This year’s NSSN Conference comes at a crucial time for the trade union movement. The new Tory anti-union ‘Minimum Service Level’ Bill could be law within weeks – raising the potential fining of unions and sacking of workers. We have a model motion on this new Tory attack, to aid the discussion at conference (see below).
But this isn’t the act of a strong and powerful Tory Government – far from it. Sunak is leading a weak and divided Conservative administration, with Johnson forced out and Tory MPs resigning.
Workers and unions are fighting back as the strike wave grows against the cost of living squeeze. The NSSN believes that we are at our strongest when we strike together
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 register in advance here
Confirmed speakers so far: NIPSA General Secretary Carmel Gates, BFAWU General Secretary Sarah Woolley, POA General Secretary Steve Gillan, Unite National Lead Officer Onay Kasab, NAPO National Official Annoesjka Valent, RMT London Transport Regional Organiser Jared Wood, GMB Officer Gary Palmer from the victorious #GMBThree (personal capacity) plus striking workers from recent and current disputes
NSSN Conference letter for union branches and trades councils Facebook event
If you would like to come on to the NSSN Steering Committee, let email us at [email protected] or let us know at the Conference. Also, email us if you would like a campaign stall at the Conference
Conference Agenda
Conference chairing team: Katrine Williams, Rob Williams, Kris O’Sullivan
11am – start of Conference
First session: ‘Building the Strike Wave – how workers are fighting back against the Cost of Living Squeeze’
Discussion and reply
Appeal for affiliations to NSSN
1.30pm-2.30pm lunch
2.30pm Second session: Fighting the Tory anti-union laws
Moving motion and discussion
Steering Committee elections
Reply and close of conference by 4.30pm
Model Motion on Tory Minimum Service Levels Bill
This conference/union/branch/trades council recognises the ‘Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill’ is a major attack on trade union rights. Sunak’s Conservative government are attempting draconian, undemocratic measures to curtail the right to strike.
Coming on the back of four decades of brutal Tory anti-union legislation, from that of Thatcher and Major through to Cameron, Johnson and now Sunak, it is clearly designed to cut across the strike wave across all sectors, rather than tackle the causes of the cost-of-living crisis. This is another crude attempt to shift the blame for inflation onto the working class whereas every worker knows it is the bosses and their class’s profiteering, which has created the crisis.
The bill would allow employers to issue a notice to unions setting out who is required to work during a strike. This potentially leaves unions who refuse to comply open to serious financial penalties through sequestration of funds and removes workers’ protection from being dismissed for undertaking lawful industrial action.
We believe no individual union or member should be left isolated and the whole of the trade union movement must mobilise – collectively – in defence of workers’ rights.
We demand:
1. All unions and the TUC urgently call a national Saturday demonstration against the new law;
2. Keir Starmer pledges an incoming Labour government to reverse fines and other measures taken against any union under the terms of the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act;
3. All employers refuse to use the provisions of the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act and that a lead in such non-compliance be given by any government, council, fire authority or other employer led by the Labour Party;
4. If any union is taken to court or worker threatened with dismissal, an emergency demonstration is called and an immediate meeting of the TUC General Council be convened to organise mass co-ordinated strike action, including a 24-hour general strike;
5. The repeal of all anti-union legislation.
We support the NSSN rally to be held at TUC Congress in Liverpool on Sunday 10 September lobbying for this programme of action.
NSSN news
Get your trade union branch or trades council to affiliate to the NSSN – it only costs £50. Already affiliated? Please think about renewing it. Also, many of our supporters pay a few pounds a month. You can set up a similar standing order to ‘National Shop Stewards Network’, HSBC – sort code 40-06-41, account number 90143790. Our address is NSSN, PO Box 54498, London E10 9DE. Feel free to use this affiliation letter.
And if you can, come to one of our regional Conferences. If there is not one in your area, get in touch to either assist in organising or have a speaker at one of your meetings or events. Contact Rob or 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
London Overground workers to be balloted for strike action (19 Jun) – RMT members working as revenue protection inspectors on Arriva Rail London are being balloted for strike action from today. Workers are being asked whether they want to take strike action over a collective grievance not being adequately dealt with and the employer refusing to follow the right procedures in the collective bargaining agreement with the union. The ballot will run from today and close on Tuesday 11th July read more
Sign the petition to support rail cleaners (15 Jun) – Dear colleague, Sign new petition to win travel facilities for rail cleaners, security guards and other outsourced workers. 15th June is International Justice Day for Cleaners and Security Guards, which is held each year in memory of a group of Los Angeles janitors who were beaten up by the police during a peaceful demonstration against their contractor. RMT is stepping up its campaign for outsourced workers across our railways and today we’ve launched a new petition calling on the Secretary of State for Transport Mark Harper to follow the Mayor of London’s lead and introduce free travel facilities for outsourced workers on the railway. Please take a moment to sign this petition now: https://www.megaphone.org.uk/petitions/urgent-support-for-rail-cleaners. Apsana Begum MP has also tabled an Early Day Motion in Parliament, which you can see here: https://edm.parliament.uk/early-day-motion/61036 read more
RMT writes to Scottish Transport minister over CalMac (14 Jun) – RMT has written to Fiona Hyslop MSP – the new Scottish Transport Minister, requesting an urgent meeting over the future of CalMac. The Scottish ferries union is campaigning for CalMac to be taken into public ownership on a permanent basis read more
CalMac Ferries must be taken into public ownership permanently – RMT (13 Jun) – RMT today called on the Scottish government to commit to keeping CalMac Ferry services in permanent public ownership when the current contract ends in September 2024. The Scottish Ferries union made the demand after it was revealed the deadline for re-tendering the contract had now passed. It takes at least 18 months to draw up specifications in the contract and to launch a tendering process for Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services. The current contract expires in September 2024. This also means that at the very least the Scottish Government will now have to make a temporary extension by direct award to the existing contract operated by CalMac. RMT general secretary Mick Lynch will meet with MSPs in the Scottish Parliament Tuesday evening to make the case for a “People’s CalMac.” Read more
Lifeline Ferry report launched (13 Jun) – The report by Professor Jeanette Findlay of the Adam Smith Business School at the University of Glasgow is on the future financing and delivery of lifeline Scottish ferries.The report event is on Tuesday 13th June 2023, Scottish Parliament Committee Room 6, 1730-1930. Food and refreshment will be provided. Professor Findlay’s work, commissioned by the RMT, is a critique of the controversial ‘Project Neptune’ report on ferry governance by Ernst & Young for Transport Scotland. The findings are a stark reminder of the clear public interest in retaining CalMac ferry services in the public sector, in the face of a resurgent privatisation lobby exploiting the Ferguson Marine fiasco and legitimate passenger concerns read more
Station overtime ban announced (7 Jun) – Dear Colleagues, DEFENDING JOBS, PENSIONS & AGREEMENTS – LONDON UNDERGROUND (LUL/14/2). Further to my previous Circular (IR/148/23, 24th May 2023), I wrote to LUL seeking talks in an effort to make progress over this dispute and in particular, the new rosters and staffing cuts which have been imposed on stations leading to unprecedented levels of station closures and a deterioration of members’ work life balance. The clear need for full and proper station staffing has been further highlighted by recent serious assaults on station staff. The Company responded, acknowledging some key issues which our Reps have raised including work life balance and the impact of more weekend working and extreme shifts; increased fatigue; increased station closures; the effect on other grades used to keep stations open. The Union advised that many of these issues could be resolved by adding staff back into rosters; converting CSA2 roles into CSA1 roles; increasing the number of part time weekend CSAs and the Company has agreed to talks to explore these options with a view to positively addressing our concerns. As a result, the National Executive Committee took the decision to SUSPEND THE OVERTIME AND REST DAY WORKING BAN which was due to commence from Thursday 1st June to allow these talks to take place. The mass members meeting took place on 30th May and it was the clear wish of affected members that new dates for an overtime and rest day working ban are called for Stations and Revenue Grades. The Lead Officer has consulted with your Stations Functional Council Reps and this matter has been considered by the National Executive Committee which has taken the decision to instruct ALL LUL STATIONS & REVENUE GRADES: Not to work any Overtime or Rest Day Working from 00:01 hours on Sunday 25th June 2023 to 23:59 hours Saturday 1st July 2023. These new dates allow two clear weeks of talks for LUL to engage positively with us over our demands to restore jobs, upgrade CSA2s and return weekend working to previous levels using additional part time CSAs. The Union remains ready to defend all our terms and conditions and I will keep Branches advised of all further developments read more
London Underground staff vote to extend strike mandate with huge YES vote (23 May)
RMT writes to MPs as 20,000 railway workers’ strike (2 Jun) – RMT general secretary Mick Lynch has written to all MPs, criticising the government for its handling of the long running national railway dispute. In the letter, Mr Lynch accuses the government of deliberately “squandering billions of pounds on a futile war against the rail unions” and demanding that parliamentarians write to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to insist the government facilitate an improved offer that “will protect staffing and services and deliver a fairer deal for rail workers” read more
Stork offshore workers take strike action (1 Jun) – Offshore workers are taking strike action today in a row over pay, rotas and other conditions. RMT members working for Stork Technical Services are taking action to get a decent pay offer, changes to rotas and other outstanding conditions of work. The strike started at 06:30 hours on Thursday 1 June and will last until 06:29 on Saturday 3 June. Workers will also be on strike next week for 48 hours on Thursday 8 until 10 June. Unions had been led to believe the employer was prepared to make an improved offer but nothing in writing emerged read more
ASLEF
ASLEF: overwhelming support for continued industrial action (14 Jun) – Members of ASLEF, the train drivers’ union, have voted overwhelmingly to continue strike action in the union’s ongoing national dispute over pay. Members of ASLEF, the train drivers’ union, have voted overwhelmingly to continue strike action in the union’s ongoing national dispute over pay. Commenting on the ballot results, General Secretary Mick Whelan said: “Once again our members have decided, and made it clear that we are in this for the long haul. Train drivers are sick to the back teeth of their employers and the government failing to negotiate in good faith, and blaming drivers for their inability to manage services and the rail industry effectively…” read more
TSSA
BREAKING NEWS!! TfL Bonus scheme “Plainly unfair” – TSSA (20 Jun) – TSSA today (Tuesday) condemned Transport for London (TfL)’s “plainly unfair” bonus scheme which will see eyewatering payouts to Directors whilst the lowest paid staff receive nothing. Staff in TfL’s lowest pay band – Band 1 – have seen wages stagnate since 2016 owing to cost cutting measures brought in after TfL’s operating grant was axed by former London Mayor, Boris Johnson. This month TfL announced that it was using a £79 million “operating surplus” (profit) to award bonuses to staff in other pay bands. However Band 1 staff will receive nothing because they have been excluded from the company’s “Pay for Performance” scheme. Expected bonuses for top earners range from 30-50 per cent of salary for TfL Commissioner Andy Lord, whilst Chief Officers could receive up to 30% and Directors 20%. In many cases these bonuses are more than Band 1 staff earn in a year read more
TSSA Condemns ScotRail Fares’ Rise (15 Jun) – Transport and travel union TSSA has criticised the Scottish Government’s decision to raise ScotRail fares by 4.8 per cent. The increase will take effect from 3 July and excludes season and flexi tickets read more
Northern Ireland Department for Infrastructure’s proposals to remove 60+ pass “wrong-headed and short-sighted” (15 Jun) – TSSA today (Thursday) condemned proposals by the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) to increase the age of concessionary travel in Northern Ireland. The Department for Infrastructure is seeking views on changes to the Department’s policy on free and discounted fares on public transport under the Northern Ireland Concessionary Fares Scheme read more
TSSA says lack of air conditioning ‘utterly ridiculous’ at TfL (13 Jun) – TSSA, the largest union across Transport for London (TfL) has described as ‘utterly ridiculous’ a lack of air conditioning in a key TfL building as staff face heatwave temperatures across the capital. Workers at TfL’s Pier Walk office building have been advised by senior managers to work from home because the air conditioning is not sufficient read more
Unite
BREAKING NEWS!! Edinburgh University joiners to strike over pay (20 Jun) – Union warns of student safety concerns as 72-hour action set to start. Joiners employed by the University of Edinburgh are set to strike for 72-hours starting on Friday (23 June) in a long-running dispute over pay. Around a dozen estates department workers who are members of Unite previously voted for strike action by 100 per cent over the failure by University management to address pay disparities on campus. The trade union is highlighting that joiners, despite undertaking a four-year apprenticeship, are paid around £2,000 a year less than locksmiths who undertake training for two weeks. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “The joiners at the University of Edinburgh fully deserve pay parity with other tradespersons on campus. Unite’s members provide skilled and vital work which keeps students safe in the event they are locked out their accommodation. We will support them all in the way in their fight for better jobs, pay and conditions.” A series of stoppages will take place throughout June and July with the first beginning at 8am on Friday (23 June) and continuing up to 26 June when the action concludes at 7:59am read more
BREAKING NEWS!! Unite members set for industrial action on Water Services Framework (20 Jun) – Water delivery workers in local authorities to down tools on Friday 30 June. Unite seeking changes to Water Services Framework including referendum commitment. Unite members involved in water delivery services around the country will take industrial action on Friday 30 June. The dispute follows members’ decision to reject the ‘Framework for the Future Delivery of Water Services’ document put forward by the Workplace Relations Commission last year. The dispute centres around the failure of the local authorities and their representative association to engage with Unite concerning what the union believes to be shortcomings in the Framework document read more
BREAKING NEWS!! BP Petrofac workers latest to accept improved wage offer (20 Jun) – 9% wage increase as long-running dispute over. Unite, the UK’s leading offshore trade union, can confirm today (20 June) that its members on BP Petrofac installations have accepted a significantly improved wage offer bringing the long-running dispute to an end. Around 90 workers overwhelmingly backed a new offer which is the equivalent to a 9 per cent salary uplift. The deal consists of three elements those being the Energy Services Agreement (ESA) 4 per cent increase, a third week’s leave paid from offshore time, and an increase to the existing retention allowance read more
BREAKING NEWS!! Tara Mines: Unite and Connect submit proposals to management (20 Jun) – Unions still awaiting full financial disclosure from company. June 20th: Trades unions Unite and Connect, along with Siptu representatives, attended a meeting between unions and management in Tara Mines today, in a further bid to avert the suspension of operations announced by Tara Mines’ Swedish parent company, Boliden. Unite represents craft and staff grades in the mine, while Connect represents craft grades. The two unions submitted proposals to the company regarding ways in which cost savings could be made without a suspension of operations and temporary layoff of the workforce read more
Tara Mines: Unite and Connect warn Boliden against cutting costs on backs of workers in Ireland (19 Jun) – Company repeatedly fails to provide profit details as workers face layoff. In a joint statement issued after a meeting between unions and management at Tara Mines today (Monday), trade unions Unite and Connect said that management has repeatedly failed to provide information on current and future profits generated by Tara mines, choosing instead to focus solely on their cost base. Pointing out that the Boliden group, of which Tara Mines is a subsidiary, is an exceptionally profitable company returning significant dividends to its shareholders, the unions warned Boliden against attempting to cut operating costs on the backs of workers in Ireland read more
Regulator of Social Housing on strike (20 Jun) – Striking for a week. There was a determined mood on the Regulator of Social Housing picket on Monday. Strike action had the Housing Ombudsman, another quango with a similar relation with the government, had been suspended on Friday following talks but the strike at the regulator continues for a week. Both groups of workers are calling on their employer to respond to the pressures of inflation currently standing at 11.4% RPI read more
First Manchester bus drivers to strike over ‘inadequate’ pay offer (19 Jun) – First Group profits soar but drivers’ pay is ‘worst in region’. Around 360 bus drivers employed by First Manchester will strike in July over an “inadequate” pay offer, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today (Monday). Drivers at First Manchester earn less than other bus companies in the area. First Manchester drivers earn £13.50 an hour, while Go North West pays £14.37, Diamond Bus £14.30 and Stagecoach £14. The difference in wages is expected to increase as the other companies implement their yearly pay increases. First Manchester drivers say that without a significant pay rise, chronic staff shortages and overwork will worsen at the company. The workers have rejected a 7.4 per cent pay offer backdated to April with a further 3.4 per cent in October. First Groups’ 2022 annual report, released earlier this month, shows that operating profits increased by more than £6 million to £226.8 million read more
Leeds First West Yorkshire bus strikes suspended as workers balloted on new offer (19 Jun) – Leeds bus strikes, by members of Unite employed at First West Yorkshire, will be suspended for two weeks from Tuesday (20 June) to allow workers to be balloted on an improved deal. Following extensive negotiations over the weekend, a new offer was put forward by First West Yorkshire’s management. Unite regional officer Darren Rushworth said: “Following an improved offer from First West Yorkshire, Unite has, as an act of good faith, suspended strikes while our members are balloted on the new deal.” Approximately 800 bus drivers based in Leeds are involved in the dispute. Strikes will resume if the workers reject the new deal read more
Manchester Metrolink dispute ends as workers accept improved pay offer (19 Jun) – The Manchester Metrolink dispute has ended after workers accepted an improved pay offer. The 600 plus members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, at the company have accepted an offer of a 6.5 per cent pay increase and a £1,000 one off payment. The deal is worth over nine per cent for many of the workers read more
Sullom Voe oil terminal workers accept improved wage offer (19 Jun) – Unite secures 8.1% wage increase backdated to April last year. Unite the union can confirm today (19 June) that its members working at Sullom Voe oil terminal in the Shetland Islands have accepted an improved wage offer. Around 30 key workers employed by Equans FM overwhelmingly voted to accept the offer by 80 per cent. The terminal workers are now set to receive an 8.1 per cent wage uplift covering the April 2022 to end of March 2023 period. Negotiations for this year’s pay award will also start immediately read more
“Cost of Greed” protest at Future of Utilities summit (19 Jun) – What: protest at Future of Utilities summit; When: Tuesday 20 June between 2pm – 4pm; Where: The Business Design Centre, London, 52 Upper Street, N1 0QH. Demands for energy nationalisation are growing. Research from debt charities expose the impact profiteering has on households. Taking energy into public ownership would end the scandal of energy company profiteering. That’s the loud message activists will deliver to a major gathering of leading figures from the profiteering energy industry at the Future of Utilities summit in London. Campaigners will hold a giant banner with “Cost of Greed” emblazoned across it. According to Unite research Energy companies made £45 billion in profit from the UK domestic energy system in 2022. If that money had been kept in public hands, it could have been used to save each household £1,800 on their energy bills read more
Callous St Mungo’s ‘corporate’ bosses provoke indefinite strike action (19 Jun) – Workers to take indefinite strike action from June 27. Protests planned against St Mungo’s trustees. Workers at the homeless charity St Mungo’s will extend their month long strike indefinitely thanks to management’s ‘do nothing’ approach to negotiations. This momentous decision has been provoked by the on-going indifference of management and trustees who callously refuse to acknowledge the struggle front line workers face to pay the bills. After tax and deductions frontline workers take home less than £20,000 a year. Many of the workers are now in fear themselves after being unable to pay their rent or mortgage on their current poverty wages. The indifference of the management and trustees to their own staff smacks of the corporatisation of the charity sector. The month long strike ends 26 June and the indefinite strike begins on 27 June. Unite balloted over 500 workers across southern England including in London, Bristol, Brighton, Oxford, Bournemouth and Reading. Unite general secretary, Sharon Graham said: “St Mungo’s workers are taking indefinite strike action because management and the trustees are displaying astonishing callousness. This attitude is corporate Britain meets the charity sector. The workers know St Mungo’s can afford to improve front line workers’ pay. That’s why the blame for this indefinite strike lies with St Mungo’s management and Board. “I want to make it absolutely clear that the workers have Unite’s ongoing support. The charity’s has stubbornly refused to improve its pitiful 2.25% offer despite St Mungo’s having £16 million in cash and substantial reserves. The homeless charity still hasn’t resolved a pay dispute going back to 2021 in the midst of falling pay and a cost of living crisis. Activists have also begun staging protests outside the workplaces of Trustees. They cannot wash their hands of responsibility. The Trustee must demand action. Unite regional officer Steve O’Donnell said: “The workers at St Mungo’s are sending a powerful message to management and trustees. They haven’t taken this decision likely – they have been driven to this…” read more strike fund More info on Unite Housing Workers website
Church of England clergy submit pay claim for first time in history (19 Jun) – Church of England clergy, represented by Unite, the UK’s leading union, have for the first time in their history submitted a formal pay claim, as their members struggle with the cost of living crisis. Unite, which represents over 2,000 clergy and lay officers in the Church of England, has submitted a claim for an increase in the stipend that clergy receive of 9.5 per cent to be paid from April 2024. Unite’s Church of England Clergy & Employee Advocates (CEECA), a distinct part of Unite’s wider faith workers branch, has for the first time been invited to submit proposals to the Church of England’s Remuneration and Conditions of Service Committee (RACSC), which advises on increases in stipends read more
450 offshore contractors reject latest pay offer (16 Jun) – Stork workers remain in dispute with company over pay. Unite the union confirmed today (16 June) that around 450 Stork offshore members have rejected a revised pay offer from the company. A 6 per cent pay offer was resoundingly rejected by 76 per cent on the basis that it represents a real terms pay cut. Also, that offer only covered around 70 per cent of Unite’s 650 members within Stork read more
Petrofac Ithaca and Wood Group workers resume strike action over pay (14 Jun) – Offshore workers disputes continue amid contractor pay deals. Unite the union announced today (14 June) that offshore workers employed by Petrofac on the FPF1 platform, and the Wood Group UK Limited on TAQA platforms will resume strike action next week. Around 80 members working for the Wood Group UK Ltd will take 48-hour strike action beginning on 19 June in the first of a series of stoppages throughout June and July. In a separate dispute based on working rotas, around 50 Unite members employed by Petrofac Facilities Management Limited will also take a series of 24-hour stoppages on the FPF1 platform beginning on 21 June read more
Unite welcomes Great Yarmouth’s decision to bring housing maintenance work in-house (15 Jun) – Unite, the UK’s leading union, has strongly welcomed the decision by Great Yarmouth council to bring its housing maintenance work in-house. The 70 plus workers, including 50 Unite members, are currently employed by Norse Group, which is jointly owned by Norfolk County Council. Under Great Yarmouth’s plans, the workers will be transferred to a company 100 per cent owned by the council. The transfer is expected to occur before September 2024. Unite has been strongly lobbying the council to bring the service in-house, which it believes is in the best interests of local residents and workers. The union will now be working with the council to ensure that wage rates and terms and conditions are improved prior to the transfer read more
Birmingham Airport summer chaos looming as workers ballot for strike after two years of pay cuts (15 Jun) – Airport security staff and terminal technicians, as well as Menzies aircraft refuellers, in strike ballot. Around 100 security officers and terminal technicians employed by Birmingham Airport, as well as aircraft refuellers employed by Menzies, are being balloted for strike action over pay. The Birmingham Airport workers are being balloted after facing two years of substantial pay cuts. Three quarters of the Birmingham Airport workers being balloted are security officers working unsociable shift patterns for as little as £11.50 an hour. The workers say that without a significant pay rise, recruitment and retention issues at the airport will worsen. This will further the delays the airport is well known for. Last year, the workers received a pay rise of just 2.8 per cent when the real rate of inflation, RPI, was running at 13.8 per cent – equating to an 11 per cent pay cut. This year, they have been offered 7.75 per cent and a one off £850 payment. However, this is a further real terms pay cut as RPI inflation is still running high at 11.4 per cent. The offer would leave many workers unable to pay their bills as well as causing more staffing shortages. The Menzies workers, who drive and operate tankers and refuel over three quarters of planes at the airport, have rejected a nine per cent pay offer. This is again under RPI inflation and does not factor in the six per cent pay rise they received last year, which due to rocketing inflation was a significant pay cut. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Both Birmingham Airport and Menzies can afford to give their workers a fair pay rise and that is exactly what needs to happen. Unite workers at Birmingham Airport are fed up with pay cuts, especially when they know both companies have combined profits of more than £80 million. These workers will receive their union’s total support during this dispute.” Strikes could begin as early as July and would severely impact Birmingham Airport’s operations, leading to significant delays and cancelled flights. The ballot for strike action for Birmingham Airport security guards and terminal technicians closes on 29 June. The ballot of Menzies workers closes on 3 July read more
Workers at Survitec in Dunmurry end strike after securing 10 percent pay increase (14 Jun) – After ten days of strike action at Dunmurry-based manufacturer workers vote by two-thirds majority to accept significantly increased pay offer. The strike at Survitec, a manufacturer of marine life-saving equipment, based at Dunmurry has ended after striking workers voted to accept a significantly improved pay offer from management. The workers voted on picket lines with a 67% majority to accept the deal and end their ten-day all-out strike action. The deal will provide the lowest paid workers with a 10% increase and with higher paid workers receiving 9% with a further one percent non-consolidated. The one-year pay deal will be fully backdated and represents a huge uplift from the original offer made by management and even the 6% offered by bosses on the eve of the strike action. Unite General Secretary Sharon Graham congratulated the workforce on securing much improved pay increase read more
Education Authority workers in Unite set to commence first day of seven day strike action (14 Jun) – Strike follows Secretary of State’s punitive budget that has left Education Department unable to deliver pay & grading business case. Unite the union members employed by the Education Authority are set to commence seven days of strike action tomorrow [15th June]. The industrial action follows an overwhelming ballot result in which 94% of Unite members voted for strike action. The strike results from the failure of the Department of Education to implement a pay and grading review. The review would see significant increases to the pay of Education Authority workers but its implementation has been prevented as a result of the punitive budget set for the Department by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. The strike involves more than 700 education workers and will extend for seven weekdays. Schools across Northern Ireland are likely to experience significant disruption as a result as Unite’s membership includes school bus drivers, escorts and maintenance workers, catering staff, classroom assistants, playground supervisors, school administrative staff, cleaners, building supervisors and ground maintenance staff. The General Secretary of Unite, Sharon Graham, committed her union’s full support for the striking education workers read more
Fire service staff gain over £3,200 a year increase at Glasgow Airport (14 Jun) – Latest pay deal in string of successes for Unite at Scottish airports. Unite the union has secured another pay deal for fire safety staff based at Glasgow Airport, the UK’s leading aviation trade union confirmed today (14 June). Around 50 Falck firefighters who perform fire safety functions at the airport are set to receive an annual pay increase on average worth £3,262. The deal is a significant improvement on the previous 5 per cent pay offer which was rejected by 98 per cent read more
New union survey shows local government workers struggling to ‘make ends meet’. Ballot for strike action coming, following poor pay offer (13 Jun) – Unite has begun balloting thousands of members in local government in England and Wales after they rejected the employers’ pay offer. The industrial action ballot coincides with an exclusive poll of the union’s local authority members which reveals the full extent that the cost of living crisis is having on them…The industrial action ballot will be in four waves with the ballots in the local authorities where Unite has the greatest number of members beginning today (Tuesday 13 June); with medium sized and smaller authorities balloting over the next three weeks. All the ballots must be concluded by Friday 28 July. If there is a vote for industrial action then strikes could begin in the late summer read more
Arriva North London bus strikes suspended as workers ballot regarding new offer (13 Jun) – Bus strikes involving 1,700 bus drivers employed by Arriva on North and East London bus routes have suspended planned strike action following an improved pay offer. The drivers were due to stage walk outs on 20, 21, 27 and 28 June. However following extended pay talks on Monday (12 June) the employer made an improved pay offer. As a gesture of goodwill, Unite suspended the industrial action while the drivers are balloted on the offer read more
Union negotiated pay deal adds the fizz at Coca Cola (13 Jun) – Workers at Europe’s biggest soft drinks plant in line for increases up to 18%. Workers threatened strike action for a greater share of Coca Cola’s mammoth £1.85 billion profits. Supplies of the UK’s favourite soft drinks are safe this summer after Coca Cola finally agreed to share a greater proportion of its mammoth profits with workers at Europe’s biggest soft drinks plant. Crippling strikes were due to begin tomorrow (Wednesday 14 June) but a breakthrough in negotiations means there’ll be no walk-outs this summer. The deal will see salaries increase between £3,476 and £3,876 in the first 12 months, with further increases to salaries from April 1st 2024. The deal will see the lowest paid technician receive a 16.6% increase to their salary, with the highest paid technician receiving a 10.2% increase. The lowest paid clerical worker will receive an 18.1% increase to salary, and the highest paid will receive a 12% increase read more
Strike action ‘on cards’ as Unite ballots thousands of key council workers in schools in Scotland (13 Jun) – Trade union warns that ‘same mistakes’ of last year being repeated. Unite the union confirmed today (13 June) that it is has served notice to all thirty-two Scottish councils that strike ballots are imminent in the escalating dispute over pay. Thousands of key council workers within the schools and early years services will now participate in the targeted strike action ballots. This includes janitors, cleaners, caterers, classroom assistants and administrative staff. Unite members employed by Tayside Contracts who provide catering and janitorial services to schools across Angus, Dundee, Perth and Kinross councils are also included in the ballot. The ballots will open on Monday 19 June and close on 31 July read more
Unite wins Edinburgh Airport pay deal for hundreds of workers (13 Jun) – Deal secures 12% pay uplift and £1,000 cash payment. Unite the union has secured a pay deal with Edinburgh Airport, the UK’s leading aviation trade union confirmed today (13 June). Around 275 workers backed the pay deal by 96 per cent which will deliver a 12 per cent increase on basic salary and shift pay along with a one-off cash payment of £1,000. On 25 May, Unite confirmed its members backed strike action by 85 per cent on a 75 per cent turnout to fight for a better wage deal. Unite represents the overwhelming majority of the estimated 500 workers based at Edinburgh Airport, which is controlled by Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) read more
Unite secures £2.5m protective award for 700 former YM Group Yorkshire staff (13 Jun) – Unite, the UK’s leading union, has secured a protective award worth in excess of £2.5 million at Employment Tribunal for over 700 former employees of the Yorkshire-based printing firm YM Group. The workers, who were employed at Pinder in Scarborough, YM Chantry in Wakefield and York Mailing in York, lost their jobs in March 2022 after the sites were closed without warning and the group went into administration. Through Thompsons Solicitors, Unite took the case to tribunal on behalf of the workers, where last week it was ruled that they would receive a protective award of eight weeks pay capped at £571 per week read more
ONS: Pay is still falling behind inflation (13 Jun) – Despite stronger growth in wages workers will not be feeling better off. Profiteering continues to blight the economy. Commenting on the latest figures on the value of earnings, out today (Tuesday), Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Pay is still falling behind inflation. Profiteering continues to make people worse off as wages chase sky high prices read more
NI: Striking workers win significantly improved pay deal at Creative Composites (12 Jun) – Ballot returns 68 percent vote to accept improved offer and end strike after two days. Unite the union members employed at Lisburn-based manufacturer Creative Composites have ended their strike action after two days after workers voted to accept a significantly improved pay offer. The two year deal provides a guaranteed 13 percent pay increase to all workers – with those on lower pay grades receiving up to 17.3 percent. The pay increase will be backdated to the beginning of the year with workers receiving a further one-off payment of £250 at the end of the year. The pay deal is more than double what was initially offered by the employer (4.5%) and significantly more for the lowest paid than the last ditch offer made by management ahead of strike action (a two-year deal worth 12%) read more
First summer Heathrow airport strike postponed as workers ballot on improved offer (12 Jun) – The first summer strikes at Heathrow Airport, involving over 2,000 security officers, have been postponed following Heathrow Airports Ltd (HAL) making an improved pay offer. The strikes over pay were due to have resulted in security officers at Terminal Three and Five as well as campus security workers (who check all workers and vehicles entering the airport) walking out on Saturday 24 June and Sunday 25 June. Following extensive talks with the workers’ union Unite last week, an improved pay offer was made by HAL and, as a gesture of goodwill by the union, the initial strikes were called off read more
Unite urges Centrica shareholders to reject CEO’s ‘obscene’ bonus at AGM (12 Jun) – Prepaid metre scandal and energy profiteering means Centrica boss Chris O’Shea should not receive £3.7m bonus. Unite, the UK’s leading union, has called on Centrica shareholders to reject the remuneration package for chief executive officer (CEO) Chris O’Shea at the firm’s annual general meeting tomorrow (Tuesday). On top of his annual salary of £790,000, Mr O’Shea is set to receive a cash bonus of £1.42 million and a long-term share bonus of £2.3 million. Mr O’Shea presided over British Gas, which is owned by Centrica, when it sent debt enforcement agents to break into the homes of vulnerable customers to install prepay metres. As a direct result of the energy crisis, which has seen people’s electricity and gas bills soar to unaffordable heights, Centrica’s profits tripled in 2022 to a record-breaking high of £3.3 billion read more
Unite secures Glasgow Airport pay deal piling pressure on remaining companies (12 Jun) – Lowest paid workers set for up to 11% pay uplift. Unite the union has secured a pay deal with Glasgow Airport Limited, the UK’s leading aviation trade union confirmed today (12 June). Around 100 workers backed the pay deal by 80 per cent which will deliver a 7 per cent increase on basic salary rates and allowances along with a £1,000 one-off payment. The workers to benefit from the pay deal negotiated by Unite include airport ambassadors, airside support officers, engineers and managers. Glasgow Airport is part of AGS Airports Limited group, which also owns Aberdeen and Southampton airports read more
Full extent of NHS staffing crisis revealed (11 Jun) – An exclusive survey of Unite members working in the NHS has revealed shocking levels of staff shortages which are directly impacting on patient safety. The survey of over 3,000 Unite members, working in a multitude of roles throughout the NHS in England, revealed that 48 per cent said that in the past year staffing levels in their area regularly reached a point where “patient care has been compromised and unsafe” read more
Unite announces Xplore Dundee strike action after meaningless conciliation talks with company (9 Jun) – Blame for 12 weeks strike action lies with company management for failure to move on pay. Unite the union announced today (9 June) that around 200 workers employed by Xplore Dundee will take twelve weeks strike action in a dispute over pay. The bus workers based from the East Dock Street depot will begin the strike action from Monday (12 June) lasting until 3 September. Unite’s members recently supported strike action by 93 per cent on an 88.6 per cent turnout. Unite members involved in the ballot included drivers, duty managers, platform staff, and administrative staff read more
Unite announces new ambulance and hospital strikes as NHS pay and safe staffing dispute intensifies (9 Jun) – Unite, the UK’s leading union, has announced fresh strikes in the NHS as it further escalates its industrial action over pay and safe staffing levels. Unite’s members at the West Midlands Ambulance Service will take strike action on Monday 12 June. This will be followed by union members at the Christie hospital in Manchester and the City Hospital in Birmingham, who will take strike action on Wednesday 14 June to coincide with the British Medical Association (BMA) junior doctor’s strike. Unite’s members at the Yorkshire Ambulance Service will also take strike action on Friday 23 June and Monday 26 June read more
GSK strike action escalates in pay dispute (8 Jun) – Members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, employed by pharmaceutical giant GSK are set to escalate their strike action in a dispute over pay. The 750 workers – who undertake a wide variety of roles including engineers, process technicians, laboratory analysts, warehouse workers and fire officers – have rejected a significantly below inflation offer of six per cent and a one off lump sum of £1,300. This is a substantially below the real inflation rate, RPI, of 11.4 per cent. The pay offer is in stark contrast to the huge salary of GSK’s chief executive Emma Walmsley, who received £8.4 million last year. It has been estimated that she only has to work a single day to receive the same pay that the employees striking receive for the entire year. GSK is an incredibly wealthy company. It’s latest financial results reveal it made an operating profit of £8.15 billion, a 26 per cent increase on the previous year. The cost of resolving Unite’s pay claim would be just 0.05 per cent of the company’s profits. GSK has said they can afford the workers’ pay claim but have decided to use the money in other areas. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “This is a clear example of corporate greed on a grand scale. The company is hugely profitable, the chief executive is paid in millions and yet they won’t give the workers a fair pay rise. Make no mistake, Unite will be giving its members at GSK its total support. The company’s attitude is indefensible.” The strike action will involve workers at GSK’s plants at Barnard Castle, Irvine, Montrose, Ulverston, Ware and Worthing. The first strike this month will be at Ware on 9 June (full details of all the strikes in notes for editors). Further strikes will be announced in the coming days. Unite members took initial strike action in the dispute last month read more
Darchem Teesside factory to shut down during pay strikes (8 Jun) – Formula One, Rolls Royce, BAE, Hinkley Point impacted after ‘hugely profitable’ firm offers ‘pay cut’. Nearly 300 workers employed by engineering firm Darchem in Stillington, Stockton-on-Tees, will strike over pay in June and July, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today (Thursday). The workers voted for industrial action after rejecting an effective 20 month pay deal that would see pay rise six per cent from February, with a further four per cent in October. With the true rate of inflation, RPI, standing at 11.4 per cent, this is a significant real terms pay cut. The deal was offered on the condition that future pay rises would then be negotiated from October of each year, rather than February, meaning workers would have to wait a year and eight months for their next annual pay rise. Darchem, owned by the US-based TransDigm Group, is an extremely profitable company that makes a range of products for the automotive, aerospace, energy and shipbuilding industries. The company’s latest financial returns show it had a turnover of over £108 million in 2021. During the same year, operating profits increased by 53.3 per cent to £25.3 million pounds read more
Allerdale bin strike to continue as peace talks collapse (7 Jun) – Unite, the UK’s leading union, has warned that the long running refuse collection strike in Workington and the surrounding area will continue indefinitely. The workers, who are employed by Allerdale Waste Services, which is 100 per cent owned by Cumberland council, have been on all-out strike since 16 May in a dispute over pay. This week, the workers, who are members of Unite, unanimously rejected Allerdale Waste’s latest offer as it did not address the pay issue. Talks were held yesterday (Tuesday 7 June) between the union and Allerdale Waste/Cumberland council. Management became hostile when Unite informed them their offer had been rejected and then the talks collapsed as management refused to consider the union’s counter proposal ‘as it was not on the agenda’ read more
Drax materials handling workers to begin pay strikes (7 Jun) – Around 100 Hargreaves workers being ‘ripped off’ over shift pay. Around 100 Hargreaves workers employed in a technical materials handling capacity at Drax power station in Selby in Yorkshire, will begin pay strikes later this week, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today (Wednesday). Workers employed directly by Drax performing the same role are paid £16,000 a year on top of their base pay for working shifts – ten times the around £1,600 a year Hargreaves staff receive for shift work. The pay deal currently on offer from Hargreaves, which includes an eight per cent increase in the workers’ basic rate, does not address the disparity in shift pay. It is also a real terms pay cut, with the real rate of inflation, RPI, standing at 11.4 per cent. In the six months to November 2022, Hargreaves made profits before tax of £18.7 million. The firm’s highest paid director has also received a 26.8 per cent pay increase to £246,000 a year. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Hargreaves is an extremely profitable company and can afford to pay these workers properly. It is disgraceful that they are being treated as second class employees compared to their colleagues employed directly by Drax. This needs to change. Hargreave’s workers have their union’s unflinching support as they strike for a fair wage rise and proper shift pay.” The workers will stage an initial 24-hour walkout beginning at 19.00 hrs on Sunday 11 June. Strike action will intensify if the dispute is not resolved. Strike action could impact electricity generation operations at Drax read more
Hayle Maen Karne protest to be held over company’s ‘disgraceful’ union-busting (6 Jun) – Demonstration supporting HGV drivers striking for union recognition. A protest will be held in Hayle in Cornwall on 7th June against concrete product supplier Maen Karne, whose HGV mixer drivers are striking over the company’s refusal to recognise their union. Pictures and video of the protests will be available on request. The workers requested a voluntary recognition agreement from Maen Karne, owned by the GRS Roadstone group, on behalf of Unite to allow for collective bargaining over pay and conditions, which was rejected. The drivers deliver fresh concrete across Cornwall and began strike action on 30 May, with the current round of industrial action set to last until Friday 9 June. If the dispute is not resolved strike action will escalate, causing further delays of concrete to construction sites across Cornwall read more
Welwyn Hatfield council facing summer of bin strikes as Urbaser workers walk out over pay (6 Jun) – Residents of Welwyn Hatfield council are facing a summer of refuse collection strikes, Unite, the UK’s leading union, has warned. Over 60 workers employed by waste company Urbaser Limited, on the outsourced refuse collection and street cleansing service let by Welwyn and Hatfield council, will begin all out (continuous) strike action from Monday 19 June in a dispute over pay. The dispute is a result of the workers rejecting Urbaser’s substandard pay offer of 6.8 per cent. This amounts to a substantial real terms pay cut when the true inflation rate, RPI, is currently standing at 11.4 per cent read more
Striking workers attend first meeting of newly-elected Belfast City Council to raise need for inflation-proof pay increases (6 Jun) – Unite the union delegation demands politicians take the side of workers in coming strike wave. A delegation from Unite the union, including striking workers at the Dunmurry-based manufacturer Survitec, has addressed the first meeting of the newly-elected Belfast City Council [last night, 5th June]. The delegation warned councillors of an impending wave of strikes across Belfast as workers were forced to take strike action to win inflation-proof pay increases. The union has just confirmed that workers at Lisburn-based Creative Composites has voted by 100% on a 100% turnout for strike action on pay as well. Unite the union General Secretary Sharon Graham congratulated the striking Survitec workers on their initiative read more
South Gloucestershire facing ‘stinky summer’ during bin strikes (30 May) – Around 150 Suez bin workers angry at ‘pay cut’ while company rakes in millions. Around 150 workers employed by Suez emptying bins on behalf of South Gloucestershire council are to strike in June and July over pay, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today (Tuesday). The workers voted to strike by 89 per cent after rejecting an eight per cent pay offer from the company, which, according to its latest UK financial returns, brought in profits of £80.8 million in 2021. With the real rate of inflation, RPI, at 11.4 per cent, this is a significant real terms pay cut. The company’s South Gloucestershire bin loaders earn just £11.53 per hour. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Suez is an extremely profitable company but is offering these workers a real terms pay cut during the worst cost of living crisis in generations. “Unite’s total focus on defending our members’ jobs, pay and conditions will ensure that Suez’s workforce have their union’s absolute support in fighting back against their employer’s greed.” The workers will strike from 12 June until 18 June and again from 26 June until 9 July. If the dispute is not resolved, industrial action will intensify over the summer read more
Leeds pump manufacturer facing strike action across June which will disrupt supply (24 May) – Many of the UK’s largest companies are braced for problems and delays in acquiring specialist pumping products as workers at Leeds based Sulzer Pumps, have announced strike action following a poor pay offer. The approx 100 members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, who are based at the company’s Manor Mill Lane factory have rejected a pay offer of 6.5 per cent and a £275 one off payment. The pay offer was in effect a substantial real terms pay cut with the current true rate of inflation (RPI) at 11.4 per cent. The workers will initially take strike action next month on 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30 June as well as 7 July read more
Striking HTS workers to protest at Harlow Council meeting Thursday (24 May) – 300 low paid outsourced workers employed by council owned firm angry over pay rip off. Striking HTS workers responsible for Harlow’s social housing stock and maintaining the local authority’s grounds and buildings will stage a pay protest outside the full council meeting on Thursday (25 May) read more
Strike at the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health to go ahead after pay cut proposed (22 May) – College’s latest offer amounts to a real terms pay cut of 12%. Strike action set for 23-25 May during the College’s annual conference will go ahead. Members of Unite employed by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) will continue strike action this week and stage a protest at the RCPCH annual conference in a dispute over an “appalling pay offer” read more
Workers at ‘monstrously wealthy’ City of London Corporation strike over pay attack (22 May) – Local authority for Square Mile has over £1.2b in reserves but slashes pay by 8.5% in real terms. More than 250 workers at the City of London Corporation, the local authority for London’s Square Mile financial centre, are to strike over pay, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today (Monday). The City of London Corporation has imposed a lump sum pay increase for 2022/23 that is on average worth around 5 per cent. With the real rate of inflation (RPI) currently standing at 13.5 per cent, this is a real terms pay cut of 8.5 per cent. The workers also not see their wages rise during 2021/22, after the corporation reneged on the previous pay agreement. Unite’s members at the corporation are struggling with rocketing living costs and rents in London, one of the most expensive cities on the planet. Workers have reported using foodbanks, with one even sleeping in their car during the working week to keep travel costs down. Meanwhile, the local authority’s latest financial report shows it had reserves of over £1.2 billion in March 2022. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “The City of London Corporation is monstrously wealthy but believes its already hard up workers should swallow a substantial real terms pay cut. The corporation does much to support and advocate for elite bankers earning millions. How can it possibly accept that its own staff should be driven to measures like using foodbanks and sleeping in cars just to get by? Unite never accepts attacks on our members’ jobs, pay or conditions and the corporation’s workforce will receive Unite’s unflinching support during these strikes.” The striking workers are employed in a variety of roles including security, police staff, grounds maintenance and administrative functions. Members of the GMB union are also involved in the dispute. The workers will stage an initial 24-hour strike on Thursday 25 May, severely disrupting the corporation’s key services. More industrial action will be scheduled if the dispute is not resolved read more
Felixstowe 4’ protest demands justice at CK Hutchison AGM (18 May) – Unite delegation engages key investors at CK Hutchison AGM in Hong Kong. Banner drop at AGM demands reinstatement of four unfairly sacked dockers from Felixstowe. A campaign delegation has delivered Unite the Union’s demand for justice for four unfairly sacked Felixstowe dockers at the AGM of CK Hutchison in Hong Kong (18 May). Facing heavy security, Unite’s delegation engaged with CK shareholders and displayed a large banner within the building demanding: CK Hutchison: Reinstate the Felixstowe Four read more
Mahle Engine Systems workers strike in pay dispute (15 May) – Unite blames Kilmarnock based company for ‘failing to own its mistakes’. Unite the union confirmed today (Monday 15 May) that over 120 members based at Mahle Engine Systems will take strike action tomorrow (16 May). The dispute relates to pay discrepancies at the Kilmarnock plant after management failed to apply an extra increase to the entire workforce, in addition to a 3.4 per cent increase which all workers received from January 2023. The strike action will take place over the following dates: 16th, 18th, 23rd, 25th and 30th May, and 1st June. Unite’s members emphatically supported strike action by 80 per cent in an 81.3 per cent turnout. The trade union can further confirm that its Mahle membership will hold an overtime ban effective from 7am today (15th May) until 14th August read more
Campaigners to demand NI Water intervene with their contractor Murphy International to reinstate ‘Murphy 4’ (14 May) – When: 10.30am Monday 15th May; Where: NI Water HQ, Westland Road, Belfast. Campaigners seeking the restoration of four Unite members, including a shop steward dismissed by he the Murphy group’s Irish subsidiary are to demand NI Water intervene with Murphy International, a contractor, to secure the re-employment of the workers. The protest is the latest in a campaign to reinstate the workers after their dismissal on what Unite members believe to be spurious grounds read more
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
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
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
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
CWU
Royal Mail Update from CWU
We want to start this update by thanking members and representatives for your support during what has been the most challenging period in the history of Royal Mail Group. After reaching agreement with the employer, it became apparent that the local working environment would remain challenging without an immediate and visible shift in approach from the company at all levels. On this basis we postponed the members vote on the national agreement to enable us to enter further discussions, covering:
– The crucial need to restore quality of service and USO compliance in every local office.
– To achieve the above the need for Royal Mail to work with the CWU and commence the process of reviewing failed revisions.
– The need for all delivery offices to have sight of their proposed start and finish times prior to the ballot.
Additionally, as previously explained, we have continued to explore the opportunity for an additional lump sum payment.
We are pleased to confirm progress has been made in all of these areas.
1. We have agreed a joint statement on section 2.5. A copy can be viewed here https://www.cwu.org/…/RMG-CWU-JOINT-STATEMENT-%E2%80%93…
The statement confirms the full restoration of the Industrial Relations Framework, a commitment to restore quality of service and USO compliance in every office and crucially – our reps are back at the negotiating table. To support the roll out of the joint statement an online event will be held at 0800 on Wednesday 21st June for every CWU representative and operational manager in the UK. We will also hold a CWU National Briefing next week. Further details on this will be shared in due course.
2. We have clarified further the position on later starts and finishes with the employer.
This includes details on how we will work together to further mitigate the impact of these plans locally and nationally. This position and an online form to find out proposals for your office can be found here https://www.cwu.org/national-agreement-proposed-start…/
Please take the time to read the joint statement on later starts prior to checking your office proposals https://www.cwu.org/later-starts-joint-statement/
3. We have secured an additional lump sum payment of at least £900 which will be paid upon ratification of the agreement. This is in addition to the already agreed £500 lump sum and any back pay you will be due from the 6% pay award from April 2023.
Details of the payment and the background to it can be found here https://www.cwu.org/pensions-statement
On the basis of the above the Postal Executive have now agreed for the members ballot on the Business Recovery, Transformation and Growth Agreement to go ahead. The revised timetable is as follows:
Ballot Papers dispatched Thursday 22nd June.
Ballot closes Tuesday 11th July.
We will now undertake an extensive engagement plan in the lead up to the ballot including live events, podcasts, videos, and written communications.
Yours sincerely,
Dave Ward General Secretary
Andy Furey Acting Deputy General Secretary (Postal)
Follow the latest news via CWU’s Facebook page, website and Twitter @CWUnews
Workers at Stoke Wincanton site say YES to CWU (16 Jun) – Hundreds of warehouse staff return 97% majority for union recognition after three-month campaign by activists. Nearly 800 employees at one of the largest UK distribution centres serving trade tool retail giant Screwfix will have the CWU behind them after they voted overwhelmingly in favour of trade union representation in the on-site ballot held under the supervision of arbitration service ACAS read more
CBRE pay offer worth a minimum of 8% out to ballot with strong vote ‘YES’ recommendation (15 Jun) – Members in CBRE are being urged to accept a CWU-brokered pay deal which delivers minimum base pay rises of 8% to engineers, fabric technicians, grounds maintenance staff, helpdesk advisers and multi-skilled hosts working on the outsourced facilities services provider’s BT contract. Electronic voting forms were emailed to all CWU members covered by the company’s ‘full and final’ offer yesterday (Wednesday) – with members now having two weeks to decide whether to accept the proposed 2023 pay settlement that emerged at the culmination of intensive negotiations read more
Back to the future at Virgin Media O2 as franchised stores are brought back in-house (13 Jun) – A major in-sourcing of previously outsourced O2 stores that is just getting underway is being hailed by the CWU as “good news” for job security and collectively negotiated terms and conditions. Hot on the heels of a CWU-brokered pay deal that delivers just over 10% in cash terms this year for those working in the company’s network of directly managed O2 mobile phone shops, the move to bring previously franchised stores back into Virgin Media O2 ownership means the opportunity of significant uplifts for incoming employees. And with most of the first wave of ex-franchise employees joining VMO2 within the last few weeks seizing chance to transfer to CWU-negotiated Ts&Cs, the move also represents a golden opportunity for the union to increase its membership base in the formerly diminished but now expanding directly-managed store network read more
PCS
You can show your support to the strikes by PCS members by:
- Making donations to the PCS Fighting Fund Levy account, sort code: 60-83-01, account no. 20331490
- Sending solidarity messages to [email protected]
- Signing our petition to tell prime minister Rishi Sunak to intervene and hold meaningful talks to end the strikes.
- Support us on social media with the hashtags: #PCSonStrike #BlameTheGovt
- New E-action in support of PCS national pay and pensions campaign – The E-action calls on MPs to support our demands over pay, pensions, redundancy terms and job security read more
PCS condemns plans to scrap pay allowances for staff working with WW2 Polish veterans (15 Jun) – PCS has condemned plans to scrap pay allowances for staff working with Second World War Polish veterans. The cuts introduced by the Ministry of Defence include the language allowance paid to bilingual staff at Ilford Park Polish Home (IPPH), a residential and care home in Devon for Polish veterans and their dependents. We say the drop in income will impact on the recruitment and retention of staff at the home. PCS General Secretary Mark Serwotka said: “We are calling on the MoD to reverse this decision and honour its obligations to the Polish veterans and the dedicated staff that care for them.” Read more
DVSA Planned strike action suspended (14 Jun) – Planned strike action at the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency for 15, 16, 19, 22 and 23 June has been suspended. The decision to suspend the strike has been taken in light of the Department for Transport’s confirmation that they will pay a £1500 lump sum to members. The suspension will now be followed by a period of negotiations on the £1500 cost of living payment where we will be arguing for the money to be paid to members as soon as possible. We cannot proceed with further discussions on its implementation while live strike action is ongoing meaning payment would be delayed. Our national objective during this period is to secure confirmation of the payment from all bargaining areas in the dispute read more
Common Platform Update (12 Jun) – HMCTS is rolling out the use of digital Preparation for Effective Trial (PET) and Better Case Management (BCM) forms via the Common Platform from 12 June read more
Join a pay meeting (9 Jun) – We are urging all branches in the UK civil service and related areas to hold meetings over the next 3 weeks to discuss the government’s concessions in the national dispute read more
Audit Wales members start two days of strike action (7 Jun) – The employer is claiming financial restraints prevent it offering parity with other Welsh Government departments. PCS members were out on the picket line outside Audit Wales in Cardiff this morning alongside colleagues from Prospect union who were also on strike today read more
Significant concessions from government in national dispute (5 Jun) – A meeting took place last Friday 2 June with Jeremy Quin MP, the Minister for the Cabinet Office to discuss the ongoing dispute in the UK civil service and related areas read more
Poor pay offer means more members balloted for strike (2 Jun) – PCS members working for OCS as security staff on the HM Courts & Tribunals Service estate are being balloted with a strong recommendation to vote for strike action. The latest pay offer tabled by OCS would give security guards a mere 38p per hour above the minimum wage, even though OCS is an accredited Real Living Wage employer read more
ISS members in BEIS London to ballot for strike action (30 May) – Over 100 members working for ISS on the BEIS contract in London are being balloted for industrial action. Security guards, cleaners, receptionists, porters and post workers are amongst staff being balloted for action. PCS is in dispute with ISS in BEIS over pay, improvements to conditions and union recognition for PCS. PCS have also demanded a no compulsory redundancy agreement and meaningful talks around an office move that takes place in the summer. This ballot is about making the workplace a better paid, safer and more inclusive place for all members to work. The ballot starts 8 June and closes 29 June read more
New DVLA strike dates announced (26 May) – We are asking DVLA members working for Output Services Group at TY Felin and Morriston in Swansea to take part in strike action on 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25 June, as part of our national campaign. Due to shift working, the strike action will commence at 10pm, Sunday 11 June and those with a shift that commences on Sunday 25th will be covered to strike for the whole of that shift. This latest targeted strike action follows a resounding 96.66% vote in favour of industrial action on a turnout of 53.5% for DVLA 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
Prospect
We need to understand the wider impact of Vodafone/Three merger on the sector (14 Jun) – It has been announced that, subject to approval from the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), Vodafone and Three are to be merged read more
Prospect pauses strike action after Welsh Government offers meaningful talks (6 Jun) – Prospect union has paused planned strike action by Welsh civil servants after the Welsh Government have offered to engage in meaningful talks read more
Vote on excluding MPs from Parliament unacceptably delayed (8 Jun) – Parliament recently published a report recommending a risk-based system to exclude from the Commons, MPs accused of serious misconduct read more
Prospect responds to improved government pay offer following industrial action (2 Jun) – After entering meaningful talks with Prospect and other unions this week, the government has announced that they will offer civil servants below Senior Civil Service grades a £1,500 lump sum payment for 2022/23. The government has also announced a moratorium on any changes to the Civil Service Compensation Scheme and committed to avoiding compulsory redundancies wherever possible read more
Prospect union members vote for further industrial action at the Environment Agency (4 May) – A ballot of Prospect members in the Environment Agency has renewed the industrial action mandate for a further six months. Staff are taking ongoing action short of a strike and will join Prospect members from other Civil Service employers in taking strike action on Wednesday 10 May read more
FDA
FDA to build on improved pay offer by campaigning for reform of “broken” pay system (13 Jun) – Last week, the FDA’s Executive Committee met to discuss the revised pay package announced by the Cabinet Office on 2 June. They agreed that it represents a significant improvement on the original pay framework for the civil service and addresses most of the factors that led to the dispute. The committee therefore decided to cancel the proposed ballot for industrial action. However, the FDA will continue to campaign for long-term, strategic reform of the broken civil service pay system read more
FDA secures new pay deal for civil servants (2 Jun) – In response to the FDA’s planned ballot for industrial action, Minister for the Cabinet Office Jeremy Quin has today presented a new package intended to recognise the contribution made by civil servants and the pressures felt during 2022/23 read more
GMB
BREAKING NEWS!! Leicestershire on brink of bin chaos as strike dates set (20 Jun) – GMB Union has today [Tuesday 20 June] announced dates for refuse strikes at Blaby District Council. Over fifty refuse and grounds maintenance workers will down tools for four days, on Wednesday, 28 June and Wednesday 5, 12 and 19 July. The strike comes in the wake of a dispute on pay with the council, which saw staff advised to use food banks if unable to pay their bills read more
BREAKING NEWS!! Serco allowing ‘waste to pile high’ as Sandwell refuse strike enters third week (20 Jun) – GMB union has today urged action from outsourcing giant Serco as Sandwell refuse workers enter their third strike week. The calls come as the union has requested urgent talks with Council leadership following Serco’s refusal to negotiate with representatives of Sandwell’s refuse workers read more
South London hospital Trust facing fresh wave of strike action (19 Jun) – GMB members employed by ISS at South London & Maudsley NHS Trust to take a week’s action in June and to march on Downing Street. GMB, the union for hospital workers, can announce that cleaners and caterers across South London and Maudsley NHS Trust will be taking a week of strike action June as their dispute escalates. The union members are employed by ISS across the Trust’s four hospital sites and will be taking seven days of consecutive action commencing Saturday 24 June. The escalation in the dispute will also include a march on Downing Street on Wednesday 28 June to demand an end to all NHS outsourcing as well as highlight the members’ own dispute over pay, terms and conditions. The members have already taken a total of six days of strike action in the dispute and over 200 of them marched on the ISS offices in Canary Wharf during the last wave of strikes read more
Coventry Amazon workers vote to extend strike for six months (14 Jun) – History-making Amazon strikers in Coventry have voted for six more months of industrial action as the biggest walk out of the dispute so far took place today [Wednesday]. Almost 800 Amazon Coventry workers are on strike today, with nearly 500 joining the picket line – the 19th day of industrial action. A 99 per cent majority voted to extend the industrial action, on a turnout of 54 per cent. Amazon workers from Coventry are also in Parliament to meet MPs today, including members of the Shadow Cabinet. Government Ministers, including Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch, have been invited. Meanwhile GMB Senior Organiser Amanda Gearing gives evidence about Amazon workers’ struggle to the Human Rights (Joint Committee) hearing. GMB union was forced to withdraw its bid for recognition at Amazon’s Coventry warehouse, accusing the shopping giant of “dirty tricks”. The union claimed it had surpassed the number of members needed to secure recognition at the site – but that Amazon had taken on 1,000 extra staff to scupper the bid read more
Business Secretary invited to meet striking Amazon workers (13 Jun) – Secretary of State for Business and Trade Kemi Badenoch MP, has been invited to meet striking Amazon workers as they head to Parliament tomorrow [Wednesday 14 June 2023]. Workers from the retail giant’s fulfilment centre in Coventry will meet MPs, including members of the Shadow Cabinet, in their fight to become to first workers in the UK to win trade union recognition at the internet giant. More than 800 Amazon Coventry workers are on strike today [Tuesday] and tomorrow [Wednesday] – their 18th and 19th day of industrial action in a dispute over pay. Meanwhile GMB Senior Organiser Amanda Gearing gives evidence about Amazon workers’ struggle to the Human Rights (Joint Committee) hearing into human rights at work read more
Two more Amazon strike ballots begin (12 May) – Amazon faces new strikes at two more warehouses as GMB launches two new strike ballots today [Friday 12 May]. Union members will now vote on full and binding industrial action ballot at Amazon’s Mansfield and Rugeley fulfilment centres. The new strikes ballots follow 14 days of strike action at the retail giant’s Coventry depot, which saw as many as 700 workers down tools in the UK’s first strike at an Amazon fulfilment centre. The ballots at Rugeley and Mansfield will begin today and run for four weeks until 9 June. As many as 150 workers are expected to be asked to vote in the ballot read more
GMB union members win up to 21% pay rise at Veolia Municipal (16 Jun) – The only thing preventing any workforce from earning a pay rise which matches their pay aspirations is a lack of understanding of the power they have if they come together and get organised, says GMB. GMB, the union for waste and recycling, can announce that their members in Folkestone & Hythe and Dover have ended their threat of strike action by accepting their employer’s latest pay offer. The members are employed by the councils’ waste and recycling contractor, Veolia Municipal Services and have agreed a one year pay deal which will see increases between 11 and 21 per cent for streets and waste drivers and operatives, backdated to 1 January 2023. The latest pay proposal set out at a meeting chaired by ACAS last week has now been ratified by GMB members across the joint councils’ shared waste management agreement. A majority of GMB members have now accepted the offer read more
Double win for private hire drivers in Southampton and Oldham (14 Jun) – GMB, the union for private hire drivers, is celebrating a double win for its members in Oldham and Southampton. Following a campaign of lobbying from union reps Ali Haydor and Habib Ur-Rehman, the licensing committees of Southampton City Council [today – 14 June] and Oldham Council [last week] have agreed to change their vehicle livery policy for private hire vehicles. The result of this will mean that drivers will not need to display a company logo on their vehicles, freeing them up to represent more than one taxi firm and no longer provide free advertising for a company when the drivers themselves are providing their own vehicle read more
Care workers win £20 million in equal pay victory (14 Jun) – A group of 1,000 care workers has won a massive £20 million in back pay in a landmark victory for equal pay. South Lanarkshire local authority, who employed the domestic carers, have now accepted they were underpaid by £3 per hour, compared to care staff in residential care homes. The pay claim will be backdated from October 2020, meaning a carer working 35 hours a week will now receive £17,000 and those working more hours up to £25,000. Previously the council had argued that the ‘home help’ staff had distinct jobs with fewer responsibilities – but in recent years carers in private homes have increasingly taken on more complex tasks including medication and assisting with medical procedures read more
Hinkley, EDF & Rolls Royce supplier faces strike (9 Jun) – Workers at a Hinkley Point C, EDF and Rolls Royce supplier have voted to strike after turning down a pay deal. More than 150 platers, welders and sheet metal workers at Darchem Engineering, in Stockton-Upon-Tees, will walk out for seven days follows: 22 June, from 6am for 24 hours, 27 June, from 6am for 24 hours, 29 June, from 6am for 24 hours, 4 July, from 6am for 24 hours,
6 July, from 6am for 24 hours, 11 July, from 6am for 24 hours, 13 July, from 6am for 24 hours. Workers turned down a pay deal of 6 per cent from 1 February, with a further 4 per cent from 1 October read more
GMB responds to reports of ‘reckless’ Serco managers putting strikers at risk (8 Jun) – GMB has today called on Serco management to act urgently after picket line observers reported senior managers at Serco Sandwell driving aggressively around strikers. Serco Sandwell refuse workers are today [Thursday 8 June 2023] on their fourth day of strike action in a dispute with management over the imposition of a real terms pay cut read more
Sandwell refuse workers announce 9 strike days (2 Jun) – Where: Shidas Lane, B69 2BP 5.30am – 12noon; When: 5.30am – 12noon on June 5, 6, 7, 8 ,12, 13, 14, 15, 16. Sandwell refuse workers have announced nine days of strike action after they rejected a further real terms pay cut offer from their employer. Serco Sandwell – the outsourced refuse provider – has refused to meet the rate of inflation so far in pay offers. The industrial action covers those working on street cleansing, waste site (tip), waste collections (drivers and loaders on the bins), administration and the transfer station read more
Solihull parks and cemetery workers to strike (2 Jun) – Solihull parks and cemetery workers are set to strike in a pay dispute. Dozens of ground maintenance crews working for contractor IDverde will walk out for two weeks from 3 July and 10 July. A strike ballot, which closed today (Friday) saw 100 per cent vote for strike action on a 70 per cent turn out. Workers are angry because IDverde – who took over the contract from Amey last year – are trying to impose a real terms pay cut read more
Park workers striking across Merton and Sutton (30 May) – Industrial action over pay set to disrupt annual cricket tournament this week, along with the plans of many local people. GMB, the union for public services, is warning of huge disruption to the parks within the London Boroughs of Merton and Sutton as their members take strike action today and tomorrow [Tuesday 30 and Wednesday 31 May]. Parks workers outsourced to Idverde are taking two days’ strike action after unanimously rejecting the 2.5 per cent offer the company made them. The union members carry out a number of roles connected to the maintenance of parks, including landscaping, litter picking and opening and locking the parks. This action will therefore mean that parks risk not being opened up at all and is set to disrupt the running of the International Masoor Cricket Tournament, due to begin today in Merton read more
Tourist attractions across London to close as workers strike today (25 May) – London tourist attractions including Tower Bridge, Old Bailey, Barbican, museums, gardens, parks and markets could be forced to close after workers voted to strike. More than 900 City of London Corporation workers will walk out for 24 hours on 25 May in a dispute over pay. Workers voted for strike action by a majority of 77 per cent read more
Wiltshire Traffic Wardens vote for further strike action in ‘Fire & Rehire’ dispute (22 May) – GMB would prefer an amicable, negotiated solution, but if the council don’t compromise, we are ready for the fight, with a fresh strike mandate. GMB, the union for Wiltshire Council staff, has confirmed that members have voted for further strikes in the ‘fire and rehire’ dispute affecting many frontline key workers. The dispute has already seen Civil Enforcement Officers (parking wardens) across the county take 10 days of strike action since plans were announced in 2021 to remove a contractual uplift for unsocial hours, which would cost hundreds of front-line workers up to 20 per cent of their salaries. GMB also understands that despite denials by council bosses that ‘fire and rehire’ was ever on the table, Wiltshire Council sought legal advice from a top legal firm in June 2022, on how to use the tactic to force through this pay cut. The strike ballot closed on Friday 19 May with 100 per cent of members who voted choosing to take action, thus extending the industrial action mandate read more
48 hour walkout begins at iconic Derbyshire glass firm (24 May) – GMB union members at glass manufacturer Pilkington Plyglass have begun a two day walkout in a dispute over pay. Workers at the firm have manufactured glass for iconic buildings worldwide, such as Dubai’s Palm Tower and the Stonehenge visitors’ centre. The company have been criticised for disparity in pay between Pilkington sites, with workers in Derbyshire reportedly offered a pay package £750 less than counterparts in other parts of the UK business. Workers will down tools on Wednesday 24 and Thursday 25 May read more
Durham aviation parts workers in strike vote (23 May) – A Durham factory that finished parts for the aviation industry is facing a strike vote. Dozens of GMB members at Nicholsons Sealing Technologies, in Stanley, will take part in an industrial action ballot beginning on 19 May. The vote will run until 1 June. Workers – many of whom operate heavy machinery and dangerous chemicals yet had to recieve a pay rise in April just to keep them above the new minimum wage – are angry over a ‘poverty’ pay offer. Although the offer is 6.7 per cent, that figure includes the legal rise the company was forced to give to keep workers above the National Minimum wage when it rose last month read more
Scapa tape makers strike (17 May) – Tape manufacturing giant Scapa faces industrial action after more than 50 workers voted to down tools over ‘unreasonable’ shift changes. The Ashton-Under-Lyme company wants workers – who until now have either worked early or late day shifts – to work 6pm to 6am night shifts every other week. After months of discussions, GMB Reps proposed a voluntary night shift which met the business’s needs – however this was dismissed, and bosses told workers the night shifts would be enforced from the middle of June. After a successful strike ballot, Scapa workers will walk out for the first time on Thursday 1 June from 6am to 10pm. An overtime ban will also come into force on 1 June, lasting until November read more
Further strikes to hit South London hospital trust (15 May) – GMB, the union for NHS and healthcare workers, has announced that the strike action being undertaken by their members within South London & Maudsley NHS Trust (SLaM) will continue for a further four days this month. The members are employed by outsourcing giant ISS as domestics and caterers within the Trust and are in dispute with their employer over wages and conditions. The workers have already taken strike action for 2 days, and will walk out for a further 4 days commencing Wednesday 17 May 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
BREAKING NEWS!! Still time to vote on HE pay (20 Jun) – The higher education ballot is open until 31 July read more
BREAKING NEWS!! Blog: Dig out that red envelope and vote ‘yes’ for strike action (20 Jun) – We need all of you to have your say, so we can smash through the restrictive anti-trade union ballot thresholds. If you’re a member in England or Wales and you work for a council or in a school, you have just two weeks left to vote for strike action. It’s a critical ballot in our dispute with your employers over pay, and the decision to take strike action is in your hands. Every single vote matters read more
High housing costs driving up poverty among public service workers, says UNISON (16 Jun) – Report shows rapid rise in rent and mortgage payments is taking significant toll. High rents and mortgage payments are a cause of major financial stress for nearly a third of public service workers including cleaners, care staff and teaching assistants, says UNISON today (Friday). A report commissioned by the union, based on a survey of more than 2,600 public service workers in the UK, shows housing costs have increased for more than three in five (63%). The document Through the Roof highlights how a rapid rise in rent and mortgage payments is taking a significant toll, says UNISON. The survey aimed to identify which groups were hardest hit by asking how many paid 60% or more of their household income on accommodation read more
‘We will defend our right to strike – and our right to vote’ (16 Jun) – National conference delegates this week voiced their determination to defend their rights as trade unionists and voters – against a wave of government suppression. A debate on defending the right to strike focussed on the government’s Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill, which the Lords sent back to the House of Commons last week, for the second time, with significant amendments that water down some of its anti-trade union aspects. Speaking of the use of work notices, which would allow employers to name specific staff on strike days – who would then be required to attend work under threat of disciplinary action or even being fired – one delegate said: “You know it will be a boss’s charter – they will name the union reps as the people required to come in, as an attempt to break the strike.” Delegates noted that UNISON must continue to lobby the Labour Party to ensure that, if it comes to power, it follows through on its commitments to repeal this and other anti-trade union laws read more
Police forces in England and Wales could face a £700m budget shortfall, warns UNISON (16 Jun) – Without more funding to plug these huge budget shortfalls, public confidence in the police will continue to fall. An analysis of police financial forecasts has revealed forces in England and Wales could face a combined budget shortfall of almost £721m by 2026, potentially putting public safety at risk, says UNISON today (Friday) read more
EA workers renew strike mandate (31 May) – For the second time in this dispute over the 2022/23 pay offer, members at the agency voted to take industrial action. UNISON has announced that Environment Agency members have secured a mandate for strike action over the next six months after the recent industrial action ballot. The new mandate marks a continuation of the dispute, begun last year, where EA members voted for strike action over pay for the first time in the agency’s history read more
South Gloucestershire workers continue strike dispute (31 May) – Social workers and occupational therapists are taking their fourth and fifth days of strike action this week. Social workers and occupational therapists (OTs) working for South Gloucestershire council are to strike twice this week. Staff will walk out for two days of action, today (Tuesday) and again on Thursday (1 June) after voting overwhelmingly for industrial action in a dispute over pay. UNISON has been in dispute with the local authority since last summer. The new dates follow three days of strike action in April read more
The numbers behind council and school pay (31 May) – UNISON has been campaigning for a decent pay rise for council and school workers, calling for a pay increase of inflation plus 2% – based on the Treasury’s annual forecast for RPI for 2023, this amounted to 12.7% at the time of the pay claim. However, the local government employers have responded with an offer of a flat rate increase of £1,925 (with less for part-time and term-time workers). So, what does that mean for council and schools workers? Read more
Council and school staff begin strike ballot over pay, says UNISON (23 May) – Staff are leaving their jobs because pay is falling ever further behind, and neighbourhoods will suffer. More than a third of a million council and school support staff across England and Wales will begin voting today (Tuesday) on whether to strike over pay, says UNISON. The wage offer made by employers to local government staff is nowhere near what’s needed to meet rising prices during the cost of living crisis, says the union. UNISON had called for an increase of 2% above inflation. Now the union is asking more than 360,000 workers it represents in the sector whether they are prepared to take industrial action. Since 2010, the value of local government pay has fallen by 25% and the offer of a flat rate rise of £1,925 falls way short of workers’ expectations and needs, says UNISON. The six-week ballot, which closes on Tuesday 4 July, includes refuse collectors, social workers, teaching assistants, librarians and many more working at 4,000 different employers. A separate ballot for Northern Ireland will open in August read more
University strikes loom unless pay increases (15 May) – Staff at nine higher education institutions vote for action. Support staff at nine universities in England have voted to strike over a “sub-par” pay offer from the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA), says UNISON today (Monday). Cleaners, IT technicians, library staff and other higher education workers will now decide on dates to take action unless UCEA increases its pay offer for 2023/24. UNISON says the current offer falls a long way short of inflation and staff deserve more. Staff could walk out at the University of Bedfordshire, University of Bristol, Liverpool Hope University, University of Leeds, University of Liverpool, Manchester Metropolitan University, University of Sussex, University of Winchester and SOAS University of London. The 2023/24 pay offer is worth 5-8% depending on salary, with a higher percentage rise for lower paid workers. Some of this amount – around £83 per month before tax – was paid early to staff in February to help with the increasing cost of living 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!
Protest as Hackney Unison chair amongst those handed compulsory redundancies in libraries shake-up – Council staff staged a protest on 17th May 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
NI Civil Service Pay Protest: Wednesday 28 June (5 Jun) – NICS Pay: My Article of 10 May gave a brief overview of the current situation in relation to the punitive budget set by the Secretary of State and our continuing pay campaign which includes the lobbying of the political parties. There is no doubt that the points raised by NIPSA are being echoed in statements made by political parties. As previously advised, the ongoing delay in a return to an Assembly has made it difficult for us to make progress on pay. As part of our campaign, I wrote to the Secretary of State to seek a meeting. The Northern Ireland Office has eventually responded to my letters, but the response puts the onus for resolving pay back onto local parties. It does not address the budget cuts and crisis created by Westminster, nor the failure to provide enough money to resolve the pay claims for civil servants and other public sector workers. For that reason, the Civil Service Executive Committee has agreed that we need to bring more pressure to bear on the Secretary of State to make the money available. The letter from the NIO states that they wish “to continue to ensure that civil servants are best supported in the vital work across public services”. We need to put pressure on them to put money behind that statement. To mark the imposition of the derisory and insulting award which will be implemented in June, the Executive Committee has called a protest on Wednesday 28 June. The protest will take place from 12.30 – 1.30pm at the Northern Ireland Office, Erskine House, Chichester Street, Belfast. At the next Civil Service Executive Committee meeting on 26 June, there will be further strategic discussion about the dispute and about our action short of strike action and possible selective action 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
BREAKING NEWS!! ‘Don’t let this be the end’ (20 Jun) – Vote now in NHS strike ballot, as RCN leader says ‘not voting helps the government’. With just days to go until our NHS strike ballot for England closes, RCN General Secretary & Chief Executive Pat Cullen is warning that unless enough members send their ballot papers by post the RCN’s strike hits the ‘end of the road’. The government’s consistent refusal to explore or allow secure online voting risks bringing an end to the RCN’s strike unless nurses and support workers find and send back papers in the post. They should be posted immediately in the free envelope provided to stand the best chance of being received by Friday 23 June read more
Vote now for further nursing strikes: ‘the public backs you’ (16 Jun) – New polling shows increasing public support for nursing strikes as RCN plans day of action to secure required legal turnout in current strike ballot. With just one week to go until our strike ballot in England closes, we’re urging all members to promote the vote and help protect the NHS on a day of action this coming Monday 19 June. Leaflets will be available for members to collect and distribute at NHS workplaces across England in our biggest get-out-the-vote push in a single day. Find your nearest leaflet collection point as well as read, download and print the leaflet yourself now. It comes as new polling shows public support for nursing strikes is higher than before our first strikes in December last year. Of those polled, 62% said they support nursing strikes – the highest level of support for any profession taking strike action. More than eight in 10 (82%) said they support a pay rise for nurses read more
RCN fights against ‘two-tier NHS’ and for all nursing staff providing NHS services in England to receive government-funded pay award (14 Jun) – We’re demanding action from the Health Secretary after staff delivering NHS services won’t get the pay rise they expected. The RCN has written to Steve Barclay asking him to urgently address an issue with the way the NHS pay award for nursing staff in England is being implemented. It’s after many of those working in NHS organisations as bank nursing staff (including NHS Professionals) have been told they’ll not receive the one-off non-consolidated payments. Additionally, many staff working on contracts aligned to Agenda for Change, delivering NHS care through organisations such as charities and social enterprises, have also been told they may not receive the non-consolidated payments or uplift for 2023/24 as it has not been centrally funded and they can’t afford to pay it without. This is despite many of these staff being employed on contracts which are aligned to Agenda for Change pay rates. Members are being urged to write to their own MPs asking them to apply pressure on the UK government to address the situation with new funding read more
Royal College of Nursing to consult Manx Care members on latest pay offer (7 Jun) – The Isle of Man’s largest nursing trade union is consulting with members about a revised pay offer from Manx Care read more
Royal College of Nursing to ballot Manx Care members on strike action (31 May)
RCN Wales announces further strike action after members reject latest NHS pay offer in Wales (10 May) – RCN Wales has written to the Minister for Health & Social Services, Eluned Morgan, seeking to urgently re-enter negotiations. Strike dates confirmed after RCN Wales members reject NHS pay offer. The results of the consultative ballot, which took place between 24 April and 10 May are: 46.79% accept, 53.21% % reject. The vote comes after members forced the Welsh government to re-open negotiations earlier this year, resulting in an improved pay offer for 2022/23 and a new pay offer for 2023/24. The RCN has called for the Welsh government to urgently return to the negotiating table and, unless a resolution is found, will take strike action on 6 and 7 June and 12 and 13 July. Strike action will run for the duration of the day shift on each day and derogations will be tighter than those in place during strike action in December 2022. All members employed where there is a mandate to strike will be called on to take strike action on these days 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
Midwives give 100,000 hours of free labour to the NHS per week to keep England’s maternity services safe says RCM (16 Jun) – A survey from the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) has revealed that midwives across England work around 100,000* extra unpaid hours a week to keep maternity services safe. That’s the message from an RCM survey of its members across England. It paints a deeply worrying picture of workplace conditions and the impact on safety in England’s maternity services, says the RCM. The survey of just under 4,000 RCM members asked about the situation in their workplace in the first week of March this year 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
CSP
Northern Ireland pay: members urged to vote now (13 Jun) – Physiotherapy staff in Northern Ireland are being consulted to see what the CSP’s next steps should be on pay. There has been no enhancement for 2022/23 and no offer made for 2023/24. The consultation will be open until Monday 3 July. A pay deal has been implemented in England, Wales and Scotland. In all three countries work is underway on the non-pay elements of each of the deals read more
BMA
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‘If we do nothing, nothing changes’ – Junior doctors forced to take industrial action for a third time owing to pay erosion (16 Jun) – For all the cheers and camaraderie at the BMA rally in Oxford, none of the junior doctors taking part wanted to be there. Yet, three months in to their industrial action, they feel they have no choice but to press on. On the first day of their latest 72-hour strike on 14 June, the message from the doctors and placards assembled in Bonn Square was clear: We have no option but to strike. Things cannot go on like this read more
FPR: an update and why we need your views on pay (15 Jun) – The BMA Wales junior doctors committee co-chairs provide an update on the campaign for FPR (full pay restoration) in Wales as well as details of how members can have their say in the latest pay survey read more
Scottish Government makes pay offer to junior doctors (22 Jun) – BMA members to vote on 14.5 per cent uplift offered over two years. BMA junior doctor members in Scotland are to vote on a pay uplift of 14.5 per cent over two years after an offer was made by the Scottish government. The pay offer amounts to a 6.5 per cent uplift for this year and an increase from 4.5 per cent to 7.5 per cent backdated for 2022/23 read more
Junior doctors in England announce June strike action after Government fails to make credible pay offer (22 May) – Following today’s talks with DHSC, the BMA has confirmed further industrial action will be undertaken by junior doctors in England. A 72-hour walkout will take place between 0700 on Wednesday 14 June and 0700 on Saturday 17 June read more
Junior Doctor pay – BMA Scotland to put offer to members (22 May) – BMA Scotland today confirmed that following extensive negotiations it will put the pay offer made by the Scottish Government to its junior doctor members in a consultative vote. The pay offer made amounts a 6.5% uplift for this year and an increase from 4.5% to 7.5%, backdated for 2022/23 – an aggregate uplift of 14.5% over two years. The Scottish Government has also committed to a Junior Doctor Pay Bargaining Review Taskforce which will have a remit to develop a new pay bargaining system that seeks to prevent pay erosion and finally ensure pay properly recognises the contribution of junior doctors in Scotland. The consultative vote on the pay offer will open in the next fortnight and will run for two weeks. BMA Scotland will adopt a neutral position on the offer, providing the relevant figures and information to members but empowering them to make the final choice. An overwhelming mandate for strike action, provided by the ballot undertaken by BMA Scotland earlier this year, remains in place for six months – ensuring all options remain open following the outcome of the vote read more
Juniors in England prepare to re-ballot read more
GPs plan industrial action if contract not revised (27 Apr) – Threat to patient safety must be removed if doctors to avoid dispute read more
NHS consultants in England to be balloted in May for industrial action (3 Apr) – The BMA will ballot NHS consultants in England for strike action from the 15th May if the Government does not meet its demands for restoring consultants’ pay and reforming the broken pay review body read more
NEU
NEU Executive schedules further strike action (17 Jun) – The National Executive of the National Education Union has agreed two further days of strike action this term. The days of action will be on Wednesday July the 5 and Friday July 7. These strike days are covered by an existing ballot of members, which closed in January. Legislation requires that after six months, the ballot is renewed. The NEU’s re-ballot for strike action opened on 15 May and will close on 28 July. In parallel to this, the education unions ASCL, NAHT and NASUWT are also balloting members in pursuance of improved pay and funding for teachers in England. The NEU reballot and the ballots by the other unions will allow coordinated action in the Autumn term if there is no settlement to the dispute read more
NEU re-ballot (15 May) – NEU re-ballots members in continuance of dispute with Government for a fully funded teacher pay increase. Today (Monday) the National Education Union is commencing a new national ballot of teacher members in England. The dispute between Government and the National Education Union for a fully funded pay increase which stops the decline in teacher recruitment and retention remains unresolved. Therefore, the union is re-balloting teacher members working in England’s state-funded schools. Re-balloting of our members is necessary as the current ballot is only effective as a mandate for strike action during a six-month period. The legitimacy of the current ballot ends on 13 July 2023. This second ballot, opening today and closing on 28 July 2023 read more
NASUWT
Further strike action at Hutchesons’ Grammar likely after employer reneges on pensions (16 Jun) – Further strike action at Hutchesons’ Grammar School in Glasgow by members of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union is likely after the school reneged on plans to delay the compulsory transfer of teachers’ pensions to a new scheme. At a meeting today the school confirmed it is withdrawing its offer to delay for a year plans to transfer all teachers from the Scottish Teachers’ Pension Scheme (STPS) to the schools’ alternative defined contribution scheme. The employer has now said that it intends to go ahead with the transfer from the start of the new academic year this August. NASUWT members have already taken two days of strike action last month, but agreed to withdraw two further days scheduled for last week as a gesture of goodwill after the school agreed to the delay to the pensions transfer. The school has previously threatened to sack teachers if they did not agree to the transfer of their pensions. The NASUWT has consistently opposed the transfer of members’ pensions to a scheme which provides no guarantee of the level of income teachers would receive in retirement or any index-linked rises to their pension pots read more
Jersey teachers vote in favour of industrial action (13 Jun) – Members of the NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union in Jersey have voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action over pay and workload. In state funded schools 86% of members voted in favour of strike action and 95% in favour of action short of strike action on a turnout of 51%. Members in seven independent schools also voted in favour of strike action and action short of strike action. The NASUWT National Action Committee will now consider the timetable for industrial action in Jersey. NASUWT balloted its members following the failure of the States to address the years of real terms pay erosion that teachers have suffered since 2008 or to address spiralling workloads. Taking into account the pay offer for the current academic year, which represented a real terms pay cut of 2.5% when benchmarked against RPI in September 2022, teachers in Jersey have suffered an 8.8% real-terms pay cut since 2008 read more
Teachers at Coventry School Foundation take further strike action over pay (13 Jun) – Members of the NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union at the Coventry School Foundation (BKHS Bablake Senior, BKHS Bablake Prep, BKHS King Henry VIII Senior and BKHS King Henry VIII Prep) are taking two further days of strike action tomorrow (Wednesday) and Thursday over pay. Members are now facing a second successive significant pay cut. Following the imposition of a pay award for 2022/23 that was significantly below inflation, employers have made a pay offer for 2023/24 which once again represents a real-terms pay cut read more read more
Trade dispute – sixth form colleges (13 Jun) – In ballots of teachers in sixth form colleges, NASUWT – the Teachers’ Union, has today issued notice to the Education Secretary and employers of potential national industrial action, including strike action and action short of strike action across sixth form colleges in England. NASUWT members in 56 sixth form colleges secured ballot mandates with 87.6% of eligible members voting to support strike action and 93.7% voting in support of action short of strike action based on an overall turnout of 64.9% read more
London teachers strike over threats to pensions (24 May) – Members of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union at St Augustines’ Priory School in West London are taking strike action today and tomorrow (Wednesday May 24 and Thursday May 25) as part of eight days of strike action in May and June over threats to sack staff unless they sign contracts that will leave them with inferior pensions. The Ealing school, which charges as much as £18k a year, wants teachers to withdraw from the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS) and accept an inferior pension leaving them worse off in their retirement. Members have been told they must sign new contracts or risk being dismissed from their jobs. The school’s governors are refusing to allow trade unions to be part of formal negotiations opposing the changes. This has left NASUWT members with no other option but to take strike action at the independent Catholic girls’ school read more
Adverse management forces Swansea teachers to strike (17 May) – Members of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union at Gendros Primary School in Swansea will be taking the first of eleven planned days of strike action from today over adverse management practices which are affecting teachers’ health and working conditions. Members at the school are taking action as a result of the failure of the local authority and school governors to adequately act to address management incompetence at the school read more
Guildford teachers strike to protect pensions (17 May) – Members of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union at Royal Grammar School Senior in Guildford are taking the first of five days of planned strike action today after being threatened with dismissal from their jobs unless they agree to new contracts that would leave them with worse pensions. The Employer is seeking to impose inferior pension arrangements on teachers which would adversely affect their future financial security read more
NASUWT to ballot members for strike action (15 May) – The NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union is balloting eligible members for industrial action in state-funded schools and sixth form colleges across England over pay, workload and working time. The ballot for state-funded schools will open on June 5 and close on July 10. A ballot for sixth form colleges opens today (May 15) and will close on June 12. The ballots are the result of the failure of the Government to agree the NASUWT’s demand for a fully-funded restorative pay award for all teachers employed in state-funded schools and sixth form colleges in England, and to resolve the issue of excessive workload and long working hours read more
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
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
NAHT
NAHT Cymru to re-ballot members on industrial action (25 May) – School leaders in Wales are to be re-balloted in a bid to secure a fresh mandate for industrial action, which could include strike action. In March, members of school leaders’ union NAHT Cymru voted to reject an offer from the Welsh government covering both 2022/23 and 2023/24 in their dispute over pay, workload and funding. The government nevertheless awarded the 3% pay uplift offered for the current academic year, but despite its assurances this would be fully funded, concerns among NAHT members that this would not be the case have proved justified in many areas of the country. Talks have taken place over recent weeks between NAHT, the Welsh government and local government employers. But a breakthrough has so far proved elusive, with a promised review of funding for both school budgets and pay awards still being discussed and an agreement to reduce workload still not finalised. NAHT members have been taking action short of strike since January, when 95% of participants in NAHT’s first ballot supported this option – while a majority, 75%, also supported strike action. But this mandate expires in July, prompting the decision to run a new ballot, when both options will again be on the table. The ballot begins next Thursday, June 1 and will run until Tuesday, 27 June read more
NAHT opens strike ballot after school leaders reject government’s offer (15 May) – School leaders’ union NAHT has today opened its strike ballot after members rejected the government’s most recent offer on pay and working conditions. Ballot papers are this week being sent to the homes of NAHT members asking one simple question: ‘Are you prepared to take part in industrial action consisting of a strike’? The union’s ballot is open until 31 July, with education unions having agreed to coordinate strike action in the autumn term if it is supported by their members and the dispute cannot be resolved. Members have to vote by post by law. The ballot is being held over four issues: pay and funding; recruitment and retention; workload and wellbeing; and inspection – specifically the impact this has on school leaders’ mental health and wellbeing read more
EIS
EIS suspends strike action at Hutchesons’ Grammar school (7 Jun) – The EIS has this afternoon (Tuesday) agreed to suspend strike action scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday at Hutchesons’ Grammar School, a fee-paying school in Glasgow. The move to suspend this week’s action follows developments in the dispute over the school’s fire and rehire practice to force teachers onto new contracts with inferior pension provision. The two scheduled strike days are being withdrawn following a new proposal from the school to delay their plans for a year. While the EIS still does not agree with the school’s proposals, the decision has been taken to halt this week’s strike action to allow for further negotiation and to seek further amendments to the school’s proposals read more
EIS-FELA Dundee and Angus College Staff Balloting for Industrial Action (6 Jun) – Members of the Educational Institute of Scotland – Further Education Lecturers’ Association (EIS-FELA) at Dundee & Angus College are balloting for industrial action, following a proposal by the college to begin compulsory redundancies by the end of June. The proposals come as part of a wider plan by college management to make savings, including cuts to the number of courses on offer to prospective students and staff in these areas. EIS-FELA has warned that the move will undermine the Scottish Government’s efforts to retrain young people in target industries and risks damaging the reputation of the college read more
EIS-FELA Responds to “Completely Unacceptable” Revised pay Offer from Colleges (2 Jun) – Negotiators from the EIS-Further Education Lecturers Association (EIS-FELA) met again, with College Employers Scotland, in an attempt to settle a long running pay dispute. Despite the EIS-FELA making significant movement, by revising their previous pay claim, college employers only tabled a marginally improved offer, asserted as their full and final offer, that still amounts to substantial real terms pay cut for the lecturing workforce. With college students due to complete their studies in the coming weeks, time is now running out to avoid large numbers of students failing to receive their results due to industrial action short of strike, in the form of a resulting boycott, being taken by the EIS-FELA membership. The EIS-FELA has made clear previously that in the absence of an acceptable pay offer, industrial action will be escalated to national strike action early in the new academic year read more
City of Glasgow College Lecturers take Strike Action (30 May) – There has been strong turnout on picket lines as lecturers at City of Glasgow College (CoGC) began a programme of strike action over planned cuts and redundancies. Lecturers at the college will be on strike for the rest of the week, with 4-days of strike action then set to continue each week for the following three weeks. The commencement of strike action is an escalation in the dispute, building on a programme of Action Short of Strike (ASOS) already in place at the college read more
INTO
A Reminder for Members on our Key Actions Short of Strike (31 May) – INTO, NEU and UTU have produced the poster below to highlight for members our key actions short of strike read more
Industrial Action: Phase 4 from 8am Monday 3 April (9 May) – From 3 April 2023, INTO members were instructed to undertake additional, continuous Phase Four action. A reminder of the full details can be found in the documents below:
PHASE 4: Action Short of Strike from 3 April 2023 (pdf)
PHASE 4: Appendix 1: Expansion of Action Point 28 – Leadership Members – Non-provision of Data (pdf) read more
UCU
Nine days of strikes at University of Leicester over pay docking (19 Jun) – Staff at the University of Leicester begin nine days of strike action on Wednesday over the university’s enforcement of 50% wage deductions for staff taking part in the marking boycott. The full days of strike action are:
- week 1: Wednesday 21 June
- week 2: Monday 26, Tuesday 27, Wednesday 28 and Thursday 29 June
- week 3: Tuesday 18 July, Wednesday 19 July, Thursday 20 July, Friday 21 July.
Management at Leicester plans to stop paying staff 50% of their salary from the first day marking becomes available until the boycott ends. The boycott covers all marking and assessment, including in writing, online, or verbally at 145 UK universities. It will continue until employer body the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) makes an improved offer in the ongoing pay and working conditions dispute, at which point UCU will decide whether to continue the action or call it off. In March UCU successfully renewed its mandate in the ongoing national pay and conditions dispute, allowing action to be called for a further six months at 145 universities, including Leicester. UCU members at 21 universities have now either taken or confirmed they will take strike action over pay docking read more
Delayed University of Cambridge graduations ‘tip of the iceberg’, says UCU (19 Jun) – Thousands of students at the University of Cambridge may be unable to graduate because UCEA is refusing to restart negotiations read more
Strikes set for Liverpool John Moores University over pay docking (13 Jun) – Staff at Liverpool John Moores University will down tools on Friday in the first of eight days of strike action in response to the university’s enforcement of 50% wage deductions for staff taking part in the marking boycott. Friday’s strike will hit a key university open day, and staff will rally outside Metropolitan Cathedral, next to the university’s John Foster building from 1pm. The full days of strike action are:-
Week 1: Friday 16 June
Week 2: Thursday 17 and Friday 18 August
Week 3: Monday 18, Tuesday 19, Wednesday 20, Thursday 21 and Friday 22 September.
Management at John Moores has started docking the pay of staff who are boycotting marking by 50% despite the fact that staff continue to teach, support students, write references, provide pastoral care, undertake research and attend public events read more
Strike at University of Bristol amid ‘dodgy’ degree scandal (7 Jun) – Staff at the University of Bristol are set to strike on Friday 16 June during an open day in an acrimonious pay dispute, UCU announced today. UCU members are also boycotting marking. The university has responded by bypassing degree accreditation processes and confirming it will dock 50% of pay from staff participating in the boycott. Hundreds of staff and students have signed an open letter condemning management’s attempts to degrade the credibility of any degrees awarded by the university read more
Strike ON tomorrow at University of Westminster over 100% pay docking (6 Jun) – Staff at the University of Westminster will be on strike tomorrow after management confirmed it will dock 100% of the pay of staff taking part in the marking boycott. Striking staff will be picketing main entrances at 309 Regent Street and 35 Marylebone Road from 5pm to 7.30pm to coincide with the university’s postgraduate open day. UCU members are striking because Westminster is deducting 100% of the pay of staff taking part in the marking and assessment boycott, despite staff continuing to teach, lecture and support students as normal. The boycott covers all marking and assessment, including in writing, online, or verbally at 145 UK universities. It will continue until employer body UCEA makes an improved offer in the ongoing pay and working conditions dispute, at which point UCU will decide whether to continue the action or call it off. In March UCU successfully renewed its mandate in the dispute, allowing action to be called for a further six months at 145 universities, including Westminster read more
Indefinite strike action to hit University of Leeds over 100% pay docking (2 Jun) – Over 1,800 staff at the University of Leeds will begin indefinite strike action from Thursday 15 June after management confirmed it will be deducting 100% of the pay of staff taking part in the marking boycott. The strike could continue for months unless management stop docking staff pay. UCU said pay deductions of up to 100% are utterly unacceptable as staff taking part in the marking and assessment boycott continue to teach, lecture and support students as normal read more
Tyne Coast College faces two strike days next week in pay row (2 Jun) – Over 100 staff at Tyne Coast College will down tools next week in a fight over fair pay. Staff will strike on Monday 5 and Wednesday 7 June. They will be picketing outside main entrances from 7.30am to 9.30am on both strike days. The College has said it will be ‘closed for lessons’ during the strike days. The strike comes after 94% of those who voted backed strike action. Turnout was 54%. It is over the 2022/3 pay claim, which comes on top of multiple real-term wage cuts and a recent pay freeze (2019/20) read more
Strikes to hit four Yorkshire colleges during GCSE exams in pay & conditions fight (1 Jun) – Staff at Leeds City, Harrogate, Kirklees and Bradford colleges will strike for four days from Monday 5 June unless employers make an improved pay offer. The days of strike action taking place at all four colleges are: Monday 5 June, Wednesday 7 June, Monday 12 June, Wednesday 14 June. UCU said college leaders only have themselves to blame if strikes disrupt crucial GCSE maths and English exams set to take place next week. Staff at Kirklees and Bradford colleges already went on strike last month in their disputes. Bradford college staff also intend to take further action in June read more
Five days of strikes to hit Sheffield Hallam University in pay docking fight (30 May) – Staff at Sheffield Hallam University will resume strike action tomorrow (Wednesday 31 May) in the first of five days of action after the university began deducting 100% of the pay of staff taking part in the marking and assessment boycott. Staff at the university have already taken two days of strike action in response to the deductions, on 25 and 26 May. The further full days of strike action called are: Wednesday 31 May, no pickets; Thursday 1 June, no pickets; Friday 2 June, picket location: City Campus, Howard Street, S1 1WB; Wednesday 7 June, picket locations: Collegiate Cres, Broomhall, Sheffield S10 2BP; City Campus, Howard Street, S1 1WB; Thursday 8 June, picket locations: Collegiate Cres, Broomhall, Sheffield S10 2BP; City Campus, Howard Street, S1 1WB. Staff are striking because Sheffield Hallam is deducting 100% of the pay of staff taking part in the marking and assessment boycott, despite staff continuing to teach, lecture and support students as normal read more
UCU Congress votes for England wide college strike ballot (28 May) – Members attending UCU’s Congress have voted to ballot further education colleges across England for strike action. The ballot will be launched in September and if successful will lead to strikes from October, unless employers meet UCU’s demands over pay, workloads and the Living Wage. The decision follows an e-ballot of around 18,000 UCU members at 190 college branches in which 87% of members who voted said yes to strike action. Turnout was over 50%. UCU is demanding a pay offer in excess of RPI inflation, a national workload agreement and binding national pay negotiations. Earlier this month employer body the Association of Colleges refused to make a national pay offer read more
University of Winchester staff begin strike action tomorrow in fight against pay deductions (23 May) – Staff at the University of Winchester will begin strike action tomorrow as part of a fight back against 100% pay deductions for staff taking part in the current marking and assessment boycott. The University of Winchester has announced that they will make wage deductions of 100% for staff taking part in the boycott, despite staff continuing to teach, lecture and support students as normal. Strike action will last for at least 6 days in the first instance throughout May and June. Last month, UCU successfully renewed its industrial action mandate, allowing strikes to be called for a further six months. The current marking and assessment boycott covers 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 read more
University of Cambridge calls on employer body UCEA to re-enter negotiations & end marking boycott (22 May) – The University of Cambridge has called on its own employer body, UCEA, to ‘urgently’ resume negotiations with UCU so that students can graduate. The move, described as ‘hugely significant’ by UCU, was communicated via a joint statement signed by Dr Anthony Freeling, acting vice-chancellor of the University of Cambridge and Michael Abberton, president of UCU’s Cambridge branch. UCU said it is unacceptable that UCEA is risking student graduations by refusing to negotiate, and that other universities now need to follow Cambridge and demand UCEA ends the dispute. On Thursday 11 May UCEA wrote to UCU to formally withdraw from negotiations. University staff at 145 universities across the UK are currently boycotting marking and assessments in a pay and working conditions dispute. By refusing to negotiate UCEA is putting the graduations of hundreds of thousands of students at risk read more
Staff at Manchester College and UCEN Manchester to begin strike action next week in row over low pay (12 May) – Staff at Manchester College and UCEN Manchester will take 12 days of strike action starting on Monday 15 May, UCU announced today. The strike comes after 94% of members who voted said backed industrial action in a ballot with a 59% turnout. This will be the fifth time that staff have been forced to take industrial action this year. An offer of 2.7% (the lowest for colleges in the North-West) was rejected by members against a backdrop of a cost of living crisis and inflation above 13% read more
Brighton University staff vow to strike in defence of over 100 jobs (10 May) – Staff at the University of Brighton have voted unanimously to ballot for strike action at an emergency UCU branch meeting last Friday. The meeting was called after the university announced plans to make up to 97 academic posts and a number of professional services staff redundant. UCU said the cuts could see well over 100 staff lose their jobs. The university claims it is cutting staff because it needs to make £17.9m in savings. The cuts would mean a huge reduction in lecturers in subjects including art, media, education, architecture, engineering, humanities and sport science. Yet Brighton already has one of the worst student to staff ratios in the UK and has spent over £50m on building projects in the last two years. Unless the university halts it could be hit with a strike ballot before the end of the month read more
Barnet & Southgate College strikes set to hit GCSE, BTEC & A-level exams (10 May) – Staff at Barnet and Southgate College will strike for three days from Friday 19 May in a long-running pay dispute. The strike dates will impact crucial GCSE, BTEC and A-level exams, including English and Maths. The full strike dates are: Friday 19 May, Monday 5 June, Wednesday 7 June. UCU said there is still time to call the strikes off and stop disruption to exams if the college makes a realistic pay offer. The strike comes after an overwhelming 96% of staff who voted backed taking action in a ballot to extend the union’s industrial mandate. UCU members have already downed tools for three days in the long-running dispute after college bosses imposed pay awards of just 1% for 2021/22 and 1% for 2020/21. The college has now imposed a further pay award of just 2.5% for 2022/23 read more
Strike ballot opens at Barnsley College over ‘unacceptable’ 2% pay offer (5 May) – A ballot for strike action opened today at Barnsley College over a consolidated pay offer for 2022/23 of just 2%. The ballot will run until Monday 12 June and if successful will pave the way for strike action during key admissions dates unless management comes back with a better offer. The industrial ballot comes after 97% of members who voted said they would back strike action in a consultative poll with a 70% turnout read more
City College Norwich staff on strike today in low pay dispute (5 May) – Staff at City College Norwich are on picket lines this morning in a strike over low pay, confirmed the University and College Union (UCU) today (Friday). They will also be on strike on Tuesday and are demanding that management urgently raise pay to meet the cost of living crisis. Staff have already taken two days of strike action this year after the 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
Bradford College staff to strike tomorrow over low pay (3 May) – Staff at Bradford College will strike tomorrow in a dispute over low pay and working conditions. Staff will be on picket lines outside college entrances from 7am, UCU confirmed. The strike will be the first of 14 days of action unless staff get an improved pay offer and movement from management on unmanageable workloads 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
UCU fighting fund: the link is here and donations to the fund are spent on supporting members involved in important disputes.
FBU
Hundreds of London firefighters tested for cancers with call for regular health monitoring (Jun 19) – Vital firefighter cancer monitoring has been launched in London as part of a new UK wide research project commissioned by the Fire Brigades Union (FBU). The testing is being carried out by the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan), led by a world expert in fire toxicity, Professor Anna Stec, and will continue until June 21st. Nearly 300 firefighters are participating by providing blood and urine samples to be analysed for the number of biomarkers of cancers and other diseases, and toxic chemicals. The results will be used to detect cancers and other diseases at the early stages, and to identify evidence linking occupational cancers with exposure to toxic fire chemicals read more
Grenfell Tower fire “a crime caused by deregulation”, says FBU (14 Jun) – Today marks six years since the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017. Last month, it was announced that the Public Inquiry’s second report would be delayed until 2024. The Fire Brigades Union has said it will stand “shoulder to shoulder” with the Grenfell community to campaign for justice. Matt Wrack, Fire Brigades Union general secretary, said: “The Grenfell Fire was not inevitable – it was a crime caused by decades of deregulation, privatisation and the prioritisation of profit over safety. Six years on and the community is still waiting for answers. No one responsible has yet been held accountable. “The Fire Brigades Union stands shoulder to shoulder with the bereaved, survivors and residents to demand justice and fight to ensure that this tragedy is never repeated.” Read more
Firefighters’ union hails “workers’ revolt” as protesters rally against anti-union laws (May 19) – The House of Commons have voted on the Minimum Service Levels Bill. Thousands of workers rallied outside in protest at the proposed laws. Last month, Scotland First Minister Humza Yousaf declared that the Scottish Government would “not issue a single work notice” under the proposed legislation 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
Gatelodge Extra on violence in the Criminal Justice Sector (14 Jun) – The POA is constantly campaigning to raise awareness of violence in the Criminal Justice Sector. Following the Covid Pandemic and restrictions on regimes, violence and assaults have started to rise to pre-pandemic levels and beyond. It is unacceptable within a modern society, serious physical violence in the workplace is deemed as an occupational hazard. At the National Executive Committee Meeting of 14th June 2023, it was determined that a ‘Gatelodge Extra’ would be published to highlight stories of violence and assaults which occur within the Criminal Justice Sector daily. The target publication of this ‘Gatelodge Extra’ will be early September 2023, when Members of Parliament return from their summer recess. To this end the Executive invite members from all areas of the membership to share their experiences of violence within the workplace for inclusion in the ‘Gatelodge Extra’. Photographs or any other evidence would also assist the Executive greatly read more
POA condemn short-sighted government announcement (6 Jun) – The POA has condemned the Government for announcing that only a select group of Civil Servants will receive a one off £1500 cost of living payment in addition to any pay award for 2023/24. The Government have declared that Staff in scope of the announcement are those covered by this year’s Civil Service pay remit guidance (all non-SCS staff working in MoJ HQ, HMCTS, LAA, OPG, CICA), and non-SCS staff in the Probation Service. The announcement precludes Operational and Non Operational Prison staff who are subject to a Pay Review Body. The Union that represents Prison Officers, Operational Support Grades and a host of other Prison Workers have criticised the announcement read more
NAPO
Facilitator Job Evaluation update (16 Jun) – Members will be aware that the employer had planned to send the Job Evaluation Documents to the Job Evaluation Panel yesterday despite concern trade unions on the process that had been followed. Following a number of urgent talks, the panel on the 15th was postponed. Ian Lawrence subsequently spoke with Employee Relations to express our concerns about the process. The key issue being that the employer has in effect changed the parameters of the job evaluation without notifying staff or trade unions. The trade unions and staff participating in the job evaluation workshops were under the impression that this evaluation was re-evaluating the current role of facilitator to see if it came out as a Band 3 or a Band 4. The employer informed unions at the very last minute that in fact the exercise was to reconfigure the role of facilitator into a new role. There are some significant implications as a result of this change. Not least that it has the potential to impact on members terms and conditions and is therefore subject to negotiation not just consultation. The outcome of Ian Lawrence’s intervention is that the Job Evaluation Panel is now postponed with a date yet to be decided read more
NEC considers range of issues for Probation members (16 Jun) – The following issues were among many others that were considered by your National Executive Committee (NEC) yesterday. The NEC also received an update on the plans for the Joint Trade Unions Workload and Stress campaign of which more details will be reaching members next week. Further information about all the agenda items are available via your NEC member who will be pleased to report to Branch Committees read more
BFAWU
BFAWU members at Allied Bakeries in Liverpool are out on Strike! (31 May) – Our members at Allied Bakeries in Liverpool have taken the difficult decision to withdraw their labour this week over a pay dispute, the picket line over the last 24 hours has had plenty of support from the membership and the public with lots of drivers beeping their horns and waving and passers by passing on their support! Read more
Support the campaign to unionise Samworth Brothers – get organised, sign the petition read more
NUJ
BREAKING NEWS!! Journalists at VICE UK set to strike (20 Jun) – NUJ members at VICE UK will take part in strike action on 29th and 30th June over the company’s failure to provide fair redundancy terms. Members are taking industrial action in protest at the company’s offer to those staff made redundant as a result of financial difficulties at VICE. The offer of £2000 and statutory redundancy pay comes at a time when VICE has paid executives, including former chief executive officer Nancy Dubuc, up to $1.5 million a year in salary. The union has urged the publisher to consider the financial impact of the package on staff and has been engaged in discussions with management, seeking fewer redundancies and an increased pay offer read more
VICE UK Limited ballot results (15 Jun) – Ballot results of the NUJ trade dispute with VICE UK read more
NUJ slams National World job cuts (14 Jun) – The union’s Newspaper and Agencies Industrial Council has called the move a ‘cynical attempt to undermine and destabilise staff.’ Publisher National World announced this week that journalists’ jobs are at risk of redundancy. The National Union of Journalists has received confirmation from the company that Monday’s announcement relates to 25 full time equivalent roles that are to be closed and 14 roles available for redeployment read more
Cairo: BBC journalists on strike today (14 Jun) – NUJ sends a message of solidarity to BBC journalists in Cairo taking action over the broadcaster’s unfair payment policy. The National Union of Journalists supports journalists at the BBC Cairo bureau in their one-day strike action today, 14 June. Members are taking industrial action over the BBC’s failure to undertake a review and make changes to its payment policy, following significant devaluation of the local currency read more
NUJ calls for ‘pause and engage’ on BBC Local cuts (13 Jun) – Following a grilling of BBC director general Tim Davie at the Culture Media and Sport Select Committee, in which he revealed no formal consultation had taken place over cuts to BBC local radio, the NUJ is calling for the corporation to “pause and engage” over the unpopular cuts read more
BBC Local strike impact and support (8 Jun) – Strike action by NUJ BBC Local members on Wednesday 7 and Thursday 8 June had significant impact on programming, with some BBC local radio stations and programmes completely off air and many others taking a shared ‘sustaining’ service containing no local content, or replacing shows with cricket, gardening or auction room re-runs read more
NUJ welcomes anti-SLAPP amendments but repeats call for standalone legislation from government (13 Jun) – Union calls for journalists’ protections on all SLAPP cases, and not those limited in scope to economic crime. The National Union of Journalists has welcomed UK government amendments to the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill giving judges greater powers to tackle SLAPPs. Amendments will create a new early dismissal process allowing SLAPPs about economic crime to be dismissed at an early stage by judges. The union has repeatedly condemned the actions of wealthy individuals pursuing journalists through courts in efforts to intimidate and stifle reporting read more
#SaveBBCNI BBC Northern Ireland strike (19 May) – Picket photos from today’s BBC Northern Ireland strike read more
Equity
London Assembly formally objects to ACE decision in unanimous motion to Save the ENO (9 Jun) – The London Assembly has made a unanimous cross party call for Arts Council England to end its requirement to move ENO outside of London. ENO workers and campaign supporters packed the public gallery to hear the motion on the ENO adopted unanimously. Assembly Members await an invitation to a meeting with ACE CEO Darren Henley to discuss their concerns. The London Assembly has formally raised its objection to the Arts Council’s shock decision to defund the English National Opera and require it to move out of London, in a unanimous vote receiving cross-party support. ENO workers who are members of Equity and the Musicians’ Union packed the public gallery on Thursday afternoon, along with campaign supporters, to hear the motion tabled by Elly Baker AM from the City Hall Labour Group read more
USDAW
Workers (Predictable Terms and Conditions) Bill is a small step in the right direction but not enough to tackle insecure employment says Usdaw (16 Jun) – Retail trade union Usdaw has branded a Government backed private members bill a very small step in the right direction, but not enough to tackle the growing problem of insecure work and one-sided flexibility in the UK labour market. The Workers (Predictable Terms and Conditions) Bill is scheduled to receive its second reading in the House of Lords today (16 June) and is sponsored by Labour Peer, Baroness Anderson. The Bill has passed all its stages in the House of Commons and introduces a new statutory right for workers to request a predictable working pattern read more
Minimum wage of at least £12 and an end to rip-off youth rates – Usdaw gives evidence to the Low Pay Commission (14 Jun) – Retail trade union Usdaw has provided written evidence to the Low Pay Commission (LPC) on minimum wage rates. The LPC’s annual call for evidence will help shape the recommendations they will make to the Government this autumn about the new minimum wage rates, which are expected to come into force on 1 April 2024 read more
UVW
All aboard the UVW strike bus! (13 Jun) – All aboard! A bus load of cleaners, carers and concierge workers together with dozens of supporters, went on a whistle stop tour of five workplaces on strike, marking the first day of a three-day coordinated strike involving seven groups of workers! These brave workers picketed the offices in large numbers and with jubilant dancing and chanting of the Department for Education, publishing powerhouse Ogilvy, the prestigious London School of Economics and Sage Nursing home. They wrapped up the day leafleting residents at West End Quays luxury apartments. Tuesday 13 June was a day of joyful resistance as low-paid, precarious and migrant workers called for dignity, equality and respect. Specific demands included full sick pay, an end to outsourcing, £15 an hour, unsocial hours enhancements and more. Refusing to be invisible, the UVW open-top double decker strike bus cut through the heart of the establishment in central London, gathering support along the way and in their local communities…If you want to support these brave workers, you can DONATE and or SHARE their strike crowdfunder.
Next strikes are today 20th June, picket times below:-
Streatham and Clapham High School SW16 1AW 7am-9.30am
Department for Education SW1P 3BT 10.30am-11.30am
Amazon UK HQ EC2A 2BA 12noon-1.30pm
You can also JOIN their action group for updates on the campaign and details of how to join a picket line.
Get to know the workers and their demands here and SPREAD THE WORD! Or send a letter of protest to their employers. Takes 1 minute!
- Equality now for Streatham and Clapham High School
- Give the Ogilvy night shift cleaners what they need and deserve
- London School of Economics pay your cleaners their holiday pay!
IWGB
UCL to sack 40 security guards and fire-and-rehire remaining 216, prompting strike action (9 Jun) – Outsourced security guards working at University College London (UCL) have received communications from subcontractor Bidvest Noonan confirming that 40 out of 256 of the total staff will be made redundant as part of a restructuring process taking place before the 2023/24 academic year. Remaining security guards will face changes in contracts which will include cuts to hours for many staff of 18 hours per week, amounting to a pay cut of £13,500 per year, as well as changes in job responsibilities and the deletion of various roles. Upon receiving the news, security guard members of the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB) held an indicative vote for strike action by show of hands at a meeting attended by over 100 security guards, resulting in a unanimous Yes vote in favour of industrial action. The official ballot will run from 14 June – 3 July. The restructuring and redundancies take place during an ongoing campaign by outsourced workers at University College London represented by the IWGB to end outsourcing. The campaign, which started in 2019, most recently saw the security guards at UCL taking strike action in December 2022 and February 2023 read more
Mandate (Ireland)
Mandate supports legislation to end age discrimination in National Minimum Wage (8 Jun) – Mandate Trade Union has rolled in behind legislation tabled by People Before Profit/Solidarity which seeks to give young workers access to the full minimum wage instead of a reduced rate. Since 1 January 2023, the national minimum wage is €11.30 for people aged 20 and over. However, for workers under 18 it’s €7.91 (70%), aged 18 it’s € 9.04 (80%) and aged 19 it’s €10.17 (90%) read more
SIPTU (Ireland)
BREAKING NEWS!! SIPTU retained firefighters suspend industrial action to allow for Labour Court hearing (19 Jun) – SIPTU members employed in the Retained Fire Service have suspended their industrial action in order to allow for a Labour Court hearing concerning the dispute to take place next Monday (26th June) at 10.00 a.m. in Lansdowne House, Lansdowne Road, Dublin 4 read more
Labour Court intervenes in fire service dispute prior to closure of all stations on Tuesday (16 Jun) – The Labour Court has written to SIPTU representatives inviting them to exploratory discussions in relation to the retained fire service dispute at Landsdowne House, Dublin 2, on Monday (19th June) at 10.00 a.m. The Labour Court has separately written to the Local Government Management Association (LGMA), as the employer in the dispute, requesting its attendance at the talks read more
Mass resignation of Retained Firefighters to begin due to Government intransigence (15 Jun) – SIPTU members employed as retained firefighters will begin to resign from the service in large numbers from the beginning of next week, the Government has been warned by SIPTU Public Administration and Community Division Organiser, Karan O Loughlin read more
Pension Promise coalition to demand state pension at 34% of average earnings (19 Jun) – SIPTU representatives will join the National Women’s Council, Age Action, Active Retirement Ireland and members of the Senior Citizen’s Parliament to launch a Pension Promise campaign in Dublin today (Monday, 19th June). The campaign is demanding that the Government honours its promise of a state pension rate of 34% of average earnings and to halt the alarming number of people experiencing real pension poverty in Ireland read more
SIPTU to begin intensive talks with Tara Mines management on Monday (16 Jun) – SIPTU representatives will begin an intensive engagement with the management of Tara Mines in Navan, county Meath, on Monday (19th June) to discuss alternatives to its proposal to temporarily close the facility and place approximately 650 directly employed staff on layoff read more
“Forgotten” frontline workers demand Taoiseach honours Covid bonus commitment (15 Jun) – SIPTU members working in contract cleaning and security across Ireland are demanding that an Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar intervene to honour a commitment made to all essential frontline health workers in respect of the pandemic recognition payment. The demand comes following a day of action today (Wednesday, 15th June) in Limerick, Dublin, and Galway celebrating International Day of Justice for Cleaners and Security Guards 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
Felixstowe 4’ protest demands justice at CK Hutchison AGM (18 May) read more
UK facing taps and pipes shortage as Warrington based GXO drivers strike over sacking of Unite rep (12 May) read more
Protest as Hackney Unison chair amongst those handed compulsory redundancies in libraries shake-up: 6pm Wednesday 17th May Hackney Town Hall 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
From NUJ website: Switzerland: women journalists on strike for better working conditions (14 Jun) – The NUJ joins the IFJ and EFJ in supporting women in the media in Switzerland striking for equal pay, protection against harassment and no sexism, no racism and more diversity in the industry read more
Erdogan turned illegitimate elections in his favour! (7 Jun) read more on the website of Solidarity with the People of Turkey
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
