The next week is always of supreme importance to the workers’ movement. On Friday 28th April, all those who have been killed, maimed or injured at work will be commemorated on International Workers Memorial Day (see TUC website for events). May 1st is May Day – the Workers’ Day, where the collective fight of workers and their unions is celebrated.
These are always important days every year. But in 2023 as the strike wave rages against the Tory and bosses’ cost of living squeeze, they have added significance. It is apt that over the next week, workers will again be taking national strike action on a mass scale.
On Wednesday, workers in education and the civil service will be on strike in Northern Ireland. On Thursday and next Tuesday, NEU members will be on strike, as will be PCS on Friday. The RCN will be out for 48-hours from Sunday evening, and will be joined by Unite members in a number of ambulance and NHS trusts. All this is in addition to localised disputes, which you can also read about in this bulletin.
However, as we go to press, the Tories are looking to stop the RCN strike through the courts. The NSSN gives our full support to the RCN and its members. But this is a further warning of how the Tories will look to use anti-union laws against workers taking action for the pay rise they need as inflation continues at sky-high levels. Sunak’s ‘Minimum Service Levels bill’ would be yet another undemocratic attack on workers’ right to strike.
The NSSN welcomes that the TUC intends calling a protest outside Downing Street at 7pm to coincide with the final Commons parliamentary debate, likely to be in May. But they must go much further, with plans for a national Saturday demonstration to build for mass co-ordinated strike action.
The NSSN sends greetings to all on May Day and IWMD. Support the strikes!
For local events, follow on social media: #IWMD2023 #IWMD23 #MayDay2023 #MayDay23
This year’s NSSN Conference will be on Saturday 24th June in Conway Hall, London 11am-4.30pm
GMB Officer Gary Palmer from the victorious #GMBThree is speaking at NSSN Conference Case against ‘GMB Three’ collapses
Stop union-busting – stop blacklisting!
Support Lee Fowler – Another blacklisted construction worker sacked after making complaints about safety on site
We’ll keep everyone informed of future protests read more about Lee’s case
Support the ‘Murphy 4’ – Support the 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
Protest as Hackney Unison chair amongst those handed compulsory redundancies in libraries shake-up – 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
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!
Online public meeting: ‘Build the strikes, link the fights, reject bad deals’ – 6pm Tuesday 25th April details
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
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RMT
BREAKING NEWS!! London Underground strike re-ballot begins (25 Apr) – Over 10,000 RMT members across London Underground will be re-balloted for strike action from today in a dispute over jobs and pensions. The tube union has been locked in a row with Transport for London and the Mayor for nearly a year, following plans to cut 600 jobs on stations with many more across train operations and maintenance to follow. Pension plans have raised the prospect of tube workers losing over 30% of their pensions. Mayor Sadiq Khan is under pressure from the Tory government to cut £1bn from TfL operating budget. RMT has always insisted that the Mayor should stand firm with tube unions to resist the ideological cuts being made by Conservative ministers read more
Video: Mick Lynch: Update to members on TOC dispute (21 Apr) – RMT General Secretary message to TOC members on the National Rail Dispute watch here
Mick Lynch: Vote YES in the reballot (11 Apr) – A video message from Mick Lynch for all members involved in the National Rail Dispute read more
RMT responds to ORR data showing 1 in 5 TPE trains cancelled (21 Apr) – RMT called on the government to take Transpennine Express (TPE) into public ownership following ORR data published today showing the company is still cancelling 1 in 5 of its trains, despite planning 600 fewer than the previous period read more
RMT urges London Mayor to end threat of job cuts and pension attacks (21 Apr) – Spending cuts, job losses and pension attacks must end, RMT has told the London Mayor today. The tube union wrote to Sadiq Khan today, emphasising the importance of station staff to the safe running of London Underground and the need for the mayor to resist Tory budget cuts read more
RMT demands good conditions for offshore workers amid bumper industry profits (19 Apr) – Offshore workers union, RMT called for greater protections for staff following huge profits generated by private companies in the wind sector. The STUC has revealed that 16,000 jobs were lost 2021 while big offshore energy companies produce high revenues and huge profits which are not retained in Scotland read more
RMT slams DfT after it signs off £82 million dividend payments to privateers (18 Apr) – Rail union RMT today revealed that the Transport Secretary Mark Harper has allowed two private rail companies to be paid £82 million in dividends in 2022. This is the despite the fact both companies are part of a major industrial dispute where hundreds of millions of pounds has been used to indemnify them against lost revenue from strike action read more
Railway cleaners start two day national strike action (13 Apr) – Hundreds of contracted out cleaners working on trains across the country will take strike action on Friday and Saturday this week. RMT members working as cleaners for the likes of Churchill, Bidvest Noonan, and Atalian Servest are demanding £15 an hour, company sick pay, decent holidays and good pensions from contractors who are raking in profits worth millions of pounds. The train companies that will be affected are Avanti West Coast, GWR, Northern, GTR and South East Trains. Cleaners working on the Network Rail High Speed contract will also be taking part in the stoppage. The union is determined to see justice done for contracted out cleaners, who are some of the most exploited railway workers in the country read more
TSSA
Fair Train Fares Delayed on ScotRail (17 Apr) – TSSA today welcomed Humza Yousaf’s announcement that peak time rail fares will be scrapped on ScotRail services from October but condemned the “delays” in its implementation. The decision to scrap peak fares on ScotRail for six months was first announced in December 2022 by then Deputy First Minister John Swinney. Today Humza Yousaf confirmed that the “pilot programme” will run from October 2023, ten months after Mr Swinney’s announcement read more
Unite
Ferrari and Rolls Royce facing production delays during Gloucestershire and Somerset pay strikes (24 Apr) – Trelleborg workers in Tewkesbury and Bridgewater strike over ‘pay cut’ while firm brings in huge profits. More than 200 Trelleborg workers in Tewkesbury and Bridgewater supplying seals to aerospace, auto, medical, food and energy firms will strike over a real terms pay cut, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today (Monday). The factory workers, who make seals for clients such as Rolls Royce, Ferrari, Air Bus, the Ministry of Defence and Carl Zeiss, are striking after rejecting a 5.2 per cent pay offer. With the true rate of inflation, (RPI), at 13.5 per cent this is real terms pay cut of 8.3 per cent. Meanwhile, Trelleborg Seal Solutions’ latest financial report shows a turnover of £96.6 million and gross profits of £28.8 million…The first round of strikes will take place from 2 to 5 May, with industrial action set to intensify if the dispute is not resolved read more
1300 offshore workers strike causing ‘severe’ problems for oil and gas operators (21 Apr) – Historic 48-hour strike action to hit multibillion corporations including BP, Shell and Total. Unite the union confirmed today (21 April) that 1300 offshore workers will begin a 48-hour stoppage from Monday (24 April) which will cause ‘severe’ problems for major oil and gas operators. The trade union predicts that its unprecedented strike action, as part of a ‘tsunami’ of industrial unrest, could result in production shutdowns due to the specialised work its members undertake on offshore platforms and assets. The 48-hour strike action will hit multibillion oil and gas operators including BP, CNRI, EnQuest, Harbour, Ithaca, Shell, TAQA and Total read more
TotalEnergies latest offshore workers balloted on strike action (14 Apr) – Unite the union announced today (14 April) that offshore workers employed by TotalEnergies are being balloted on strike action. Around 70 Unite members based on the Elgin Franklin and North Alwyn platforms along with the Shetland Gas Plant are being balloted on strike action as part of a ‘tsunami’ of industrial unrest in the offshore sector. The latest dispute centres on the pay claim for 2023, and a reduction in the days worked offshore. Unite is spearheading the campaign to secure a better work and life balance for offshore members. The ballot covering Elgin Franklin and North Alwyn is currently open while the ballot covering the Shetland Gas Plant opens on 19 April. Both ballots close on 5 May read more
Strike action at St Mungo’s suspended (21 Apr) – Unite members have suspended strike action at St Mungo’s which was due to begin this Monday (24 April). Workers at St Mungo’s are being balloted on the charity’s new offer. Unite is recommending rejection of the offer which is well below the current rate of inflation. Unite reps recognise the proposal is nowhere near acceptable but at this stage decided to ballot on the offer to ensure a strong mandate for further action. The ballot closes on Friday 5 May. The four week strike was due to begin on Monday 24 April 2023 and end on 21 May 2023. Unite balloted over 500 workers across southern England including in London, Bristol, Brighton, Oxford, Bournemouth and Reading read more
Mega profit TGI Fridays’ chain tells staff no more free meals at work (21 Apr) – This after parent company makes £18m in six months; Unite says Thank God they are not all like Fridays. Unite, the UK’s leading union, has blasted restaurant chain Fridays for scrapping free meals for low paid staff working 10-hour shifts, often late at night. Fridays claims the move is to “provide more equitable benefits to everyone in our teams”, however Unite accused the profitable company of trying to squeeze already hard-pressed staff for extra cash. UK-based Hostmore group owns 85 Fridays restaurants in the UK and Jersey, one Fridays and Go quick service restaurant and four 63rd+1st Cocktail bars. Hostmore’s latest financial report shows it brought in revenues of £98.5 million in the first half of 2022 and an EBITDA (a calculation used to show a company’s profitability) of £17.8 million, most of which came from Fridays restaurants read more
Unite Statement on NHS Wales Pay Offer (20 Apr) – Unite have received the NHS pay offer from Welsh Government and will now begin the process of balloting our members on it. The ballot will open on 1st May 2023 and close on 22nd May 2023 at 9 am. Unite is not making a recommendation on how our members should vote as it is important that they make the final decision. Unite will fully support our members in whichever decision they now make. As Unite members are being consulted on the pay offer, strike action will be paused. The pay offer falls short of inflation and therefore does not address the concerns our members have regarding the cost of living. However the offer is a significant improvement on what was previously proposed by Welsh Government. Unite NHS members have taken more industrial action than any other union this year in Wales. The improvement in the pay offer would not have been forthcoming without the campaign of industrial action undertaken by our NHS Wales members. The solidarity they have shown throughout this difficult period has been inspirational read more
Chessington facing series of spring holiday strikes in pay dispute (20 Apr) – Chessington World of Adventures is facing severe disruption during the spring holiday season as engineers employed at the theme park take part in strike action in a dispute over pay. The highly trained engineers who are responsible for the smooth running of the park and for ensuring that its safety systems are fully operational are taking strike action in four blocks in May including the May Day weekend, the coronation weekend and the late spring bank holiday read more
Imperial Logistics drivers at BMW Oxford win pay rise worth over 13% (20 Apr) – Imperial Logistics van drivers delivering components for BMW’s Cowley plant in Oxford have won a pay rise worth over 13 per cent, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today (Thursday). The one year pay deal was secured after nearly 50 drivers voted to strike. Industrial action was averted due to the improved offer being put forward and accepted by 97 per cent of members on a 100 per cent turnout. The deal includes an eight per cent increase on basic pay and overtime rates, plus a lump sum of £1,707 for those on 40-hour a week contracts and £2,134 for those on 50-hour contracts. In total, the deal is worth over 13 per cent read more
Heathrow set for May mayhem as security officers plan fresh strikes whilst employers remain tin eared (19 Apr) – Security officers employed at Heathrow Airport Ltd (HAL) are to take a further eight days of strike action in a dispute over pay. The workers will now take industrial action on 4, 5, 6, 9 and 10 May and then again on 25, 26, 27 May. This will cause inevitable disruption and delays at the airport. The 1,400 security officers, who are members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, also took 10 days of strike action over Easter, which caused considerable disruption at the airport and resulted in hundreds of flights being cancelled read more
Harlow council housing repair chaos increases as more pay strikes set (19 Apr) – 300 low paid outsourced workers employed by council owned firm being ripped off over pay. Pay strikes by over 300 low paid staff responsible for Harlow council’s housing stock and the cleaning and maintenance of council grounds and buildings will continue into May, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today (Wednesday). The workers, most of who earn less than £12 per hour, began strike action in late February and are employed by HTS, which is wholly owned by Harlow district council with a board of directors made up of councillors. They are striking because their outsourced employment arrangements mean they are paid less than workers doing the same jobs at other local authorities. Many of the workers are using foodbanks to get by read more
Join us for a march and demonstration to support striking HTS workers! Say no to Harlow Council outsourcing workers and driving down services! “We begin marching from the William Aylmer Pub (CM20 1DG) at 1200 hrs Thursday 27 April and will be arriving for a demonstration outside the Civic Centre (CM20 1WG) at 12.30pm.”
Unite warns of summer travel ‘chaos’ as pay dispute brews at Glasgow Airport (19 Apr) – ICTS Central Search workers reject ‘derisory’ pay offer. Unite the union has warned of a summer of travel ‘chaos’ after its ICTS Central Search members rejected a pay offer, the UK’s leading aviation trade union confirmed today (19 April). Around 250 ICTS workers based at Glasgow Airport emphatically voted by 94 per cent to reject a ‘derisory’ 5 per cent offer which equates to a significant real terms pay cut. Inflation figures published this week show the cost of living crisis remains historically high with RPI standing at 13.5 per cent read more
GSK workers to strike throughout May in pay dispute (19 Apr) – Hundreds of workers employed by pharmaceutical giant GSK will stage a series of walkouts throughout May in a dispute over pay. The 750 workers who are members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, voted for strike action having rejected the company’s significantly below inflation rate pay offer of a six per cent pay increase and a one off lump sum of £1,300. This is a substantial real terms pay cut with the current true inflation rate (RPI) standing at 13.5 per cent. Strike action will be spread throughout May with workers at all six sites Barnard Castle, Irvine, Montrose, Ware, Worthing and Ulverston striking on different dates at different times to maximise the effectiveness of the industrial action read more
Unite announces further NHS strikes at ambulance trusts and hospitals (19 Apr) – Unite, the UK’s leading union, has announced further NHS strikes where members have an existing industrial action mandate. Unite members at South Central, South East Coast and West Midlands ambulance trusts alongside workers at Christies NHS Foundation Trust, Christies Pathology Partnership, East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust and Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust will all take part in industrial action on Tuesday 2 May read more
London’s Guys and St Thomas’ NHS Trust and Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust first to walk out in new wave of Unite NHS strikes in England (17 Apr) – Unite’s consultative ballot in England on the government’s NHS offer ends on 28th April. So far the known results show that members in a large number of NHS trusts are voting to reject the offer. Union representatives in those trusts with a live strike mandate will now be issuing strike notices. This was agreed at a Unite meeting today, which will herald a wave of new strikes early in May. Unite members at Guys and St Thomas’ Trust in South London, and the Yorkshire Ambulance Trust, will be the first in this new wave of Unite strikes in the NHS. Unite members there will overwhelmingly reject the government offer as totally inadequate. They are also increasingly angry that the government has blatantly failed to deliver its commitment to find new money to pay for its proposals rather than robbing other health budgets. Members at Guys and St Thomas’ and Yorkshire Ambulance Trust are now exercising their strike mandate and will walk out on 1st May. A number of others are likely to follow on 2nd May read more
London’s NHS Workers – join the demonstration to protect patients, raise NHS pay, save the NHS, support the strikes! – Monday 1st May 12 noon, Westminster Bridge road, St Thomas’s Hospital SE1
Construction contractors to strike at DSM’s Dalry plant (17 Apr) – 3 week-long strike set to begin over bonus dispute involving Kaefer and Altrad. Unite the union members are set to begin a three-week long strike tomorrow (18 April) at DSM’s Dalry plant. The dispute is over the failure by Kaefer Limited and Altrad Babcock Limited to pay a local bonus to engineering construction workers who operate under the National Agreement for Engineering Construction Industry (NAECI) across the UK. The workers are demanding a local bonus under the terms of the NAECI agreement in recognition of flexibility and work being undertaken to assist with the delivery of a new manufacturing plant. Kaefer and Altrad along with DSM, who own the manufacturing plant, have refused to enter negotiations over bonus payments. DSM’s parent group – Royal DSM N.V. Group – recently recorded a net profit of €1.7bn (£1.5bn) for 2022. The strike action begins from 18 April and continues each day up to 8 May 2023 when the action will conclude at 23:59pm read more
Workington residents face spring bin chaos as workers announce strike action over poverty pay rates (17 Apr) – Workers employed by Allerdale Waste Services will begin strike action later this month in a dispute over pay. The 60 members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, are taking strike action due to enduring poverty pay rates. Loaders are paid just £10.90 an hour while refuse lorry drivers, who have to hold a HGV licence, are only on £11.89. These rates came into effect from the beginning of this month when the employer imposed a 10.1 per cent increase. However, this was an overall real terms pay cut, with the real inflation rate (RPI) standing at 13.8 per cent. Even with the recent pay increase, the pay rates are among the lowest for refuse workers in the UK. The initial strike action, which will affect the town of Workington and the surrounding area, begins on Thursday 27 April and ends on Sunday 30 April. If a vastly improved pay offer is not made then further action is expected in the coming weeks read more
Workers in Roads, River, Forestry and Ferry workers and other civil service commence initial, weeklong strike action for pay improvement (19 Apr) – Joint Unite-GMB Press Release: Strike action by industrial civil servants set to commence from midnight 20th April and continue to 26th April. Industrial action by members of Unite and GMB follow ballots in favour of strike respectively. – workers will join wider civil service industrial action involving NIPSA and PCS. Unite and GMB members employed in the industrial civil service, including the Roads Service, the Forestry Service, the Rivers Agency and the Strangford to Portaferry ferry service will commence strike action from 00.01am on April 20th. The strike action is likely to paralyse activities across these services and is set to continue until Midnight on April 26th. This strike action follows an overwhelming vote by members of the two unions (with majorities of 91 percent in Unite and 80 percent in GMB) for industrial action to secure a fair pay increase. Currently and despite inflation running at the highest levels in a generation, industrial civil service workers are being offered a consolidated pay increase of only £552 for the current year. Unite and GMB members working for the industrial civil service will be joining those of NIPSA and PCS in the wider civil service who are also set to take strike action. The industrial action by civil servants will also overlap with strike action planned by education workers read more
Inflation figures change nothing for workers (19 Apr) – There’ll be no end in sight to the crisis until we tackle the scourge of corporate profiteering read more
Unite comment on ONS wage figures (18 Apr) – Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “The drop in the value of wages, which are once again well behind inflation, shows just how important it is for unions like Unite to defend workers’ pay…” read more
DEMONSTRATION: don’t raise the state pension age – 68 is too late! Tuesday 2nd May at 2pm, by the Houses of Parliament on College Green, SW1P 3JY – The state pension age is due to be reviewed in the next Parliament. With a general election just around the corner, it is crucial we show politicians that we will not allow our state pension to be raided to pay for their mistakes. 68 is too late! Please sign the petition below and join the demonstration on Tuesday 2nd May. Workers create the wealth in our society, and we deserve a share of that wealth in our old age. Sign the petition here
Saica paper workers in Manchester to strike in pay dispute (12 Apr) – Workers employed at Saica Paper UK Ltd in Manchester are to begin industrial action this month in a dispute over pay. The 40 members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, are employed in production roles at the Manchester Road factory. The company produces 100 per cent recycled paper for corrugated cardboard. The workers recorded a 97 per cent vote in favour of strike action, having rejected a below inflation pay offer. They were offered a 9.5 per cent pay increase which is in itself a real terms pay cut with the inflation rate (RPI) currently standing at 13.8 per cent. To make matters worse workers on average only received 6.5 per cent of the offer as a consolidated increase (permanent pay) with the rest being a one off lump sum payment…An initial series of six 12 and 24 hour strikes have been called for 21, 25 and 29 April, followed by 1, 5, 8 May read more
Rosyth dockyard workers to strike for 12 weeks threatening Type 31 Frigate contract (7 Apr) – 100 Kaefer contractors to down tools in pay dispute. Unite the union confirmed today (7 April) that around 100 members employed by construction contractor Kaefer Limited are set to take 12 weeks all-out strike action at the Rosyth dockyard. The Kaefer workers, which includes painters, cleaners, scaffolders and support service staff, are set to take the strike action from 17 April up to 10 July. Unite claims the strike action will directly threaten progress on the Type 31 frigates contract. Unite members emphatically supported strike action by 98.4 per cent over the failure by Kaefer to make a formal pay offer. The company following the strike vote made a 7.2 per cent pay offer which has been rejected by the workforce. Inflation currently stands at a forty-five year high of 13.8 per cent (RPI) read more
Newry Mourne and Down council services to be heavily impacted by industrial action from April 10th (6 Apr) – Members of GMB, NIPSA and SIPTU commence work-to-rule from Monday 10th April, to be joined by Unite from 12th April. Industrial action by members of all four trade unions at council proceeds after management renege on commitment to partnership-based job evaluation process. Trade unions at Newry, Mourne and Down District Council confirmed that industrial action is to commence at the local authority body. The action is set to commence with a work-to-rule by members of GMB, NIPSA and SIPTU on Monday April 10th with members of Unite the union joining the action from April 12th. The unions have warned that the industrial action, although confined to a ‘work-to-rule’ at this stage, is likely to result in significant impact to council services including those at leisure centres and with bin collections. The industrial dispute proceeds after members of all four unions voted for both strike action and action short of strike action in ballots. The dispute centres on attempts by management to ditch an earlier commitment reached in 2021 to a partnership-based approach for job evaluations. Management are also seeking to remove allowances for new staff members – creating a two-tier workforce. Newry, Mourne and Down District Council is one of the last councils to meaningful engage with trade unions in the RPA process – despite the new councils coming into being 8 years ago. The work-to-rule will see workers refuse to take on overtime, tasks outside their job description, providing absentee cover or using their own vehicles for work purposes read more
Strike by over 300 Dundee City Council trades workers goes ahead (3 Apr) – Dispute over outsourcing and management failures. Unite the union can confirm today (3 April) that strike action by over 300 trades workers at Dundee City Council will go ahead tomorrow. 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 (see notes to editor). The dispute is centred on claims that public contracts to private contractors are being prepared for outsourcing by Dundee City Council read more
Unite blasts disgraceful Kingspan strikebreaking in effort to avoid fair pay (22 Mar) – Union escalates to round-the-clock pickets at Portadown site to defeat company greed. English workers get four star treatment while Polish workers left with hostels. Unite the union can reveal that Ulster Rugby sponsor Kingspan is flying in strikebreakers in a `disgraceful’ effort to undermine workers taking strike action for fair pay. Workers from Kingspan sites in Williton in Somerset, England and Rokietnica in Poland have been flown over in recent weeks and are now being used in an attempt to continue production onsite 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
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
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
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
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
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 strike in Royal Mail – 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
Business Recovery, Transformation & Growth 2023 (21 Apr) – CWU/Royal Mail negotiators’ agreement revealed and discussed at national briefing in Bristol this morning. Hundreds of divisional, branch and area reps gathered in Bristol today to hear full details of the negotiators’ agreement reached between CWU leaders and Royal Mail senior management. The deal – Business Recovery, Transformation & Growth – covers the pay and change issues at the root of the long-running industrial dispute that began last year and saw 18 days of strike action across the business. The event – held in the concourse of Bristol City Football Club’s Ashton Gate Stadium – was opened by general secretary Dave Ward. Dave told the audience that the agreement had been formally adopted by the union’s Postal Executive and then the detailed document – all 36 pages – was distributed for delegates to read through read more
BT Group facilities management contract extension ‘good news for job security’ (19 Apr) – BT Group’s decision to extend its outsourced facility services contract with CBRE has been warmly welcomed by the CWU as good news for more than a thousand housekeepers, security guards, grounds maintenance staff and post room employees across the BT estate read more
Redeployment opportunities sought for ISS members as time is called on BT Sport’s Olympic Park HQ (17 Apr) – The race is on to identify redeployment opportunities for ISS members impacted by the looming closure of BT Sport’s iconic headquarters in East London – with the CWU working tirelessly with the outsourced facilities services provider to find suitable alternative work for nine security officers and six housekeepers. Earlier this month the 15 impacted team members were issued with letters confirming that they are at risk of redundancy as a result of Warner Bros Discovery’s decision to exit the flagship Olympic Park site on July 31 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
PCS to lead Glasgow May Day march (24 Apr) – This year May Day takes on a special significance for PCS members, who have been taking all-member and targeted strike action in our long-running dispute about pay, pensions and jobs, as our union leads the 1 May march in Glasgow read more
Strike Day rallies to commemorate International Workers’ Memorial Day (24 Apr) – Our third day of national strike action is on 28 April, which coincides with International Workers Memorial Day read more
Appeal on Rwanda judicial review begins (24 Apr) – An appeal by refugees of the Rwanda judicial review decision has begun at the Court of Appeal today read more
PCS responds to Raab resignation (21 Apr) – PCS welcomes today’s resignation of Dominic Raab, because bullying at work is unacceptable and must be called out. The former deputy prime minister resigned after he was found to have bullied staff members while working as a cabinet minister across different departments read more
Belfast solidarity strike rally (20 Apr) – Striking PCS members in the Passport Office will be joined by other public sector workers in Northern Ireland on 26 April in protest for a fair pay rise. This action comes as members of the Unite and GMB unions in the Northern Ireland civil service begin a week-long strike, which will culminate in mass walkouts across the public sector on 26 April. All PCS members in N Ireland will also strike with PCS members across the UK on 28 April read more
Member secures £3.5m in damages in stone dust silicosis case (19 Apr) – A PCS member has secured £3.5m in damages after exposure to stone dust in a previous job led to a lifechanging lung condition that has “ravaged” his body and left him needing full-time care. Gordon Walters trained as a stonemason with a predecessor of Historic Scotland and worked on the renovation and maintenance of Elgin Cathedral, in Moray, in the 1980s. During that time, he was exposed to significant amounts of stone dust with little or no breathing safety equipment provided. After leaving the job he worked on other projects but with proper access to safety equipment read more
PCS response to proposal to withdraw flexi arrangements for hybrid staff (18 Apr) – PCS has written to the DVLA Chief Executive, Julie Lennard, seeking an urgent meeting. PCS has today (18) written to DVLA Chief Executive, Julie Lennard, seeking an urgent meeting on the disgraceful proposals to withdraw flexi arrangements for contact centre staff who are hybrid working read more
Strike action in Glasgow and Liverpool jobcentres announced (18 Apr) – Members in thirteen jobcentres will walk out for five days in May as part of our programme of targeted strike action. Our targeted strike action, part of our national campaign over pay, pensions, job security and redundancy terms, began in December last year. DWP members in Liverpool, Doncaster, Stockport and Bolton have already taken part in well-supported targeted action as well as walking out on two national strike days. We are now asking members at 13 jobcentres in Liverpool and Glasgow to take further strike action for five days on 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 May 2023. This period includes Saturday 6 May, which is Coronation Day, but when all jobcentres are scheduled to be open as normal, with no concession to the national occasion read more
Members in the Aviation sector vote to accept inflation-busting 3-year pay deal (17 Apr) – The deal secures a guaranteed CPI increase until 2025 for members in NATS. The offer protects your pay for 3 years against the unprecedented levels of inflation that the country is suffering as part of the cost-of-living crisis. PCS believes it is an excellent offer in the current economic climate and shows the strength we have when negotiating on behalf of our members read more
Targeted strike action continues to impact on services (11 Apr) – PCS members marked the first week of April with impactful strike action across the UK. Last week members were on strike in HM Passport Office, the British Library, British Museum, National Highways, Government Digital Services, DVSA and the Animal and Plant Health Agency. This week members of DVLA and Ofgem and more DVSA members will join this phase of targeted strike action read more
Efra Action Short of Strike Guidance (31 Mar) – Members in Defra, the Forestry Commission, Marine Management Organisation and Rural Payments Agency voted overwhelmingly in favour of taking Action Short of Strike alongside the current national industrial action as part of PCS’s national campaign read more
PCS calls all-out strike on 28 April (27 Mar) – More than 130,000 PCS members across the civil service and public sector will strike on 28 April in our latest one-day action alongside a month of walkouts to increase the pressure on the government on pay, pensions and job security. The all-out strike, called by our national executive committee today, taking place on the April payday, alongside a month of action beginning on 3 April to increase the pressure on the government read more
Action short of strike to begin at 4 employers (24 Mar) – More than 3,000 PCS members in Defra core, Forestry Commission England, Marine Management Organisation and Rural Payments Agency will take action short of strike action from 11 April as part of our national campaign on pay, pensions and job security 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
Prospect
Prime Minister now needs to end toxic culture at the top of government (21 Apr) – Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab has resigned following a report into his conduct found him guilty of bullying staff read more
Further public sector strikes announced in Welsh Government and Natural Resources Wales (17 Apr) – Prospect union has notified both the Welsh Government and Natural Resources Wales that it will be taking further strike action on 11 May and 7 June read more
Further public sector strikes announced as Government refuses to negotiate with its own staff (14 Apr) – Prospect union has notified employers that it will be taking further strike action on 10 May and 7 June across its public service membership. This follows the refusal of the government to enter negotiations to resolve the current pay and conditions dispute, having instead announced a pay control of 4.5% which will further erode living standards read more
FDA
FDA calls for independent inquiry in to ministerial bullying in wake of Raab investigation (21 Apr) – Following the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab, after the Prime Minister received the report that upheld claims he bullied civil servants across a number of government departments, the FDA has called for reform of the complaints procedure and for and inquiry in to ministerial bullying read more
FDA to consider strike action in response to contemptuous announcement on civil service pay (14 Apr) – The government has today published its approach to pay for 2023 in the civil service. The Civil Service Pay Remit Guidance headline figure is a 4.5% increase with an additional 0.5% for the living wage uplift. Critically, unlike health and education, there is no non-consolidated award to compensate for 2022/23. This was worth £1,000 in education and £1,600 + 2% in health read more
GMB
Westminster faces King’s Coronation parking strike (21 Apr) – GMB, the union for parking wardens, has announced civil enforcement officers working in Westminster have voted to strike on the day of the King’s Coronation. GMB members employed by the council’s contractor NSL and are in dispute over the employer’s failure to agree a cost of living pay award after forcing drastic changes onto workers’ terms and conditions in a wide-ranging restructure. The employer has now been notified that the union members will be taking action short of a strike from 1 to 8 May and strike action on 2, 4 and 6 May, the latter of which is the day of the coronation procession and ceremony read more
MP’s speak out Amazon’s ‘climate of distrust’ (21 Apr) – GMB, the union for Amazon workers, has responded to the cross-party House of Commons’ BEIS Committee’s report on UK labour markets. The new report warns that Amazon’s ‘surveillance practices (for whatever intention they are deployed) are leading to distrust, micromanagement and, in some cases, disciplinary action against its workers.’ The Committee said that it had written to the company ‘expressing our dissatisfaction with the discrepancies in Amazon’s evidence and reiterated our concern that its use of surveillance technology to monitor the performance of its workers would no doubt put undue stress on its workforce.’ The intervention came after Amazon admitted that workers can be fired if they do not meet productivity targets. Separately, newly published correspondence shows that the MPs told Amazon that ‘the Committee remains deeply dissatisfied about the failure of Amazon to be proactive in explaining the use of CCTV and associated AI systems to track your staff in Amazon warehouses.’ This lack of explanation would have led to Amazon being recalled to the Committee – had the Committee not changed due to changes in Government departments. Strike action at Amazon’s Coventry warehouse has now reached its 12th day today (Friday), due to hit 14 full days of strike this weekend. The workers are striking over poor pay as well as regular disrespect and surveillance by management. GMB now has over 600 striking workers in Coventry. There are strike ballots at five further sites read more
Amazon strike disruption worsens as workers mark ten days on the picket line (17 Apr) – GMB union members at Amazon’s Coventry fulfilment centre are today marking their tenth day of strike action at the site, in the ongoing dispute with the retail giant. Workers in Coventry are campaigning for £15 an hour, after Amazon made an offer of less than 50p to workers. GMB have announced that over 600 Amazon workers in Coventry have joined the union as strike ballots take place at five further Amazon depots read more
Workington refuse workers vote to strike (21 Apr) – Refuse loaders and drivers have backed strike action over their pay. Loaders and HGV drivers currently earn one of the lowest wages for comparable services in the area. For loaders this is usually £10.90ph and HGV drivers are on £11.89ph read more
Week of strikes for Northern Ireland Road, Forest and Environment Agency (21 Apr) – Road Service, Rivers Agency, Forest Service and the Environment Agency workers will strike for seven days from Thursday. The workers have been offered a huge real-terms pay cut – at just two per cent. For many workers this is as little as £500 over the year read more
Caterers and Cleaners to strike at South London Hospitals (19 Apr) – Outsourced staff at South London and Maudsley NHS sites to walk out for 48 hours later this month. GMB, the union for NHS and healthcare workers, has announced a two-day strike within South London and Maudsley, the NHS trust providing mental health services across South London. The union members, who are employed by outsourced provider ISS, work as domestics and hostesses, so their absence will have a massive impact on food provision and the cleaning service. The dispute centres around parity of pay and conditions and seeks oppose the loss of jobs and hours due to the restructuring of mental health services in Lambeth Hospital read more
GMB union members at Wealden District councils waste and recycling services vote for strike action (14 Apr) – ‘Our members have made it clear with this ballot result, enough is enough, so sort out the Biffa Bully’s or get them to empty the bins’ says GMB Southern. GMB Union members working for Wealden councils waste contractor Biffa’s Municipal services have voted for strike action over the company’s failures to address ongoing bullying and harassment by local mangers together with failures over promised changes and consultation over long-standing kerbside collection rounds issues and imbalances within the contract read more
Hartlepool metal company sacks workers after staff win pay rise (3 Apr) – A Hartlepool metal company is slashing jobs just weeks after workers won a pay rise. Just 51 days after GMB members resolved their pay dispute, the Expanded Metal Company has announced up to ten redundancies at Hartlepool. Workers were handed redundancy letters last week advising them that they are at risk of redundancy and inviting them to a meeting. Management appears to be trying to push through the redundancies within a week of first issuing redundancy notices. Despite citing a downturn in work as the reason for the redundancies, the company are advertising the role of a Finance Controller/Financial Director Designate role for 70K read more
Strike disruption looms at healthcare logistics giant Movianto (28 Mar) – GMB Union has today announced two dates of industrial action by drivers at Movianto in Coventry. The strike comes after a below inflation pay offer was made by company management at its West Midlands HQ. Movianto is a major healthcare logistics provider to private clients and the NHS. Drivers at the company are responsible for transporting essential and often lifesaving medicines, including individual prescriptions and NHS medical supplies.
The strike action is due to take place on Thursday 6 and Tuesday 11 April read more
Unison
Donate to support striking workers – As UNISON members continue to take strike action, the union is asking for donations to its strike fund
Care Quality Commission staff to strike in escalation of pay row, says UNISON (20 Apr) – CQC employees started a continuous work to rule on Monday 17 April 2023. Hundreds of staff at the Care Quality Commission (CQC) are to strike for one day in a dispute over pay, says UNISON today (Thursday). Staff represented by UNISON, including those working in inspection teams, call centres and data analysis, will be striking on Tuesday 2 May. Workers represented by the PCS and Unite will also be on strike on the same day. CQC employees started a continuous work to rule on Monday 17 April 2023. This means they are only working the hours they are paid for, not doing overtime and talking all the breaks they are entitled to until September 2023. UNISON balloted workers after employees received an imposed pay increase of between 2.75% and 3.5%. They also received a one-off payment of £100 or £150 depending on their salary grade last December 2022 read more
UNISON secures pay win for Canal and River Trust workers (18 Apr) – Union secures a 8.2% increase for 1700 workers at the charity. Canal and River Trust workers keep England and Wales’ waterways running smoothly by removing waste, keeping towpaths clear and maintaining locks and moorings among other duties. The average salary is around £26,000 read more
Insourcing win at North Middlesex University Hospital (17 Apr) – ‘This is life-changing for many of us. We feel more valued and motivated to work here’. Nearly 300 cleaning and catering staff at North Middlesex University Hospital will be brought back in-house following a UNISON campaign. The workers, employed by Medirest, have been working under worse terms and conditions compared to colleagues directly employed by the NHS. The trust has also agreed a commitment to increase pay for portering staff, who will receive the London living wage from 1 September 2023 read more
UNISON health workers vote to accept NHS pay offer (14 Apr) – Almost three-quarters voted to accept with over 150,000 having their say. NHS workers who belong to UNISON have voted decisively to accept the pay offer from the government, says the union today (Friday) read more
The government must intervene on Environment Agency pay to prevent permanent damage (14 Apr) – Third block of strike action begins today. Staff at the Environment Agency will today (Friday) begin a third block of strike action in the ongoing dispute over their “woeful” pay rise, says UNISON. Workers providing crucial services to ensure communities are kept safe, pollution-free and protected will walk out over the space of four days spanning this weekend. It marks a significant escalation of the industrial action that began late last year to win a wage rise that would enable the Agency workforce to better weather the ongoing financial storm, says UNISON. Staff have had a terrible deal, which amounts to one of the worst wage rises paid to public sector workers, says UNISON. It follows year after year where pay at the Agency has consistently trailed the cost of living. The union has written to chancellor Jeremy Hunt this week urging him to intervene in the dispute and free up more money so the Agency can pay its employees fairly read more
Sign petition: Stop the closure of the Peak District National Park visitor centres! – The Peak District National Park Authority are considering closing all four of its visitor centres, making the staff redundant. Councillors will be asked to endorse the chief executive’s ill-thought out ‘money-saving plan’ which will not only affect staff but could very much harm the local economy. The visitor centres are not just shops. They are a key contributor to visitors being able to experience a safe and enjoyable time in the Peak District. This is especially the case with first-time or infrequent visitors. Far from being underused, the centres deal with around 400,000 visitors a year. Unless there is a public outcry, we will lose these centres from our national park, at a time when other national parks have rejected such ideas. Decisions will be taken from as early as May. Help Derbyshire UNISON stop them!
Raise wage offer and prevent more university strikes, says UNISON (6 Apr) – Staff are already leaving for better-paid jobs in supermarkets, warehouses and coffee shops. Support staff at 14 universities in England are being balloted from this week for industrial action over the “inadequate” pay offer from the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA), says UNISON today (Thursday). Over the next five weeks, higher education workers including cleaners, IT technicians and library staff are to vote on whether to strike after the university employers put forward a wage rise that’s way below inflation, the union says. The ballot of staff at universities in Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, London, Brighton, Bristol, Winchester and Luton began on Tuesday (4 April) and continues until Tuesday 9 May. Those taking part in the vote are the University of Bedfordshire, University of Bristol, Liverpool Hope University, Liverpool John Moores University, University of Leeds, University of Liverpool, Manchester Metropolitan University, University of Sussex, University of the West of England and University of Winchester, as well as a number of University of London institutions: Birkbeck, Queen Mary, SOAS and Kings College London. The 2023/24 pay offer falls far short of what staff deserve, says UNISON. It is worth between 5% and 8% depending on salary level, with lower paid workers getting the highest percentage rise. Some of this amount – around £83 per month before tax – began to be paid to staff in February to help staff with the increasing cost of living. UNISON put the pay offer to higher education staff in February and their decision was to reject the amount read more
South Gloucestershire social workers strike over pay (4 Apr) – Staff say “market forces” supplement should be applied across the board. Social workers and occupational therapists working for South Gloucestershire Council are to strike from today (Tuesday), says UNISON. Staff will walk out for three days from today until Thursday (4 to 6 April) after voting overwhelmingly* for industrial action in a dispute over pay. UNISON has been in dispute with the local authority since last summer. This is over its decision to award staff in children’s services an additional temporary £3,000 payment on top of their basic annual salary, but not those doing the same job in adult services read more
Orchard Day Nursery must be saved, says UNISON (22 Mar) – Staff, parents and children have been treated abominably. The owners of a Merseyside day nursery that closed without warning last weekend – leaving more than 50 staff jobless and the parents of more than 200 youngsters without childcare – must think again, says UNISON today (Wednesday). Orchard Day Nursery in Huyton shut its doors at such short notice that many workers, children and parents only found out about the permanent closure via a notice fixed to the gates, the union says. The nursery has since gone into insolvency. Its owners also operate a number of other nurseries across the north of England. The first some staff and parents knew was when the company sent an email on Saturday, announcing the immediate closure. But many remained unaware until they turned up to work or arrived to drop off their children on Monday morning, says UNISON. The shutdown chaos came just days after workers at the nursery took industrial action last week over pay. The walkout took place after the company refused to pay qualified nursery workers more than the real living wage, which is £10.90 an hour 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
NICS Pay Strike: 26 April (7 Apr) – The Civil Service Executive Committee met today and agreed that NIPSA members in the NICS, ALBs and NDPBs will take strike action on 26 April. Strike action on that date is also being taken by PCS, the teaching unions and other public sector trade unions. This combined action is in response to the continuing failure of Westminster and the Secretary of State to provide the funding needed to give civil and public sector workers the pay rise they need read more
NICS Strike 26 April (24 Apr) – NICS Pay NICS Strike 2023: By now your plans for picket lines on Wednesday should be well advanced. If still need material or other information, please email Seán McMullan or by phone 07970 372 811 as soon as possible read more
HSC Industrial Action Update (24 Apr) – NIPSA Health Strike: I write to update you in relation to the ongoing Industrial Action Dispute in Health and ongoing Industrial Action around Pay, Safe Staffing and Travel. Industrial Action continues in Health as Northern Ireland has no Pay Offer, Mileage negotiations are awaited and Safe Staffing continues to leave members and service users at risk…NIPSA Health continues to work with other Unions around the continued attack on Public Services across Northern Ireland and recognising the planned Strike and Rally for NICS and Teaching Staff on the 26th April NIPSA has also given notice to Health Employers of an escalation in Regards to Action Short of Strike into May 2023 read more
Department of Education Decimates Extended Schools Programme (20 Apr) – NIPSA horrified by Department of Education announcement to decimate the Extended Schools Programme. NIPSA, the leading public sector Trade Union, representing over 8,000 members in the Education Sector, reacts to the announcement that the Department of Education is ending most of the Extended Schools programmes read more
Strike Rallies: Belfast and Derry/Londonderry Wednesday 26 April (19 Apr) – NICS Strike: Please see flyer from the link below for the Belfast Rally that has been organised by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions. This will be a joint rally of the civil service unions and the teachers’ unions who are on strike on 26 April. NIPSA will be represented on the platform. The Belfast rally will be at City Hall and commence at 1pm. I would encourage members who are on picket lines to get there before that and to bring their flags from the picket lines. NIPSA has organised a separate rally in the Millennium Forum to cover members in the North West. Members should go to the Millennium Forum immediately after they finish on picket lines and refreshments will be available. The room in the Millennium Forum will be available from 10.30am and the rally will start around 11.30am read more
Update: NICS Pay Strike: 26 April (18 Apr) – NICS Pay NICS Strike: As outlined in my article on 7 April members in the NICS, ALBs and NDPBs will take strike action on 26 April. This article provides details to allow branch secretaries and activists to prepare for strike action read more
May Day March and Rally (18 Apr) – This year’s May Day march and rally will take place on Saturday 29 April 2023. Unions will assemble from 12 noon at Writers’ Square, Donegall St Belfast, and march off at 12.30pm. The short march route, down Royal Avenue, will end at Belfast City Hall where the rally will commence around 1.00pm. The speeches will be after the march at a rally at the City Hall. The main guest speaker at the City Hall will be Mick Lynch, RMT General Secretary. NIPSA General Secretary, Carmel Gates, will also be on the podium read more
International Workers’ Memorial Day: 28 April (18 Apr) – IWMD: International Workers’ Memorial Day (IWMD) is a day to remember people who have been killed, injured or made ill by work. It is a day when workers focus on health and safety at work, both in our workplaces and at events locally, nationally and worldwide. To mark International Workers’ Memorial Day the Irish Congress of Trade Unions is organising a wreath laying ceremony on Tuesday 25 April at 12.30pm at the IWMD Commemorative Tree in the grounds of Parliament Buildings, just before the security hut as you come down from the main car park, Stormont Estate. We are asking members to join us at this event. We are also asking branches to consider organising their own event in the workplace read more
Joint GMB-NIPSA-SIPTU-Unite Press Release (6 Apr) – Newry Mourne and Down council services to be heavily impacted by industrial action from April 10 Members of GMB, NIPSA and SIPTU commence work-to-rule from Monday 10th April, to be joined by Unite from 12 April Industrial action by members of all four trade unions at council proceeds after management renege on commitment to partnership-based job evaluation process Trade unions at Newry, Mourne and Down District Council confirmed that industrial action is to commence at the local authority body. The action is set to commence with a work-to-rule by members of GMB, NIPSA and SIPTU on Monday April 10 with members of Unite the union joining the action from April 12. The unions have warned that the industrial action, although confined to a ‘work-to-rule’ at this stage, is likely to result in significant impact to council services including those at leisure centres and with bin collections. The industrial dispute proceeds after members of all four unions voted for both strike action and action short of strike action in ballots read more
Royal College of Nursing
England nursing strikes: legal challenge latest (24 Apr) – We’re fighting the UK government’s attempts to silence nursing staff read more
‘Nurses will not be gagged’ insists RCN over threat of court action to stop upcoming strike (21 Apr) – The UK government is using bullying tactics in a bid to silence nursing staff in their dispute over pay. Following a threat of legal action to our upcoming strike action earlier this week, NHS Employers has referred its concerns to the UK government. In response, the government has written a “letter before action” and threatened an interim court order to stop our entire 48-hour nursing strike from 8pm on 30 April read more
Strike action in England: RCN strongly resists NHS legal threat (20 Apr) – NHS Employers is seeking to discredit our strike action on 2 May, claiming the mandate to strike will have run out read more
RCN Wales will ballot members on breakthrough Welsh government NHS pay offer (20 Apr) – RCN Wales members will be consulted on whether to accept or reject the offer between 12 noon on Monday 24 April and 9am on Wednesday 10 May read more
Members employed by the Care Quality Commission begin industrial action (17 Apr) – They’ll work to rule continuously until our mandate to take industrial action expires in September or a new formal pay offer is made read more
RCN members vote to reject NHS pay offer for nursing staff in England (14 Apr) – We’re seeking an urgent re-opening of pay talks with the UK government and planning a new 48-hour strike from 8pm on 30 April without derogations 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
RCM to consult members on latest Welsh Government pay offer (21 Apr) – The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) will consult its members in Wales later this month on the Welsh Government’s latest pay offer for NHS staff. The consultation runs from 28 April to 15 May and the RCM is recommending its members accept read more
RCM calls for prioritisation of safe travel for NHS Scotland staff (19 Apr) – The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) says an overhaul of NHS staff parking permit allocations and safe and accessible public transport options is needed to support safer travel to work for NHS staff, the majority of whom are women. The call came in an RCM motion to the STUC Congress in Dundee this week read more
RCM opens England pay consultation and recommends members accept (3 Apr) – Midwife and maternity support worker (MSW) members of the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) working in the NHS in England are being consulted on the Government’s pay offer. The online consultation opens today and closes at midnight on 25 April read more
RCM pauses Northern Ireland strike action as pay talks scheduled (31 Mar) – Strike action set for Monday, 3 April by Royal College of Midwives (RCM) members across Northern Ireland has been paused. This follows an offer from the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to meet the RCM and other unions next week to discuss HSC pay. The RCM will also be suspending action short of a strike planned for 3-10 April read more
BMA
Support the Junior Doctors strike read more
HCSA
HCSA Junior Doctors in Scotland move to ballot for strike (31 Mar) – HCSA, the hospital doctors’ union, has announced a formal ballot on strike action over pay for junior doctor members in Scotland. Junior doctors in Scotland have faced pay erosion representing real-terms pay cuts of 23.5% since 2008. At a time of escalating inflation, the pay award for 2022-23 of 4.5% served only to worsen the outlook for junior doctors. The ballot will open on Friday 14th April and close on Friday 5th May read more
CSP
Welsh government makes 2023-24 pay offer (20 Apr) – The CSP welcomes the Welsh Government pay offer, which was made following negotiations with the CSP and other health care unions read more
Voting opens on NHS pay offer in England (29 May) – CSP members employed by the NHS in England are being urged to vote on the new pay offer in an online vote that opens today read more
NEU
NEU sixth form ballot result (21 Apr) – NEU members in sixth form colleges have voted overwhelmingly in a re-ballot to take industrial action to win an acceptable fully funded pay rise for 2022/23. This result once again demonstrates the resolve of NEU members to win a fair pay rise. The formal trade dispute is with the Secretary of State for Education because of the failure to make available additional funding to allow Sixth Form college employers to pay a fully funded above inflation increase to teachers with effect from 1 September 2022. NEU members who teach in sixth form colleges in England have voted to continue with strike action in response to an offer for the current academic year of 22/23 from the Sixth Form Colleges Association (SFCA). Sixth form college teachers have seen a 20% cut in real terms pay since 2010. The September 2022 pay offer would see the majority of teachers receive a 5% pay award, rising to 8.9% for a small minority. The question put was: Would you be prepared to take industrial action in support of a fully funded pay rise? 89.4% voted YES on a turnout of 53.3%. The ballot opened on 13th March and closed on 21 April 2023. NEU teachers in 74 sixth form colleges will be taking strike action on April 27th and May 2nd alongside NEU school teacher members. The success of the re-ballot gives the union a mandate to continue to take strike well into the next academic year read more
Ofsted Chief Inspector’s statement (21 Apr) – Ofsted continues to be out of touch and must recognise that its approach to safeguarding needs to change read more
Teachers in Northern Ireland to strike (6 Apr) – NEU Northern Ireland announces strike on 26 April. The National Education Union (NEU) has announced that its members will be going on strike on April 26, 2023 along with colleagues from other teaching unions. Teachers have not seen an uplift in pay since April 2022 decision comes after months of negotiations with the Department of Education over issues such as pay, workload, and funding for schools read more
NEU members reject Government pay offer (3 Apr) – 191,319 serving teachers in state schools in England have voted to reject Gillian Keegan’s offer in less than six days. The NEU consultative ballot on the Government’s pay offer has been rejected by an overwhelming 98% of NEU teacher members in England on a turnout of 66%. 191,319 serving teachers in state schools in England have voted to reject Gillian Keegan’s offer in less than six days. It is not surprising that the offer has been rejected. The offer was not fully funded, would have meant teachers in England would see their pay fall even further behind their counterparts in Wales and Scotland and it would represent another two years of real-terms pay cuts. It would do nothing to reverse the problems of recruitment and retention in our schools read more
Teachers’ pay campaign motion (4 Apr) – the motion includes:-
Conference notes: The executive decisions to:
- Reject the new pay offer and, if members vote to endorse the executive recommendation, give notice of two further days of strike action to employers as soon as practicable, and for those days to be Thursday 27 April and Tuesday 2 May
Conference instructs the executive to:
- Use the period of exams from 15 May to begin a re-ballot of teacher members in England running until the end of July
- Timetable in a 3 day strike in late June/early July to be confirmed by the executive on 18 May
NASUWT
Strike action in Northern Ireland for a better deal for teachers and lecturers (24 Apr) – Members of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union will take strike action this Wednesday 26 April over the failure to offer teachers and Further Education lecturers a fair and decent pay award. The strike action follows a half day of strike action in schools in February and for this full day of strike action, which is expected to close the majority of Northern Ireland’s schools, members in Further Education colleges will also join their teacher colleagues. The full day of strike is being carried out in furtherance of our campaign for a Better Deal for Teachers and Lecturers. The NASUWT is calling for a fully funded 12% pay award for 2022/23 read more
Hutchesons Grammar ‘Bullies’ condemned over fire and rehire (19 Apr) – Teachers today have condemned the “bully boy fire and rehire tactics” at SNP First Minister Humza Yousaf’s former school. Hutchesons Grammar School in Glasgow has forced members of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union to sign contracts removing them from the Teachers’ Pension Scheme or face the sack. Teachers who attempted to sign contracts stating they only agreed because they were under duress, were then told if they didn’t sign “clean” copies of a contract by 11.59pm last Friday night they would be sacked and their jobs would be advertised. At the STUC Congress in Dundee, an emergency motion put forward by teaching unions EIS and NASUWT condemns management of the school and supports trade unions taking a stand against the disgraceful tactics. The motion was passed unanimously read more
NASUWT members reject the Government’s pay offer (8 Apr) – Members of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union have emphatically rejected the Government’s pay offer for teachers in England, it was announced today. 87% of eligible members agreed that the Union should reject the Government’s pay proposals. The Union’s consultative survey also asked members whether they were willing to vote for strike action to achieve a fair pay award. 77% of members said they would do so. Following the results of the survey the NASUWT National Executive met to confirm that the Union will ballot members in schools and sixth form colleges in England for industrial action read more
Members to take strike action in Northern Ireland (3 Apr) – Members of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union will take strike action In Northern Ireland on Wednesday 26 April over the failure to offer teachers and Further Education lecturers a fair and decent pay award. The strike action follows a half day of strike action in schools on the 21 February and coincides with a further escalation of action short of strike action which begins in schools today (3 April). NASUWT members in Northern Ireland’s Further Education colleges will join their school teacher colleagues in taking strike action. The Union has announced the full day of strike in furtherance of our campaigns for a Better Deal for Teachers and Lecturers 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
NAHT
School leaders vote overwhelmingly to reject government’s ‘inadequate and unaffordable’ pay offer (5 Apr) – School leaders in England have voted overwhelmingly to reject the offer put forward by the government on teacher pay. School leaders’ union NAHT closed its online consultative ballot at 5pm on Tuesday 4th April, a week after it opened. 64% of its eligible membership responded, with 90% voting to reject the offer. 92% said the offer was unaffordable, saying they did not have the headroom in their budget to be able to afford the proposed pay offer for the next academic year (2023/24) read more
NAHT Northern Ireland to take strike action in industrial dispute (3 Apr) – For the first time in its 125 year history, members of school leaders’ union, NAHT, will strike over pay. NAHT Northern Ireland will join the other teaching unions in strike action on 26 April read more
NAHT takes first step towards judicial review proceedings against Ofsted following its failure to pause inspections (31 Mar) – Today (Friday 31st March), school leaders’ union NAHT has written to His Majesty’s Chief Inspector to demand a suspension of Ofsted inspections while steps are taken to address the risk to the mental health of school staff and enable suicide risk prevention to be put in place. The letter is the first step in judicial review proceedings and cites Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which imposes obligations on public authorities to take reasonable steps where there is a real and immediate risk of a loss of life. NAHT argues that the recent death of Ruth Perry, and the citing of Ofsted inspections as a factor in the deaths of 10 teachers*, indicates the human rights of school staff are not being protected by the current Ofsted regime and that immediate action is needed to minimise harm and protect lives. NAHT has called on Ofsted to pause inspections whilst a review is carried out to identify and put in place immediate measures to minimise the risk of harm to school staff read more
NAHT Cymru members reject Welsh government offer (24 Mar) – School leaders in Wales have rejected an offer from the Welsh government in their dispute over pay, workload and funding. Following a 10-day online ballot that closed at noon today, 54.5% of NAHT Cymru members taking part voted to reject the offer. The union says that during extensive talks with members across the nation, it was clear that funding arrangements remained a major concern for school leaders. NAHT Cymru director Laura Doel placed the blame firmly with the employers, citing a lack of transparency as the reason members rejected the deal read more
EIS
STUC: EIS to move Emergency Motions on Hutchesons Grammar School (19 Apr) – The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS), will move two Emergency Motions at this year’s annual meeting of the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC). The EIS Motions relate to two current areas of industrial dispute: Hutchesons’ Grammar School carrying out a mass ‘fire and rehire’ to force teachers to accept new contracts incorporating inferior pensions, and the underfunding of Further Education Colleges including budget, education and staff cuts and a substandard pay offer to lecturers. The EIS is currently balloting members at Hutchesons’ Grammar School for industrial action in defence of their pensions read more
College lecturers vote for industrial action in fight for fair pay (14 Apr) – Scotland’s colleges are facing a programme of sustained industrial action by college lecturers, over pay, following the conclusion of a statutory ballot late yesterday (Thursday 13th April). Members of the EIS-Further Education Lecturers Association (EIS-FELA), who are lecturers across Scotland’s 26 FE Colleges, voted to take action short of strike (ASOS) and strike action in pursuit of a fair pay settlement, as a protracted pay dispute continues read more
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
SSTA
SSTA ready to Boycott the SQA Exams next year (30 Mar) – The SQA has announced that National Qualifications course assessments in session 2023-24 will return to full requirements – including reinstating coursework and exam assessment and the National 4 added value unit read more
INTO
Teacher unions unite for a full-day strike (3 Apr) – The Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) and four other teacher unions – NAHT, NASUWT, NEU and UTU have announced a full-day strike on Wednesday, 26 April 2023. The announcement coincides with an escalation of Action Short of Strike which commences today read more
Strike Rally: Wed 26 April – It is now just two days until INTO members across Northern Ireland take strike action on Wednesday 26 April 2023 in pursuance of Fair Pay for Teachers. The INTO are asking all members to picket their school or college and to attend the rally at 1pm outside Belfast City Hall read more
Advice to all Members Taking Part in Strike Action on 26 April 2023 (19 Apr) – After receiving a huge mandate for industrial action in furtherance of the current pay dispute, INTO members will be instructed to take strike action on Wednesday 26th April 2023. Members will withdraw their labour for the entire day read more
UCU
Further strike action this week at Havant and South Downs College in row over low pay (24 Apr) – Staff at Havant and South Downs College (HSDC) will strike tomorrow and Thursday in an ongoing dispute over low pay amid the cost-of-living crisis. Staff will be picketing main entrances to the college each strike day. The college’s pay award is worth just 3% for most college lecturers, who earn £30k – £40k. It also made a one off payment, which was only £400 for most staff. Inflation is 13.5% meaning staff are suffering a huge real terms pay cut. The National Education Union (NEU) will be joining UCU on both days of strike action, following strikes at the college in February of this year read more
Marking and assessment boycott to hit 145 UK universities from tomorrow, UCU confirms (19 Apr) – The University and College Union has today [Wednesday 19 April] confirmed that a marking and assessment boycott will commence tomorrow [Thursday 20 April] at 145 UK universities after employers failed to produce an improved offer in the pay & conditions dispute. Earlier this week, UCU members working in UK higher education voted to reject pay & conditions proposals agreed with employers. A marking and assessment boycott will cover all marking and assessment, including that in writing, online, or verbally. The boycott will also cover any assessment-related work such as exam invigilation and the administrative processing of marks. This is expected to impact graduations. A number of university employers have already announced that they will make wage deductions of up to 100% for staff taking part in the boycott, despite staff continuing to teach, lecture and support students as normal. The union has condemned the threats and said further strike action could be called in response. The boycott will continue until employers make an improved offer, at which point UCU will decide whether to continue the action or call it off. In the pensions dispute, the union will now move forward proposals with employers to restore benefits after 85% of UCU members voted in favour during a recent consultation. UCU has been clear, however, that it retains the right to take action if employers backtrack. Last month, UCU successfully renewed its industrial action mandate, allowing industrial action to be called for a further six months read more
UCU declares ‘historic victory’ as members vote to move forward with university pension proposals (17 Apr) – The University and College Union (UCU) has today declared a ‘historic victory’ after members voted overwhelmingly by 85% to move forward with pension proposals agreed with employers, paving the way for benefits to be restored. In the pay and conditions dispute, UCU members voted by 56% to reject proposals agreed with employers. The results follow a two-week electronic consultation in which over 35k UCU members voted on whether to proceed with further negotiations over proposals agreed with employers, or to pursue further industrial action in the form of a marking and assessment boycott read more
Strike action on the cards at Barnet & Southgate College as staff vote for industrial action over low pay (3 Apr) – Staff at Barnet and Southgate College have voted to take industrial action in a long-running dispute over low pay and workload, the University and College Union (UCU) announced today (Monday). Staff were balloted last month and voted 96% in favour of strike action on a turnout of 67%. Staff have already taken three days of strike action in the long-running dispute after college bosses imposed pay awards of just 1% for 2021/22 and 1% for 2020/21. The college has now imposed a further “pitiful” pay award of just 2.5% for 2022/23 read more
Strikes loom as Sheffield College staff reject derisory pay offer (22 Mar) – Staff at Sheffield College have overwhelmingly voted to reject a derisory 3.5% pay offer for 2023/24. Staff were consulted on the offer in an e-ballot. Turnout was over 50% and more than 81% of those who voted said they would not accept it. Staff have already taken four days of strike action this year over the college’s 2022/23 pay offer of just 2.5% after winning a strike ballot. The union paused strike action to enter into Acas mediated talks with the employer but were only offered an additional £100 one off payment. UCU’s ballot result means it is able to call further action. The college has more than £90m in reserves with over £14m cash in the bank. UCU is demanding a pay rise of 4.5% for 23/24, which would cost the college just £1.6m read more
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
UCU fighting fund: the link is here and donations to the fund are spent on supporting members involved in important disputes.
FBU
Record number of UK firefighters to be tested for cancer as part of life-saving research (20 Apr) – Today, Monday 24th April, life-saving firefighter cancer monitoring begins in Greater Manchester, as part of a new UK wide research project commissioned by the Fire Brigades Union (FBU). The testing is being carried out by the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan), led by a world expert in fire toxicity, Professor Anna Stec, and will continue in Manchester until Wednesday 26th April. 100 firefighters are participating by providing blood and urine samples to be analysed for the number of biomarkers of cancers and other diseases, and toxic chemicals. The results will be used to detect cancers and other diseases at the early stages, and to identify evidence linking occupational cancers with exposure to toxic fire chemicals read more
Scottish First Minister pledges not to issue work notices under new anti-union laws – FBU comment (17 Apr) – Speaking at today’s Scottish TUC Congress in Dundee, Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf promised not to issue work notices under the Westminster Government’s proposed new anti-union laws. Humza Yousaf said: “Be in no doubt, the Scottish Government will never issue or enforce a single work notice, we will continue to do everything we can to oppose this disgraceful legislation.” The Minimum Service Levels Bill could force workers in six sectors (Health, Fire, Transport, Education, Border Security and Nuclear Decommissioning) to work on strike days despite having a democratic mandate to strike. It is due to be debated again in the House of Lords next week read more
Firefighters’ union calls for defiance of anti-strike laws (25 Mar) – Trade unions must build a campaign to defy the anti-strike laws being pushed through parliament by the Tories, Fire Brigades Union general secretary Matt Wrack has said. The firefighters’ leader said the Trades Union Congress should lead a campaign of “mass non-cooperation and non-compliance” with the Minimum Service Levels bill. An emergency congress of the TUC must be called to launch a campaign of defiance and civil disobedience against the bill if it becomes law, the FBU says. The FBU’s governing executive council has passed a resolution calling on the TUC to adopt the strategy, and to build a mass movement to resist the legislation. National demonstrations and sustained mass mobilisations can defeat the bill, the union says. Non-compliance with the bill would be one of the most significant attempts by unions to defy employment law since the 1984-85 miners’ strike. FBU general secretary Matt Wrack said the strategy of non-compliance was needed, as there was “no obvious route to challenge this attack through the courts” read more
New plaques unveiled for Dundee firefighters killed in line of duty (16 Apr) – Two plaques have been unveiled at Blackness Road Fire Station in Dundee to commemorate the sacrifice of two firefighters of the Angus Area Fire Brigade who died in the line of duty 61 years ago 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
POA
Pension challenge: The 2015 Pension Schemes and Age discrimination (20 Apr) – You will be aware that with the assistance of Ivan Walker of Walkers Solicitors we have filed Employment Tribunal proceedings for members who were transferred from the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme to the Alpha scheme between 2015 and 2022, in circumstances where an entitlement to compensation for injury to feelings has been established. In total, 4,219 claims have been made. Ivan Walker told us earlier this year that he intended to retire on 31 March, and he has been assisting us with identifying other solicitors who will be able to take these cases on. That has proved to be a little more complex than anticipated, but I am happy to say that Thompsons Solicitors have agreed to take over. Ivan Walker has agreed to delay his retirement until the end of June to assist with the transition. Please be assured these claims will be progressed as swiftly as possible read more
Results of statutory ballot Merseycare Trust/Nottinghamshire Trust (14 Apr) – The results of the statutory ballot showed an overwhelming rejection of the pay offer which has been imposed by NHS Employers. However, in order for the POA to have been able to take industrial action over 50% of members needed to have voted and this did not occur in either trust. As this is the first statutory ballot for health trusts under the new trade union legislation of 2016 it has been a learning curve for those branches which took part in the ballot read more
NHS pay offer – indicative ballot: Rampton, Ashworth and Broadmoor (3 Apr) – Following lengthy discussions between the NHS Staff Council and the employer a formal offer has been made to all staff who are subject to Agenda for Change pay and terms and conditions… During the pay negotiations, which POA were not part of due to our Observer status, all NHS unions with the exception of Unite agreed to recommend members acceptance of the pay offer. The POA will not make a recommendation regarding this additional payment for 2022/2023 or the new offer for 2023/2024 as the POA believes it is for members to make the decision whether to accept or not read more
NAPO
TUC – ‘Right to Strike’ (21 Apr) – As the government’s Minimum Service Levels Bill makes its way through Parliament, the TUC is stepping up the campaign against this spiteful attack on the Trade Unions’ right to strike. The TUC are currently working with peers to amend the worst parts of the legislation, and will be mobilising for an emergency protest outside Parliament to coincide with the final Commons debate, expected between 10 and 25 May. As soon as we know more (we’ll only likely to get a week’s notice ahead of this), we’ll get the details out to you – this will likely be an evening protest around 7pm. It will be a key opportunity to showcase the trade union movement’s determination to defeat the legislation and, if not, get it repealed as soon as possible read more
BFAWU
BFAWU Launches New Recruitment Film! (30 Mar) – We are proud to present our new recruitment video, where BFAWU members and reps talk about why they joined and love our union! Read more
Support the campaign to unionise Samworth Brothers – get organised, sign the petition read more
NUJ
NUJ BBC Foyle chapel express no confidence in BBC Northern Ireland senior management (24 Apr) – The chapel has withdrawn its confidence in Rhodri Talfan Davies, Adam Smyth and Kevin Kelly. NUJ BBC Foyle chapel said: “Following several months of intense negotiations and discussion surrounding the schedule changes at BBC Northern Ireland, members of the NUJ Foyle chapel wish to express that senior BBC managers Rhodri Talfan Davies, Adam Smyth and Kevin Kelly no longer have their confidence. Changes to the schedule are due to come into place on 24 April, which will see the axing of the BBC Radio Foyle Breakfast Show and News At One programme to move forward on a ‘Digital First’ strategy…” read more
NUJ to ballot members for industrial action over radical changes at BBC Radio Foyle (24 Mar)
The government must not cherry pick reporters for press trips, says NUJ Parliamentary Group (20 Apr) – Complaints from titles excluded from a trip to Rwanda with the Home Secretary were followed up with the minister read more
NUJ voices concern over arrest of French publisher (18 Apr) – Ernest M. foreign rights manager for the French publisher Editions La Fabrique, was arrested by British police under terrorism legislation when he arrived in London for the London Book Fair read more
NUJ responds to BBC over local radio cuts (1 Apr) – The NUJ is happy to correct its figures and instead note that large parts of England will have less than half the 100 hour output per week that is specific to their local area. Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ general secretary said: “The #BBC have challenged the #NUJ’s statement decrying its plans that will see BBC local radio output plummet to just 40 hours per week. They have said that this is inaccurate and misleading, and confirmed that the actual minimum figure in local radio content will in fact be just 48 hours per week, when you factor some extra sports coverage that will take place across a week in some areas. The NUJ is happy to stand corrected and reiterates its deep concern and opposition to the BBC’s plans to lay waste to BBC Local radio output – slashing it in large parts of England to less than half the 100 hour output per week that local communities currently enjoy and rely upon.” Read more
Second BBC strike over cuts to radio will coincide with local elections (31 Mar) – BBC journalists in England have announced a second 24-hour strike from midnight on Friday 5 May to coincide with the reporting of local election results, over cuts to local radio. BBC management wants local radio stations to share programmes across the network from 2pm on weekdays and at weekends, going from more than 100 hours of local programming on every radio station every week, down to just 40. The plans will result in a number of job losses and journalists are now having to re-apply for their own jobs. The union says the proposals will slowly kill off local radio which has 5.7m loyal listeners. The first strike took place on Budget day, on March 15, and was followed by a work to rule which is already having a significant impact, proving just how much output depends on goodwill and working extra hours by the staff. This came to the fore when the late TV bulletin last week was moved to 11pm and because of the work to rule NUJ members walked out leading to most of the 11 regional bulletins being affected in some way read more
Equity
“The campaign to save our ENO is not over” we respond to the latest Arts Council England funding news (12 Apr) – Arts Council England (ACE) have announced that £24 million will be made available for English National Opera (ENO) to apply for to fund their activity in 2024-2026, in a joint statement released today. We welcome this announcement which represents a significant increase in funding compared to ACE’s initial offer in November, which has been achieved through the campaigning efforts of Equity members, others in the workforce and the public engagement with the ENO’s ‘Love ENO’ campaign. However, funding at this level still marks a significant real terms cut to ENO’s regular funding and is still being given on the condition that the company develop a primary base outside London which will come at a huge cost to the workforce. The campaign to save our ENO and protect ENO jobs is not over. Equity will continue to fight for a funding model which protects the freelance and permanent workforce based at the London Coliseum, who have built their lives and livelihoods around their work in London 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
UVW
The new national minimum wage of £10.42 per hour is still not enough! (17 Apr) – The national minimum wage has gone up to £10.42 per hour since April 1 2023, but it’s still not enough! £10.42 is the absolute minimum your employer should be paying you from now on if you are 23 years of age or older. Other rates apply if you are younger (Find out more here). Check your payslips to make sure the pay has increased accordingly. However, £10.42 is still very low given the high rates of inflation – currently at 13.4% – with food alone being around 20 per cent more expensive this year. You don’t have to accept low wages. So, if you are not already earning the London Living Wage of £11.95p/h, we want to encourage you and support you to demand more read more
IWGB
Mandate (Ireland)
Mandate challenges tesco ireland’s unilateral decision to impose significant rostering changes on instore ‘Dot Com Pickers’ (21 Apr) – Union says roster changes will cost ‘Dot Com Pickers’ thousands of euros in lost income despite proposed once-off compensation payment and consolidated pay scale. The Mandate Trade Union has today challenged Tesco Ireland’s decision to unilaterally impose significant changes to the rosters of instore ‘Dot Com Pickers’ – the staff who fulfil the orders made by online shopper read more
SIPTU (Ireland)
SIPTU members in the National Ambulance Service begin ballot for strike action (24 Apr) – SIPTU members in the National Ambulance Service (NAS) have begun a ballot for strike action in a dispute regarding the failure of the HSE to fully implement a series of reforms which would benefit this vital public service. The series of proposed reforms are contained in the Roles and Responsibilities Report for NAS, which was commissioned by NAS management, SIPTU and the HSE. It’s recommendations include the introduction of new grades of staff, new job descriptions and the upskilling of existing staff read more
SIPTU water workers in Limerick Cork, Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown and Fingal vote for strike action (20 Apr) – As SIPTU members in the water services ballot around the country to protect earnings for workers not transferring to isce Eireann but remaining in their local authorities, early results from Limerick, Cork, Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown and Fingal confirm huge support for strike action read more
SIPTU requests urgent meeting with Stryker management following serious accident at Cork plant (19 Apr) – SIPTU members have expressed their deepest sympathies to two workers who were seriously injured at the Stryker plant at Anngrove in Carrigtwohill, County Cork, yesterday (Tuesday 18th April) read more
Other news
‘Drawing the Line’ – exhibition by picket line artist Inga Bystram – 7 days a week at The Cock Tavern 23, Phoenix Road NW1 1HB (near Euston train station). Tel: 07908330117 Insta: ingabystram
Fight blacklisting and victimisation of union reps
Support Lee Fowler – Another blacklisted construction worker sacked after making complaints about safety on site
Solidarity with Lee Fowler, who has been dismissed by the electrical contractor Bilfinger after he raised safety issues at the Cargill’s Refinery site in Merseyside (next to the new Everton football stadium construction project). The experienced and highly qualified electrician made several complaints about unsafe working conditions and helped four co-workers to obtain a pay rise.
Lee Fowler commented after his dismissal: “I got the four lads a 14% pay rise and I raised health and safety concerns about the site. I was involved in a serious accident myself, and the subsequent report found no blame on my part whatsoever. I have repeatedly asked to see the safety documents relating to my accident, and that request has been repeatedly denied. And for that I was dismissed? I have fought for workers’ health and safety for over 30 years: they won’t silence me!”
Lee Fowler is a member of Unite the Union who are representing him. Frank Morris and Tony Seaman, UNITE Executive Council members for construction issued a joint statement: “It is really disappointing that in 2023, we continue to see workers who are prepared to raise genuine concerns about safety being targeted. Despite all that was promised by major contractors in the High Court in 2016, this issue continues to blight our members lives. Blacklisting is one of the reasons that the construction sector has such a horrendous safety record. We cannot stand by and watch union members be repeatedly victimised. Unite will never stop fighting the harassment faced by workers who stand up for their rights. An injury to one is an injury to all”.
Blacklist Support Group posted on their Facebook page: Lee Fowler is a leading member of the Blacklist Support Group – having first been blacklisted after becoming an OILC safety rep in the North Sea in the early 90s.
Construction workers who raise concerns about potential hazards that could affect people on site and the surrounding community should be applauded. The industry has glossy posters that encourage workers to speak out. But time and again, workers who are conscientious about safety get sacked. Get your banners ready, another blacklisting dispute is about to kick off.
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
Construction blacklisting: Evidence sought in union officials’ collusion inquiry (11 Apr) – Unite, the UK’s leading union, is stepping up its search for information into the possible collusion by trade union officials into the blacklisting of construction workers. In April 2022 Unite established an independent inquiry into allegations that some union officials may have colluded with the blacklisting of construction workers. Unite has instructed a legal team of Nick Randall KC (Matrix Chambers), John Carl Townsend (33 Chancery Lane Chambers) and Paul Heron from (Public Interest Law Centre), to examine and investigate whether any union officials from Unite or its predecessor unions (T&G, UCATT, Amicus, AEEU or MSF), were involved in the blacklisting of construction workers. The inquiry is now entering its next stage and an online portal has been launched to allow anyone who has any information relating to the inquiry to submit information read more
Builders Crack: The Movie
In the current situation, this long lost film from the 1990s about rank and file union organising in the construction industry is intended to lift the spirits, but also to spark a debate in our movement. Hope the youngsters in this film put a smile on your face.
Watch – Share – Discuss https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VZ-QMA1FMg
Blacklist Support Group
Book: http://newint.org/books/politics/blacklisted-secret-war/
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNcgrNs6pB8
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/groups/blacklist-SG/
Blog: www.hazards.org/blacklistblog
Blacklist Support Group financial appeal: the Blacklist support group is desperately short of funds, to continue the incredible work we need more finance, would you please consider making a donation, raise it at your branches and trade councils. Please make cheques payable to Joint sites committee and send to 70 Darnay Rise Chelmsford Essex CM1 4XA. Please forward onto your contacts many thanks Steve Kelly (JSC Treasurer)
Blacklisted t-shirts available at: https://shop.hopenothate.org.uk/component/hikashop/product/78-blacklisted-t-shirt
Keep an eye out for other Facebook and social media groups and pages that are being created. 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
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
FBU makes £10,000 donation to Syria and Turkey earthquake appeal (23 Mar)
Unison: Turkey earthquake solidarity appeal
NUJ: IFJ launches solidarity call to support journalists in Turkey and Syria
(From NUJ website) Yemen: journalists on death row released (18 Apr) – Four journalists have been freed as part of a three-day exchange between government and the Houthi movement read more
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!
September
10 NSSN TUC Rally Liverpool
CONTACT US
PHONE 07952 283 558
EMAIL mailto:[email protected]
TWITTER – https://twitter.com/NSSN_AntiCuts
FACEBOOK NSSN GROUP or STOP The CUTS Likes page
ADDRESS NSSN, PO Box 54498, London E10 9DE
