On August 25th, the Tory Government announced that they were launching a 6-week consultation that “will advise unions on reasonable steps they should take to ensure minimum service levels are achieved during strike action.”
During this period, Tory ministers have threatened the BMA and last week the UCU responded to the new anti-union attack.
This ‘consultation’ ended last Friday, which means that the Government could now move to set out how the law will work.
There must be an immediate united union response to this.
The TUC must enact its motion agreed at its Congress, to “organise a Special Congress, size to be determined, to explore options for non-compliance and resistance” as well as stating that “Congress pledges 100% solidarity with any trade unions attacked under these MSL laws” and included to “support demonstrations and hold a national march opposing the legislation and calling for repeal of the anti-union laws.”
The motion that was passed at the TUC Congress includes:-
Congress calls on the next Labour government to immediately repeal MSLs, the Trade Union Act 2016 and take urgent steps to remove other anti-union laws.
Congress pledges 100% solidarity with any trade unions attacked under these MSL laws.
Congress agrees we must use all means necessary to defeat the unjust MSLs laws and calls on the General Council to proactively seek to:
- resist any further restrictive trade union legislation and demand:
- the repeal of the Trade Union Act 2016 and all other anti-trade union legislation;
- stronger rights for unions to access workplaces, win recognition, and establish collective bargaining rights; and
- the right for trade union members to vote online during industrial action ballots, and statutory elections for executive committees and general secretaries.
- build coalitions to campaign for non-compliance and against further restrictive trade union legislation;
- build an appropriate industrial response to defend workers’ right to strike;
- implement a campaign alongside others defending the fundamental rights of working people to resist MSLs;
- legally challenge the Minimum Service Levels (MSLs) legislation;
- coordinate demands from affiliates and call on employers, devolved governments, mayors, fire authorities, local authorities and other public bodies to refuse to implement the MSLs legislation and issue work notices and work with the trade union movement to render MSLs inoperable;
- support demonstrations and hold a national march opposing the legislation and calling for repeal of the anti-union laws;
- mobilise support for any affiliate seeking assistance, whose union and members are sanctioned for non-compliance;
- organise a Special Congress, size to be determined, to explore options for non-compliance and resistance.
The following supported lobbying the TUC. Send us details if your union also passes our model motion or the updated version below, and/or agreed to support our lobby of the TUC and we’ll include in this list:-
Nottinghamshire, Nottingham & Mansfield Trades Council, RMT Piccadilly and District West, Hounslow Unison, Hounslow TUC, Ealing TUC, RMT LU Engineering, Southwark Trades Council, Waltham Forest Trades Council, Unite LE/1228 Waltham Forest Council Branch, Unite Housing Workers LE1111, Free Our Unions, Liverpool Trades Council, Unite NW /540 Howden supply division Runcorn, Scotland CWU No2 branch, CWU Highland Amal, BFAWU Kernow, Surrey County Unison, Unite Community Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire branch, Southampton and South West Hampshire TUC, Cardiff Trades Council, Cardiff General Unite branch WA/1048, Unite WM/6050 Tom Mann branch, Birmingham TUC, Coventry TUC, Unite NW 127404 Branch, Unite WM/6030 South Birmingham branch, Coventry CWU Telecoms, Walsall TUC, Birmingham UCU, Hull Trades Council, Sheffield RMT, Sheffield TUC, Swansea Trades Council, Southern East Kent Trades Union Council, Bristol Trades Union Council, Leeds Trades Union Council, Stevenage & District TUC, Carmarthenshire Unison Local Government Branch, Basildon Unison Local Government Branch, Unison NCA Health, Knowsley Unison Local Government Branch, Caerphilly Trades Council, Wakefield Trades Council, Unison Mid Yorkshire Health Branch, Unite Merseyside Area Activist Committee, Unite Notts Area Activist Committee, Unite EM/NG32 Nottinghamshire Health Branch, Brighton Trades Council, Portsmouth Trades Council, Carlisle TUC, Winchester & Andover TUC, Hampshire County Associations of TUCs, Hackney Unison Local Government Branch, Hackney Trades Council, Plymouth Trades Council, Blackpool Fylde and Wyre TUC, Torbay TUC, Unite SW/008 Branch
Model Motion on Tory Minimum Service Levels Act
This conference/union/branch/trades council recognises the ‘Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act’ 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 Act allows 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.
This is an updated version after TUC Congress:-
This (branch, committee, trades council etc)
· welcomes the TUC decision for a fighting strategy to oppose the Tories’ new anti-strike law, the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act, which will initially prevent nearly 6 million UK workers in health, education, transport, fire and rescue, and other public services from taking full industrial action;
· recognises the urgent need to build coalitions of non-compliance and against further extensions of the act by creating an appropriate industrial response to defend workers’ right to strike and protect any trade union attacked under this new law;
· supports the TUC call to coordinate demands on employers, devolved governments, mayors, fire authorities, local authorities, and other public bodies to refuse to issue ‘work notices’ under the act, which are discretionary and not mandatory, and will initiate and/or participate in national, local and regional demonstrations and lobbies of such employers in support of this demand.
NSSN news
NSSN Surrey Public Meeting: ‘How can trade unionists prepare for the battles ahead?’ – 2pm Sunday 8th October, The Guildford Institute, Ward St, Guilford GU1 4LH
Reading Trade Union Council Strike Rally – Saturday 14th October 1pm Assembling in Forbury Gardens Facebook event
Get your trade union branch or trades council to affiliate to the NSSN – it only costs £50. Already affiliated? Please think about renewing it and/or making an additional donation to help our work. Also, many of our supporters pay a few pounds a month via a standing order.
You can either pay online to ‘National Shop Stewards Network’, HSBC – sort code 40-06-41, account number 90143790.
Or you can pay by cheque to ‘National Shop Stewards Network’ and post to NSSN, PO Box 54498, London E10 9DE.
Feel free to use this affiliation letter.
And if you can, come to one of our regional Conferences. If there is not one in your area, get in touch to either assist in organising or have a speaker at one of your meetings or events. Contact Rob or Katrine on [email protected]
The NSSN is developing a campaign pack for social care, which we hope to make available in the not-too-distant future for supporters to use in their localities. As part of this, communications officer Dave Gorton is keen to hear from supporters who:
(1) work in social care (either local authority, private or independently provided)
(2) represent social care workers for a trade union
(3) are in need of social care provision themselves or act as an (unpaid/underpaid) carer for a family member
Dave can be contacted in the first instance via [email protected]
Union News
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RMT
RMT reacts to scrapping of HS2 Northern leg (4 Oct) – Following a speech by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester, where he announced the scrapping of HS2 to Manchester, RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch said: “The incompetence of successive Tory governments has now cost the taxpayer billions and led to this disastrous decision for Britain’s economy, environment and our ailing transport infrastructure read more
Tube strikes suspended after RMT win concessions (3 Oct) – Strike action on London Underground has been suspended following significant progress made by RMT negotiators and London Underground Limited (LUL) representatives. Planned strike action by over 3,000 members on LU stations on Wednesday 4 and Friday 6 will now not go ahead. Following talks at ACAS, RMT has managed to save key jobs, prevent detrimental changes to rosters and secure protection of earnings around grading changes. The significant progress means that key elements have been settled although there remains wider negotiations to be had in the job, pensions and working agreements dispute. RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “I congratulate all our members who were prepared to take strike action and our negotiations team for securing this victory in our tube dispute read more
RMT calls on Mark Harper to unshackle rail operators and end ticket office closures (2 Oct) – The Rail, Maritime and Transport trade union has called upon Mark Harper to allow rail operators to make an offer that can end the national rail dispute. Ahead of his speech to the Tory Party Conference, the RMT issued a fresh call for the Transport Secretary to step up to the plate, when it is the government who contractually controls the companies and sets the parameters of any deal read more
Scotrail removes peak ticket fares for 6 months (2 Oct) – Scotrail will from today remove peak fares from its ticket options, in a 6 month trial. The move made by the Scottish government which runs the train operator stands in stark contrast to the Westminster government approach to the railways read more
Rail Gourmet workers take strike action on TPE (15 Sept) – Contracted out caterers are on strike today over poor pay, pensions and sick pay. RMT members working for Rail Gourmet on TransPennine Express services get lower pay and poorer terms and conditions than colleagues directly employed by the train operator. Rail Gourmet made £1.4 million in profit last year but have refused to meet the expectations of members in terms of a pay offer. Despite negotiations, the company is still refusing to give timescales on when it will pay workers £15 an hour read more
Sign petition: Reinstate Anne Howie RMT Activist – Anne Howie RMT activist at Manchester Piccadilly is facing dismissal with no due process
ASLEF
ASLEF: Train drivers’ union announces industrial action and asks ‘Where’s Wally?’ (15 Sept) – ASLEF, the train drivers’ union, has today [Friday] announced another two days of strike action – on Saturday 30 September and Wednesday 4 October – and an overtime ban across the UK rail network on Friday 29 September and from Monday 2 to Friday 6 October. The strike will force the train operating companies to cancel all services and the ban on overtime will seriously disrupt the network as the privatised train companies have always failed to employ enough drivers to provide a proper service – the service they promise passengers, businesses, and the government they will deliver – without asking drivers to work their rest days. The 16 companies affected include: Avanti West Coast; Chiltern Railways; c2c; CrossCountry; East Midlands Railway; Greater Anglia; GTR Great Northern Thameslink; Great Western Railway; Island Line; LNER; Northern Trains; Southeastern; Southern/Gatwick Express; South Western Railway; TransPennine Express; and West Midlands Trains read more
TSSA
Cancellation of HS2 a wrong-headed decision by an out of touch Prime Minister (4 Oct) – TSSA today condemned Rishi Sunak’s “wrong-headed” decision to cancel the Manchester leg of HS2. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who is known to charter a private helicopter to visit his constituency, announced that he would be cancelling the Manchester leg of HS2, at the Conservative party conference – in Manchester read more
Rishi Sunak “letting Britain down” over HS2 (3 Oct)
Unite
Unite protests across Paris due to union-busting by construction company J Murphy and Sons (6 Oct) – Unite, the UK’s leading union, has held protests at the French offices of Bouygues and other prime targets in the French capital in a major escalation of its campaign to end union-busting at J Murphy and Sons Ltd. J Murphy and Sons Ltd is currently part of a joint venture with French construction company Bouygues which has been shortlisted for the multimillion-pound contract to build the new Lower Thames Crossing. In addition to targeting Bouygues, other French based companies linked to Murphy were targeted including Plastic Omnium, Equans, Capgemini and Colas. Protests were held outside various offices and sites across Paris on 3,4 and 5 October this week. The dispute is a result of J Murphy and Sons Ltd’s, Irish subsidiary Murphy International Ltd, wrongfully sacking four Unite members (including a Unite rep) last year, in an act of union busting. The workers who were undertaking work at a site in the Republic of Ireland were dismissed after organising a meeting of 15 workers to discuss Murphy’s non-payment of travel and subsistence payments. After a period of two months where the workers were suspended without pay, the four workers were singled out and dismissed for not showing “remorse”. Despite pressure from Unite the company has refused to reinstate the workers read more
Limerick politicians in public procurement pledge to support ‘Murphy 4’ (2 Oct) – Members of Sinn Fein, Fine Gael, Labour, Social Democrats, Greens and Independent sign pledge. October 2nd: Unite, which represents construction workers throughout Ireland, has welcomed the decision by 15 Limerick politicians to support the union’s campaign for reinstatement of the ‘Murphy 4’ and their decision to oppose the awarding of public contracts to the Murphy group of companies, which Unite believes is engaged in union-busting read more
Murphy union-busting: Unite launches whistleblowers’ hotline (28 Sept) – Unite, which represents construction workers throughout Ireland, today (Thursday) launched a hotline for anyone concerned about the employment practices of the Murphy group. The launch took place outside the Newbridge headquarters of Murphy International Ltd. Today’s hotline launch forms part of Unite’s campaign against union-busting by the Murphy group of companies. Their Irish subsidiary, Murphy International, wrongfully sacked four Unite members, including a shop steward, last year after they organised a meeting of workers to discuss Murphy’s non-payment of agreed travel and subsistence payments. During Unite’s campaign for reinstatement of the ‘Murphy Four’, the union has became aware of other instances of poor practices on the part of the company. The hotline being launched today will allow current and former workers, as well as members of the public, to report any concerns they may have read more
Unite launches “Who Should Our Economy Work For?” campaign (7 Oct) – Prior to Labour Party conference opening in Liverpool (tomorrow Sunday 8 October), Unite, the UK’s leading union, will launch the latest iteration of its Unite for a Workers’ Economy campaign by asking “Who Should Our Economy Work For?” Unite general secretary Sharon Graham and the union’s delegation will unveil the campaign slogan just before the conference gets underway read more
Industrial action brewing across 21 UK ports (6 Oct) – Unite, Britain’s leading union, is warning Associated British Ports (ABP) that strike action could be brewing across its 21 ports which handle around a quarter of the UK’s seaborne trade. Unite has lodged a dispute concerning maritime pilots who safely navigate ships in and out of the UK’s waterways and ports. Ships cannot leave or enter the UK’s ports without these skilled workers. Last July without any consultation, which is required under health and safety legislation and Unite’s recognition agreement, ABP introduced increased medical standards. Unite has no objection to improving standards but there has been no negotiations and no detail about how these medical tests will be done or what happens if a member fails. This is a serious concern as ultimately members’ jobs could be at stake. The main bulk of Unite members are in South Wales (Swansea, Port Talbot, Barry, Cardiff and Newport), Southampton and the Humber (Port of Hull and Immingham) although the dispute could be wider and impact all 21 ports operated by ABP read more
Unite local government workers plan a winter of action over low pay (5 Oct) –
Unite senior local government representatives from across the UK are convening in Wales to plan a winter of action against low pay. Strike action at both Wrexham and Cardiff councils will continue uninterrupted for a further six week period, prolonging the strike action until the end of November. This morning Unite union representatives from across the UK joined striking workers from Cardiff council on the picket lines in a show of solidarity. So far a total 23 councils across the UK have either announced strike dates or are preparing to do so. Activists from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are meeting in Cardiff today and on Friday to plan a winter campaign of action against low pay. Workers at Newham and Tower Hamlets councils in London have already secured pay rises of £750. Workers in Warrington, Southwark and Haringey are on strike while workers in Wigan and Coventry are preparing for strike action. Unite local government activists are determined to tackle poverty pay rates. Unite members have previously overwhelmingly rejected the local authority employers’ pay offer of just £1,925, a real terms pay cut for workers read more
Reverend and the Makers join Unite campaign to save UK steel (5 Oct) – ‘Reverend’ Jon McClure: ‘Sound of steel’ crucial to Sheffield jobs and music heritage. Sheffield rock band Reverend and the Makers have pledged their support to Unite the union’s campaign for a just transition for the steel industry and a boost to jobs. Band frontman Jon McClure called on the public to join the campaign, saying it was particularly important for Sheffield read more
Unite launches major steel campaign in Port Talbot, Middlesbrough, Sheffield, Scunthorpe to transition industry and boost jobs – Unite will campaign with voters to demand politicians from all parties commit to workers’ steel plan
Sign petition: To all UK political parties – Support the Workers’ Plan for Steel
PPG automotive paint workers in Suffolk head to picket line over low pay (5 Oct) – Stowmarket manufacturer offering real-terms pay cut will see workers walk out. Workers at the Suffolk factory of international paint manufacturer PPG Industries are to strike over pay, Unite the union announced today (5 October). Over 200 members of Unite, Britain’s leading trade union, have voted for industrial action over the low pay offer made by PPG. The employer has made an offer of just five per cent, but with inflation currently at 9.1 per cent this represents a real-terms pay cut for workers. PPG Industries is a worldwide paint and coatings conglomerate and the Stowmarket factory has many high-profile customers that include the Williams Formula One team, Lamborghini and Lotus…Strike dates are yet to be confirmed but are likely to be throughout the autumn read more
Merative workers organise in pushback against redundancies (5 Oct) – Unite seeking extension of consultation period following company refusal to engage. Union writes to Minister Coveney outlining concerns at failure to abide by consultation rules. October 5th: Unite, which represents workers in medical technology company Merative, has called on the company to engage meaningfully with Unite in a bid to minimise the proposed redundancies announced in August. The union is seeking an extension of the statutory consultation period to allow for such engagement read more
Unite reaction to Rishi Sunak speech (4 Oct) – Commenting on the prime minister’s speech at Conservative Party conference, Unite general secretary, Sharon Graham said: “The PM can wrap it up any way he wants but what we get is still massive under investment in our industries, critical infrastructure, and public services – while profiteering goes unchecked and workers pay the price…” read more
Unite announces escalation in A.G. Barr strike action (4 Oct) – Soft drinks giant pre-tax profits up 12.6 % to £27.8 million over first 6 months of 2023. Unite, the UK’s leading union, has today (4 October) announced an escalation in strike action as part of a long-running pay dispute with the soft drinks giant A.G. Barr. Unite represents truck and shunter drivers who are essential to the supply of the company’s world-renowned products including Irn-Bru – one of the nation’s most popular soft drinks. Unite’s members have overwhelmingly rejected the company’s five per cent pay offer for 2023. Unite can confirm that talks are scheduled with A.G. Barr tomorrow (Thursday 5 October) through the auspices of the conciliation service Acas in a bid to make a breakthrough in the pay dispute. If there is no breakthrough in these discussions, Unite has stated that its members will participate in further stoppages on 13 and 16 October, and then from 20 to 30 October. The workers are already scheduled to resume strike action from midnight on Friday (6 October) read more
Mitie healthcare workers in Dudley balloted over refusal to pay lump-sum (4 Oct) – Staff who work for NHS outsourcing company denied money owed to them. Unite, Britain’s leading trade union, announced today (4 October) that it is balloting its membership at NHS outsourcing company, Mitie, in its campaign to get the company to pay its workers the lump sum payment they are owed. Many of the Mitie workers were previously in the NHS and were transferred across and promised the same pay and conditions. But the “COVID payment” lump sum of up to £1,600 that NHS workers received as part of the NHS pay award this year has not been paid by Mitie to its workforce. Mitie’s staff work alongside the NHS workforce in the Dudley group of hospitals in the West Midlands…The Mitie staff work across three hospitals, Russell Hall, Corbett and Dudley Guest, and perform vital estate management services…Other private sector outsourcing companies including Equans and Skanska have paid their health workers the lump sum payment and Unite is fighting to get Mitie to do the same. 70 Mitie workers are being balloted. The ballot opens on 9 October and runs until 23 October. If the ballot is successful, industrial action is likely to take place from next month read more
New Poll: Red Wall voters want UK government to stop dangerous Three-Vodafone merger (3 Oct) – New Poll: Red Wall voters want UK government to stop dangerous Three-Vodafone merger read more
NHS Confederation workers to strike over pay (3 Oct) – Unite members in London and Leeds to take industrial action after poor pay offer. Staff at the NHS Confederation, the membership body for organisations that commission and provide NHS services, are set to take industrial action over cuts to pay. Unite, Britain’s leading trade union, announced that its NHS Confederation staff members will walk out on Thursday 5 October. They work in policy, communications, managerial and administrative roles within the organisation. The strike, the first in the Confed’s history, coincides with a meeting of the organisation’s Board of Trustees. Following the introduction of a new pay structure which saw one-in-five staff hit by a take-home pay cut and opportunities for pay progression curtailed, Unite members will head to the picket line as part of a campaign to reinstate staff pay and progression opportunities. Nearly 90 per cent of members taking part in the ballot voted to take strike action. A Unite survey of all staff, before the pay cut was imposed, found 60 per cent already said they were struggling with the cost of living read more
Strike action to go ahead at Southwark council (2 Oct) – 130 housing repair workers will take strike action in a dispute over pay and conditions at Souhwark council. The workers have rejected the national pay offer of a flat rate increase of £1,925. The offer is below the rate of inflation and amounts to a real terms pay cut when Unite is seeking a pay increase of RPI + two per cent. The workers have also been excluded from two years of London weighting increases amounting to £860. Southwark also operates an out-of-date hierarchical annual leave system where the more senior you are the more holidays you get. The chief executive gets 36 days but apprentices get just 26. Strikes will take place on 12,13,18, 19 and 20 October read more
Unite to hold fresh strikes and protests at NHS London trusts during pay and staffing strikes (29 Sept) – Unite, the UK’s leading union, is undertaking a wave of fresh strikes and demonstrations in London next week as part of its campaign to increase pay and end unsafe staffing afflicting NHS workers. Over 1,000 workers at Barts Health NHS Trust are in dispute over pay, safe staffing levels, bank rates and lump-sum payments. Workers are experiencing staff shortages, which have reached such a level that they risk the health of patients and threaten staff welfare. Staff at Barts and Synergy (an outsourcing company providing linen services) taking industrial action includes nurses, biomedical scientists, clinical engineers, porters, cleaners and auxiliary staff are striking in a wider dispute over pay and safe staffing levels. They are being joined by members at East London Foundation Trust who are also taking part in a one-day strike over pay and safe staffing levels. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Our NHS members are fighting for fair pay and to protest at the dangerous problem of staff shortages – something that puts patients in danger and which the government wants to ignore. It is intolerable that our members at Barts, who are some of the lowest paid staff in the NHS and who are living hand to mouth, have been denied the one-off payment they fully deserve.” The Barts and Synergy workers will be on strike on 2, 3, 4 October. East London Foundation Trust workers will be on strike on 4 October. Unite members will be on a picket line at all Barts Hospitals (except Mile End) on all strike dates and Mile End hospital on 4 October and will be joining the Junior Doctors, Consultants, Barts Unite Branch, TFL staff and train drivers for a day of action and protest beginning at 10:30am on 4 October at Royal London Hospital read more
IAC Solihull strike to cause JLR and BMW interior shortages (29 Sept) – IAC Solihull workers paid poverty wages while company brings in billions. Nearly 250 workers at International Automotive Components (IAC) in Solihull will go on indefinite strike over pay in October, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today (Friday). Most of the workers are paid the minimum wage. They have rejected a six per cent increase that will take their hourly rate to just £11.11. Other workers, who are paid little more for their roles, have also rejected staggered offers of six, seven and eight per cent. American-owned IAC brings in billions of pounds per year. The company brought in global revenues of £2.4 billion in 2021, including £221 million from the UK…The workers will begin indefinite strike action on Thursday 12 October. The factory produces dashboards and door, roof and boot interiors and the strike action will cause shortages for JLR and BMW read more
150 First Bus engineers across Glasgow and West Central Scotland vote for strike action (29 Sept) – Emphatic vote follows pay offer rejection. Unite, Scotland’s leading trade union, confirmed today (29 September) that around 150 First Bus engineers across Glasgow and West Central Scotland have emphatically backed strike action. The engineers at First Glasgow (No1) voted by 96 per cent, and by 100 per cent at First Glasgow (No 2) in support of strike action in high turnouts of over 80 per cent. The companies are part of First Group PLC’s bus operations in Scotland. The engineers are involved in an escalating pay dispute with both companies following the overwhelming rejection of a pay offer. The workers are based in the following bus depots: Blantyre, Caledonia, Dumbarton, Overtown and Scotstoun. Unite can further confirm that talks are scheduled with the companies through the auspices of the conciliation service (Acas) next week in a bid to make a breakthrough in the pay dispute. If there is no positive outcome then Unite will have ‘no option’ but to notify First Glasgow (No1) and First Glasgow (No2) of imminent industrial action. This could take place from the middle of October 2023 read more
Fresh Imperial College strikes after ‘abysmal’ pay offer rejected (29 Sept) – Imperial College offers pay cut but has £1.7 billion reserves and paid president record salary. More than 200 Imperial College workers, who are members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, will strike over pay next week. The workers have rejected an ‘abysmal’ pay deal of 5.5 per cent, which is a real terms pay cut when the real rate of inflation, RPI, stands at 9.1 per cent. Imperial College’s latest financial figures shows it brought in an income of over £1.2 billion for 2021/22 and had cash reserves of £1.7 billion. Further, Imperial College has a record of being one of the best paying universities for senior leadership staff. Until July 2022, the university employed the UK’s highest paid executive leader with an annual pay package worth £714,000 – a massive increase of 35.5 per cent on the previous year…The workers, including technicians and maintenance and security staff, will strike on Monday 2 October, Tuesday 3 October and Wednesday 18 October. They are striking alongside colleagues who are members of the UCU and UNISON unions. More strikes will be scheduled if the dispute is not resolved read more
Warrington facing refuse strike as workers reject real terms pay cut (29 Sept) – Refuse workers at Warrington Borough Council are preparing for strike action in a dispute over pay. The strike will begin on Tuesday 3 October and end on Monday 16 October and Unite is not ruling out further action. The 50 plus workers have rejected the national pay offer of a flat rate increase of £1,925. The offer is below the rate of inflation and amounts to a real terms pay cut read more
Workers at BOC to strike over pay with workers demonstrating at the company’s Worsley site (29 Sept) – Workers employed by BOC, will begin strike action next week in a dispute over pay. There will be a picket line at the company’s Worsley site in Manchester. The strike will involve over 80 workers at BOC, who are employed in sales and marketing roles and are members of Unite, the UK’s leading union. The strike is a result of the workers having rejected a pay offer of 7.6 per cent for 2023. This is in effect a real terms pay cut, after suffering a nine per cent pay cut between 2018-2022 compared to other workers at the company. The pay increase was due to be made in April this year when the real inflation rate (RPI) stood at 11.4 per cent. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “BOC is a fabulously wealthy company. Giving our members a fair pay increase would barely scratch the surface of its huge profits. BOC’s failure to do the right thing is all about greed not need.” The initial strike action will last for 10 days beginning at 04:00 on Friday 6 October and ending at 03:59 on Monday 16 October. The strike action is the first time this group of workers have ever taken industrial action. Tensions have increased as it has taken three years for the workers to secure recognition, during which time the wages of the striking workers has fallen by 20 per cent compared to the RPIX inflation rate. BOC is part of Line PLC which is the largest provider of industrial, medical and specialist gases in the world. It is incredibly profitable. Its most recent accounts revealed it recorded a profit of £6.4 billion last year, a 10 per cent increase on the previous year. Linde PLC has been able to significantly increase shareholder dividends and take in a shareholder buy back. BOC’s customers who will be affected by the strike action include GSK, Astra Zeneca, Ineos, Nissan, the MoD Coca Cola and the National Grid. There will be other picket lines in around the UK including but not limited to : Margam, St Helens, Motherwell, Teesside, Thame, Bristol and Wolverhampton read more
Deca Workers To Strike Following a Decade of Pay Erosion (28 Sept) – Unite members working for Defence Equipment & Support Deca at Sealand in Flintshire and Stafford have voted to strike over an imposed two per cent pay award for 2022. A series of 24 hour strikes will commence on Tuesday 3 October. Workers at DECA have endured over a decade of stagnant wages and extremely low pay increases. Pay restraint has seen wages fall significantly in real terms. Defence Equipment & Support Deca, is wholly owned by the MOD. The workforce is highly skilled and provide a vital role in maintaining military, avionic and electronic equipment read more
Darlington printers Cepac in fire and rehire, redundancy and legal dispute shame as strikes deepen (26 Sept) – UK Packaging awards urged to withdraw Cepac nomination. Darlington-based packaging printer Cepac is embroiled in a series of legal challenges as industrial action at the company, due to a pay dispute, intensifies. The workers have been on strike since Monday 14 August and industrial action has now been extended until 23 October (10 weeks of strike action). In response, rather than enter into negotiations, Cepac is threatening to make 61 redundancies at the company. In addition, the company has told employees that they will be fired and rehired on inferior contracts. Unite is also pursuing a legal case through an employment tribunal against Cepac for making illegal inducements to members. This is a result of Cepac making pay offers to individual members during negotiations, in contravention of the collective agreement with Unite read more
Willenhall steel coil workers strike over low pay (26 Sept) – ArcelorMittal workers reject real terms pay cut as firm brings in millions. West Midlands workers making steel products for the automotive and construction industry at the ArcelorMittal factory in Willenhall are striking over low pay, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today (Tuesday). The workers earn an average of £11.24 per hour, with some receiving just the national minimum wage. They have rejected a pay rise of seven per cent. This is a significant, real terms pay cut when the true rate of inflation, RPI, stood at 11.4 per cent when the rise was due to be implemented in April of this year. The low wages at the factory stand in stark contrast to the money being made by their employer. ArcelorMittal Distribution Solutions latest available financial returns show it had a turnover of £267.5 million and operating profits of £33.1 million in 2021 read more
Strikes at Lincoln Lincat commercial kitchen appliance maker intensify (25 Sept) – Workers walk out for a month over years of shrinking wages from profitable firm. Strikes by more than 100 workers based at commercial kitchen appliance manufacturer Lincat have intensified, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today (Monday). The low paid workers have rejected a split pay deal of eight per cent. This includes 5.5 per cent from January to June this year, which would be back paid, and a further 2.5 per cent for the rest of the year. Higher paid workers have been offered tiered pay rises, none of which reached eight per cent. The deals offered to all workers are real terms pay cuts when the true rate of inflation, RPI, stands at 9.1 per cent. Lincat’s skilled workforce have suffered years of erosion to the value of their wages. Hourly pay, which for most is £12.03, used to be substantially above the minimum wage but over successive years that gap has continued to shrink. According to its latest financial returns, Lincat raked in operating profits of £8.9 million for the year to January 2022. The company is part of the US-based Middleby corporation, which brought in revenues of over $1 billion in the second quarter of 2023. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Our members resolve to receive a fair pay rise is rock solid. They know that Lincat and its owner Middleby are very profitable and can more than afford to put a reasonable offer forward. The only reason this is not happening is corporate greed. The workforce at Lincat have the full force their union behind them as they fight for fair pay.” The workers took a week of strike action at the beginning of September. Further strike action will now take place for a month from today (Monday 25 September) lasting until Monday 23 October read more
Mass demonstrations at Norwich NHS AGM following Norse pay betrayal (22 Sept) – Unite, the UK’s leading union, will stage a major demonstration at the AGM of the Norfolk Community and Health Care Trust (NCH&C), in support of its members employed by Norse who are striking over pay. The workers, who are employed by Norse Commercial Services but contracted to undertake critical maintenance on all of NCH&C’s hospitals and health centres, began strike action last month after only being offered a four per cent pay increase, which is a substantial real terms pay cut with the current true rate of inflation (RPI) standing at 9.1 per cent. Gambling Close, Norwich NR6 6EG…the Unite members at Norse will be striking on 26 September and 5 October then for a further week from Monday 9 October, which will result in disruption to patients and staff at NCH&C NHS Trust read more
Pay strikes at Kings Lynn’s largest social housing provider escalate (22 Sept) – Freebridge housing workers on poverty pay despite £3.6m surplus and huge executive salaries. Strikes at Freebridge Community Housing over poverty pay will intensify from next week, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today (Thursday). Many of the workers, who perform a variety of roles, including in cleaning and maintenance, are paid little more than the national minimum wage and many are struggling to pay their bills. They are angry that Freebridge, the largest social housing provider in Kings Lynn and West Norfolk, has offered them a five per cent increase and a £500 non-consolidated payment, despite the association’s robust financial health. This is a significant, real terms pay cut when the real rate of inflation, RPI, stands at 9.1 per cent. The workers are asking for a seven per cent pay rise. Freebridge had a total turnover of £32 million and a surplus of £3.57 million in 2022 and increased its rents by seven per cent this year read more
Petrofac Ithaca offshore workers set for six days of strike action (19 Sept) – Long-running dispute continues after ‘clawback’ offer rejected. Unite the union announced today (19 September) that around 85 offshore workers employed by Petrofac Facilities Management Limited are set to take strike action over six days on installations operated by Ithaca Energy. The dispute centres on Ithaca Energy’s fourteen days ‘clawback’ policy. Petrofac offered to reduce this policy to twelve days. The industry norm is seven days. Unite members on the FPF1 platform, Alba FSU, Alba North, Captain FPSO, and Captain WPP installations overwhelmingly rejected the contractor’s offer. Twelve days would still leave the Petrofac workers operating under the highest rate of ‘clawback’ days in the offshore sector. It is the financial equivalent of up to £6,000 lost income per person. The strike action includes electrical, production and mechanical technicians in addition to deck crew, scaffolders and crane operators. The strike action will begin at 6 a.m. on 1 October and ends at 5.59 a.m. on 7 October read more
Glasgow rally for Scottish university and college workers (18 Sept) – Around 1,000 Unite members on strike this week. A rally in Glasgow will be held tomorrow (19 September) in support of Scottish university and college workers on strike in disputes over pay read more
Go North East drivers announce dates for strike action (18 Sept) – Bus company in last chance saloon for improved pay offer before strikes hit. Go North East bus drivers will walk out in two, seven-day strikes beginning later this month, Unite the union announced today (18 September). Drivers have been forced to take to the picket line following the failure of Go North East to come back to the negotiating table with an improved offer. This is despite the latest accounts of its parent company, the Go-Ahead Group shows bus group profits of nearly £85million. Depots that will be affected by any industrial action are: Consett, Gateshead, Hexham, Percy Main (North Shields), Sunderland and Washington. Strikes will take place on the following dates:-
- Saturday 30th September 2023 to Friday 6th October 2023 (inclusive)
- Saturday 14th October 2023 to Friday 20th October 2023 (inclusive)
Unite has also warned that further action may be notified in due course if a settlement that members can accept isn’t put forward read more
Scottish Water ballot opens as strike action a ‘step closer’ (18 Sept) – 500 Unite key frontline workers vote in pay and grading dispute. Unite, Scotland’s leading trade union, has today (18 September) confirmed its 500-strong Scottish Water membership are voting on strike action in an escalating dispute over pay and a new grading system. The strike action ballot comes at a juncture when Alex Plant, the new Chief Executive of Scottish Water, has come under fire for earning a reported annual salary of £295,000 in breach of the Scottish Government’s public sector pay rules. Mr Plant’s salary is £25,000 higher than his direct predecessor despite the pay policy expecting a 10 per cent reduction in the remuneration package over an outgoing appointment. The trade union has further accused Scottish Water bosses of by-passing long-standing collective bargaining processes involving recognised trade unions. The new ‘reward system’ which Scottish Water bosses are trying to impose on the workforce is being tied to the 2023 pay offer. The ballot opens on 22 September and closes on 16 October read more
Heathrow baggage carousel workers to strike over poor pay offer (13 Sept) – 170 workers to walk out and bring baggage services to a halt. Unite, Britain’s leading trade union, has announced today (Tuesday 12 September) that its members at Vanderlande Industries are to strike over pay, bringing travel disruption to Heathrow Airport this autumn. Around 170 workers who conduct high-end maintenance and servicing of baggage carousels, ensuring passengers’ luggage is delivered into the terminal buildings safely and on time, are to walk out in October following a failure by the employer to improve their derisory pay offer. Vanderlande Industries has made two below-inflation pay offers of just five per cent and 2.5 per cent that have been roundly rejected by Unite members. Vanderlande is pleading poverty and yet their last accounts at Companies House show profits of £3.7 million. Its parent company has increased revenue by 32 per cent to €2.4 billion. Industrial action will take place in two waves on the following dates:-
- 17:30 on 6th October – 06:00 on 9th October
- 05:30 on 20th October – 06:00 on 30th October read more
GH London strikes at Luton Airport suspended for last minute talks (12 Sept) – Strike action involving ground handlers employed by GH London at Luton Airport due to take place tomorrow (Wednesday 13 September) has been called off to allow last minute peace talks to take place. The workers, members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, who undertake the ground handling functions at the airport for the airline Wizz, have already staged two days of strike action because of a complete breakdown in industrial relations at the company. However, following a last minute offer of talks by GH London, Unite has called off tomorrow’s industrial action, as an act of good faith read more
100 DuPont workers strike in pay dispute (11 Sept) – Dumfries based plant to be hit by five stoppages. Unite the union has served notice on a series of stoppages to hit the Dumfries based DuPont Teijin Films (DTF) plant. Five rounds of 12-hour stoppages, involving around 100 Unite members, will take place on 20, 22, 24, 26 and 28 September. A continuous overtime ban has also been in place since July. DTF is a major supplier of polyester films for electrical, medical, photo, print and photovoltaic uses to UK supermarkets, as well as institutional catering for hospitals, schools and home-meals for the elderly. Unite has accused DTF management of by-passing the agreed collective bargaining procedures, and the workforce’s trade union representatives, to impose a 3.3 per cent wage offer in April. The broader rate of inflation (RPI) has remained stubbornly high throughout the year, and currently stands at 9 per cent read more
Manufacturing workers in Chesterfield to strike over parity pay and real terms pay cuts (8 Sept) – 100 per cent of the workforce voted for action. Skilled manufacturing workers based in Chesterfield undertaking repairs for companies ranging from British Steel to Thames Water will begin strike action this Monday in a dispute over pay. The action being taken at ERIKS Industrial Services will have a dramatic effect, causing delays for customers. 8 days of strikes will take place on Monday 11 and Tuesday 12 September, Monday 18 and Tuesday 19 September, Monday 25 and Tuesday 26 September and then on Monday 2 and Tuesday 3 October read more
Workers at Klarius in Stoke-on-Trent to strike over fire and rehire sick pay threats (7 Sept) – Members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, employed at Klarius Products Ltd in Stoke-on-Trent, will begin a series of strikes later this month in response to the company’s threats to fire and rehire them, drastically reducing sick pay for some of its most long serving and loyal workforce. The problems at the company are a result of the creation of a two-tier workforce. Workers on the traditional contracts receive a very fair company sick pay scheme, while workers on the inferior, newer contracts only receive statutory sick pay (SSP). Klarius’ solution is to introduce a new sick pay scheme but it would result in many workers experiencing sizeable cuts in their entitlement. Unite has tried to resolve the issue through consultation but Klarius has refused to improve its proposals and as a result is now threatening to fire and rehire many of its workforce, with some of those being forced onto inferior contracts from next month… Unite has announced an initial 16 days of strike action. The first strike will take place on Tuesday 12 September read more
Unite urges employer to pay a fair wage and avoid nuclear plant shutdown (6 Sept) – Electricians who certify tools for use in nuclear power stations are taking strike action. Unite, the country’s leading trade union, announced today (Wednesday 6 September) that its members at Altrad Babcock Ltd are taking strike action following a dismal pay offer from the employer. Electricians at Altrad Babcock, based in Tipton in the West Midlands, are responsible for certifying that electrical tools are safe to use in nuclear facilities across the country. Yet this safety-critical role is not being valued by the employer, with some members earning as little as £13.62 per hour. Members ensure that equipment including welding machines, compressors, winches and even site vehicles are certified as electrically safe to use in potentially hazardous environments. Failure to have such certification will mean that the tools and machinery cannot enter the nuclear plants to maintain the facility. Eventually, this could lead to nuclear power plants having to shut down. Strikes are likely to take place in waves across the autumn and into winter, just as demand for nuclear power stations increases. Dates are as follows: Wednesday the 20th /Thursday the 21st September at 08:00am until 16:00pm then Monday the 25th & Tuesday the 26th September followed by every Monday: October 2nd 9th 16th 23rd 30th, November 6th 13th 20th 27th, then December, 4th 11th and then on Tuesdays October, 3rd 10th 17th 24th 31st October, then November 7th 14th 21st 28th then December 5th 12th read more
Westminster libraries workers to strike in pay dispute (4 Sept) – Members of Unite, employed by Westminster City Council across the borough’s libraries, will begin strike action this Wednesday (6 September) in a dispute over pay. The workers have rejected the national pay offer of a flat rate increase of £1,925. The offer is below the rate of inflation and amounts to a real terms pay cut. The workers will initially take four days of strike action on 6th, 8th, 13th, 15th September. Strike action will disrupt services across the borough read more
Hull Citizens Advice strikes intensify as protests spread to Bridlington and Goole (30 Aug) – Wealthy charity ‘disgracefully’ refusing to award national pay deal after years of doing so. Strikes by over 60 Hull and East Riding Citizens Advice workers intensified this week, as protests spread to the bureau’s offices in Bridlington and Goole. Nine consecutive days of fresh strike action began this week, following four days of industrial action in late July and August. The workers voted for strike action after the charity refused to increase pay in line with National Joint Council (NJC) scales operated by local authorities, as has been the norm for the last 20 years. The NJC has recommended a consolidated payment of £1,925 for all grades for 2022. Citizens Advice in Hull and East Riding can afford to implement the payment and had cash reserves of £1,076,156 as of 31 March 2022, with that amount set to increase by the end of the year…The workers began strike action yesterday (29 August) and will continue striking on 31 August and 1, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 September. Citizens Advice services will not be available during this time. Industrial action will intensify if the dispute is not resolved. Protests will take place outside the Bridlington Citizens Advice office on Tuesday 5 September from 10:00 and the Goole Citizens Advice office on Wednesday 6 September from 10:00. A picket line outside the Hull office will be held on all other dates read more
North Tyneside council workers to strike in pay dispute (30 Aug) – Members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, employed by North Tyneside council will begin strike action next month in a dispute over pay. The 260 plus workers have rejected the national pay offer of a flat rate increase of £1,925. The offer is below the rate of inflation and amounts to a real terms pay cut. The workers will initially take strike action on Wednesday 6 and 13 September. Strike action will affect services across the council however, Unite members are predominantly in building trades, health visitors, school and nursery nurses, admin roles and bereavement services read more
180 workers at Browns meat factory to strike over poverty pay (28 Aug) – Dumfriesshire based company to face weeks of industrial action. Unite the union confirmed that around 180 members based at the Dumfriesshire food manufacturer Browns are starting strike action today (28 August) in a dispute over poverty pay. Unite’s production, distribution and maintenance members based in Kelloholm, Sanquhar, emphatically rejected a pay offer from the company which equals the real Living Wage of £10.90 an hour. The workers will participate in three days of industrial action over a period of three consecutive weeks. The first round begins today and ends on 31 August. An overtime ban is also in effect until 18 September (see notes to editor). The Dumfriesshire based firm specialises in the production and manufacturing of quality cooked and sliced meats for a large range of businesses, supermarkets and schools read more
Carey Glass must intervene to resolve Lurgan Vista Therm dispute (25 Aug) – Nenagh-based Carey group warned dispute may shatter ‘Best in Glass’ claim. Unite highlights reputational risks to group if dispute not resolved. Unite members in dispute with Vista Therm travelled to Nenagh, headquarters of the Carey Glass group of companies, today (Friday) to highlight Vista Therm’s refusal to talk to workers about a cost-of-living pay increase. Vista Therm workers set up stalls in Nenagh town centre and gathered signatures for a petition asking people to support the workers’ demands that management recognise their union Unite, negotiate a cost-of-living pay increase, and treat workers with dignity and respect. Unite is calling on Carey Glass to intervene and resolve the long-running dispute which has seen production at the Lurgan plant severely curtailed read more Sign the Vista Therm solidarity petition!
Chesterfield council housing workers strike over pay (25 Aug) – Over 100 housing maintenance workers employed by Chesterfield council will begin strike action next week in a dispute over pay. The workers who are members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, will take strike action next week on Tuesday 29 August and Wednesday 30 August. The dispute is a result of the workers not having received a pay rise for 15 years…The Chesterfield strike is part of a wider local authority dispute over pay, Unite has industrial action mandates for 23 councils across England and Wales. The union has rejected this year’s local government pay offer of £1,925 as it amounts to a real terms pay cut read more
Rail network facing signalling shortages as Unipart workers in Crewe strike over pay (25 Aug) – Unite, the UK’s leading union, has warned rail companies including Network Rail to be braced for a delay in the supply of signalling equipment as workers at Unipart Rail strike next week in a dispute over pay. The workers have rejected a 4.75 per cent pay increase, which is a sizeable real terms pay cut with the true rate of inflation (RPI) currently standing at nine per cent. The workers will take strike action beginning at 00:01hrs on Tuesday 29 August and continuing until 23:59 on Friday 1 September. An overtime ban will also be in place beginning today (Friday 25 August)and ending on Monday 4 September read more
Drivers at Greater Manchester Accessible Transport forced to strike over ‘poverty pay’ (22 Aug) – Industrial action to take place over failure of company to improve pay offer or sign up to Good Employment Charter. Bus drivers in Greater Manchester who transport the elderly and disabled have been forced to take strike action over the low pay by Greater Manchester Accessible Transport (GMAT). Members of Unite, the country’s leading trade union, are paid just minimum wage to do a physically and mentally demanding job. They provide an invaluable service, transporting the elderly, infirm or disabled from their homes across Greater Manchester to vital medical appointments, for essential shopping or for leisure and entertainment. GMAT pays the lowest wages of all bus companies in the region and the registered charity has not signed up to the Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter, despite being run by Transport for Greater Manchester and owned by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), both of whom are members of the charter. The charter aims to raise employment standards across Greater Manchester through factors like security of work and fair pay – including a commitment to the real living wage. Around 7000 users depend on the service and Unite has encouraged the employer to come back to the negotiating table with improved terms above the below-inflation offer made to-date. Currently drivers receive just £10.42 per hour. Following a successful industrial ballot, members will be taking strike action in the coming months with dates to be announced in due course read more
Strike action targets penny-pinching Porsche and Audi deliveries firm (16 Aug) – A miserable 3.2 per cent is to blame for months of strikes. Deliveries of VW vehicles including, Audi, Porsche and Skoda models will face significant delays for months to come unless the profitable GBA Group improves its miserable pay offer of just 3.2%. The strike will mean new VW car deliveries in the Southeast, London and beyond face significant delays as workers at Sheerness Docks prepare to strike for two weeks, beginning the 17 August and then in September and October read more
Tesco facing dirty Didcot depot as Atalian Servest caterers and cleaners strike over pay (14 Aug) – Workers based at Tesco’s depot in Didcot have been warned to be braced for a dirty depot and canteen closures as workers employed by Atalian Servest have announced strike action over pay. The dispute involves cleaning and catering staff employed on an outsourced contract and is a result of Atalian Servest refusing to even negotiate over a pay increase. The cleaners are on pay rates of as little as £11 an hour, which includes weekend and bank holiday work at no additional rate, they operate in the main Tesco warehouse which is only heated to one degree. Meanwhile the catering staff are paid the minimum wage of £10.42 an hour. The workers who are members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, have announced two initial 24 hour strikes beginning on Friday 1 September and Thursday 7 September, followed by a three day strike beginning on Friday 15 September and a further three day strike beginning on Thursday 21 September. Atalian Servest is very financially healthy; its latest accounts for 2021 reveal that it made gross profits of £84 million read more
Glasgow Parking wardens and Emirates Arena workers strike over poor pay (2 Aug) – Disruption set to impact Cycling World Championships and traffic enforcement across Scotland’s largest city. Around 70 Unite members employed by Glasgow Life at the Emirates Arena and City Parking are set to take strike action tomorrow (Thursday 3 August). Unite members will walk out across both organisations at 7.30am to begin 48-hour strike action over the current local government pay offer. There will be pickets held outside the Emirates Arena and Cadogan Square Car Park to coincide with the strike action. A rally involving both groups of workers is also being held at midday at the Donald Dewar statue on Buchanan Street read more
Kings Lynn Cooper Roller Bearings workers to strike over pay (2 Aug) – Profitable company offering strings attached deal that amounts to ‘pay cut’. More than 100 workers employed by Cooper Roller Bearings in Kings Lynn are to strike over pay, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today (Wednesday 2 August). The workers have rejected a 5.5 per cent pay offer. With the true rate of inflation, RPI, standing at 10.7 per cent, this is a real terms pay cut. The offer also comes with a ‘strings attached’ performance related bonus of up to six per cent. Cooper Roller Bearings made a profit before tax of more than £7 million in the year ending 31 December 2022…The workers will strike for one day on 21 August. After that a continuous overtime ban will commence, with strike days doubling every week until the dispute is resolved read more
Irish Water: Lack of engagement by employer representatives’ forces dispute escalation (1 Aug) – Unite the union seeks engagement with LGMA over shortcomings in proposed Framework. Pickets set for eight local authorities from 00.01 Wednesday [2nd August] to 23.59 Friday [4th August]. Unite members working in water delivery services for eight local authorities around the country will escalate their industrial action this week with a further three days of stoppages. Water workers will take strike action at Carlow County Council, Cork City Council, Cork County Council, Fingal County Council, Kerry County Council, South Dublin County Council, Tipperary County Council and Waterford County Council. The action is due to the continued refusal of local authorities and its representative body, the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) to meaningfully engage with the union over its members’ concerns regarding shortcomings to the ‘Framework for the Future Delivery of Water Services’ document put forward by the Workplace Relations Commission last year. The Framework document was rejected overwhelmingly by Unite members employed in water services delivery as essential workers, as it failed to address their concerns read more
CWU
CWU wins £5,000-plus increase in earning potential for 154 Flex FND controllers (6 Oct) – Nearly two years of determined CWU campaigning has delivered the prospect of four-figure pre-Christmas pay rises for 154 TMDE2 graded Fibre Network Delivery (FND) controllers following Openreach’s agreement that the work they conduct is ‘complex’ rather than ‘core’. The breakthrough, which follows persistent lobbying by the union’s Openreach national team, regional coordinators and branches – backed up by powerful explanations by individual members of the overwhelming case for their re-grading – means that, every single one of the existing TMDE2 Order Controller (OC) and Jeopardy Controller (JC) workforce is now being given the opportunity to progress to a new ‘Integrated Controller’ workstream 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]
DWP members in Doncaster livid following comments by local MP (6 Oct) – 114 members of staff working at Doncaster Crossgate were made redundant on 30 September following the closure of their office. The MP appeared to be ignorant of the closure and redundancies. 114 members of DWP staff working at Doncaster Crossgate House were made redundant on 30 September following the closure of their office. A further 58 staff are awaiting relocation to Sheffield. Nick Fletcher, the Conservative MP for Don Valley, stated in a Facebook post on 4 October “I have spoken with Mims Davis MP again and she has agreed to look again at this. I will continue to press on this.” Mims Davies is the parliamentary under secretary of state at the Department for Work and Pension and responsible for decisions relating to the closure of DWP offices. PCS members working in Doncaster Crossgate House are furious by Nick Fletcher MP’s insensitive comments following the redundancies on 30 September, four days before his social media post read more
HMRC confirms roll-out of ‘selling Annual Leave’ (5 Oct) – Following a trial in January 2023, HMRC have announced the full-blown launch of a scheme which invites members to ‘sell’ some of their annual leave back to the department. Following on from the trial that HMRC ran in January 2023 that allowed staff to sell annual leave, the department will shortly be announcing that they will be introducing an annual process for staff to be able to participate in once a year, should they wish to do so read more
HMRC to launch ‘Annualised Hours’ Pilot in CSG (5 Oct) – HMRC prepares to ask members in CSG to volunteer for a ‘pilot’ involving giving-up flexible working and moving to ‘annualised hours’ in return for an allowance amounting to as little as £4.67 per week (before tax) read more
ISS members continue with industrial action (4 Oct) – PCS members working for the outsourced facilities management company ISS will take further Industrial action next week (9-13 October). Security, cleaners and support staff in London will take action over pay. ISS has offered members just 2.2%, well below inflation. We are also calling for an end to outsourcing, job security and for the company to formally recognise PCS. ISS has yet to agree to further talks. The new action follows the well-supported strike at the beginning of last members, when members took action for five days. Picket lines will take place from 7am to 10am on Monday (9) at 1 Victoria Street in London and from 8am to 10am on Thursday (12) at 3-8 Whitehall, London. Please come along and show your support. Donate to the ISS strike fund: A/C No: 2033149 Sort Code: 60-83-01 A/C Name: PCS Fighting Fund Levy (please quote ISS and your membership number in the reference) read more
OCS strike: severely disrupted courts lead to meeting with employer (3 Oct) – PCS members in OCS forced closures and caused severe disruptions in courts across England and Wales during a hugely effective four-day strike action over pay. Security officers in 149 courts across England and Wales took this action for four days (22, 25, 27 and 29 September) after being offered just 38p above the National Living Wage. They are currently paid the national minimum wage of £10.42 by OCS, an outsourced contractor. Due to the action undertaken by members, OCS has agreed to meet with the union to discuss pay next week read more
HMRC Inland Pre-Clearance ballot reminder (2 Oct) – A reminder for PCS members working in HMRC’s Inland Pre-Clearance, who are currently being balloted for industrial action. Find out how to request a replacement paper for the ballot which closes on 11 October 2023. After months of wrangling, HMRC has finally accepted that members working in Inland Pre-Clearance (IPC) are shiftworkers, but the department is still refusing to pay the requisite Shift Disturbance Allowance. Consequently, PCS is balloting members in IPC for strike action and action short of a strike, in an effort to press the department to pay all shiftworking members what they are owed read more
Strike action escalates at The Pensions Regulator (28 Sept) – PCS members will take 14 more days strike action as their employer has failed to increase its pay offer.
PCS members working for The Pensions Regulator took strike action between 5 and 18 September in pursuit of our national campaign demands. Their employer has failed to pay staff the full monies available government’s increased pay remit of 4.5-5%. The revised remit – plus a one-off £1,500 cost-of-living payment – was won by PCS after a six-month campaign that saw three national strikes. PCS has had four meetings with TPR management, but they have refused to concede anything and have doubled down on their original position of not meeting the terms of the civil service pay remit guidance. PCS members will therefore take 14 more days of strike action on 11, 12, 17 and 18 October and for two weeks from 23 to 27 October and 30 October to 3 November read more
House of Commons security guards to be balloted for strike action (20 Sept) – The members are to be balloted for strike action after being told to work extra night shifts to cover for a lack of staff. PCS is asking more than 250 members employed as security guards across the entire Palace of Westminster estate if they are prepared to take strike action. Members are angry and stressed after being told to work extra night shifts to cover for a lack of staff and feel they are being made to pay the price for management’s failure to adequately retain and recruit staff. PCS has asked management to withdraw the new roster, give members a proper work/life balance and recruit sufficient staff to cover all vacancies. In a ballot that runs between September 25 and October 9, we are asking members if they believe that they should take strike action to force the employer to listen read more
Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime to strike over pay (7 Sept) – Nearly 100 PCS members working for MOPAC will take five days of strike action later this month. PCS members at the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) will strike on 20, 21, 22, 25 and 26 September after management refused to negotiate on their pay, pensions, job security and redundancy terms. MOPAC staff are responsible for the London equivalent of a regional Police and Crime Commission. They oversee financial scrutiny of the London Metropolitan Police and are directly accountable to the mayor, Sadiq Khan read more
Prospect
Government must stop using the civil service as a political punching bag (3 Oct) – Prospect General Secretary Mike Clancy has written to Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt demanding a rethink on his announcement of cuts to Civil Service numbers read more
U-turn on civil service numbers says more about Tory electoral problems than effective governance (2 Oct) – The government has today u-turned on its commitment not to cut civil servant numbers by arbitrary amounts read more
Prospect to ballot members at AWE on industrial action (1 Sept) – Prospect union will ballot its members on industrial action in a dispute over pay at the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE). Headquartered in Aldermaston, Berkshire, AWE supports and maintains the UK nuclear deterrent. The ballot opens on 1st September and will run for two weeks read more
FDA
Chancellor’s announcement on civil service recruitment “straight out of the Rees-Mogg playbook”, says FDA (3 Oct) – After Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt announced a cap on civil service expansion at the Conservative Party Conference, FDA General Secretary Dave Penman responded: “Jeremy Hunt may pride himself on being on the pragmatic wing of his party, but his announcement on civil service numbers is straight out of the Jacob Rees-Mogg playbook…” read more
GMB
Croydon Hospital workers vote ‘overwhelmingly’ for strike action (6 Oct) – These workers are struggling to make rent payments and feed their families – they are not asking for the moon, they just want to be treated fairly and equally, says GMB. Cleaners and porters employed by outsourcing giant G4S at Croydon University Hospital have voted overwhelmingly to take strike action in a dispute over their contracts. Members of GMB, the union for NHS and healthcare workers, are demanding NHS Agenda for Change contracts on which most workers within the hospital are employed. These contracts include favourable rates of sick pay and holiday pay, as well as unsocial hours payments read more
Scrapping HS2 northern route ‘biggest rail cut since Beeching’ (6 Oct) – GMB Trade Union – Scrapping HS2 northern route ‘biggest rail cut since Beeching’. GMB Union has responded to the Prime Ministers announcement HS2 will no longer reach Manchester read more
Water price increases ‘insult’ (6 Oct) – GMB, the water union, has described water bill increases as an ‘insult’ read more
GMB union writes open letter to Swindon council cabinet members over crisis in emergency social work provision (5 Oct) – We need Swindon Council need to meet us for constructive talks because the service is struggling after the loss of highly skilled, specialist mental health practitioners, to the detriment of clients and service users, says GMB. GMB, the union for the Emergency Duty Service (EDS) in Swindon has written an open letter to Swindon Councillors over the ‘crisis’ within the service, which the union is blaming on the council’s ‘confrontational’ approach. The union is in dispute with the council over the removal of the unsocial hours allowance paid to workers on the team, who provide emergency out-of-hours social work support to some of the most vulnerable people in Swindon. GMB members had previously been on strike over the contract changes, but had to suspend their industrial action on safety grounds, as they felt Swindon had not provided adequate emergency cover read more
Local Government and Schools Pay Ballot 2023 (29 Sept) – The ballot is well underway – let us know when you vote or if you haven’t received your ballot in the post read more
More than 50,000 school and council workers vote on strike action (19 Sept) – More than 50,000 school and council workers will begin voting on strike action today [Tuesday 12 September]. Ballots will take place at almost 3,000 schools and local authorities across England and Wales. School workers such as teaching assistants, lunchtime supervisors, caretakers and administrative staff and council workers including social workers, refuse collectors, grounds staff and care workers will take part the ballot which closes on 24 October. Workers have rejected the NJC’s pay offer for 2023/24 on a consultative ballot. If workers vote to strike, walkouts at schools and councils across England and Wales could begin as soon as 9 November read more
Union members vote overwhelmingly for strike action at luxury fashion retail giant (29 Sept) – Yoox Net-A-Porter facing strike as 91 per cent of GMB union members vote for action in the run-up to Christmas. GMB, the union for warehousing and distribution, has announced that Yoox-Net-A-Porter will be facing a strike in its warehouse in Charlton, South-East London. More than 200 union members voted to take strike action in a dispute over pay. Dates of the strike action will be issued in due course, but the action is set to cause a major effect on clothing orders and deliveries in the run up to Christmas. The company sells expensive, high-end fashion brands, including De Beers, Bottega and Vintage Chanel read more
Quarter of a million Nottinghamshire homes hit by refuse chaos as Veolia strike action begins (26 Sept) – Neighbouring Derbyshire risks becoming Nottinghamshire’s waste bin, says GMB. Members of GMB Union have today began five days of strike action at Veolia waste and recycling plants across Nottinghamshire. The industrial action comes after service provider Veolia refused to negotiate a pay offer that reflects the cost of living crisis. Mansfield’s Materials Recycling Facility, Ashfield’s Welsh Croft Close site and Bassetlaw’s Claylands Avenue site will all be impacted by strike action. These plants process household waste and recycling for over 250,000 homes in north Nottinghamshire. Refuse collections for Mansfield, Ashfield and Bassetlaw are now being forced to make a gruelling 50 mile detour to drop off sites in Derbyshire. GMB and local residents have also raised alarm at the prospect of Veolia using temporary agency staff to cover the impact of the dispute read more
Penrith faces bin chaos as workers vote to walk out (25 Sept) – Refuse workers in Penrith will down tools for two weeks in a dispute over pay. Dozens of staff at Urbaser, who hold the contract for refuse collection, will take industrial action from October 2 to 13. Workers including drivers, loaders and cleaners are calling for a pay rise to help ease the cost-of-living crisis read more
Northern Ireland faces ‘Winter Disruption’ as strikes begin (22 Sept) – GMB Union has warned of ‘winter disruption’ as civil servants and health workers being strike action. Up to 1,000 GMB members across working within the Road Service, Rivers Agency, Forest Service, Environment Agency and Driver Vehicle Agency are now on strike until Wednesday 27 September. Health workers will be on strike 21 and 22 September. Workers have walked out after the UK Government failed to address their 2023 pay claim. Civil Servants across all departments in Northern Ireland have been offered just £552, while health workers have yet to get anything unlike their colleagues in England and Wales read more
Man Utd, Subway and Five Guys face food shortages (20 Sept) – Manchester United, Subway, Five Guys and Stonegate pubs face food shortages as workers begin a strike vote. Thousands of staff at Bidfood – a company which also delivers food for P&O Ferries, Haven holiday sites and German Donner Kebab – will begin voting on industrial action in the coming weeks. The strike vote comes after pay negotiations broke down. Any industrial action will also lead to schools and prisons not having food delivered and will raises further safety concerns following the escape of Wandsworth prisoner, Daniel Khalife, under a Bidfood lorry read more
Manchester tram workers vote for strike action (19 Sept) – Manchester faces travel chaos after tram workers voted for strike action. Dozens of GMB members working for Great Manchester’s Metrolink service delivered a unanimous yes vote for industrial action. Workers will take industrial action on Strike 29 September and 6,13 and 20 October. Workers are angry about the erosion of their terms and conditions since the contract, currently operated by Bidvest Noonan, was outsourced read more
Social housing giant slammed for ‘strike breaking’ as workers down tools over low pay (15 Sept) – Staff at social housing provider Grand Union Housing are struggling to pay their own rent, says GMB union. GMB Union have today announced strike action at Grand Union Housing, provider of 13,000 social homes across Northamptonshire, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, and Buckinghamshire. The strike will see maintenance staff down tools on 22, 25 & 29 September and 2, 6, 9, 13 & 16 October. The action comes after the company refused to negotiate on a pay offer to staff of just 2.1%. Grand Union Housing has come under fire after confirming in an email to staff that contractor FSG Property Services LTD will be used to cover the work of striking workers read more
WATCH: Southampton bus drivers poised to strike over ‘dangerous’ diversion (15 Sept) – Question of when, not if, a serious incident happens, warns GMB Union
Southampton bus drivers are poised to strike over a ‘dangerous’ diversion route. GMB members working for Unilink – Southampton’s bus service provider – has today [Friday] begun a consultative industrial action ballot over management’s insistence on the enforced use of an unsafe diversion route which could endanger staff, passengers and the public. The change to the U6 route now means a dangerous sharp right turn for buses at the city’s Six Dials junction, causing buses to cross two lanes of fast flowing oncoming traffic to gain access to the bus lane heading into the city centre read more
Swindon social workers strike suspended on safety grounds (12 Sept) – The dispute remains unresolved, and GMB is willing to talk to the council at any time, through ACAS, to find a resolution, says GMB. A strike by social workers has been suspended on safety grounds by GMB, due to Swindon Borough Council failing to provide adequate emergency cover during recent strike days. GMB members in the Emergency Duty Service, which provides emergency out of hours support for vulnerable adults and children, have made a reluctant decision to suspend their strike, because child protection calls were missed on strike days. A two week strike started on 31st August and was due to continue until 13th September, but social workers returned to the late and night shifts on 11th September read more
North Bristol NHS maternity staff to take strike action (7 Sept) – Fed up with being treated and told that they are ‘second-class’ employees, GMB Midwifery support workers have voted for strike action. Maternity support staff in working in Southmead Hospital have voted unanimously for strike action. GMB members working in the Women’s and Children’s Division will walk out on September 14th and 15th for 2 days of strike action. The moves came after North Bristol NHS trust refused to provide Midwifery support workers, housekeepers and receptionists the same shift enhancements that their colleagues in the same department have been given. For 10 months GMB has been trying to seek a fair resolution, with the trust agreeing to pay enhancements back in June – only to then u-turn read more
Durham aviation manufacturer strike hits sixth week (22 Aug) – A Durham factory that finishes parts for the aviation and automotive industries faces its sixth week of strike action. Dozens of GMB members will walk out on Thursday [24 August] and Friday [25 August] after turning down the company’s pay offer of 6.7 per cent and a one-off. The industrial action the first time workers at Nicholson’s Sealing Technologies, in Stanley, have walked out in the company’s 100 year history read more
Scotland school staff to walk out for two days (17 Aug) – Parents and pupils have been warned of disruption after GMB Scotland announced essential staff in schools and early years will strike for two days next month. The industrial action will affect almost a third of councils across Scotland and comes after local authority workers overwhelmingly rejected a pay offer. GMB members in Scotland’s councils voted to support industrial action after Cosla, representing local authorities, refused to revise the offer or ask the Scottish Government for support. The union, which represents more than 21,000 workers across Scotland’s 32 councils, today served notice on ten local authorities telling them staff in schools and early years working across catering, cleaning, pupil support, administration and janitorial services will strike next month. Industrial action involving the staff but not including teachers will take place on Wednesday 13 September and the following day, in Aberdeen, Clackmannanshire, Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar, Dundee, East Dunbartonshire, Falkirk, Glasgow, Orkney, Renfrewshire and South Ayrshire. Sister unions are also likely to call strikes in schools and early years in September with the members of one already voting for industrial action while another is currently balloting members. The ballot came after 94 per cent of the GMB Scotland’s members rejected the councils’ offer of 5.5% in April branding it unacceptable when inflation has surged triggering a cost-of-living crisis. The union said the Cosla offer would mean a rise for the lowest-paid workers in Scotland’s councils £700 less this year than that offered to colleagues in England and Wales 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
Why Barnet Mental Health social workers are on strike – Barnet UNISON is supporting our members in adult social work mental health teams taking strike action for pay equality with Barnet’s Family Services Social Workers read more
The strike started on Tuesday 26th September and will continue on October 3,4,10,11,12,13. Picket line – 2 Bristol Ave, London NW9 4EW. Send messages of support to [email protected]
Campaign launched to highlight role police staff play in keeping communities safe (5 Oct) – The ‘We Are Police Staff’ campaign wants to ensure there’s real understanding of what police staff do and a recognition that communities can only be kept safe if these jobs are protected and promoted. Police staff deserve greater recognition of their vital role in fighting crime and protecting communities, said UNISON as it launched a new initiative to highlight their work read more
We Are Police Staff – new film launches (5 Oct) – ‘Our police staff members do a vital job to keep communities safe by solving crime and bringing offenders to justice.’
‘We Are Police Staff’ is a new film from UNISON to promote and defend the work of police staff in England, Scotland and Wales in the face of budget cuts read more
UNISON condemns water firms’ attempt to increase household bills (4 Oct) – The union reiterates its call for renationalisation, to ensure “value for taxpayers”. Water contaminated with sewage and waste in a reservoir. UNISON has condemned calls from private water companies in England and Wales to increase bills to customers in order to invest in infrastructure and has reiterated its call for the industry to be renationalised read more
Supreme Court ruling is a victory for underpaid workers (4 Oct) – UNISON case means workers can challenge underpayments. Many UK workers could be entitled to thousands of pounds unfairly taken from their pay following a landmark Supreme Court ruling today (Wednesday) in a successful challenge brought by UNISON. Prior to this, workers who consistently received incorrect pay could only make a claim at an employment tribunal for the most recent underpayment. They could also include similar underpayments on previous occasions, but not if there was a gap of three or more months between them. Today’s ruling means many workers will now be able to challenge ongoing linked underpayments in their wages. They will be able to do this even if there is a gap of three months or more since the last time this happened, says UNISON. They weren’t able to do so previously read more
Support staff to strike at 17 universities this week over pay (2 Oct) – Coordinated action in England over ongoing dispute. Support staff at 17 universities in England are striking today and tomorrow in an ongoing dispute about pay, says UNISON today (Monday). Cleaners, IT technicians, administrators and library staff will be among those walking out in coordinated action aimed at disrupting the start of the new academic year, says the union. Staff rejected a below-inflation pay deal in February and voted to strike. They are yet to receive a better offer and say they have little alternative but to take industrial action. More than 5,000 staff are expected to walk out over the two days, as the pay row escalates. There are also demonstrations and rallies taking place across the country read more
Health members in Northern Ireland to strike over lack of pay parity (19 Sept) – Two-day action this week comes as members have yet to be made pay offer in absence of devolved government. UNISON health members in Northern Ireland will be taking strike action over two days this week, in protest at the continued lack of a pay offer for 2022/23. The walk out, over the 48-hour period of Thursday 21 and Friday 22 September, will involve ambulance crews, nurses, health care assistants, pharmacists, radiographers, porters, admin and technical staff, and domestic assistants. Payroll staff will strike for a shorter period, to ensure their co-workers receive their pay on time – a decision commended by their union colleagues. The action is due to increasing frustration that NI health workers are falling behind their colleagues in England and Wales, who accepted an NHS pay offer from their employers in April. That offer included an extra lump sum for 2022/23 and a new offer of a 5% increase for 2023/24. However in the absence of a devolved government in Northern Ireland, and without funding being made available by the secretary of state Chris Heaton-Harris, no offer has been made to health workers there read more
Support Wirral NHS clinical support workers: Let’s stick together to win the proper pay for the job (12 Sept) – ‘Wirral NHS clinical support workers just want to be paid the proper rate for the work they do and the responsibilities they take’. Christina McAnea on the picket line with striking clinical support workers at Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. Across every UNISON region, we’ve got live campaigns to get health workers the fair pay they deserve. Dedicated staff have been regularly performing important duties above the level of responsibility their employers pay them for. This expectation has been put on them for years, but the salary they should be earning has been held back for years too. Today in Liverpool, clinical support workers went on strike at Arrowe Park Hospital 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
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
Thousands of workers in Northern Ireland in line for Holiday Pay backpay after UK Supreme Court Judgement (4 Oct) – Police staff members of the Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance (NIPSA) and its solicitor John McShane of MTB have today won a historic victory at the UK Supreme Court in their fight for “normal pay when on holiday and not just their basic pay” backdated to 1998. Thousands of cases across the public and private sectors have been stayed pending the outcome of the UK Supreme Court Judgment which will now mean backpay for thousands of workers potentially going back to 1998. The cost to the PSNI alone will be 10’s of millions of pounds. An Industrial Tribunal in 2018 ruled that unlawful deductions made from holiday entitlements of the PSNI’s officers and support staff were in breach of European law rights read more
Royal College of Nursing
‘Divisive’ rise in costs for overseas nursing staff will deepen NHS staffing crisis (6 Oct) – We’ve written to the Home Secretary to condemn the planned increase in costs for overseas health workers and nursing students coming to the UK read more
Royal College of Nursing members employed by the Care Plus Group vote for industrial strike action (27 Jul) – The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) balloted members employed by the Care Plus Group in July on whether they would be willing to take industrial strike action for better pay and parity with nursing staff employed by the NHS on Agenda for Change terms and conditions of employment. A majority of RCN members who responded to the ballot voted in favour of strike action with 93% of those who voted, voting ‘yes’ read more
Majority of Manx Care nurses vote to strike and reject latest pay offer (23 Jun) – Eighty per-cent (80%) of Royal College of Nursing (RCN) members who responded to the ballot for strike action, have voted in favour 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
Maternity staff fight for fairness and safety as they take to picket lines across Northern Ireland (22 Sept) – Midwives and maternity support workers (MSWs) across Northern Ireland will be taking to the picket lines this morning (22 September), as the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) takes strike action in frustration at the ongoing political stalemate read more
CSP
Striking CSP members in Northern Ireland make their voices heard (21 Sept) – CSP members working for Health and Social Care Northern Ireland (HSCNI) turned out in big numbers today for their first ever strike over pay read more
BMA
Support the Junior Doctors strike read more
Donate to support striking junior doctors
Doctors in Northern Ireland to be balloted on industrial action (4 Oct) – Consultants and junior doctors to vote after devolved government denies pay uplift. Consultants and junior doctors in Northern Ireland will be balloted on industrial action, the BMA has confirmed. The Department of Health in Northern Ireland, which has essentially been left to run the health service since the collapse of devolution in February 2022, said there would be no pay awards at all this year as a result of funding shortfalls. This is despite the Doctors and Dentists Review Body recommending a 6 per cent uplift, which has been offered to colleagues in England. As a result, both groups of doctors will be balloted over whether to take industrial action. A date for the ballot has not yet been set. An indicative ballot of consultants in Northern Ireland found 77 per cent were willing to take industrial action read more
Supporting each other (4 Oct) – Thousands of doctors put under financial strain by taking part in industrial action have already benefited from the BMA strike fund. Ben Ireland speaks to recipients and donors read more
Doctors warn Government they are prepared to strike until next general election (4 Oct) – Hundreds of doctors travel to Manchester for rally outside Conservative Party conference. It’s conference party season, with a general election on the horizon. The ruling Conservative Party has been in Manchester this week, having been far behind in the polls for months. And the future of the NHS consistently ranks among the touchstone issues likely to define the next election. As health secretary Steve Barclay was giving a speech on Tuesday afternoon, thousands of doctors gathered moments from the conference centre to demand pay restoration. They had travelled from all corners of England on buses provided by the BMA. Prime minister Rishi Sunak decided on the slogan ‘long-term decisions for a brighter future’ for his conference. It was widely mocked by doctors at the pay restoration rally, who for decades have seen a Conservative Government attempt no more than short-term fixes to the health service they see crumbling around them every day read more
Society of Radiographers
SoR responds to health secretary’s speech at Conservative Party conference (4 Oct) – Secretary of state Steve Barclay announced a £30 million investment in NHS technology during his speech in Manchester. SoR has responded to the health secretary’s Conservative Party conference speech, which included the announcement of a £30 million investment in technology for the NHS read more
‘We stand shoulder to shoulder in our fight to protect our professions’ (3 Oct) – On Tuesday, 3 October, radiographers and other NHS workers held nationwide strike action over low pay and poor working conditions across the service. As part of the strike action, Leandre Archer, head of industry relations for the Society of Radiographers, addressed crowds gathered during a rally held in Manchester, which also coincided with the Conservative Party conference taking place in the city. In her speech, Ms Archer highlighted the increasingly challenging working conditions radiographers are facing in the NHS, due to staff shortages, excessive hours, and pay stagnation read more
‘Members and patients deserve better,’ says SoR as radiographers take strike action across UK (2 Oct) – SoR members and other NHS staff hold 24-hour strike on Tuesday, 3 October. Both patients and NHS workers ‘deserve better,’ the SoR has said as radiographers hold a 24-hour walkout on Tuesday (3 October), in response to ongoing recruitment and retention issues blighting the profession. From 8am on Tuesday, radiographers and other NHS workers will be striking over the increasingly challenging working conditions in the service. Radiographers across the UK will be joining the picket lines to raise awareness of the staff shortages, low pay, and the excessive working hours they face in the profession read more
Video: Striking radiographers protest outside Belfast City Hall (22 Sept) – SoR’s Northern Ireland national officer Cora Regan gives powerful speech at union rally. Northern Ireland’s striking radiographers joined a union rally outside Belfast City Hall on the second day of industrial action in their fight for improved pay and conditions’ read more
“We need to address the chronic staff shortages, our patients deserve better” (21 Sept) – As our 48hr strike action across HSCNI begins, hear from our members about why they are taking a stand read more
New pay offer for radiographers in Wales – SoR members asked to vote now (8 Aug) – SoR recommends acceptance of improved offer following earlier strike threat. New pay talks with the Welsh government have resulted in a revised package around non-pay elements of the original offer to radiographers. SoR members in Wales had rejected that offer by an overwhelming number and called for a ballot on strike action. The Welsh government then agreed to re-open talks with the SoR on the proviso that the Society paused balloting. These talks have resulted in a new offer around non-pay elements of the original offer with the aim to improve Terms and Conditions of Service within the NHS in Wales and for radiographers read more
NEU
Joint call to solve school buildings crisis (25 Sept) – Eight unions and the NGA call on the Prime Minister to invest £4.4bn+ per year to get a grip on the school buildings crisis. ASCL, NAHT, NASUWT, NEU, GMB, UNISON, Unite, Community and the National Governance Association have today written to the Prime Minister pointing out the need for urgent action to ensure that the school estate is upgraded and made safe for education in the 21st century.
The RAAC crisis in schools has highlighted the wider issue of the chronic underfunding of our school buildings, which has left many unsafe and no longer fit for purpose read more
NASUWT
NASUWT welcomes expansion of pay gap reporting in Scotland (4 Oct) – Commenting on the confirmation by the Scottish Government that it intends to introduce a duty for listed authorities to publish data on ethnicity and disability pay gaps, Dr Patrick Roach, General Secretary of the NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union, said: “We have long campaigned for the current requirement for listed authorities to publish data on their gender pay gaps to be expanded to include race and disability. The Scottish Government’s lead on this matter stands in marked contrast to the Westminster Government’s failure to act…” read more
NASUWT response to the Prime Minister’s proposed post-16 education reforms (4 Oct) – Commenting on the Prime Minister’s speech today to the Conservative Party Conference, Dr Patrick Roach, General Secretary of NASUWT – the Teacher’s Union said: “Today’s announcement by the Prime Minister is an admission of 13 years of failure. The qualifications system that the Prime Minister now wants to reform looks the way it does because that is how this Government wanted it to look. All the issues the Prime Minister has raised in his speech today result directly from reforms that this Government introduced during the last decade…” read more
Caldicot School plans six days of strike action (18 Sept) – Members of NASUWT – Teachers’ Union will take strike action at Caldicot secondary school in Monmouthshire on Thursday 21 and on Thursday 28 September 2023. A further four days are planned during October. Talks with the school have failed to make sufficient progress in addressing adverse management practices affecting the health, safety and welfare of its members and the pupils in their care. The NASUWT has been in negotiations with the school since 2019 in a bid to resolve ongoing concerns about the management of the school. The employer is failing to provide appropriate support to staff in dealing with violent and abusive behaviour. In the strike ballot, 85% of members voted to support strike action and 92% voted to support action short of strike, which includes the refusal to teach pupils who pose a risk to staff read more
New industrial action campaign at schools and colleges in England (18 Sept) – The NASUWT is instructing members to take part in a programme of action short of strike action following ballots for industrial action last term. The action is part of the Union’s campaign to secure real terms improvements to pay and bring downward pressure on workload and working hours. The NASUWT National Action Committee is initially instructing members in schools and colleges to limit their working time by working to rule from today. These include instructing members to refuse to undertake extracurricular activities, midday supervision, working during lunch breaks, being directed to work on weekends or Bank Holidays, not doing other tasks during PPA time and refusing to take part in mock inspections read more
NAHT
NAHT comments on National Funding Formula miscalculation for 2024/25 (6 Oct) – Commenting as the government admit that they have miscalculated the National Funding Formula (NFF) for 2024 to 2025, Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, said: “Today’s announcement that the DfE has incorrectly calculated the national funding formula for 2024-25 speaks volumes about the chaos at the heart of government. School leaders will be rightly angry that basic accounting errors may force them to rethink already tight budgets as a result of the erroneous figures they were provided. Many may now have to revisit crucial decisions around staffing or support for pupils as budgets are reduced. Rushed announcements about half-baked policy initiatives, such as mobile phone bans or overhauling 16-18 education without any consultation with the sector, are worrying enough, but how can school leaders have confidence in headline grabbing policy developments if they can’t even trust their budget allocations.” Read more
School leaders to strike for first time on Jersey (11 Sept) – School leaders’ union NAHT will join teachers in a day of strike action across Jersey’s schools tomorrow, Tuesday 12 September, after it said that revised proposals aimed at resolving the dispute were too little too late. Late last week, the States Employment Board (SEB) agreed to backdate its previous 7.9% pay offer, which NAHT members had overwhelmingly rejected in a ballot, to January. But NAHT said that was not enough and put its own proposals on the table on Friday designed to end the dispute. Today, the Government tabled alternative proposals which NAHT said fell well short of resolving the dispute read more
EIS
First Minister must not abandon promise of public sector ‘no compulsory redundancy’ in colleges (4 Oct) – Members of the EIS-Further Education Lecturers Association (EIS-FELA) have been on strike at Glasgow Clyde College, Dundee & Angus College and Fife College this week in a long running dispute over job security and pay. Today marks a third day of strike action in the constituencies of key Scottish Government ministers. These three colleges are linked to the constituencies of the First Minister, Deputy First Minister, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Minister for Further Education respectively read more
Lecturers Commence Targeted Strike Action in Constituency Areas of Key Scot Govt Ministers (2 Oct) – Lecturers in three Scottish colleges will start three days of targeted strike action, in colleges based in the constituencies of key Scottish Government decision makers. The targeted action is the latest step in a national industrial action campaign in a long-running dispute over pay and job security. The action will take place at Glasgow Clyde College, Fife College and Dundee & Angus College, which sit within the constituency areas of the First Minister, the Deputy First Minister, the Cabinet Secretary for Education and the Minister for Further Education read more
Colleges Hiding Behind UK Govt Anti-Trade Union Laws to Suppress Staff Action in Pay Dispute (2 Oct) – Scotland’s colleges have used UK anti-trade union laws, introduced by the Conservative government, to suppress Scotland’s lecturers from extending their industrial action in a long-running dispute over pay. The UK has some of the most restrictive anti-trade union legislation in the world, placing significant barriers in the way of any group of workers seeking to protect their rights as employees. Scotland’s public sector colleges refused a trade union request to extend the legal mandate for the ongoing industrial action, despite the Scottish Government stating that it opposes the anti-trade union laws and does not wish to see them implemented in Scotland. This forced a re-ballot of EIS-FELA (Educational Institute of Scotland – Further Education Lecturers’ Association) members, at the same time as they have been forced to be fully engaged in strike action across the month of September. The result very narrowly fell under the very strict restrictions placed on trade unions by the UK Government laws read more read more
Strike action continues at City of Glasgow College over job and course cuts (4 Sept) – Members of the Educational Institute of Scotland – Further Education Lecturers’ Association (EIS-FELA) will continue their programme of strike action at City of Glasgow College this week. Picket lines will be in place at the college’s City and Riverside campuses from tomorrow (Tuesday) for the rest of the week, with additional strike days to follow over the subsequent weeks. Whilst EIS-FELA are on strike nationally in pursuit of a fair pay settlement from Colleges Scotland, members at City of Glasgow College are entering another four weeks of strike action in their local dispute. This comes after five weeks of strike action prior to the summer break, as well as continued action short of strike. The local dispute is about cuts to teaching time, increases in workload, the ending of fixed term contracts and compulsory redundancies read more
INTO
Industrial Action FAQs Updated: September 2023 (5 Sept) – Our industrial action FAQs have been updated in line with the current Action Short of Strike (ASOS). Please review these questions in conjunction with the latest NITC ASOS phase 4 guidance read more
UCU
Agreement paves way for full restoration of university pension benefits by April (5 Oct) – UUK has agreed to reverse the 35% cut made to the industry’s Universities Superannuation Scheme pension and restore what has been lost. In a joint statement, UUK and UCU agree to full benefit restoration to pre-April 2022 levels by Monday 1 April 2024, which is worth between £15 to £17bn, as well as an additional one-off pension payment of around £900m to help make good the money members have lost since April 2022. The agreement also paves the way for new contribution rates to be introduced as soon as January read more
UCU response to Tory post-16 qualification reforms (4 Oct) – Responding to the government’s proposals to introduce an Advanced British Standard qualification, UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: ‘The Prime Minister’s announcement of reforms to post-16 education are a further example of a government out of touch that is tinkering around the edges rather than offering genuine support to students or staff. School and college teachers need inflation-matching pay uplifts, not bonuses, but over the past year Sunak has gone to war with education staff, who have had to go out on strike for fair pay read more
Tory minimum service levels consultation a ‘spiteful attack on workers everywhere’ (2 Oct) – Responding to the government’s announcement that it will consult on minimum service level, UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: ”This is a spiteful attack on workers everywhere from a party that has run out of options and will soon be run out of office. We will not stand by while Tory MPs try to force our members to cross their own picket lines read more
UHI staff overwhelmingly back industrial action in row over £3million cuts and job losses (20 Sept) – Staff at the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) have today backed strikes in a dispute over plans to slash £3million from the university’s staffing budget and cut up to 44 roles. In the ballot of UCU Scotland members, 77% of those who voted backed strike action on a turnout of 86%. The university is proposing to cut up to 44 roles and has confirmed its intention to use compulsory redundancies read more
Two days of strikes to hit Tyne Coast College (19 Sept) – Over 100 staff at Tyne Coast College will take two days of strike action next month on Tuesday 3 and Monday 23 October in a long-running dispute over low pay. The latest action comes after management imposed a paltry pay award of just 3%, which staff had overwhelmingly rejected. Staff have already taken two days of strike action in the dispute read more
Ten days of strikes set to hit the University of Sheffield over pay docking row (15 Sept) – Staff at the University of Sheffield will strike for ten days beginning on Monday 18 September in a dispute over 100% pay deductions following the marking boycott, the University and College Union (UCU) confirmed today read more
Strike to hit all further education colleges in Northern Ireland (11 Sept) – Staff at all six Further Education colleges across Northern Ireland will strike for five days next week and continuously for the next three months in a long-running dispute over pay and working conditions. UCU said it has been forced to take action after a decade of their members being subject to pay freeze, followed by pay restraint, which has seen lecturer pay awards limited to between 1 % and 2% per year read more
Four days of strikes set to hit Kirklees College in pay dispute (8 Sept) – Staff at Kirklees College will strike for four days beginning on Monday 11 September in a long running dispute over low pay, announced the University and College Union (UCU) today. The full strike days are:-
- Monday 11 September
- Tuesday 12 September
- Wednesday 20 September
- Thursday 21 September
The strikes will hit the first teaching week of the new academic year. Staff will be on picket lines at the Huddersfield Centre in Huddersfield and the Pioneer Higher Skills Centre in Dewsbury from 8am till 12pm on all four days. Staff at the college have already taken six days of strike action across May and June but management has refused to budge from a pay award for 22/23 of just 1% plus a £500 non-consolidated lump sum. To add insult to injury college management unilaterally imposed a ‘cost of living’ pay award of just 2.5% for 23/24 during pay talks for 22/23. The college’s financial accounts show it has over £10m cash in the bank yet is hiring teachers for as little as £25k (full time equivalent salary). UCU Branch Officers made themselves available over the summer break to meet with college management to find a way to resolve this dispute but management was not interested 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
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
UCU fighting fund: the link is here and donations to the fund are spent on supporting members involved in important disputes.
FBU
FBU National Rally: ‘Join the Fight For Our Future’ – 12pm Wednesday 1st November, Westminster Central Hall London – On Wednesday 1 November, firefighters will come to Westminster for our national rally. We will be unveiling The Firefighters’ Manifesto to demand a resilient service with the resources it needs.
Contact your Brigade officials for more info. Check out the campaign here
Firefighters vow to fight cuts to Avon’s fire and rescue service (5 Oct) – Yesterday, Avon Fire Authority voted through proposals to cut 40 wholetime (full time) firefighter posts and reduce fire engine crews from 5 firefighters to 4 across the service. Representatives of the Fire Brigades Union condemned the cuts as ‘dangerous and irresponsible’ in an address to the Fire Authority, with firefighters attending in opposition to the plans. The recommendations passed by vote are the result of Avon Fire and Rescue Service commissioning a project seeking to make budget cuts read more
‘No firefighter should be put in this position’: Cambridgeshire firefighters protest crews of three (4 Oct) – Firefighters in Cambridgeshire held a rally outside a meeting of the Cambridgeshire Fire Authority on October 4th, protesting a ‘dangerous’ reduction to fire crews. Since January 1st 2023, Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS) has cut the number of on-call firefighters attending incidents in Cambridgeshire to three per crew. A minimum number of five firefighters are recommended to respond to incidents where lives are at risk. The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has condemned these lower crewing levels, with 88% of members who are on call firefighters in the region signing a letter to the service opposing the new practice. A crew of three firefighters in an appliance (fire engine) means there is one driver, one officer overseeing operations, and one crew member. Firefighters are trained as crews of four or five, with roles assigned within these larger teams read more
Firefighters fund cancer testing following “appalling neglect” from government and bosses (3 Oct) – A firefighter cancer monitoring project has been launched in the West Midlands this week as part of a 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 read more
Firefighters hold mass rally to save North Wales fire service from cuts (30 Sept) – Over 100 firefighters and supporters from across North Wales took to the streets of Wrexham to defend the region’s fire service from cuts. The protest has taken place on the day that North Wales Fire and Rescue Service is set to close a public consultation on cuts to firefighters, fire stations and cover across North Wales. The Fire Brigades Union’s campaign ‘Save Our Fire Service’ opposes the options presented in the consultation, as all three options would result in a reduction to fire cover. The union has put forwards two alternative proposals for growth and investment in the service instead. A petition opposing these options has gained over 1,800 signatures read more
TUC backs campaign of non-compliance with new anti-strike laws (11 Sept) – The Trade Union Congress (TUC), which brings together 5.5 million workers in 48 trade unions across the UK economy, has today adopted a motion committing it to a strategy of resistance against the new anti-union laws. The Minimum Service Levels Act passed into law into law in July. Under it, employers in fire and rescue, health, education, transport, nuclear decommissioning, and border security will be able to require named workers to work on strike days – despite a democratic vote for strike action. The motion states: “We have no choice but to build mass opposition to the MSLs laws, up to and including a strategy of non-compliance and non-cooperation to make them unworkable, including industrial action.” A link to the full text is here. It passed overwhelmingly
Merseyside fire control staff vote to strike as firefighters vote for continued industrial action (Aug 21) – Today, 21st August, results from ballots for industrial action in Merseyside fire service have gone live, with FBU members voting in response to a reduction in night-time staffing numbers in fire control, and attacks on terms and conditions. FBU members in Merseyside fire control have voted overwhelmingly for strike action, with 100% voting Yes on a 92% turnout. Fire control are the team who answer calls from those who need the fire and rescue service and make sure firefighters and appliances get to the right place read more
POA
Rats and mice in the workplace (6 Oct) – The National Executive has become aware that many workplaces are experiencing problems with the prevalence of rats and mice in the workplace. Employers in the UK are required by law to take reasonable steps to ensure that workers work in a safe environment. This means putting in place all necessary health and safety precautions to protect employees from injury or illness when at work, including protection from rodents in the workplace read more
National Chair Update September 2023 read more
NAPO
Probation Unions lodge formal dispute on ‘One HMPPS’ (6 Oct) – This week Napo, UNISON and GMB formally lodged a dispute with HMPPS over the ‘One HMPPS’ programme. We have done so principally because we are dissatisfied with the outcomes from the consultative process and also, that we believe ‘One HMPPS’ presents a barrier to the unions joint campaign for an independent Probation service, accountable to the communities that it serves read more
CAFCASS Pay Ballot 2023/2024 (6 Oct) – Napo members employed by Cafcass have the opportunity to vote on the employers pay offer which was sent out to preferred e-mail addresses a fortnight ago. If you have not voted yet please ensure that you do so and return your electronic ballot before next Thursday 12th October read more
VLO update (6 Oct) – Members will be aware that the JES outcome for VLOs was recently announced and it was disappointing that the role came out as a Band 3. Napo informed members that all 3 trade unions intended to do a joint appeal against the outcome and had informed the employer of our intentions. However, at a staff meeting, the senior management representative informed staff that they could submit individual appeals, which some people have now done. This information was, however, incorrect and the individual appeals were subsequently refused. This has caused further confusion and additional work to try to resolve the situation. As such the trade unions have asked the employer for an urgent meeting regarding the joint appeal, which is in line with the JES process. This will now take place next week where we hope to get clarification on how to proceed and to find a way through that will minimise the amount of work required for all parties. We will update members after next week’s meeting read more
BFAWU
“Belfast, Liverpool and London unite against hunger during Right To Food Week 2023” (16 Sept) – The signs of deepening hardship can be seen in every part of the UK, with longer and longer queues at foodbanks and baby formula under lock and key in supermarkets. Almost 1 in 5 (18%) households in the UK are now experiencing food insecurity and more than half a million children fell below the poverty line in the last year. Liverpool West Derby MP Ian Byrne is Parliamentary lead for the Right to Food Campaign, which aims to make access to food a legal right for all. Ian has this week tabled a motion in Parliament in support of Right To Food Week 2023, which gets under way on Monday. This is a national week of action which aims to increase awareness of food poverty in the UK and to bring people together to ensure the collective demand for a Right to Food is heard. From Monday 18th September to Saturday 23 September, a range of Right To Food Week activities will take place across the UK read more
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 Donate to the strike fund
Support the campaign to unionise Samworth Brothers – get organised, sign the petition read more
NUJ
Solidarity for National World journalists (6 Oct) – Messages of support including from NUJ chapels for members calling for an improved pay package from the publisher. Last month, journalists at National World took strike action over three dates in opposition to the imposed 4.5 per cent pay award by the company. National World has refused to discuss minimum pay rates or action to address growing disparities within newsrooms read more
National World shuns journalists’ pay with new £11m acquisitions (29 Sept) – NUJ urges publisher to use cash reserves to address pay concerns at the company, following purchase of the Express & Star and the Shropshire Star read more
Support the National World strike (25 Sept) – Over 330 journalists at publisher National World are heading to pickets for the third time this month, in their ongoing dispute over pay. Journalists across the UK and Ireland working for titles including The Scotsman, The Yorkshire Post, Belfast’s News Letter, Sunderland Echo, Lancashire Post, Sheffield Star, Northampton Chronicle and The News in Portsmouth are taking industrial action, as they call on the company to offer an improved pay package. Previous action on 18 and 22 September saw support from colleagues and the wider public, on the importance of local journalism and the need for fair pay. The NUJ has urged National World to return to negotiations with an offer that settles the dispute and recognises the contribution of journalists at the company. Find out more on the campaign and sign the NUJ’s petition read more
Solidarity messages to #NationalWorldStrike (25 Sept) – Send your messages of support to journalists at National World striking for fair pay to #NationalWorldStrike or email [email protected] read more
NUJ starts formal ballot for industrial action over compulsory redundancies at the BBC (29 Sept) – The NUJ has voted to move to a formal ballot of all members at the BBC for industrial action in opposition to any compulsory redundancies at the corporation. There are currently NUJ members facing the prospect of compulsory redundancy in the World Service, the News Channel, and across England at BBC Local. The NUJ believes with redeployment and flexibility these can be averted read more
BBC journalists vote to renew their industrial action mandate over cuts to local radio (10 Aug) – The union now has a mandate for strike action, but will continue talks with management. Under the UK’s onerous and restrictive legislation governing industrial action, the NUJ was required to have another ballot to keep the action alive – members at BBC Local in England, in local radio, regional TV and online, have taken strike action on three occasions and are continuing to operate a work to rule. On a turnout of 64 per cent, 70 per cent said they were prepared to take part in strike action and 83 per cent said they were prepared to take part in industrial action short of a strike. This positive result was despite many members being away over August and means the work to rule will seamlessly roll on until a resolution is reached. The BBC’s plans will cut local content by almost half read more
Equity
Equity Northern Ireland resist arts cuts (6 Oct) – Today Equity’s Northern Ireland committee have written to the Department for Communities against arts funding cuts. Equity Northern Ireland has been campaigning throughout 2023 to resist cuts to the Arts Council NI budget, assigned via the Department for Communities. Although the proposed 10% cut was successfully resisted, a 5% cut has now been implemented by the Permanent Secretary. This week the DfC made its final announcement about the budget, including the mitigations to be taken to reduce the negative impact on communities which will come about due to the cuts. Today Equity’s Northern Ireland Committee have sent an open letter to the Colum Boyle, Permanent Secretary for the DfC read more
Community
General Secretary meets Port Talbot steelworkers following bad deal for steel (26 Sept) – Community General Secretary Roy Rickhuss CBE will meet with steel union representatives and officials at Port Talbot today (26 September 2023) following the bad deal for steel agreed by the UK Government and Tata Steel on Friday 15 September. The UK Government’s deal with Tata for £500 million takes an unnecessary electric arc furnace-only approach to decarbonisation, which could cause the loss of 3,000 jobs across Tata Steel UK and have drastic consequences for the wider UK Steel industry and economy. Roy Rickhuss is expected to reaffirm Community’s support for the steelworkers, and that Community will do all it can to stop this bad deal read more
USDAW
Chancellor’s minimum wage announcement won’t be enough to help workers cope with the cost of living crisis says Usdaw (2 Oct) – Retail trade union Usdaw has called on the Chancellor to go further than today’s announcement to the Conservative conference of a minimum wage above £11 per hour from next April. Usdaw is calling for the minimum wage to become a real living wage, alongside a new deal for workers that tackles insecure employment, something Labour has already committed to deliver in the first 100 days of coming into Government read more
IWGB
RSA staff vote overwhelmingly for first ever strike in the organisation’s history (5 Sept) – Staff members at the Royal Society of Arts (RSA), represented by the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) have voted to go on strike for the first time in the charity’s 270 year history. With a 78.95% turnout and 93.33% vote in favour of striking, staff have given notice of strike action for Tuesday 19th and Thursday 21st of September, which will see the RSA host its president, Anne, Princess Royal, for its Design For Life awards ceremony, celebrating 100 years of the RSA Student Design Awards read more
SIPTU (Ireland)
SIPTU and other trade unions threaten strike action over Translink funding fears (3 Oct) – SIPTU and other trade unions at Translink have written to Denis McMahon, Permanent Secretary at the Department for Infrastructure, to express the union’s concern over the financial sustainability of Northern Ireland public transport company. The move comes after Translink management indicated that, due to the company’s poor financial position, they would be unable to table a pay offer for 2023/24. This, the union warned the Permanent Secretary, “may force us to initiate an industrial ballot” unless meaningful discussions were forthcoming. SIPTU, along GMB and Unite with its sister unions in Translink, also expressed fears that the company may have difficulty sustaining the operation of public transport in Northern Ireland without departmental funding read more
Fight blacklisting and victimisation of union reps
UCU condemns ‘baffling’ dismissal of University of Sussex lecturer (25 Aug) – UCU has today condemned plans by the University of Sussex to make a member of teaching staff redundant after having advertised a new permanent post that includes all his current duties. Philosopher Lecturer James Furner has been employed at the university on consecutive fixed term part-time contracts since 2021, but on 22 August the university wrote to him to say that his employment will come to an end this month. Yet on July 7 it advertised a new full-time post of Lecturer in Philosophy stating that the post-holder ‘will be expected’ to teach the same four undergraduate modules that James taught in 2022-3. A petition has been launched in protest against the plans read more
Sign petition: Reinstate Anne Howie RMT Activist – Anne Howie RMT activist at Manchester Piccadilly is facing dismissal with no due process
UVW to sue LSE for disability discrimination and trade union victimisation after sacking strike leader (24 Aug) – “My condition has got something to do with it, but I think there’s more to it. I’ve always been at the forefront of the fight… because I consider myself a union leader” – Geovanny Moreno Buitrago, LSE cleaner and UVW member. UVW strike leader Geovanny Moreno Buitrago, a migrant cleaner from Colombia at the London School of Economics (LSE), was sacked after being off sick with a herniated disc as he tried to return to work. UVW is appealing and suing for his dismissal on grounds of disability discrimination and trade union victimisation. In spite of two expert medical opinions, Geovanny’s willingness to come back to work, his own recommendations on what he is capable of doing, and LSE’s own health policies, LSE sacked him read more
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. You can catch up on disputes at Strike Map UK. Also, check out Organise Now! – Support for new worker organising.
International
UAW wins just transition at General Motors (6 Oct) read more
NEW UAW video, “Broken Promises,” reveals the roots of the stand-up strike against the Big Three automakers (4 Oct)
From the NUJ website:-
India: authorities arrest and detain journalists following raids (6 Oct) – News outlet NewsClick and the homes of its journalists have been raided in targeted action by authorities read more
Northern Cyprus: IFJ and EFJ call for charges against union president to be dropped (6 Oct) – Ali Kişmir faces a ten year prison sentence for “insulting and mocking” security forces read more
Philippines: student journalists harassed by army (4 Oct) – NUJ supports call for an investigation into actions by armed forces threatening press freedom read more
Diary
October
8 NSSN Surrey Public Meeting: ‘How can trade unionists prepare for the battles ahead?’ – 2pm The Guildford Institute, Ward St, Guilford GU1 4LH
14 Reading Trade Union Council Strike Rally – 1pm Assembling in Forbury Gardens Facebook event
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
