We headline this week’s NSSN bulletin with the strikes called by the RMT and ASLEF rail unions on the Train Operating Companies (TOCs). The RMT will be striking on 13th May and ASLEF will be out on May 12th and 31st and June 3rd.
Transport workers are one of the many groups of workers targeted by the Tory Government’s new anti-union Minimum Service Levels Bill. It is currently progressing through Parliament and could become law within weeks. 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.
2023 NSSN Conference – Saturday 24th June in Conway Hall, London 11am-4.30pm – Attendance fee £6. You can register on the day at conference or email us in advance via [email protected]
NSSN Conference letter for union branches and trades councils
RMT rejects proposals as employers torpedo negotiating process (27 Apr) – Rail union, RMT will launch strike action across 14 train operators on May 13th after rejecting the latest offer from the Rail Delivery Group. Following further discussions between the union and RDG, the employer issued a clarification on the offer RMT has been considering. The RDG is now saying they would only implement the first-year payment of 5% if the union terminated its industrial mandate meaning no further strike action could take place. Stage 2 discussions which are part of the offer made by the employer would then have to begin without the union having any industrial leverage at the negotiating table. Our NEC met earlier today to formally reject the proposal and as a result have named 24 hours strike action for Saturday 13 May. The union is currently re-balloting its members on the 14 train operating companies with a result expected May 4. If the union beats all the legal thresholds for turnout and achieves a “yes” vote, it will have a further 6-month strike mandate.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “The RDG have reneged on their original proposals and torpedoed these negotiations. No doubt their decision is due to pressure exerted on them by the Tory government. Therefore, we have no alternative but to press ahead with more strike action and continue our campaign for a negotiated settlement on pay, conditions and job security. We are re-balloting our members and if we beat the draconian anti-trade union laws on turnout, we will have a renewed mandate for action. We will then put on a further programme of strike action to make the employers and the government who continue to hold the puppet strings, see sense in this dispute.” Read more
ASLEF: Train Drivers to take three days of strike action (27 Apr) – Train drivers at 15 companies will be taking strike action on Friday 12 May, Wednesday 31 May, and Saturday 3 June 2023 in a long-running dispute. Avanti West Coast; Chiltern Railways; CrossCountry; East Midlands Railway; Great Western Railway; Greater Anglia; GTR Great Northern Thameslink; London North Eastern Railway; Northern Trains; Southeastern; Southern/Gatwick Express; SWR depot drivers; SWR Island Line; TransPennine Express, and West Midlands Trains. ASLEF members at these train companies have been in dispute for almost a year over the failure of management to offer a fair deal on pay. Most of the drivers have not had a pay increase at all since 2019 and with inflation still well over 10% and the cost of living spiralling, this is not acceptable read more
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: 6pm Wednesday 17th May Hackney Town Hall – Council staff are staging a protest after several library staff, including Hackney Unison Branch Chair Brian Debus, have been handed compulsory redundancy notices. Hackney Unison have 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!
NSSN news
2023 NSSN Conference – 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
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
RMT calls for talks to end the crisis on Scotland’s ferries (2 May) – SCOTLAND’S biggest ferry union RMT has written to Kevin Stewart MSP, the new Transport Minister in the Scottish government, to demand an urgent meeting over the increasingly fragile resilience of ferry services following the latest safety incident involving anti-union company Pentland Ferries. The vessel MV Pentalina grounded off the Orkney Islands over the weekend and experienced an engine room fire. All 60 passengers and some crew members were safely transferred to RNLI vessels read more
Bus workers survey reveals nearly half have experienced abuse at work (1 May) – 48% of bus workers have experienced incidents of workplace abuse in the last two years, an RMT survey has revealed. The most common form of abuse suffered was verbal (90%), over a fifth were spat and over 10% experienced physical assault. Racial harassment was experienced by over 10% of staff and over 60% of respondents have had to deal with threats of violence at work. Shockingly, 97% said they did not get any support (such as counselling or working arrangements) from their employers following an incident read more
RMT responds to major incident on MV Pentalina (29 Apr) – An RMT spokesperson said: “We are aware of a major incident onboard the MV Pentalina which has run aground, taking on water with a fire in the engine room. RNLI lifeboats have been dispatched and all of the ferry’s passengers and crew are reported to be safe. A thorough investigation will be needed to establish how this major incident aboard the Pentland Ferries vessel occurred.” Read more
Vote YES to defend your job, pensions and agreements: Defending jobs, pensions & agreements – London Underground (26 May) – Dear Colleague, Your ballot paper for the re-ballot to defend your jobs, pensions and agreements was posted to your home address on Monday 24th April so please look out for it arriving in the post this week. I have produced a video, along with your Lead Officer and NEC member, giving an update on the current position in this long-running dispute and the need for all members to vote YES to both questions in the reballot 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
TSSA
“Meet with us now” – TSSA plea to Scottish Transport Minister (26 Apr) – TSSA has written to Scotland’s Transport Minister, Kevin Stewart, yesterday (Wednesday) to press for a meeting to discuss in person the many issues facing ScotRail, Network Rail and CalMac and much more. Mr Stewart was appointed in late March by the new First Minister Humza Yousaf. However, TSSA, which represents members in ScotRail, Network Rail and CalMac, says that to date neither Mr Stewart nor his office have contacted them for a meeting, something which had been a regular occurrence with his predecessors, including Humza Yousaf himself read more
Minimum Service Levels – Evidence Session (25 Apr) – Rob Jenks, a white man with grey hair and short beard, giving evidence in a Westminster Parliamentary select committee room. The wall is wood pannelled. Rob is wearing a black suit jacket, white shirt and glasses. His hand is in the air. TSSA has been giving evidence in person to the Transport Committee of MPs in the Westminster Parliament as we continue the fight against the government’s ‘Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill’. The planned legislation is currently making its way through Parliament and has reached the committee stage. TSSA considers the plans, to impose minimum levels of service across the public sector during industrial action walkouts, to be totally unworkable and draconian. We are also challenging the legality of the legislation should it become law. In effect this would see some trade union members forced to continue working during strikes, undermining a basic human right of being able to withdraw their labour read more
Unite
Corporate greed could mean shortages of Coca Cola, Sprite & Fanta to quench thirsts this summer (3 May) – Strike ballot at Europe’s biggest soft drinks plant puts supplies of Coca Cola, Sprite, Fanta & Monster, and others, at risk. Coca Cola Europacific Partner’s pay offer goes ‘flat’ as their profits rise 37% to £1.85 billion. Supplies of Britain’s favourite soft drinks could run dry this summer because the hugely profitable Coca Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) won’t pay workers a fair wage which matches inflation. Hundreds of workers at the largest soft drinks plant in Europe, in Wakefield, are voting on industrial action after a pay offer which does nothing to address the cost of living crisis. This is after CCEP generated revenues over £15 billion (17 billion Euros) combined with an operating profit of £1.85 billion (2.1 billion Euros). The CCEP wage deal across different grades amounts to an average 6% increase. That’s gone ‘flat’ with the workers when inflation (RPI) is still booming at 13.5%read more
Unite NHS strikes to escalate despite staff council vote (2 May) – Vote to accept pay deal does not override Unite members’ rejection of the government offer. The vote by the NHS staff council to accept the government’s pay deal will not stop agreed strikes by Unite health service members going ahead. Unite NHS members rejected the government’s pay offer in a consultative ballot by 52 per cent on a turnout of 55 per cent. The consultative ballot result revealed very high figures of rejection for grades mostly in frontline services. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite’s NHS members have spoken and they rejected the deal. Because of this, Unite used its seats on the staff council to also vote against it. In fact, we will be escalating strike action. The staff council vote is not binding on individual unions and therefore the vote will not stop Unite representing the best interests of our members read more
Unite calls for joint investigation following HS2 West Midlands fatality (2 May) – Unite, the UK’s construction union, is calling for a full joint investigation to be carried out by the employer with the involvement of trade unions, following a fatal accident at a HS2 site in the West Midlands. On Thursday 27 April a man in his early 70s was seriously injured on the Balfour Beatty Vinci (BBV) joint venture site in Solihull. Despite the swift attention of the emergency services, he later died in hospital read more
Portsmouth council on “Highway to Hell” as road workers face poverty pay penury (2 May) – Unite, the UK’s leading union is demanding that Liberal Democrat led Portsmouth council takes immediate action to ensure that outsourcer Colas, who operate highways and street cleaning services, pays its workers a fair wage. Unite, which represents over 40 of the Colas workforce has discovered that many of the workers are only receiving the national minimum wage. The low pay rates are especially concerning as Portsmouth council has made great play of its commitment to become a national living wage employer. In order to qualify as a national living wage employer the council has to ensure that not only does it pay the real living wage, but that all its contractors do as well read more
“Appalling pay offer” provokes strike at the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (2 May) – Inflation is three times higher than the College’s pay offer of 4%. Strike action is set for 15-17 May, and 23-25 May during the College’s annual conference. Members of Unite employed by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) have set strike dates in a dispute over an “appalling pay offer”. Despite a 96% vote in favour of strike action on a 90% turnout, bosses still offered workers an appalling 4% pay increase when the rate of inflation is 13.5%. The offer was overwhelmingly rejected by Unite members by a margin of 93% read more
Unite blasts BP’s profiteering while the government sleeps at the wheel (2 May) – Shell makes £4 billion in the 1st quarter of 2023. Last year Shell and BP’s combined profits were a grotesque £55 billion read more
GSK strike wave across the UK begins in Montrose (1 May) – Multibillion corporation made an operating profit of £2.1bn in the first quarter of 2023. Workers employed by pharmaceutical giant GSK will stage a series of walkouts in a dispute over pay across the UK beginning in Montrose tomorrow (2 May). Over 160 workers who are members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, voted for strike action having rejected a below inflation pay offer of a six per cent pay increase, and a one-off lump sum of £1,300. Unite said the current offer represents a substantial real terms pay cut with the current inflation rate (RPI) standing at 13.5 per cent. The strike action beginning in Montrose tomorrow (2 May) until 4 May at 6am, will then spread throughout the UK during May. The strike action includes GSK’s Irvine plant where Unite members will also begin strike action on Thursday (4 May). It will then spread to Barnard Castle, Ware, Worthing and Ulverston read more
May day marks new beginning for outsourced NHS workers at Barts who become NHS employees (1 May) – May day marks new beginning for outsourced NHS workers at Barts who become NHS employees. Unite’s landmark victory to end the two tier workforce becomes a reality. The hard fought campaign included two weeks of strike action in February 2022. Unite’s landmark agreement with one of the UK’s largest NHS Trusts has become a reality today (1 May). The last tranche of the 1,800 NHS workers formerly employed by the outsourcer Serco are now directly employed by the NHS. Last year a tireless campaign by Unite activists and union reps, which included strike action, paved the way for the agreement. It meant cleaners, caterers, porters, security guards, ward hosts and domestic staff working at the Barts Health group of hospitals are now all on NHS pay, terms and conditions read more
Christie NHS strikes resume after Unite members reject govt pay offer (28 Apr) – Health workers demand pay rise that will end recruitment and retention crisis crippling NHS. Unite members working for The Christie NHS Foundation Trust and Christie Pathology Partnership will stage strike action on Tuesday (2 May) after rejecting the government’s pay offer by 54 per cent and 53 per cent respectively. Interviews and broadcast opportunities will be available at the picket line at Christie Hospital, Wilmslow Road entrance (M20 4BX) from 07:00. Unite NHS members across the UK rejected the government’s pay offer in a consultative ballot that closed today (Friday 28 April) by 52 per cent read more
South East Coast ambulance strikes begin after Unite members reject govt pay offer (28 Apr) – Health workers demand pay rise that will end recruitment and retention crisis crippling NHS. Unite members working for the South East Coast Ambulance Service will stage strike action on Tuesday (2 May) after they rejected the government’s pay offer by 58 per cent read more
South Central ambulance strikes begin after Unite members reject govt pay offer (28 Apr) – Health workers demand pay rise that will end recruitment and retention crisis crippling NHS. Unite members working for the South Central Ambulance Service will stage strike action on Tuesday (2 May) after they rejected the government’s pay offer by 56 per cent read more
West Mids ambulance strikes resume after Unite members reject govt pay offer (28 Apr) – Health workers demand pay rise that will end recruitment and retention crisis crippling NHS. Unite members working for the West Midlands Ambulance Service will stage strike action on Tuesday (2 May) after they rejected the government’s pay offer by 75 per cent read more
Yorkshire ambulance strikes begin after Unite members reject govt pay offer (28 Apr) – Health workers demand pay rise that will end recruitment and retention crisis crippling NHS. Unite members working for the Yorkshire Ambulance Service will stage strike action on Monday (1 May) after they rejected the government’s pay offer by 61 per cent read more
Striking NHS workers pay protest march from St Thomas’ Hospital to Trafalgar Sq (28 Apr) – Health workers demand pay rise that will end recruitment and retention crisis crippling NHS. The march on 1st May takes place on the same day as workers from Guys and St Thomas’ Trust and the Yorkshire Ambulance Service begin the first wave of nationwide NHS strike action. The strikes come after Unite’s health service members voted to reject the government’s pay deal by 52 per cent on a turnout of 55 per cent. Three quarters of staff at Guys and St Thomas’ rejected the pay deal read more
NHS strikes resume as Unite members reject government pay offer (28 Apr) – Unite members rejected offer by 52% in consultative ballot on a turnout of 55%. Unite NHS members have rejected the government’s pay offer in a consultative ballot that closed today (Friday 28 April) read more
Xplore Dundee workers balloted over strike action in pay dispute (28 Apr) – Around 200 Unite members reject ‘unacceptable’ pay offer. Unite the union announced today (28 April) that around 200 workers employed by Xplore Dundee are being balloted on strike action in a brewing dispute over pay. The bus workers involved in the ballot include drivers, duty managers, platform staff, and administrative staff. The workforce based from the East Dock Street depot have overwhelmingly rejected a 7 per cent pay offer made by Xplore Dundee. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Xplore Dundee workers are rightly demanding a fair and decent pay rise. The company has significantly improved its finances and come through the Covid pandemic in a good position. Xplore Dundee can afford to pay more but they are instead offering a real terms pay cut which is unacceptable. Unite will support our members in the fight for better jobs, pay and conditions.” Despite several rounds of negotiations, Unite has been informed by Xplore Dundee management that there will be no improvement on the current 7 per cent offer. The broader rate of inflation (RPI) stands at 13.5 per cent. The ballot opens 5 May and closes 18 May read more
Arriva Newcastle and Northumberland strikes off after Unite secures 12% pay rise (28 Apr) – More than 300 Arriva bus drivers and engineers in Newcastle and Northumberland have secured a one year pay deal worth 11.9 per cent, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today (Friday). An improved pay offer was put forward by Arriva after the workers voted overwhelmingly for industrial action. The possibility of strike action at Arriva across the region has now ended after the workers accepted the deal read more
Activists launch campaign against raising the State Pension age (27 Apr) – Campaigners convene in Parliament with giant balloons with the message: 68 IS TOO LATE. Supportive MPs and speakers from Unite, the National Pensioners Convention and the Scottish Pensioners Forum will press home the message read more
Chessington strikes off as engineers secure bumper pay deal (26 Apr) – Planned strike action involving engineers employed at Chessington World of Adventures, which would have disrupted the theme park throughout the May bank holiday weekends, has been called off following an improved pay offer. The industrial dispute was a result of the company attempting to impose a real terms pay cut on the engineers. However, following extensive talks at the conciliation service Acas earlier this week, a revised pay offer was made, which was worth an average of 13.53 per cent across the engineering bargaining group. Following a meeting of members the offer was accepted and the strikes called off read more
Whirlpool in a spin as Peterborough warehouse workers announce extensive strikes over ‘preposterous’ wage offer (26 Apr) – White goods maker Whirlpool is facing extensive disruption to its repairs service after workers at its Peterborough parts factory voted overwhelmingly for extensive strikes, due to their appallingly low pay rates. Around 70 members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, recorded a 98 per cent vote in favour of strike action. The workers who are responsible for supplying the company’s engineers with spare parts for repairs while also re-working machines that have been returned, only receive the national minimum wage of £10.42 an hour. Incredibly the company is effectively only proposing to increase workers’ pay by a penny so that they receive £10.43 an hour. Whirlpool offered its workers a pay increase of five per cent backdated to October 2022, a real terms pay cut. That offer was overtaken by the national minimum wage increase which came into effect on 1 April. With no further offer being made, the company is now effectively offering a one pence pay increase read more
Striking Harlow council workers to march on town hall to demand fair pay (26 Apr) – More than 300 staff responsible for Harlow council’s housing stock and maintaining council grounds and buildings are to march on the town hall to demand fair pay on 27th April read more
Workington refuse strikes to intensify as last gasp talks fail (26 Apr) – Refuse collection strikes affecting Workington and the surrounding area will begin tomorrow (27 April) after last gasp peace talks failed following an offer for which there is no justification at all. The 60 members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, involved in the dispute are employed by Allerdale Waste Services. The dispute is a result of the poverty pay rates the workers receive. Loaders are paid £10.90 an hour, which is barely above the minimum wage, while drivers, who must hold an HGV licence, are only paid £11.89 an hour. The pay rates are among the lowest paid to refuse workers throughout the UK. Last gasp peace talks were held on Monday but they collapsed when management refused to increase pay rates and instead only offered two extra days of annual leave read more
Scotland’s lighthouse workers set to take historic strike action as union takes aim at government ‘failure’ (25 Apr) – Over 90 per cent support action at Northern Lighthouse Board in pay dispute as concerns over safety at sea grow. Unite the union confirmed that its members employed by the Northern Lighthouse Board (NLB) are set to take historic strike action. Around 30 Unite members including able seamen, base assistants, cooks and technicians supported taking strike action by 90.6 per cent in a turnout of 86.5 per cent. The workers maintain and operate Scotland’s lighthouses, beacons and buoys at sea ensuring that vessels and ships have safe passage through Scottish waters. Strike dates will be announced in due course by Unite read more
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Mark Baulch: ‘Back this deal, regroup & prepare for future battles’ (27 Apr) – CWU Outdoor Secretary and Postal Executive members spell out the detail of the deal to national briefing of union reps from Royal Mail Delivery 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
Find out about our picket lines in May (2 May) – Our programme of targeted strike action continues in May in the Care Quality Commission, DWP, Passport Office and HMRC. Go along and show your support. Members working in the Passport Offices in Belfast, Durham, Glasgow, Liverpool, London, Newport, Peterborough and Southport are continuing their strike action until 6 May and passport interview officers in Birmingham, Corby, Hemel Hempstead, Leeds, Portsmouth, Sheffield and Plymouth will walk out from May 3-6. DWP members at 13 jobcentres in Liverpool and Glasgow will strike from 3-6 May and the Care Quality Commission are on strike for two days on 2 and 3 May. HMRC members working in East Kilbride and Benton Park View in Personal Taxation Operations on Employer Service will walk out on a series of dates starting from 10 May read more
Strike day rallies send defiant message to the government (28 Apr) – After hours of picketing, PCS members gathered for strike rallies and sent a demand to the government to give them what they deserve on pay, pensions and job security read more
Passport Office strikes solid and having real impact (28 Apr) – The number of appointments has been slashed and the amount of passports issued greatly reduced after nearly 4 weeks of PCS Passport Office strikes read more
Care Quality Commission workers to strike (28 Apr) – PCS members working for health regulator Care Quality Commission are striking for 2 days next week. The 90 staff in Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, London, Manchester, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Nottingham regulate health and social care bodies across England, including hospitals, care homes, GP practices and dental surgeries, ensuring the safe delivery of services. They will take action on 2 and 3 May and will be joined by colleagues in UNISON and Unite on 2 May, bringing the total of strikers to more than 1,000. The PCS strike is part of the union’s national campaign for better pay, pensions and redundancy terms and job security read more
HMRC targeted strike dates announced (27 Apr) – In an escalation of our ongoing targeted strike action we are asking all PCS members working in Personal Taxation Operations on Employer Service in East Kilbride and Benton Park View to strike from 10-12, 15-19, 22-26, 29-31 May and on 1 and 2 June 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
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
200-fold increase in cancellations of HSE investigations due to resourcing (27 Apr) – The number of mandatory HSE investigations that weren’t carried out because of resourcing issues increased nearly 200-fold between 2016/17 and 2021/22. This is shown in a new report from Prospect union, HSE under pressure: a perfect storm , which details the build-up of problems at HSE after years of underfunding, overwork and underpay 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 Cymru|Wales: Pay offer for Welsh civil servants “doubly disappointing” (19 Apr) – The FDA has met with the Welsh Government Finance Minister, Rebecca Evans MS, to discuss unequal pay for civil servants compared to other public sector workers read more
GMB
GMB members vote to accept NHS pay offer (28 Apr) – GMB members working in the NHS and ambulance service have voted to accept the NHS pay offer. Tens of thousands of health workers were balloted on the revised offer, negotiated between unions and the Government after months of strikes read more
Council advises staff to ‘use foodbanks’ in lieu of a pay rise (27 Apr) – GMB Union has today announced that key workers at Blaby District Council have backed a vote for strike action in a dispute over low pay at the council read more
Care workers jobs ‘at risk’ after HC-One sale announcement (27 Apr) – Hundreds of care workers’ jobs could be at risk after care home firm HC-One announced their intention to sell homes, GMB has warned today (Thursday). These workers – many of whom earn pennies above minimum wage – are now left unsure of their futures read more
King’s coronation parking strike to go ahead as talks stall (28 Apr) – GMB, the union for parking wardens, can confirm that the strike action being undertaken by parking wardens in Westminster will be going ahead from Tuesday 2 May and will include the day of King Charles III’s coronation. The union members are employed by Westminster Council’s contractor NSL, part of the Marston Holdings Group and are asking for a pay rise which reflects the rate of inflation and rising cost of living. The employer made an improved offer after the strike was announced which was overwhelmingly rejected by the members on Wednesday 26 April. With this offer having been rejected, the strike is now scheduled to go ahead as planned, on Tuesday 2, Thursday 4 and Saturday 6 May, with action short of a strike being carried out from 1 to 7 May inclusive read more
ASDA £11 billion debt merger threatens food supply and jobs (27 Apr) – A debt-laden merger between Asda and petrol forecourt business EG Group will threaten the UK’s food supply, fuel prices and 100,000 jobs, GMB has told the Trade Secretary. In a letter to Kemi Badenoch, Secretary of State for Business and Trade, the union points out ASDA’s debts are already thought to be more than £4.7 billion and any potential merger with EG Group could add more than £7 billion to the total read more
Coventry Amazon workers make historic bid for union recognition (27 Apr) – GMB union has started the process for union recognition at Amazon Coventry, after two weeks of strike action by workers at the fulfilment centre. Almost 700 Amazon Coventry workers are now GMB members, a number the union believes is more than half of workers at the site – the usual threshold for mandatory union recognition in a workplace. Amazon bosses have 10 days to respond and agree voluntary recognition. If there is no agreement, GMB Union will start the statutory process through the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC). This would be the first-time workers at a UK Amazon site have won recognition of a trade union for collective bargaining over pay, terms and conditions read more
GMB union slam DHL Life Sciences for minimum wage blunder (27 Apr) – GMB union have today slammed DHL life sciences after a pay blunder saw workers at the logistics giant receiving below minimum wage payments for the month of April. Workers at the employer do essential work transporting lifesaving medicines around the U.K. The UK minimum wage for those aged over 23 is currently £10.42, the pay blunder on the part of the company saw workers receiving below this read more
GMB union: Surrey NHS Commissioning Board ‘choosing cost cutting over patient safety’ (26 Apr) – If the Commissioners and the Integrated Care Boards want a fight over protecting PTS services against putting money in profiteers’ pockets, then they can have one, says GMB Southern
GMB, the union for ambulance professionals, has today sought to assure its members working in Surrey’s Patient Transport Services that it will be campaigning for services to remain within the NHS with current provider South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) 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
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
NHS workers must now get their money as soon as possible, says UNISON (2 May) – Following the majority union vote in favour of accepting the government’s pay offer at the NHS staff council today (Tuesday), ministers and employers must ensure health workers get their money as soon as possible, says UNISON read more
UNISON to challenge government strike-breaking laws at High Court (2 May) – The union is challenging government regulations that allow employers to hire agency staff to replace striking workers. Tomorrow, UNISON will be challenging the government’s new strike-breaking laws in the High Court. Since 1976, it has been unlawful for employers to introduce or supply agency workers to replace workers who are taking part in a strike or industrial action. For decades, it has been a criminal offence to knowingly supply agency workers on strike days. However, in the heat of last summer’s rail strikes, the government rapidly removed this key regulation without consulting trade unions. Since July 2022, agencies have been legally permitted to supply temporary workers to replace striking workers. UNISON argues that this is unlawful and violates fundamental trade union rights. The case will be heard at the High Court on 3 and 4 May this week alongside two parallel cases, brought by the NASUWT and the TUC, whose case is on behalf of eleven unions read more
Movement on pay needed to avoid delays and cancellations of CQC inspections, says UNISON (2 May) – Without CQC staff, all sorts of abuses, malpractice and neglect would go unnoticed. Staff at the Care Quality Commission (CQC) will strike today (Tuesday) in their ongoing dispute over pay, says UNISON today (Tuesday). Employees represented by UNISON, including those working in inspection teams, call centres and data analysis, will walk out along with colleagues belonging to PCS and Unite read more
Care workers in Liverpool secure living wage (28 Apr) – Wirral, Knowsley and Liverpool councils have committed to paying carers Foundation Living Wage. UNISON North West has secured the Foundation Living Wage for all care workers commissioned by Liverpool Council. The wage increase will come into place in April 2024. UNISON’s Stand Up for Social Care campaign began when the union conducted research to see which councils were paying carers above the living wage read more
England’s largest academy trust withholding back pay from staff, says UNISON (28 Apr) – Many workers at United Learning chain losing out on wages. United Learning Trust (ULT) – England’s largest school academy chain – is withholding £1.5m in back pay from employees, says UNISON today (Friday). The union has now launched a grievance on behalf of more than 3,000 support staff across the country against ULT, which runs 70 schools with more than 40,000 pupils 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!
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
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: 6pm Wednesday 17th May Hackney Town Hall – Council staff are staging a protest after several library staff, including Hackney Unison Branch Chair Brian Debus, have been handed compulsory redundancy notices. Hackney Unison have 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
Education Welfare Services waiting time concerns (28 Apr) – NIPSA reacts to reports concerning lengthy waiting times to access Education Welfare Services. NIPSA, the leading public sector Trade Union, representing over 8,000 members in the Education Sector, reacts to the news reports today concerning the lengthy waiting times for Education Welfare Services 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
RCN members vote to accept Four Seasons Health Care pay award (2 May) – Almost three quarters of eligible members who voted chose to accept the offer read more
Biggest nursing strike yet begins tonight (30 Apr) – The strike comes after 54% of eligible members who voted in our recent ballot on the UK government’s NHS pay offer voted to reject it. In response, we demanded the urgent re-opening of pay talks and announced a new strike with no national derogations. This means that for the first time, the strike will include nursing staff working in emergency departments, intensive care units, cancer care and other services that were previously exempt from strike action. The strike will be held at all NHS employers across England where we hold a mandate to strike, making it the biggest and most intense nursing strike to date read more
England nursing strikes: legal challenge latest (27 Apr) – Nursing strike cut short after High Court decision. A judge has ruled that our planned strike action at NHS workplaces across England must be cut short by a day. It will now end 11.59pm on 1 May, as opposed to 8pm on Tuesday 2 May. It’s after the UK government asked the High Court to assess whether the last day of our planned action – starting this Sunday evening (30 April) – fell outside our six-month mandate for strikes. Today, a judge ruled in the government’s favour read more
Anti-strike bill: RCN lobbying sees Lords pass crucial amendment (26 Apr) – Peers have voted in favour of an amendment, that the RCN helped table, to protect workers from being sacked for taking part in lawful strike action read more
RCN Wales consultative ballot on Welsh government’s latest pay offer for 2022-23 and 2023-24 now open (24 Apr) – RCN Wales members on NHS Agenda for Change contracts will be consulted online between Monday 24 April and 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 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 calls for quick implementation of England pay award (2 May) – The NHS Staff Council – made up of the 14 health unions including the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) – met today and based on the majority position from trade unions has accepted the Government’s pay offer for England for 2022/23 and 2023/24. The RCM is now calling for the award to be implemented as quickly as possible read more
Midwives say yes to England NHS pay offer (26 Apr) – Members of the RCM in England have voted to accept the latest NHS pay offer, following a consultation which closed yesterday read more
Midwives begin voting on latest Welsh Government pay offer (28 Apr) – Midwives and maternity support workers (MSWs) across Wales begin voting on the Welsh Government’s pay offer today. This comes as the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) pay consultation for its members working in the NHS in Wales opens, closing on 15 May. The RCM is recommending that is members accept the offer saying that this is a good deal and the best offer that can be achieved 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
BMA lobbying reaps changes to strike bill (28 Apr) – Peers secure legal protections for trade unions and consultation on minimum staffing levels proposal 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
Unions accept NHS pay offer in England (2 Apr) – Health unions including the CSP have voted to accept the UK government’s offer on NHS pay read more
CSP welcomes victory for unions as Lords vote to amend “Anti-strike” Bill (27 Apr) – The House of Lords has voted for amendments to the controversial Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill – in order to protect physiotherapy staff and other public sector workers from being unfairly dismissed for taking part in strike action read more
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
NEU
Wales : Minister’s announcement on cheaper school uniforms (2 May) – It is welcome that the Education Minister has taken this step to try and help ensure school uniforms are not a barrier to children attending school read more
2 May Strike Day – Gillian Keegan needs to come forward with a better pay and funding offer if she is to avert further strikes read more
Unions to co-ordinate action (28 Apr) – Education unions to announce they will co-ordinate industrial action going forward – ASCL, NAHT, NASUWT, NEU. In a joint press conference taking place today (Fri 28 Apr) at school leaders’ union NAHT’s Annual Conference in Telford, the general secretaries of all four education unions will announce that they intend to co-ordinate their unions’ industrial action moving forward read more
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
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
NASUWT
Teachers strike over variation of contracts through fire and rehire (2 May) – Members of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union at Farlington School in West Sussex are taking strike action today and tomorrow (Tuesday 2nd May and Wednsday 3rd May) as part of eight days of strike action throughout May over threats to sack staff unless they sign contracts that will leave them with deteriorating working conditions read more
Education unions announce they will co-ordinate industrial action going forward (28 Apr) – The general secretaries of all four education unions have announced that they intend to co-ordinate their unions’ industrial action moving forward. In an unprecedented show of unity, NAHT’s Paul Whiteman, NEU’s Kevin Courtney, ASCL’s Geoff Barton and NASUWT’s Dr Patrick Roach have spoken together about their plans to continue the dispute with Government over pay, school funding, and workload and conditions read more
NASUWT response to Guernsey teachers’ pay judgement (26 Apr) – Responding to the judgement of the Industrial Disputes Tribunal over the Guernsey teachers’ pay award, Dr Patrick Roach, General Secretary of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union, said: “The NASUWT is deeply disappointed that the Tribunal has ignored the clear evidence that was put before them and found entirely in favour of the States…” read more
Teachers at Durham High School take action over bullying (26 Apr) – Members of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union at Durham High School for Girls will be taking the first of three planned days of strike action tomorrow (Thursday) over bullying and intimidation by school management. Members have been subject to a long-standing culture of adverse management practices and treatment which has undermined their wellbeing, health and safety in the workplace read more
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
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
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
Union boss accuses government of ‘selling young people down the river’ as NAHT prepares to ballot school leaders to strike (28 Apr) – NAHT general secretary Paul Whiteman calls for the government to ‘come back to the table’ to negotiate following the rejection of its pay offer, as the school leaders’ union announces a fresh ballot of its members for strike action read more
NAHT to ballot school leaders in England for strike action (28 Apr) – School leaders’ union NAHT today (Fri 28 Apr) announces that it will formally ballot its members on industrial action over pay, funding, workload and wellbeing. At a meeting of the union’s National Executive Committee yesterday, held at its Annual Conference in Telford, NAHT’s NEC decided to hold a formal postal ballot of all its eligible members in England 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
College Lecturers Begin Industrial Action In Pursuit Of Fair Pay (2 May) – College lecturers, in all of Scotland’s 26 Further Education colleges, have begun a campaign of industrial action in pursuit of a fair pay award. Members of the EIS-FELA will engage in action short of strike (ASOS) consisting of a resulting boycott and work to rule. In the case of the resulting boycott, although student assessments will be marked, these marks will not be entered into college recording systems. The work to rule aspect of ASOS will mean that college lecturers no longer carry out duties beyond what is stated in their contract, including hours of work. If the action short of strike fails to produce a fair pay award, the EIS-FELA will consider escalating industrial action to include strike action to coincide with the new academic year in August 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
A message of thanks to our members from the Northern Secretary (27 Apr) – On behalf of Northern Committee I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our members who took part in yesterday’s historic strike action, where, for the first time all of the recognised teachers unions took part, along with comrades from other public sector unions. It was a massive show of strength to those with the power who make decisions of the determination of teachers across the north that they will be valued and that they want a real terms salary uplift that truly reflects the work they do with children and young people, in preparing them to be the future leaders in our society. It was humbling to see the numbers who stood on picket lines and who attended the rally in Belfast yesterday, in their continued campaign for fair pay read more
UCU
Keir Starmer tuition fee U-turn ‘deeply disappointing’ (2 May) – Responding to Labour leader Keir Starmer’s U-turn on pledging to abolish student tuition fees in England, UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: ‘Keir Starmer repeatedly pledged to abolish the toxic system of tuition fees and in doing so was elected leader of the Labour party. It is deeply disappointing for him to now be reneging on that promise, a move which would condemn millions of future students to a life of debt. What we really need is a positive vision for higher education that puts staff and students first…” read more
Pay rises of up to 12% for University of Chichester bosses while staff get just 1% (27 Apr) – UCU condemned University of Chichester vice-chancellor Jane Longmore for refusing to raise the pay of her workforce by more than a paltry 1%. The refusal comes as the university’s latest accounts show the salary of the second highest paid member of staff rose by at least £15k, an increase of 12%, between 2021 and 2022 read more
More strikes at Darlington College after staff reject ‘offensive’ 3% pay offer (27 Apr) – Staff at Darlington College will strike for two consecutive days on Tuesday 9 and Wednesday 10 May after rejecting a lowball 3% pay offer. The union said there is still time for the strike to be halted, but that the college must make staff a realistic offer that helps them meet the cost-of-living crisis. Staff have already been on strike for three days so far this academic year after the college imposed a pay award of just 1% for 21/22 and UCU is reballoting its members so it can call further action read more
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
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
Devolved administrations could lead campaign to block anti-strike laws, says FBU (28 Apr) – The Fire Brigades Union has today set out how devolved administrations in Scotland and Wales could play a crucial role in blocking the implementation of the government’s Minimum Service Levels Bill. Writing to the Humza Yousaf and Mark Drakeford today, Fire Brigades Union general secretary Matt Wrack called on the Scottish and Welsh governments to convene government-led summits with unions with a view to “launching a united campaign of resistance” against the legislation, “which is an authoritarian attempt to effectively outlaw strikes in many sectors”. The move follows a commitment from Scotland First Minister Humza Yousaf that the Scottish Government would “never issue or enforce a single work notice” if the Bill becomes law. Earlier this week, the UK government suffered a series of defeats in the House of Lords, which could hamper the Bill’s progress 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
POA
POA ballot results on NHS pay offer (2 May) – POA balloted it’s healthcare members on the Government’s improved offer to those staff covered by the Agenda for Change Pay Negotiations. Members were offered a one-off cash payment of 6% to settle 2022-23 pay and 5% to settle 2023-24 pay. The POA made no recommendation believing it is down to members to decide whether the pay offer should be accepted or rejected. POA members have overwhelmingly voted to reject the pay offer and to take strike action. The POA is always willing to engage in meaningful dialogue with the Employer as our door is always open read more
NAPO
Pension news – No detriment as a result of a reduction in employers contribution (28 Apr) – Members have been querying the reduction in the employers contribution to the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) as shown in their pay slips . The scheme is administered by the Greater Manchester Pension Fund (GMPF) who undertake a triennial review of employers contributions. Unfortunately this news was not shared with pay roll providers or the trade unions in advance thus causing unnecessary concern. It is important to note that the GMPF have issued a statement* to say that even though some individuals may see a reduction in the amount that is deducted from pay and paid to GMPF due to the change in the employers contribution rate, this does not impact the accrual of your pension benefits in any way read more
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
BBC local radio strike paused as members decide on revised plan (2 May) – Friday’s strike is now off, as members vote on whether to accept new BBC proposals. Strike action over cuts to BBC local radio has been paused following talks brokered by the arbitrator ACAS. Members in local radio, local TV and online were due to stage a 24-hour walk out on Friday 5 May to coincide with the results of the local elections. The journalists have now been sent a consultative ballot on whether they are willing to accept a revised proposal from BBC management and end the dispute or to reject it and continue with strike action and the work to rule. This means that from noon on Friday 28 April to Tuesday 9 May the work to rule is paused and the planned strike on Friday 5 May is postponed. If the proposals are rejected, the work to rule will recommence from Wednesday 10 May read more
World Press Freedom Day 2023 – This year marks 30 years since the proclamation of an international day for press freedom. The NEC has committed to prioritise work on this area, recognising the importance of World Press Freedom Day (3 May) read more
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)
Equity
Sign and share this petition to reinstate the English National Opera (ENO) funding and lobby your MP to back our industries and their workforce
USDAW
Protect the right to strike! Usdaw urges Peers to vote down the Government’s anti-union legislation (26 Apr) – Retail trade union Usdaw is calling on Members of the House of Lords to reject the Government’s Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill, which has been timetabled for its report stage in the House of Lords today (Wednesday 26 April) read more
UVW
UVW back in court to defend victory against discriminatory outsourcing at Royal Parks (27 Apr) – On April 18, we were back in court to defend our groundbreaking 2021 victory against discriminatory outsourcing at the Royal Parks after a tribunal refused the government’s request to support the institution’s legal appeal against us. A win here could ring the death knell of outsourcing as we know it, fundamentally change the shape of the labour market and lead to billions in redistributed wealth to the lowest paid subcontracted workers in the UK. In November 2021, UVW union won a watershed legal victory against outsourcing at Royal Parks for indirect racial discrimination of their majority Black and brown park attendants and cleaners who were on less pay than in-house workers. Our landmark legal victory established that the charity’s policy to consciously choose to not pay them the London Living Wage, when their mainly white in-house employees were entitled to it, amounted to indirect race discrimination read more
Mass strike ballots for UVW cleaners, carers and concierges open on International Workers’ Day! (26 Apr) – “We need to go out together, it doesn’t matter if you are different workers in different workplaces.The most important thing is to be united” – Julia, UVW member at Sage Nursing home. Seven workplaces, seven strike ballots, one common purpose: fight together for better pay and conditions! United Voices of the World (UVW) cleaners, carers and concierges from seven workplaces across London and the South East will be voting on strike action for improved pay and conditions as ballots open simultaneously on International Workers Day (May 1). This is set to be UVW’s biggest industrial action to date as members join the current strike wave across the private and public sectors read more
IWGB
Deliveroo challenged by IWGB in the Supreme Court over riders’ collective bargaining rights (25 Apr) – The Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) is challenging Deliveroo’s denial of collective bargaining rights in the Supreme Court after 7 years of legal disputes between Deliveroo and the union. This will take place almost a year after the gig-economy giant signed a so-called ‘partnership’ deal with the GMB union read more
An open letter from the family of Gabriel Bringye to head of Bolt UK Gareth Taylor – “Dear Gareth, On Friday this week it will be two years since Gabriel was killed. That day, the Bolt app recorded him as unresponsive and stationary for almost six hours and failed to raise so much as an automated welfare check. Over the last two years we have tried to piece our lives back together and remember Gabriel as he was: a beautiful kind person who would do anything for those he loved. We want to focus on the many amazing memories that we have of him but due to your inaction we are forced to return to what happened on that day in order to get justice for Gabriel and the many other drivers who continue to work in unsafe conditions for Bolt…” read more
Mandate (Ireland)
Successful May Day strike at Corrib Oil Ballinasloe (2 May) – Mandate Trade Union wants to express its great appreciation to the public in the Ballinasloe area for their tremendous support for yesterday’s one-day strike at the Corrib Oil filling station in the town. The union is also profoundly grateful to all of the activists from around the country who came to offer their support on the picket line yesterday read more
SIPTU (Ireland)
SIPTU community sector workers vote for 5% pay rise (28 Apr) – SIPTU members employed in community sector organisations funded by the Department of Social Protection have overwhelmingly voted to accept a 5% pay rise this year. The agreement also includes a mechanism for the workers to negotiate future wage increases 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 read more about Lee’s case
Support the ‘Murphy 4’ Campaign to reinstate sacked Unite members read more
Protest as Hackney Unison chair amongst those handed compulsory redundancies in libraries shake-up: 6pm Wednesday 17th May Hackney Town Hall – Council staff are staging a protest after several library staff, including Hackney Unison Branch Chair Brian Debus, have been handed compulsory redundancy notices. Hackney Unison have 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
#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
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
