Royal Mail and debate ongoing strategy. General secretary Dave Ward opened the event by once again thanking branches and members for their efforts in delivering such a “remarkable result” in the ballot. A hugely impressive 95.9 per cent YES vote and 77.3 per cent turnout – a higher percentage of voters than the last general election and higher than any general election in the past three decades. This was “a victory for the power of ‘we’ over the power of ‘I’. It was a test of our members’ resolve and, after 18 days of strike action and in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis, our members delivered a result that was incredible,” Dave continued, adding that it “would’ve given the whole of TU movement a lift – as well as our members. It’s staggering that, after all that’s happened, our members haven’t shifted an inch in their support for this union…” read more
Done & dusted at last’ – Royal Mail PFSL deal approved in ballot (16 Mar) – Rises to basic pay, lump sums, new incentive schemes and a range of terms & conditions levelled up for Property & Facilities Solutions Limited (PFSL) workers, as negotiated agreement wins an 87% YES read more
‘We’ve seen the CWU fight for Royal Mail and BT members – now we want this union in our company’ say Screwfix workers (15 Mar) – Activists are set to launch a campaign for full trade union recognition with the trade tool retail giant, following a sustained recruitment campaign at the company’s Stoke-on-Trent warehouse 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]
- Signing our petition to tell prime minister Rishi Sunak to intervene and hold meaningful talks to end the strikes.
- Support us on social media with the hashtags: #PCSonStrike #BlameTheGovt
- New E-action in support of PCS national pay and pensions campaign – The E-action calls on MPs to support our demands over pay, pensions, redundancy terms and job security read more
BREAKING NEWS!! Members vote to accept HMCTS offer and end the dispute over the Common Platform (21 Mar) – PCS members in HM Courts and Tribunals Service have voted to end the long-running dispute over the Common Platform case management system. This follows an offer, arrived at through intensive negotiations with HMCTS, where a number of significant concessions were achieved read more
BREAKING NEWS!! Join online members’ meeting 6pm 27 March (21 Mar) – For an update on the next steps in our national campaign join an online members’ meeting at 6pm on Monday (27) read more
BREAKING NEWS!! PCS members win union recognition for Mitie workers at FCDO in Scotland (21 Mar) – Following a tough battle, the Central Arbitration Committee announced last week that PCS had won our application for statutory recognition for Mitie Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office workers at Abercrombie House in East Kilbride read more
New PCS civil service ballots now open (20 Mar) – Fresh PCS strike ballots haven opened today (20 March) of 124,125 members in 186 employers, across the civil service and public sector so members can continue to fight for fair pay, pensions justice and job security as part of our national campaign. Our current 6-month legal mandate for strike action in 124 groups expires on 6 May, so to continue our industrial action campaign our national executive committee has agreed we need to ballot members again. The new postal ballots run from 20 March until 9 May, so look out for your ballot pack arriving through the post next week and then use your vote and post it in the pre-paid envelope. The levy of members, which supports those taking strategic action, will remain in place for the duration of the dispute. HMRC members will not be balloted this time as they have a strike mandate which runs until 26 August read more
PCS announces fresh wave of strikes (20 Mar) – We have announced a fresh wave of strikes in a significant escalation of our dispute over pay, pensions, redundancy terms and job security, including 5 weeks’ strike action at the Passport Offices in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. More than 1,000 members working in the Passport Offices in Belfast, Durham, Glasgow, Liverpool, London, Newport, Peterborough and Southport will walk out from 3 April to 6 May. The action is likely to have a significant impact on the delivery of passports as the summer approaches. Home Office members in other areas of Northern Ireland will be out on 12, 13 and 14 April. Also on strike next month are National Highways staff in the National Traffic Operations Centre in Quinton, West Midlands from 3-7 April, Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency involving 1500 driving examiners and test centre admin staff on a regional rolling basis from 5-28 April, British Library from 3-16 April and British Museum from 6-12 April read more
Results of latest PCS ballots announced (17 Mar) – All 4 of the areas balloted in the latest PCS industrial action ballots have returned yes votes for action as part of our national campaign on pay, pensions, changes to the Civil Service Compensation Scheme and jobs read more
Thousands in show of strength at rallies (15 Mar) – There was a sea of PCS flags outside Downing Street as thousands of our striking members joined a Budget Day lunchtime rally to call on the government to meet our demands for fair pay, pensions justice and job security. Across the UK, tens of thousands of members had taken action and joined picket lines and lunchtime rallies in many places including Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow and Edinburgh, London and Manchester, organised in many cases jointly with other striking unions and attended by thousands of people. Thousands of PCS members paraded down Embankment towards Downing Street as part of the strike action, led by the PCS Samba Band read more
Maritime and Coastguard Agency strike dates announced (2 Mar) – Members working for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency in the Registry of Shipping and Seamen (RSS) in Cardiff are set to strike on 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 and 27 March as our national dispute escalates. Our national strike ballot on pay, pensions, jobs and cuts to the Civil Service Compensation Scheme closed in November and we received a positive result for strike action in many areas of the civil service, including MCA. In MCA, 79% of members voted for strike action on a nearly 53% turnout, above the required legal threshold of 50%. Our RSS members do a variety tasks including registering vessels from jetskis to cruise liners under the UK flag , boatmasters’ licences, registering war medals and births and deaths at sea read more
Strike dates announced in Ofsted and DVSA (20 Feb) – The action will impact on driving tests, school inspections and complaints. The strikes form part of our targeted strike action in our national campaign over pay, pensions, job security and redundancy terms. Ofsted members working in the Applications, Regulatory and Contact (ARC) team and Inspection Support Centre will take strike action in March. They will walk out from Monday to Wednesday on every week in March, starting from 6 March… In DVSA, there will be a rolling programme of strike action across the regions throughout March, resulting in a large-scale cancellation of driving tests read more
Prospect
BREAKING NEWS!! HIAL pay dispute over as Prospect members vote to accept deal (21 Mar) – Members of Prospect working in Fire and Security for Highlands and Islands Airport Limited have voted to accept a revised pay deal for 2022-23 which will end the current dispute read more
Budget: Chancellor offered civil servants nothing on pay and conditions (15 Mar) – Mike Clancy, General Secretary of Prospect union, has commented on the Chancellor’s failure to provide civil servants with a fair deal in today’s Budget: “As Prospect members in the Civil Service undertook their biggest industrial action in over a decade, the Chancellor had nothing to offer them on their pay or conditions – let alone mentioning them in his speech. “With pay already having fallen by up to 26% since 2010, our members simply cannot afford to see their living standards fall any further. Increases of just 1% in day-to-day departmental spending after 2024/25 show the government still don’t get it…” read more
GMB
BREAKING NEWS!! Teesside energy from waste company faces strike (21 Mar) – A Teesside energy from waste company faces strike action over a massive real terms pay cut. Around 100 GMB members at Suez Recycling and Recovery UK, in Haverton Hill, are ready to walk out. Almost 99 per cent reject a pay offer of 6 per cent during a consultative ballot. Workers have seen there real terms pay cut by more than 30 per cent since 2012. A full strike ballot will begin in the coming days read more
BREAKING NEWS!! Tarmac slashes jobs despite bumper profits (21 Mar) – GMB Union has called on aggregate and building supplies giant Tarmac to step back from forcing through more than 400 redundancies at the company. Union officials have slammed the company’s unwillingness to work with trade unions and ignoring pragmatic proposals put forward by GMB to halt mandatory redundancies. GMB Union have argued that these reckless redundancies are unnecessary as the company in the context of huge company profits read more
Croydon Special School balloted for strike action over ‘irresponsible’ academy transfer (20 Mar) – We have real concerns that the academy trust do not understand the complexity of the needs at the school, says GMB. Staff at Red Gates School in Croydon are being balloted by their union GMB over a transfer to Pegasus Academy Trust. Red Gates School is a specialist school educating children with high to severe special educational needs and have a ratio of two highly specialised support staff for each pupil. The union is opposing the academisation due to the specialised nature of the pupil needs and of the staff, as well as the size of the school. The ballot opened on 15 March and is due to close on 3 April with any action to take place after the Easter Holidays read more
Mass rally outside Amazon Coventry amid weeklong strike (15 Mar) – Hundreds of Amazon workers and trade unionists are set to gather outside Amazon’s Coventry distribution centre today [Wednesday] as a historic weeklong strike hits the halfway point. GMB members at Amazon, who now number more than 500, have walked out until 17 March in anger after being offered a 50 pence per hour pay rise read more
GMB to ballot more than 200,000 local government workers on pay deal (9 Mar) – GMB is set to ballot more than 200,000 local government workers after the NJC pay deal for 2023/24. Workers including carers, school staff, social workers, refuse collectors will be recommended to reject a flat rate proposed settlement from the local government employers. GMB’s Local Government Staff Council is recommending that members reject the offer after the Local Government Association (LGA) said that it was the last and final offer on the table. If workers reject the deal in the ballot, which will run for six weeks from the end of March, GMB will move to a full strike vote read more
Northern Ireland Civil Servants vote to strike (7 Mar) – GMB members working for the civil service have voted to strike action. Up to 200 workers will walk out in anger at the 2023/24 pay award from the Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS) of just 2 per cent. GMB represents members in Road Service, Rivers Agency and Forestry along with the Environment Agency. Strike dates will be announced in the coming days read more
Almost 300 Mersey Care workers to strike this week (17 Jan) – Almost 300 health care workers at Mersey Care will take strike action this week over pay. GMB members including nurses, health care assistants, support staff, cleaners and admin staff will walk out for 24 hours from 00:01 to 23.59 on 18 January 2023. Mersey Care workers voted to strike over the Government’s imposed 4 per cent pay award – another massive real terms pay cut read more
Solidarity with GMB after yet another arrest on a bin picket line – For the second time in months, GMB Southern Region officers have been arrested on a picket line of their striking refuse members, including Gary Palmer, a full-time official of the GMB union was arrested. Join the protest in support of Gary and the other defendants 9.15am at Brighton Magistrates Court, Edward Street, Brighton Friday 24 March read more about Surrey strike
Unison
Donate to support striking workers – As UNISON members continue to take strike action, the union is asking for donations to its strike fund
Environment agency workers begin fresh wave of industrial action (17 Mar) – UNISON members working at the agency have seen pay fall since 2011, meaning that staff effectively work one day a week for free. Today thousands of Environment Agency (EA) workers in England will stop weekend attendance at incidents such as floods, water pollution, spills, waste fires and fly-tipping. The industrial action is set to continue for three weeks, with workers refusing to volunteer for ‘on call’ cover between Friday evening and Monday morning. Where there is a threat to life from incidents such as a major flood, officers will step in as emergency ‘life and limb cover’ has been agreed by the union. This new wave of industrial action follows a 12-hour walk out in February, when workers attended pickets outside the Environment Agency’s Marsham Street offices in London. UNISON members working at the agency have seen pay fall since 2011, meaning that staff effectively work one day a week for free read more
UNISON to recommend acceptance of NHS pay offer (16 Mar) – If accepted, the offer would boost pay significantly this year and mean a wage increase next year that’s more than the government had budgeted for read more
Bristol healthcare assistants win over £1m in re-banding victory (16 Mar) – Healthcare assistants in Bristol celebrate a huge re-banding victory thanks to an 18-month UNISON campaign. Over 2,000 healthcare assistants in Bristol hospitals have been re-banded from Band 2 to Band 3 and received up to £4,000 backpay after a UNISON campaign revealed they had been performing clinical duties and patient observations above their grade. This is the latest victory in UNISON’s ‘pay fair for patient care’ campaign, which saw hospital workers in Manchester win significant back pay last year. The union has now won significant backpay for members working in the two biggest hospitals in Bristol: North Bristol Trust and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust read more
Local government pay offer short of what’s needed after years of cuts (8 Mar) – Preparations for ballot now under way. Commenting on the pay offer for 2023/24 made to council and school staff by employers, UNISON head of local government Mike Short said today (Wednesday): “Without investment in the workforce, there’ll be no public services. Council and school staff are caring for the most vulnerable, educating future generations, and keeping the local environment safe and clean. “These unsung workers deserve to be properly rewarded. But this offer falls short of what’s needed when the value of their pay has been chipped away for years and bills are soaring. Preparations are now under way to ballot council and school employees to see if they’re prepared to strike to achieve a better deal.” Read more
Care Quality Commission staff vote to strike over pay, says UNISON (7 Mar) – Overwhelming backing for industrial action. Staff at the Care Quality Commission (CQC) have voted to take strike action over pay, says their union UNISON today (Tuesday). More than 700 workers were balloted by UNISON, including those in the organisation’s health and social care teams and call centres, along with clerical staff and data analysts. CQC staff regulate health and social care bodies across England including hospitals, care homes, GP practices and dental surgeries ensuring the safe delivery of services. Of those who took part in the UNISON vote, 73% opted to strike and 92% for action short of a strike. This means, for example, that staff would only work to their contracts, refusing to do any overtime. UNISON is one of five unions so unhappy at the pay award imposed this year (2022/23) they decided to ask their members to vote for industrial action. The five – UNISON, PCS, Prospect, Royal College of Nursing (RCN) and Unite – all have strike votes that have either already closed or are about to read more
Stop Hackney Council cutting library services read more about the campaign here – Hackney library staff have been taking strike action against cuts
Protest as Hackney Unison chair amongst those handed compulsory redundancies in libraries shake-up (16 Mar) – Council staff staged a protest outside Hackney Town Hall after several library staff, including Hackney Unison Branch Chair Brian Debus, were handed compulsory redundancy notices. The protest by Hackney Unison on Wednesday 15 March was also held to support striking teachers, junior doctors and Tube staff. It followed several days of strike action by Unite and Unison library workers after the council unveiled a shake-up of library services which will see 19 jobs go. Hackney Unison said it was “registering our disgust that three library workers including Hackney Unison Branch Chair Brian Debus are due to be made compulsorily redundant. This despite there being more than enough posts available in the restructured library service.” Read more on Hackney Citizen website
NIPSA
Statement From HSC Trade Unions Northern Ireland (16 Mar) – Developments on Pay: NHS England: Health Unions in Northern Ireland and our regional negotiating team today received a report on a new pay offer made to the UK NHS Staff Council Trade Union Side. We have as yet no offer to consider. This offer delivers a non-consolidated [one-off] sum to close the 2022/23 dispute, and a consolidated/recurrent, pay offer for 2023/24. This raises questions for trade unions on how and when our members will be made an offer. Health Unions in Northern Ireland are asking if new money is available. We have heard that the Barnett formula will apply and we are now asking if funding will fully cover a deal for our members in our integrated Health Service. We now insist, in the absence of an NI Executive and a Health Minister, that the Secretary of State and the NIO answer this important and pressing question. All trade unions remain in dispute on pay. In the meantime, planned Industrial Action by a number of unions is due to continue throughout the Northern Ireland Health Service read more
Health Dispute: Letter to Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (16 Mar) – Members below is a letter I’ve sent to the Secretary of State read more
Industrial Action: NI Civil Service, NDPBs and ALBs (14 Mar) – This is a reminder of the action taking place this week. Please circulate to all members.
Protest on Budget Day, 15 March – On Spring Budget Day, Wednesday 15 March, there will be a protest from 12.30 – 1.30pm at the office of the Secretary of State, Erskine House, 20-32 Chichester Street, Belfast. Please join the protest.
Strike Action by Museum Members, 17 March – As previously notified, members in the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum in Cultra, will take strike action on 17 March. This will be the first, strategic strike action by NIPSA members in this campaign and we are grateful to our members in that branch. We would ask members to show their full support for them by joining their picket line on the day. The pickets will run from 9.00am to 1.00pm.
Action Short of Strike Action – As notified in my article on 7 March action short of strike action will also commence on Wednesday 15 March read more
Royal College of Nursing
BREAKING NEWS!! Scottish government warned it must live up to its promises – as RCN members vote to accept the NHS pay offer (20 Mar) – RCN members in Scotland have voted to accept the Scottish government’s NHS pay offer by a narrow majority read more
UK government announces new NHS pay offer for Agenda for Change staff in England (16 Mar) – Members will vote on whether to accept the offer in a consultation launching next week read more
RCN Wales re-enters negotiations with Welsh government after Health Minister responds to RCN letter (3 Mar) – The Welsh government has agreed to further negotiations, after RCN members overwhelmingly rejected the latest NHS pay offer read more
Voting for RCN members opens on new NHS pay offer in Scotland (28 Feb) – RCN Scotland Board is recommending members vote to accept new pay offer. Eligible members have until 9am on Monday 20 March to have their say read more
RCN opens donations to strike fund in response to public desire to support striking staff – We’ve launched a donation page for people to financially help nursing staff on strike read more
Royal College of Midwives
Midwives accept Scottish Government pay offer (20 Mar) – Midwife and maternity support worker members (MSW) of the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) have accepted the Scottish Government’s pay offer. The result follows an RCM member consultation which closed today. In a turnout of 44% of eligible RCM members working in the NHS in Scotland, 69% voted to accept the deal, with 31% rejecting it. The offer came following intense negotiations between health unions – including the RCM – and the Scottish Government read more
RCM to recommend members accept England NHS pay offer (16 Mar) – An offer on pay for NHS staff in England has been put on the table by the Westminster Government following negotiations with health unions, including the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) read more
Midwives in Northern Ireland vote yes to industrial action (7 Mar) – In a clear demonstration of their anger and frustration midwife and maternity support worker (MSW) members of the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) have voted to taking industrial action over pay in Northern Ireland. In a formal ballot that closed today over nine out of ten (93.9%) voted for industrial action short of a strike, based on a turnout of 55% of eligible RCM members working in the HSC. On the question are you prepared to take industrial action consisting of a strike, nearly 9 out of 10 (89.09%) voted yes…Any decision to take industrial action must be approved by the RCM’s elected Board. The RCM will now look at the result of the ballot and consider the next steps read more
CSP
BREAKING NEWS!! Scotland NHS pay offer accepted (21 Mar) – CSP members working in the NHS in Scotland have voted overwhelmingly to accept the pay offer for 2023/24 read more
New NHS pay offer to be put to members in England (16 Mar) – CSP members working in the NHS in England will be consulted on a new pay offer secured through negotiations with the government in Westminster read more
CSP to consult on 2023/24 pay offer from Scottish government (21 Feb) – Following early talks with the Scottish Government, the health unions now have an offer for next year’s pay for NHS staff. The offer will be put to members in the NHS in Scotland, with our member pay sub group recommending members accept the award read more
BMA
BREAKING NEWS!! Strike action coverage (21 Mar) – The 72-hours of action from junior doctors in England saw extensive and unprecedented coverage for the BMA and its representatives up and down the country read more
BMA announces dates for 72-hour walk out by Junior doctors in England, saying Health Secretary has left them, “with no choice” (24 Feb) – The BMA says the failure of the Health Secretary to come to the table and negotiate a reversal of pay cuts of more than 26%, has left junior doctors in England with no option but to take strike action for three days from Monday 13th March. Nearly 40,000 junior doctors voted to take industrial action in the recent ballot and hospital trusts and employers have now been notified that the 72-hour walk out will go ahead. Twice in the past week junior doctors have called upon Steve Barclay to meet with them urgently, but so far no date is forthcoming. A meeting with Department of Health Civil servants earlier this week yielded nothing in terms of meaningful progress; Steve Barclay refused to attend. The co-chairs of the BMA junior doctors’ committee, Dr Rob Laurenson and Dr Vivek Trivedi, said patients and public alike need to know the blame for the strike action lies squarely at the Government’s door read more
HCSA
HCSA hospital doctors add more dates to first strike in history – Junior Doctors in HCSA – the hospital doctors’ union has announced further walkout dates in March as part of the first strike in the union’s history. The period of action will now begin at 06:59 on the 13th March and end at 06:59 on the 16th of March. This follows an unprecedented 97% Yes vote for strike by members on 75% turnout read more
HCSA hospital doctors to strike for first time in history on 15th March – Junior Doctors in HCSA – the hospital doctors’ union will strike for the first time in the union’s history on Wednesday 15th March. This follows an unprecedented 97% Yes vote for strike by members on 75% turnout read more
NEU
Ofsted and school leader well-being (20 Mar) – We need a system which is supportive, effective and fair. Dr Mary Bousted, Joint General Secretary of the National Education Union, said; “Given recent events and widespread concerns about leaders’ wellbeing, it’s the height of insensitivity for Ofsted to be going into schools or colleges this week. Ofsted should pause all its inspections and reflect upon the unmanageable and counter-productive stress they cause for school leaders, and the impact on leaders…” read more
Education unions and Government enter talks (17 Mar) – Joint statement from the Government and unions to move into intensive talks. “The Government and the education trade unions, Association of School and College Leaders, National Association of Head Teachers, NASUWT and National Education Union, have agreed to move into a period of intensive talks. The talks will focus on teacher pay, conditions and workload reduction…” read more
NEU consult members on offer in Wales (16 Mar) – Following the Minister’s revised offer for teachers in Wales, NEU Cymru are consulting their teacher members, to see whether they accept or reject the offer, via an electronic ballot read more
Strike day and London rally (15 Mar) – Thousands of members from schools and colleges across England came together today, joining to amplify the message that Jeremy Hunt must save the education service read more
NASUWT
BREAKING NEWS!! NASUWT comments following OFSTED inspection tragedy (21 Mar) – Commenting following media reporting on the tragic death of headteacher, Ruth Perry, Dr Patrick Roach, General Secretary of the NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union, said: “Our sincerest condolences go to Ms Perry’s family, colleagues and friends in these terribly difficult and deeply sad circumstances. Our thoughts also go to the staff, pupils and parents of Caversham Primary School on their loss of a much loved and respected member of their community. No one should be under any doubt about the tremendous pressures faced daily by school leaders and the need to ensure that all education staff are fully and properly supported to provide the very best education to the pupils they serve. This tragic event must now be subject to proper independent scrutiny, where the relevant facts in the period before, during and after the inspection are examined carefully…” read more
Teachers at Swansea school take strike action over inadequate management (20 Mar) – Members of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union at Clydach Primary School in Swansea will be taking the first of six planned days of strike action tomorrow (Tuesday) over adverse management practices which are affecting teachers’ health and working conditions. Members at the school are taking action as a result of the failure of the local authority and school governors to act to address serious longstanding management failings on the part of the permanent headteacher read more
Joint statement from education unions and government to move into intensive talks (17 Mar) – The Government and the education trade unions, Association of School and College Leaders, National Association of Head Teachers, NASUWT and National Education Union, have agreed to move into a period of intensive talks. The talks will focus on teacher pay, conditions and workload reduction read more
Industrial action at three Wrexham schools over adverse management practices (15 Mar) – Members of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union are this week starting discontinuous strike action at three schools in Wrexham: Ysgol Clywedog, Darland High and Acton Park Primary School, over adverse management practices affecting workload and working conditions. The NASUWT has been in dispute at Acton Park for nearly a year, with strike action taking place in July 2022. However, lack of progress has forced NASUWT members to ballot again. The NASUWT has been in dispute with Ysgol Clywedog and Darland High since November 2022 over the failure of the school to adhere to Welsh Government andlocal policies, endorsed and recommended by the Wrexham Local Authority and already implemented in other Wrexham schools. At Clywedog and Darland there has also been an element of victimisation of trade union officials read more
NASUWT members respond to teachers’ pay offer (14 Mar) – The NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union has consulted its members over the latest pay offer from the Scottish Government. The majority of members responding voted marginally to accept the latest pay offer read more
NAHT
School leaders call for pause on Ofsted inspections after Ruth Perry tragedy (20 Mar) – Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, said: “Ruth Perry’s death is an unspeakable tragedy and it is clear that school leaders across the nation have been deeply affected by the news. “Having spoken with Ruth’s family, we know they are determined that something like this should never happen again. It is important that everyone listens to what they have to say. NAHT has long campaigned for fundamental reform of the current inspection system. We know that at our upcoming annual conference, our members will be determined that this campaign is intensified…” read more
NAHT is deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Ruth Perry (17 Mar) – NAHT is deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Ruth Perry. Ruth was clearly a well-respected and much loved headteacher. Our thoughts are with Ruth’s family, friends and all those in the school community that she served with such passion and dedication. The current inspection system places a completely unacceptable level of pressure on individual school leaders read more
Joint statement from the government and education unions to move into intensive talks (17 Mar) – “The Government and the education trade unions, Association of School and College Leaders, National Association of Head Teachers, NASUWT and National Education Union, have agreed to move into a period of intensive talks. The talks will focus on teacher pay, conditions and workload reduction…” read more
School leaders to vote on pay offer from Welsh Government (13 Mar) – Members of school leaders’ union NAHT Cymru are to be consulted electronically on the latest offer on pay, workload and funding from Welsh Government. Following a members-only online meeting this evening, an electronic ballot will be sent out for all eligible members to vote on whether to accept the offer read more
EIS
BREAKING NEWS!! EIS Opens Ballot for Industrial Action at City of Glasgow College (21 Mar) – City of Glasgow College lecturers are now voting on whether to take industrial action over the College’s plans to reduce the number of lecturing staff, reduce the amount of teaching time per student, and burden lecturers with more classes in a bid to reduce costs. An industrial action ballot of EIS Further Education Lecturers’ Association (EIS-FELA) is now open, and runs until 17th April read more
EIS Opens Statutory Industrial Action Ballot for Scotland’s FE Lecturers (20 Mar) – A statutory ballot for industrial action opened across Scotland’s 26 Further Education colleges, as college lecturers seek to secure a fair pay award. Members of the EIS-Further Education Lecturers Association (EIS-FELA) are being balloted following a lack of progress in negotiations at the National Joint Negotiating Committee (NJNC), where college employers have failed to improve on an offer of a 2% salary uplift that was rejected by negotiators before Christmas. The statutory ballot runs from 20th March until 13th April. Members of the EIS-FELA are being asked to indicate a willingness to engage in both strike action and Action Short of Strike (ASOS) read more
EIS gives notice of statutory industrial action ballot in colleges over pay (13 Mar) – Today (Monday 13th March 2023), the EIS-Further Education Lecturers Association (EIS-FELA) has issued seven days’ notice letters informing college employers that a statutory ballot for industrial action will commence on Monday 20th March read more
SSTA
Teacher Pay Settlement 2022 – 2024 – At the SNCT Teachers’ Panel meeting on Wednesday 14 March to consider the 2022-2024 pay offer. The pay offer was formally accepted by all unions and the decision was communicated to employers at the close of the meeting read more
UCU
Employers make offers in university disputes (15 Mar) – University employers today made offers in disputes over pay, working conditions and pensions, UCU confirmed. The offers pave the way for the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) pension to be restored by April 2024, to end the use of involuntary zero-hour contracts in higher education, and to agree new standards, frameworks and principles to tackle other forms of casualised contracts, reduce workloads and close equality pay gaps. 70,000 UCU members are on strike today, tomorrow, and Friday. They are also set to strike Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday next week. Strikes will continue whilst members are asked whether they wish to stand down action to formally consider the offer. The union’s Higher Education Committee meets Friday to decide next steps read more
London UCU strike demonstration & rally today Tuesday 21st March – assemble 12noon UCEA HQ Tavistock Square for march to Parliament
City College Norwich staff to strike over huge real terms pay cut (6 Mar) – Staff at City College Norwich will strike on Wednesday 15 and Thursday 16 March over a huge real terms pay cut. The announcement comes after an overwhelming 88% of UCU members who voted said yes to strike action in an industrial ballot. Turnout was an incredible 73%. In January City College imposed a pay award so low it ended the college’s accreditation as a Real Living Wage employer. The lowest paid received an increase of just 5.1%, college lecturers were awarded a paltry 4% and other staff only 2.5%. Since 2009 pay for college staff has fallen behind inflation by 35%, which is now 13.4%. UCU is demanding a 14% pay rise to help staff meet the cost-of-living crisis read more
Staff strike at Havant and South Downs College over low pay (21 Feb) – Staff at Havant and South Downs College will strike for two consecutive days tomorrow and Thursday in a dispute over low pay amid the cost-of-living crisis. The strike comes after 76% of UCU members who voted said yes to strike action. The turnout was 53%, surpassing the 50% threshold imposed by Tory anti-trade union laws, despite the ballot only being open for two weeks. The National Education Union (NEU) also balloted members at the college with a similar result. 79% of NEU members voted for strike action with a 58% turnout and will be joining both days of strikes read more
Four days of strikes set to hit Sheffield College after ‘insulting’ 2.5% pay offer (18 Jan) – Over 200 staff at Sheffield College will be on strike Friday after receiving an ‘insulting’ pay offer of just 2.5% amid the cost-of-living scandal. Staff will then down tools for a further three days in January and February unless their demands are met, they will be on picket lines outside the college on each strike day. The full dates of strike action are: Friday 20 January, Monday 30 January, Tuesday 7 February, Thursday 9 February. Staff will also work to rule from Monday 23 January, which includes working strictly to their contracted hours, refusing to make up work lost as a result of strike action and refusing to cover for absent colleagues. The announcement comes after an overwhelming 87% of members who voted said yes to strike action in a turnout of 59% read more
UCU fighting fund: the link is here and donations to the fund are spent on supporting members involved in important disputes.
FBU
FBU vows to oppose “war on workers” as budget confirms austerity (15 Mar) – Commenting on the 2023 Budget, Fire Brigades Union general secretary Matt Wrack said: “The multi-millionaire Chancellor has declared war on hard pressed workers today, with this Budget of cuts. The government has learned nothing from nearly a year of industrial disputes, caused by its outrageous attempts to cut the wages of firefighters, rail workers, NHS staff, postal employees and teachers. Firefighters forced the employers into making an improved pay offer on the back of an overwhelming vote for strike action. However, just over a week after this dispute was settled, the Tories are at it again, with a Budget that adopts the same cuts driven approach to public sector pay and services…” read more
Merseyside firefighters start action short of strike – Merseyside firefighters, control members and Green Book staff are commencing industrial action in the form of refusing to undertake pre-arranged overtime on Thursday 1st December for a period of up to 6 months read more
NAPO
Excerpts from Napo’s formal response to Parole changes (17 Mar) – The following are excerpts from Napo’s formal initial response as a trade union, dated the 14th of July, to the information we were provided with at that time by HMPPS on the changes made by the Secretary of State for Justice to the parole process read more
Trade Unions Oppose Reforms of Programmes Delivery (16 Mar) – Our members will be aware that the joint Probation Service trade unions (TUs) have now been involved in negotiations about the future of offending behaviour programme delivery for almost a year. Despite our best efforts, we are no closer to agreement with the employer’s proposals read more
BFAWU
Support the campaign to unionise Samworth Brothers – get organised, sign the petition read more
NUJ
NUJ Reach Group Chapel pass vote of no confidence in senior management team (17 Mar) – The decision follows recent announcements to make significant cuts to editorial roles. At a group chapel meeting on 17 March, National Union of Journalists reps from across Reach passed a vote of no confidence in the publisher’s chief executive and senior management team. The vote was passed unanimously, reflecting the widespread dismay, shock and anger from members at the scale of the cuts being proposed. The plans announced this week, which will lead to significant losses in editorial roles, come only two weeks after the most recent company cuts were concluded. Many of those at risk in the previous redundancy process find themselves at risk again read more
BBC journalists strike to defend local news (14 Mar) – NUJ members working across England for BBC Local will begin 24-hour strike action from 11am on 15 March, hitting coverage of the Budget. Journalists in radio, tv, and online will commence action as part of an ongoing dispute over the BBC’s plans to cut local radio. 5.7 million listeners tune in to BBC Local radio stations each week to hear valued content relevant to their communities, but proposals by the broadcaster will cull services and mean only 40 hours of guaranteed weekly programming. NUJ members will head to pickets on Wednesday and Thursday, following the union’s clear mandate from 83 per cent of balloted members, who voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action read more
Dispute as BBC forces changes at Radio Foyle (9 Mar) – The union will undertake a formal industrial action ballot over planned changes to the morning schedule at the station. The National Union of Journalists is to ballot for industrial action following a decision of management at BBC Northern Ireland to enforce radical changes to the morning programme schedule at BBC Radio Foyle read more
FDA
FDA Fast Stream members vote to strike (17 Jan) – FDA members in the central Fast Stream have overwhelmingly voted to take strike action over pay. On a turnout of 60%, comfortably surpassing the legal threshold of 50%, 88% backed industrial action in the statutory postal ballot. FDA National Officer for the Fast Stream, Lauren Crowley, stated “our Fast Stream members have been absolutely clear – they will no longer put up with unfair pay. This result highlights the anger that our members are feeling, they are tired of empty promises when it comes to pay reform.” Read more
Equity
Equity Singers Committee condemn ‘devastating’ BBC cuts (17 Mar) – Equity Singers have released a statement following the announcement that BBC Singers, the UK’s only full-time professional chamber choir, is to be axed read more
Oldham Coliseum closure ‘is damning indictment of Arts Council’ (16 Mar) – Our statement following news that Oldham Coliseum is to close read more
Sign and share this petition to reinstate the English National Opera (ENO) funding and lobby your MP to back our industries and their workforce
Community
BREAKING NEWS!! Community tells STRB teachers’ pay completely unacceptable (21 Mar) – Community has told the School Teachers’ Review Body that a pay increase in September 2023 of 3% for most teachers and leaders in England would be “completely unacceptable” – and criticised the review body process itself. In its latest submission to the STRB, the union said that, on the basis of current inflation predictions, such low rise would result in “yet another significant real-terms pay cut” read more
Scottish teachers’ pay deal accepted (15 Mar) – On 14 March 2023, the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT) Teachers’ Panel accepted the revised pay offer of 3 March 2023 read more
USDAW
Chancellor fails to deliver a new deal for workers or a retail recovery plan – Usdaw brands the Budget a missed opportunity (15 Mar) – Retail trade union Usdaw had called on the Chancellor deliver a retail recovery plan to help our high streets get back on their feet after Covid and compete effectively with online retail; along with a new deal for workers to make work pay and end the insecure employment that leaves too many struggling with the cost of living read more
IWGB
SIPTU (Ireland)
St. Cronan’s Association staff call for inclusion in pandemic payment scheme (20 Mar) – SIPTU members employed as day services staff by the St. Cronan’s Association, which provides support to adults living with intellectual disabilities at four facilities in the Midlands, have called for their inclusion in the Pandemic Special Recognition Payment (PSRP) scheme read more
Fight blacklisting and victimisation of union reps
Support the ‘Murphy 4’ Campaign to reinstate sacked Unite members read more
Crossrail ‘blacklisting’ case to conclude with open court statement read more
#SPYCops Inquiry exposes state surveillance of workers movement
Blacklisting of workers and union infiltration by Spy Cops a dark stain on the police and ‘no stone must be left unturned’ in learning the full truth (23 Feb) – Unite, the UK’s leading union, is demanding that no stone is left unturned in discovering the full extent of the Special Demonstration Squad’s (Spy Cops) role in blacklisting workers and infiltrating trade unions. In the closing statements to the first tranche of the Mittings Inquiry into Undercover Policing, Dave Barr KC the counsel to the inquiry, for the first time accepted that information on individuals who were spied upon was frequently passed to employers and that spy cops infiltrated unions and spied on their members as part of their cover. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Finally it has been admitted what our members have always said. For decades not only were workers secretly spied upon by undercover police officers, for no good reason, but information was then frequently leaked to employers who used it to blacklist workers. Now the inquiry has finally accepted that blacklisting frequently occurred, no stone must be left unturned in discovering the true scale of blacklisting by the spy cops and reveal who in authority gave the green light for this. Equally there must be complete exposure of the infiltration of trade unions including answers as to why it happened and who considered it acceptable. This is the very minimum that workers and their families, who had the lives destroyed by blacklisting, deserve.” Read more
Builders Crack: The Movie
In the current situation, this long lost film from the 1990s about rank and file union organising in the construction industry is intended to lift the spirits, but also to spark a debate in our movement. Hope the youngsters in this film put a smile on your face.
Watch – Share – Discuss https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VZ-QMA1FMg
Blacklist Support Group
Book: http://newint.org/books/politics/blacklisted-secret-war/
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNcgrNs6pB8
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/groups/blacklist-SG/
Blog: www.hazards.org/blacklistblog
Blacklist Support Group financial appeal: the Blacklist support group is desperately short of funds, to continue the incredible work we need more finance, would you please consider making a donation, raise it at your branches and trade councils. Please make cheques payable to Joint sites committee and send to 70 Darnay Rise Chelmsford Essex CM1 4XA. Please forward onto your contacts many thanks Steve Kelly (JSC Treasurer)
Blacklisted t-shirts available at: https://shop.hopenothate.org.uk/component/hikashop/product/78-blacklisted-t-shirt
Keep an eye out for other Facebook and social media groups and pages that are being created. 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. Also, check out Organise Now! – Support for new worker organising.
International
Education Unions in UK and Ireland Oppose Demolition of Jubbet Ad Dib School (14 Mar) – As trade unions in the UK and Ireland representing educations workers in schools, colleges and universities, we are shocked and dismayed to hear of the imminent demolition of yet another school in the West Bank read more on EIS website
Diary
June
24 NSSN national conference 11am-4.30pm Conway Hall, London
July
29 Troublemakers at Work Conference 2023: Friends Meeting House, Manchester – supported by Workers Can Win!, Strike Map and Organise Now!
CONTACT US
PHONE 07952 283 558
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