NSSN Conference 2024: Saturday 22nd June, 11am-4.30pm, Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, Holborn, London WC1R 4RL Facebook event. Attendance fee – £8. You can pre-register here https://forms.gle/WjFYyvrn1BXSMJHg9. Email us for more info – [email protected]
Finally, Sunak has called the General Election for 4th July. Workers are desperate to get rid of the Tories.
Our annual conference is on Saturday 22nd June. As usual, we will be giving a platform to leaders and rank and file reps from unions involved in industrial disputes, to build support and solidarity for their action.
However, as this year’s NSSN conference takes place during the General Election, the additional theme of our event will be: ‘Tories Out – Fight for a Workers Manifesto’.
This session will be concerned with how the union movement fights for the policies that workers desperately need. We have invited representatives from a number of parties and organisations to take part in the discussion.
We have set out a list of demands:-
- To repeal Sunak’s ‘Strike Minimum Service Levels Act (MSL) along with Cameron’s Trade Union Act 2016, and all the rest of the Tory anti-union laws, going back to Thatcher and Major.
- To re-nationalise Royal Mail, BT, buses, the energy and utility companies, steel. Immediate re-nationalisation of the railways, rather than waiting for franchises to expire
- To end privatisation in the NHS and our public services.
- For a real inflation-proof pay rise for workers, that protects our living standards.
- For a £15/hour minimum wage with no age exemptions
- Repeal of Fire & Rehire and Zero-hour contracts
- Workers’ rights from day one of employment
The conference will be a chance for workers to organise for their voice to be heard in the election – and even more importantly prepare for the battles that will follow July 4th! Come to NSSN Conference – support the strikes and join the debate.
Support the steelworkers at Tata
The NSSN stands in solidarity with steelworkers as steel unions ballot their members for industrial action. Both Unite and Community unions have now voted for industrial action. We will support any action that they take against Tata Steel’s intention to make 75% of the 4,000-strong Port Talbot workforce redundant. This would also result in thousands more losing their jobs at other Tata steel plants, contracting companies, and threaten related jobs such as on the rails and the wider local economy.
And as we did in 2016, when the steelworks were under the same threat, the NSSN continues to demand the works be nationalised to save jobs and working-class communities. Recently, the struggle to save Port Talbot steelworks reached a new stage when Tata announced the closure of the coking ovens. The whole of the union movement must come behind the steelworkers and their fight to save steel jobs and defend communities, in Port Talbot and in other steelmaking areas.
From BBC website: Community union votes for strike action over Tata job losses (9 May) – Community said 85% of its members backed industrial action. Members of the largest steelworkers’ union, Community, have voted in favour of industrial action over Tata Steel’s restructuring plans. The union said 85% of those who voted supported the move. Workers were balloted after Tata Steel announced 2,800 job losses across the UK as part of the closure of Port Talbot’s blast furnaces and a transition to greener steelmaking read more on BBC website
Unite: Tata’s insulting offers to workers are just adding insult to injury ahead of industrial action (3 May) – Tata has been making increasingly derogatory offers to workers’ that will be hit by its plans to cut steel production in Port Talbot and Llanwern. Now, talks in London between Tata and trade unions over redundancy terms and conditions have collapsed read more
Unite: Tata plan confirmation will be answered with industrial action (25 Apr) – Other options available to Tata – it must be forced to change course. Tata’s confirmation today that it is ending national union consultations and will begin enacting its devastating plans for south Wales will be answered with industrial action, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said. Around 1,500 Unite members employed by Tata in Port Talbot and Llanwern have an industrial action mandate against plans to shut both blast furnaces and shed 2,800 jobs, with strikes to be announced soon read more
Find out more about the campaign: www.unitetheunion.org/campaigns/the-fight-for-steel
GMB responds to Labour’s Port Talbot call (22 May) – GMB Union has responded to Labour’s call for job support and training guarantees read more
Fight the Tory attack on our #RightToStrike
About 5,000 trade unionists marched in Cheltenham on 27th January in opposition to the new Tory anti-union Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023 (MSL), and to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Thatcher’s banning of union rights at GCHQ in the town.
It was just days after the U-turn by the state-owned LNER train operating company that was reported to have signalled its intention to have used the MSL against ASLEF. The union had reacted to this threat by putting in 5 additional strike days. This apparent retreat was a defeat not only for LNER bosses but for Sunak’s Tory Government.
It showed that workers’ action can smash this vicious Tory attack on our right to strike.
It is now vital that the statement that was passed at the Special TUC Congress in December – setting out a campaign of defiance and non-compliance – is implemented and built upon:-
- We will develop practical solidarity plans for unions actively engaged in strategies of non-compliance.
- Support any worker subject to a work notice, including with support from across the trade union movement, if their employer disciplines them in any way.
- Ensure that where any affiliate is facing significant risk of sanctions because of this legislation, we convene an emergency meeting of the Executive Committee to consider options for providing practical, industrial, financial and/or political backing to that union.
- Call on all employers and public bodies with oversight to oppose this counterproductive legislation. Employers and public bodies from across the public sector and the country have already signalled their opposition to the Strikes Act. All employers and public bodies must reject it
- Refuse to tell our members to cross a picket line.
- Call an urgent demonstration in the event a work notice is deployed and a union or worker is sanctioned in relation to a work notice.
This is the basis for the fighting strategy that workers and unions need and now needs to be enacted.
Defend The Right to Strike – Strike Map and the Campaign for Trade Union Freedom (CTUF) have launched a ‘write to your council campaign’ to seek their commitment to not issue work notices and defend the right to strike as key employers read more in the Morning Star
Stop the attack on Gaza
Many NSSN supporters have joined marches and protests against the escalation of violence in the Middle East, particularly the invasion and bombardment of Gaza by the Israeli government
See Stop the War website for info on protests.The next national demonstration in London is on Saturday 8th June
A number of unions have issued statements on the situation in the Middle East, including: the TUC, FBU, RMT, NEU, Unite, Unison, PCS, ASLEF, TSSA, UCU, EIS, CWU, Equity, BMA, NUJ, UVW, GMB, SOR, RCM, RCN, IWGB, Prospect, CSP, NAPO, INTO (Ireland), SIPTU (Ireland) and Mandate (Ireland)
Unison: Statement in solidarity with student protests for Gaza (23 May) – Peaceful protests, encampments and occupations on university campuses have played an important role in many struggles against injustices in the world read more
PCS: Civil servants have a right to oppose apartheid and genocide in Gaza (23 May) – PCS members’ “humanity is screaming” at the outrages being perpetrated on a daily basis by apartheid Israel in Gaza, delegates at ADC in Brighton have been told, and have a right to oppose and protest against them read more
FBU advises firefighters not to take part in law enforcement activities around protests (8 May) – The Fire Brigades Union is aware that pro-Palestine protesters are holding further demonstrations in Leicester. During previous demonstrations, the police have requested support from the Fire and Rescue Service to assist in the removal of protestors. The FBU is clear that the role of firefighters is a humanitarian one, and advises its members not to be involved in law enforcement activities read more
NSSN news
Get your trade union branch or trades council to affiliate to the NSSN – it only costs £50. Already affiliated? Please think about renewing it 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
Contracted out gate line staff to strike on Northern Rail (23 May) – Super-exploited workers at Northern Rail will take strike action on Friday 24 May and Saturday 8 June over poor pay and dreadful working conditions. RMT members who are employed by Carlisle Support Services work at Northern Rail gate lines but are paid less than directly employed staff and cannot enter the company pension scheme or receive sick pay from their employer. The contractor also does not recognise RMT for the purposes of collective bargaining read more
RFA staff to strike on Sunday over pay (17 May) – RMT Seafarers at the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) will take strike action on Sunday despite efforts by the union to find a settlement. RFA have imposed a one-year deal of 4.5% which does not reflect the value and sacrifices of staff in the fleet. RMT members work as civilian merchant seafarers onboard the fleet of Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) vessels which provide the Royal Navy with vital logistic and operational support including humanitarian operations around the globe. Over 500 RFA seafarers will be taking part in the Sunday strike read more
RMT suspends strike action on Scotrail after guard role secured (15 May) – Rail union, RMT has successfully retained the guard and all the responsibilities of the role on every train along the Barrhead and East Kilbride route. Conductors will also continue to dispatch trains, including full control of the doors on departure and perform their safety critical duties. This means strikes due to go ahead on May 18,19,25,26 and June 1,2 have all been called off read more
London Underground Jobs, Pensions and Agreements dispute: RMT members smash Tory anti-union ballot thresholds once again (25 Apr) read more
CrossCountry trains strike suspended after progress (11 Apr) – RMT has suspended planned strike action on CrossCountry this Saturday, after management agreed to intensive talks to resolve the dispute. CrossCountry had refused to recognise RMT at all grades within the company. This is despite written evidence to the contrary. Now the company has agreed to sit down with RMT to address our concerns with no changes to agreements in this period read more
RFA members vote for industrial action over pay (9 Apr) – Seafarers at the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) have voted overwhelmingly to take strike action over pay. RMT members working as civilian merchant seafarers onboard the fleet of Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) vessels which provide the Royal Navy with vital logistic and operational support including humanitarian operations around the world, have rejected a below inflation pay offer from management. RFA have implemented a one-year deal of 4.5% which was totally unacceptable to RMT members. Up to 500 RFA seafarers were balloted for strike action by RMT union, and we will now consider our next steps read more
Eurostar Rail Gourmet workers to take strike action over pay (6 Apr) – RMT members working for Rail Gourmet on the Eurostar contract will take strike action from 19-23 April in a dispute over pay. This follows a magnificent 95% yes vote in our strike ballot, which has given the union a mandate to pursue industrial action to win better pay for low paid members working within the continental rail service read more
Bidvest Noonan cleaners begin 48 hour strike action (4 Mar) – RMT members working for Bidvest Noonan on Alstom NTL and TPE contracts will take strike action from Monday. The cleaners are taking action over pay and working conditions having rejected the latest offer from the company. Strikes will take place in Glasgow and Manchester. Following the conclusion of the strike, RMT members will take industrial action short of strike from Wednesday by not undertaking any biological hazard cleaning read more
ASLEF
Train strikes announced for May Bank Holiday week – Rail passengers are being warned of disruption during the week of the May Bank Holiday after drivers announced more strikes and an overtime ban. Staff at 16 train companies will take part in rolling one-day walkouts between 7 and 9 May over pay and working conditions. An overtime ban will also take place between 6 and 11 May read more on BBC website
Train drivers at LNER to strike in row over terms and conditions – Rail services from London King’s Cross will be disrupted by the walkout on Saturday read more on Independent website
TSSA
London Underground – Further Strike Action (25 Apr) – TSSA will take strike action at London Underground on 26 April. TSSA rail union has announced a further day of strike action on Friday 26 April at London Underground by members working as Customer Service Managers. The walkouts will take place on Friday 26 April where members will not commence work on any shift starting between 00:01 to 23:59 on Friday, 26 April 2024. Accordingly, strike action will also take place on Saturday 27 April 2024 in respect of any members expected to commence shifts before 23:59 on Friday 26 April 2024 whose shifts run into Saturday 27 April 2024. When TSSA Customer Service Managers took strike action on 10 April stations closed at short notice. Similarly, the strikes this week are likely to cause stations to close at the last minute, including late night and into Saturday morning (night tube on Friday night). TSSA Customer Service Managers at London Underground will also take part in an overtime ban from 29 April to 5 May. This overtime ban will again lead to station closures at very short notice read more
Easter weekend strikes at ScotRail (29 Mar) – Members of rail union TSSA will hold strike action at ScotRail over the Easter weekend in a long running dispute over on call working arrangements. The walkouts take place on Saturday 30th and Sunday 31st of March by Operations Team Manager (OTM) grades in the latest stage of a dispute going back to late 2021. Similar action took place last December. Since discussions were last held with ScotRail, including in person talks with TSSA General Secretary, Maryam Eslamdoust, the company has offered no solution or means to end the dispute which is already having an impact on the network. As part of the dispute TSSA members have withdrawn from the ‘out of hours’ on call period – generally between 23:00 and 07:00 hrs. During this period ScotRail have no first line on call coverage. Earlier this month the safety implications of this situation were highlighted when the driver of an Aberdeen to Inverness train passed a red signal – and therefore had to immediately be relieved of duties while appropriate checks were carried out. With TSSA’s Driver Team Managers staff in dispute, passengers had to remain in the stationary vehicle for three hours until the driver was relieved. The union has now met Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Fiona Hyslop, to urgently highlight concerns, stressing that ScotRail must act to stop this happening again read more
TSSA warns of ‘crippling’ industrial action at Transport for Wales (22 Mar) – Rail union TSSA is to ballot dozens of members in Fleet Management at Transport for Wales (TfW). TSSA warns of ‘crippling’ industrial action at Transport for Wales. Rail union TSSA is to ballot dozens of members in Fleet Management at Transport for Wales (TfW) for possible strike action and action short of a strike. The union is in dispute with the company over so-called ‘bolt-ons’ – additional payments which cover shift work. These have been awarded to other staff outside Fleet Management, and without them, managers would effectively miss out on the accruement of pensionable pay. The ballot will open on the 28th of March and conclude on the 18th of April. The union is warning that a walkout or work-to-rule would seriously hamper the ability of TfW to run trains across Wales. Fleet Management are responsible daily for signing off safety critical work across TfW read more
Looming industrial action at South Western Railway (15 Mar) – Rail union TSSA is warning South Western Railway (SWR) that potential industrial action, including a strike could be on the cards after the two sides have formally failed to agree in an escalating dispute over the imposition of changed working arrangements among Control staff. The union has now officially served a ‘Failure to Agree’ notice to SWR —the first stage of an official process that, without an agreement in the short term, could lead to industrial action by its Train Service Managers. This is despite the union’s efforts to engage in meaningful dialogue over several months and because the company has undermined TSSA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement with SWR read more
Unite
Unite statement on further changes to Labour’s New Deal for Working People (25 May) – Commenting on new revisions to Labour’s New Deal for Working People document, Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “The again revised New Deal for Working People has more holes in it than Swiss cheese. The number of caveats and get outs means it is in danger of becoming a bad bosses’ charter. Working people expect Labour to be their voice. They need to know that Labour will not backdown to corporate profiteers determined to maintain the status quo of colossal profits at the expense of everyone else. The country desperately needs a Labour government, but the party must show it will stick to its guns on improving workers’ rights. Fire and rehire is abhorrent and must be banned – no ifs no buts. Unite will continue to call out any row backs on the New Deal for Working People, which was a promise made.” Read more
Greenwich council repair workers strike over pay being slashed by a third (24 May) – Nearly 150 workers employed by Greenwich council will begin strike action next week after the local authority brought in plans that would see them lose nearly a third (30 per cent) of their wages. The workers, who are members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, are employed within the repairs and investment service department at the London council. The council says it has done a pay benchmarking exercise and will reduce the workers’ wages. The cuts, which would be enacted in stages over four years, will see some workers lose nearly £17,000 from their salary by the fourth year…Over 140 workers will take an initial day of strike action on Tuesday 28 May. A picket line will be in place outside the Birchmere Centre in Thamesmead, SE28 8BF, from 07:00. Housing repairs across the borough will be delayed and disrupted due to the walkout. Strike action will escalate if the dispute is not resolved read more
Unite rejects outright COSLA pay offer (24 May) – Union now moving “full steam ahead” for Summer strike action. Unite the union can confirm today (24 May 2024) that its representative committee for local government workers have rejected outright the COSLA pay offer. The offer comprises 2.2 per cent effective from 1 April to 30 September, and then two per cent for a 12-month period effective from 1 October 2024 to 30 September 2025. Unite rejected the offer, and the proposal to change the pay anniversary date from April to October on the basis that it is nothing but an attempt to “kick the can down the road” read more
Workers at UCU to strike over working practices (23 May) – Nearly 200 workers at the University and College Union (UCU) are to take an initial day of industrial action in protest at their employer’s working practices, it was announced today (23 May 2024). Unite the union represents UCU’s staff and they are unhappy over the complete breakdown of industrial relations and the unreasonable approach taken by their employer to any negotiations. Unite’s members voted overwhelmingly for strike action. The single day of strike action will take place on 30 May 2024 alongside protests outside UCU’s conference in Bournemouth read more
Unite will make school support staff campaign for a pay and grading review an election issue (23 May) – Unite leader Sharon Graham visits Northern Ireland school support workers’ picket lines and vows to escalate campaign for improved pay and equality. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham committed her union to make an election issue of the campaign of school support workers to secure a six-year overdue pay and grading review after visiting striking education workers on the picket lines outside Mitchell House school in east Belfast yesterday. 1,500 members of Unite working as school support staff for the education authority were undertaking their third day of strike action. The pay and grading review was instructed for implementation by the national joint council pay body in 2018 but which has been left unfunded in both February’s public pay package and the draft executive budget for 2024-25 read more
Northern Ireland school support workers begin strikes over pay and grading (19 May) – Workers’ presence at Stormont to demand MLAs refuse to support any budget that does not deliver a pay and grading review. After six years of failure to implement the review and a staffing crisis, education workers have had enough. Over a thousand Unite the union members employed as school support workers will be taking the first of three days strike action tomorrow (Monday 20 May). Strike action is due to commence from 00.01 (Monday) and continue until 23.59 on Wednesday 22 May. Employers have been notified of two further strike dates in June (3 and 4). The strikes are being coordinated with NIPSA and GMB who will also be striking from tomorrow and Unison who continue to take action short of strike. The strike is likely to result in considerable disruption to schools across Northern Ireland read more
Gatwick taxi drivers demand Crawley council enforce licensing laws against Uber (23 May) – Gatwick airport taxi drivers will protest outside a full Crawley council meeting on Friday to demand councillors do more to enforce licensing laws against Uber, which is destroying their livelihoods read more
Not-for-profit and charity workers anxious, overworked & underpaid warns Unite (23 May) – A shocking 69 per cent of not-for-profit and charity workers are suffering from anxiety which is linked to an excessive hours culture. Seven out of 10 employees regularly run themselves into the ground by working up to a 50-hour week – thirteen hours over the average 37-hour week read more
Unite welcomes general election but workers must be at forefront (22 May) – Responding to the announcement that a general election will be held in July, Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “There is no doubt that this election will be a pivotal moment. Workers and communities are crying out for real change; Labour can be that change and will have the power to deliver what is needed in government. They can now show they are on the side of workers; they need to grasp this nettle. Promises made must be delivered.” Read more
Essential bus drivers for elderly and disabled in Manchester to strike over pay (22 May) – Over 60 bus drivers in Greater Manchester who transport the elderly and disabled are set to strike due to the low pay paid by Greater Manchester Accessible Transport (GMAT), a registered charity. Members of Unite, the country’s leading trade union, are paid just above 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. Around 7,000 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. Currently the lowest paid drivers receive just £11.50 per hour. Yet across Greater Manchester the current rate of pay for bus drivers is closer to £16 per hour. Following a successful industrial ballot, members will be taking strike action later this spring/summer with dates to be announced in due course read more
Union boss blasts SSE energy profits (22 May) – Commenting on today’s announcement by SSE Energy that it has made a staggering £2 billion in profits in the last year, Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “SSE’s outrageous profits today show that profiteering is absolutely rampant in the UK economy when working people are still struggling to pay the mortgage and put food on the table…” read more
Unite protest at M&G AGM against job losses and offshoring (22 May) – Unite will be protesting outside the M&G AGM in opposition to over 235 job losses and offshoring of roles from outsourcing company Diligenta read more
Vital healthcare and safety equipment workers in Wrexham to strike over pay (21 May) – Over 150 workers in Ruabon, North Wales are taking industrial action after a failure by their employer, Ceramtec UK, to make a decent pay offer. Unite’s members have been offered a measly 79 pence increase to their basic hourly rate. Considering the National Living Wage has increased by £1.02, workers at the factory expect to match or improve on that increase. Ceramtec produces high-tech ceramics for use in healthcare, safety components within the automotive and manufacturing industry. This includes items such as replacement hips and safety transducers but also advanced ceramic components for medical applications. A typical grade C, day worker, who is responsible for manufacturing ceramic medical equipment such as sensors and transducers currently earns just £11.44 per hour. Strikes are due to take place for four days from 28 – 31 May 2024. Disrupted production of Ceramtec’s products could lead to significant consequences for its customers given the use of ‘just in time’ supply chains read more
Duggan Brothers’ non-compliance on OPW project raised in Dail (21 May) – Pension contributions not paid for up to half of workers on taxpayer funded Leeson Lane project. Unite writes to OPW Minister O’Donnell seeking audit of Duggan sites. The failure by contractor Duggan Brothers to make contributions to the Construction Workers’ Pension Scheme or equivalent scheme on a publicly-funded project was raised in the Dail today (Tuesday) by Deputy Mick Barry. During Taoiseach’s questions, Deputy Barry highlighted Duggan Brothers’ non-compliance on an Office of Public Works (OPW) project in Dublin’s Leeson Lane read more
Unite secures jobs guarantee at Heathrow (20 May) – Unite has brokered an agreement with Heathrow Airport (HAL) that will see an end to all planned industrial action, it announced today (DATE). Following extensive negotiations on the eve of planned strike action, Unite secured a series of commitment from HAL. Workers at Heathrow were balloted on, and accepted, a series of guarantees made by HAL over outsourcing and reviews of working practices that have ensured future job security. Unite has now cancelled all industrial action after suspending strikes last week to allow talks and then undertaking a ballot of its members to take place read more
Safety critical Guys and St Thomas’ security staff intensify pay strikes (20 May) – Strikes by security staff critical to the safe running of Guys and St Thomas’ hospitals in South London have escalated, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today (Monday). The low paid workers, who protect staff and patients across the two hospitals, are asking for a 96p per hour pay rise. Guys and St Thomas’ NHS Trust, however, is refusing to put forward an increase even though the workers are paid less than their counterparts at hospitals across London, such as Kings’ College Hospital, where a security officers’ salary starts at £30,000 per annum… The 30 security workers will strike for 10 days from 23 May to 2 June. Further strike action will be scheduled if the dispute is not resolved read more
Babcock Marine facing strikes as Clyde nuclear naval base workers balloted over pay (20 May) – Strike action involving 600 workers looming at Coulport and Faslane naval bases. Unite the union confirmed today (20 May) that its membership at the Coulport and Faslane naval bases on the Clyde will be balloted on industrial action in a dispute over pay. The dispute involves 600 Unite members employed by Babcock Marine (Clyde) Ltd who undertake specialist services for the UK’s nuclear deterrent submarines. The offer amounts to a seven per cent increase backdated to August 2023, and three per cent for the next pay round effective from August this year. Unite’s membership have emphatically rejected the two year pay offer by 99 per cent. Unite maintains the offer represents a substantial pay cut as the true rate of inflation, RPI, stood at 9.1 per cent when the pay increase was due in August last year. The ballot which runs for two weeks opens tomorrow (21 May) and closes on 11 June read more
Fresh strike dates for workers at GXO Logistics, says Unite (17 May) – Unite, the UK’s leading union, is escalating strike action at London’s GXO Logistics, in a dispute over alarmingly low pay. Unite members will now strike from Tuesday 28 May until Tuesday 18 June. New dates for the warehouse worker walkout have been announced to include weekend shifts – causing further disruption to food and beverage distribution across the capital read more
Berry Norwich plastic injection workers strike over pay (17 May) – Norwich factory workers angry at real terms pay cut dressed up as increase. More than 100 Berry Norwich factory workers will take strike action over pay, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today (Friday). The workers are angry at Berry’s 3.5 per cent offer, which is a real terms pay cut as the real rate of inflation, RPI, stood at 6.1 per cent when the pay increase was due in October last year…The workers, who are engineers, setters, maintenance, and machine operatives, will strike from 19 May to 21 May, from 28 May to 30 May and on 1 and 2 June. Further industrial action will be scheduled if the dispute is not resolved read more
University Hospital Waterford: Support staff take action in pay justice dispute (16 May) – Dispute centres on HSE failure to upgrade laundry workers, and to recognise long serving support staff. Unite accuses HSE of leaving hospital and union in the dark over regrading plans. Trade union Unite, which represents support staff at the University Hospital Waterford (UHW), today (Thursday) announced that over 100 members working in the laundry, catering and portering departments will be engaging in a work-to-rule from Monday 27 May read more
Croydon Tramlink strike impact still being felt with reduced services (14 May) – ‘Hugely unfair pay disparities’ causing strikes and staff shortages for vital repairs. Unite, the UK’s leading union, has laid the blame for the ongoing disruption to Croydon Tramlink directly at the door of Transport for London (TfL). The disruption has been caused by essential engineering delays because of strike action and staff shortages due to ‘hugely unfair pay disparities’. Around 60 tram, stores and infrastructure engineers, who are members of Unite, took five days of strike action from Sunday (5 May) because their colleagues on the London Underground, who require the same qualifications and perform the same roles, are paid up to £10,000 more a year. Since the strike action ended, Tramlink services have been severely impacted and will likely not resume normal service until well into the summer because of wheel damage across the fleet. Disruption will become significantly worse if TfL does not engage in good faith negotiations with Unite to resolve the pay disparities, the union warned read more
Unite announces Dounreay power station strike action back on (13 May) – Over 500 Nuclear Restoration Services workers reject latest wage offer. Unite the union confirmed today (Monday 13 May) its 500-plus strong membership employed by Nuclear Restoration Services Limited (NRS) based at Dounreay power station will take strike action this week. The union’s membership by 80 per cent on a 92 per cent turnout overwhelmingly rejected a revised pay offer which proposed a one-off £500 payment on top of a basic 4.5 per cent increase. Unite maintains the offer amounts to a substantial pay cut as the true rate of inflation, RPI, stood at 11.4 per cent when the pay increase was due in April 2023. The union confirmed that 24-hour strike action is back on for Wednesday (15 May) with an overtime ban set to come into effect from the following day. A further day of action is also scheduled on 29 May but Unite has confirmed that it is now ‘actively’ preparing to add further strike dates if no movement is made by NRS read more
Tyne and Wear British Engines workers strike over pay (13 May) – Workers angry over profitable firm’s 3% offer after wages plunge by 18% since 2019. Around 170 workers employed in Newcastle and South Shields by historic North East engineering firm British Engines will strike over pay, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today (Monday). The strikes will impact three British Engines businesses: BEL Engineering in Newcastle and Rotary Power and Michell Bearings in South Shields. The workers are angry at being offered a three per cent pay rise, with each workplace voting overwhelmingly for strike action in three separate ballots. The offer is a real terms pay cut given that the real rate of inflation, RPI, is still above four per cent. Making matters worse, due to five years of below inflation pay deals, the spending power of the workers’ wages has fallen by 18 per cent since 2019. Meanwhile, according to British Engines’ latest financial report, the company made a profit after tax of £5.6 million in 2022. The year before, British Engines’ after tax profits were £5.4 million…Strike action will take place from Friday 24 May to Thursday 30 May. Industrial action will intensify if the dispute is not resolved read more
Ford managers in nationwide strike action ballot (10 May) – 500 workers balloting over company’s “unacceptable” pay offer and refusal to negotiate under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement. Around 500 Ford managers at sites across the country are being balloted for strike action over pay, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today (Friday). The ballot, which closes on 30 May, came after Ford refused to improve their pay offer and Unite’s request to attend talks with the conciliation service ACAS. The workers, who have recently organised and achieved union recognition in 2023, have been offered a performance related bonus payment, which provides no guarantee of a cost-of-living increase read more
Basildon CNH facing tractor shortages as factory stops work over pay betrayal (8 May) – 500 workers striking over super-profitable company’s broken pay promises. More than 500 workers at Basildon’s largest employer, the CNH Industrial tractor factory, will begin pay strikes in May, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today. The workers are angry that the company has reneged on an agreement struck during 2022, stating pay increases would be calculated by the average rate of inflation over the year. CNH is instead offering four per cent for 2024, rather than the 7.4 per cent it should be under the original agreement. For 2025, the company is offering the rate of inflation as of December 2024. CNH Group reported record profits of £2.4 billion in 2023, and profits are forecast to stay high for the next three years. CEO Scott Wine received a total compensation package of £19 million in 2022, which was 310 times the pay of the average worker at CNH Group…The workers, comprising nearly the entire shopfloor of the factory, will strike on 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23, 28, 29 and 30 May. More strikes will be scheduled if the dispute is not resolved read more
Tata’s insulting offers to workers are just adding insult to injury ahead of industrial action (3 May) – Tata has been making increasingly derogatory offers to workers’ that will be hit by its plans to cut steel production in Port Talbot and Llanwern. Now, talks in London between Tata and trade unions over redundancy terms and conditions have collapsed read more
Bosch Rexroth workers back strike action in pay dispute (2 May) – 250 Glenrothes based workers set for 12-weeks strike. Unite has confirmed today (Thursday 2 May) that around 250 members working at Bosch Rexroth in Glenrothes have backed strike action in a dispute over a massive real terms pay cut. Unite’s membership overwhelmingly supported taking strike action by 83.2 per cent on a 66.8 per cent turnout. The trade union can further confirm that the workforce is now set to take 12 weeks of continuous strike action starting on 20 May until the close of play on 11 August. The dispute centres on the German-owned global tech and engineering giant making a rejected 1.25 per cent pay offer which represents a massive real terms pay cut. Bosch Rexroth engineer parts for the construction industry including gears and brakes, as well as parts for forklift trucks read more
New wave of strikes in Haringey as housing repair workers walk out over pay (26 Apr) – Housing repair workers in the London borough of Haringey are to take further strike action next week as they escalate the dispute over pay with the council. Over 100 Unite members will be taking industrial action from 29 April until 2 May. The long-running dispute has seen members already take 15 days of industrial action but the employer has refused to negotiate. Unite members are in dispute with the council over several issues including:
· The refusal to increase annual leave for housing maintenance workers to match the increase over council employees annual leave
· The failure to increase allowances, including London weighting and out of hours payments, in line with the 2022 and 2023 pay awards
· The failure to increase craft productivity scheme rates, allowances and limits since 2014 read more
Sullom Voe oil terminal facing industrial action in pay and recognition disputes (24 Apr) – Worley Services and Altrad workers unanimously back strike action. Unite the union can confirm that its Worley Services and Altrad Services members are the latest group of oil and gas workers to demand a better deal on jobs, pay and conditions at the Sullom Voe terminal in the Shetland Islands. Unite can further reveal that its membership employed by Worley Services and Altrad Services both unanimously backed strike action in industrial action ballots. Unite represents over 40 Worley Services workers including chargehands, pipefitters, riggers, mechanical fitters along with electrical and instrument technicians. The dispute centres on Unite members demanding a significant pay increase, and improvements to other terms and conditions. The demands include the establishment of a union recognition agreement with Worley Services in order that Unite can formally bargain on jobs, pay and conditions. If there is no meaningful movement by Worley then 24 hour strike action will take place on 7 and 21 May. This will be followed by 48-hour strike action taking place on 4-5 June, and 18-19 June read more
‘Desperate’ Sanctuary Housing offers staff loan access in response to poverty pay (24 Apr) – Super-rich Sanctuary cites ‘money related stress’ for workers but refuses to raise wages. Sanctuary Housing, which has assets of nearly £6 billion and a surplus of over £100 million, has offered hard up staff access to loans following pay strikes by its London workers. Unite, the UK’s leading union, said the housing association, which is the largest third sector employer in the country with 14,000 predominantly low paid staff, is encouraging struggling workers to take on further debt rather than agreeing trade union recognition and union-negotiated wages to improve their finances sustainably. The union said Sanctuary’s partnership with fintech firm Salary Finance, where loan repayments are taken directly from their salaries, was a ‘sop’ and a ‘desperate’ attempt to quell escalating strike action in London and head off increasing numbers of staff joining Unite in other parts of the country read more. Contact the Unite LE/1111 Housing Workers branch to offer support or if you are a housing worker wanting to get organised [email protected]
Barts and Synergy workers embark on next wave of strike action over pay (24 Apr) – Hundreds of workers at Barts NHS Trust and contractor Synergy are embarking on a new wave of strike action over the failure of their employer to pay a lump sum payment worth over £1,600. Nearly 700 Unite members working as porters, cleaners and facilities staff at the largest NHS trust in the UK, are taking further strike action next month as they fight for a lump-sum payment owed to them. Synergy is a sub-contractor at Barts who employs workers cleaning and preparing linen and bedding for patients. Workers at Barts NHS Trust are to strike from 7-19 May in protest at the failure to pay them the lump-sum payment that other NHS workers were offered for working during the pandemic. Unite’s members at the time worked for another outsourcing company Serco before transferring back into the NHS just after the imposed deadline for staff to receive the payment. So far NHS bosses, locally at the trust and at NHS England, have rejected their demands and refused to ask the treasury for additional funding to cover the payment read more
GLL workers in Greenwich stage further walkout over pay and conditions (23 Apr) – Library workers in Greenwich are to stage a further 24-hour strike after their employer, GLL, failed to negotiate a resolution to the dispute. Over 60 workers across the London Borough of Greenwich will walk out on 30 April as part of a long-running dispute over pay and the use of zero-hour contracts. GLL promotes itself as a London Living Wage (LLW) employer and yet some employees receive below the LLW and GLL has also delayed implementation of a rise to the LLW by nearly six months. Employees at GLL are rightly furious over its behaviour and the employer has refused all offers from Unite to come to the negotiating table. As well as the strike, demonstrations will be taking place across the borough. Unite is seeking to draw attention to the presence of three Labour councillors who sit on the board of GLL. Greenwich is Labour-run and yet it is contracting services to an organisation that uses zero hour contracts and fails to recognise trade unions despite describing itself as a “social enterprise” read more
Warning of empty shelves at Morrisons as Cheshire and Wakefield logistics workers could strike over pensions (18 Apr) – Hundreds of workers for the supermarket chain Morrisons could be heading to the picket line after their employer forced through changes to their pensions that will leave them worse off by around £500 a year. Approximately 1,000 Unite members working as warehouse stock controllers, cooks, canteen staff, and administrators are being balloted for strike action to protect their pensions and take home pay. Staff are based in warehouses in Cheshire and Wakefield and perform essential roles that ensure lorries are loaded and shelves are filled in the nearly 500 supermarkets and convenience stores run by Morrisons read more
Birkenhead hospital workers on strike over pay and grading (17 Apr) – Healthcare workers at the Arrowe Park Hospital in the Wirral, Merseyside, are striking this week and next week over a failure to recognise their workplace responsibilities. Members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, who work as recovery theatre practitioners, who care for patients recovering from serious operations, are not being paid appropriately by their employer, the Wirral University Hospital Trust. The vital healthcare workers are being paid a grade below the level of responsibility and duties they are providing. Workers have been left up to £8,000 out of pocket due to being wrongly graded…Having exhausted all avenues of negotiation with their employer, staff have been left with no option but to head to the picket line. The workers were on strike yesterday (16 April) and today (17 April). More strikes are scheduled for next week, 23 and 24 April read more
Offshore chemists, heating and ventilation engineers resume strike action in escalating disputes (12 Apr) – Unite members in industrial action against IES Callenberg and SGS UK Limited over rotas and pay. Unite the union confirmed today (Friday 12 April) that around 60 members in the offshore sector including chemists, heating and ventilation engineers will resume strike action next week in escalating disputes over working rotas and pay. Unite’s IES Callenberg membership will take three-days of strike action starting on Monday (15 April) until the end of Wednesday (17 April), while chemists employed by SGS UK Limited will start week-long action on the same day but conclude their action on Sunday (21 April). The IES Callenberg dispute involves around 50 offshore workers who provide heating, ventilation, and air conditioning services on offshore platforms operated by BP, TAQA, CNR, Repsol, Serica and CNOOC. The SGS UK Limited dispute exclusively centres on chemists servicing BP’s platforms the Clair, Clair Ridge, ETAP and Glen Lyon read more
Northern Ireland: Workers at Balcas Timber Ltd in Enniskillen to ballot for strike action in pay dispute (9 Apr) – Workers reject below inflation pay increase offered by company whose latest accounts reported a dramatic surge in profits.
Unite the union has today notified management at Balcas Timber Ltd, a wood-mill and Combined Heat Power plant employing approximately 280 at Killadeas, Co Fermanagh of its intent to conduct a strike ballot of the workforce. The strike ballot will open on Tuesday 16 April and remain open for three weeks closing on Tuesday 7 May. The workforce are paid as little £10.68 an hour, which is only now being increased to £11.44 an hour to comply with national minimum wage legislation read more
Pathology services in London under threat as medical workers balloted over strike action (27 Mar) – Hundreds of pathologists in London are being balloted over strike action after their employer, Synnovis, imposed an unwanted and damaging restructure that puts jobs at risk and severely downgrades working conditions. Synnovis, which is part of SynLab, has a 15 year contract to run the outsourced pathology services for the 6 Hospitals (Guys, St Thomas, Kings College, Princess Royal University Hospital, Royal Brompton & Harefield) across 2 trusts (Kings College NHS Foundation Trust, Guys & St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust). Synnovis has heavily invested in a new Hub at Blackfriars and plans to migrate the majority of it’s staff there, leaving only skeletal essential services at each of the hospitals. Pathologists were previously employed directly by the NHS but were outsourced and are now working for a private company. This is a stark example of NHS privatisation driving down pay and conditions for workers and leading to serious concerns over patient safety. Over 350 members of Unite are deeply unhappy and concerned over such a move. Job cuts will lead to a deterioration of pathology services across London and a loss of jobs as staff leave due to poor working conditions read more
M25 strike chaos on as Balfour Beatty told to share massive profits (13 Mar) – Vital M25 maintenance workers strike as Balfour Beatty announces £10bn revenues. Around 150 M25 maintenance workers employed by Balfour Beatty have voted for strike action over pay, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today (Wednesday). The workers, who provide vital maintenance for the entire M25, are angry at Balfour Beatty’s meagre pay offer of 3.4 per cent. With the real rate of inflation, RPI, at 4.9 per cent this is a real terms pay cut. Increasing tensions, is the fact that the workers also received a below inflation pay rise last year. Today, Balfour Beatty announced that its revenues for 2023 have increased by seven per cent to £9.6 billion, while underlying profits from operations rose by two per cent to £236 million…The workers operate from depots based at Barnet, Uxbridge, Swanley, Epping and Dartford and strike action will cause serious disruption to journey times. Dates for industrial action will be announced in the coming days read more
Cambridge University revealed to have £6 billion as workers languish on poverty-level wages (11 Mar) – In depth research from Unite, the UK’s leading trade union, has uncovered that Cambridge University is sitting on over £6 billion of cash and investments while trying to maintain it can’t afford to help its lowest paid workers. The revelations coincide with fresh strike action by university workers. Cleaners, librarians, museum workers and many other staff at the university have been in a long-running pay dispute over the failure of the institution to acknowledge the cost of housing in Cambridge as well as the wider inflationary pressure on its lowest paid workers. Some are being paid less than £23,000 per year yet live and work in one of the most expensive parts of the country. Unite has compiled a financial report that shows that Cambridge University is in rude financial health read more
Biomedical scientists in Merseyside to strike over pay dispute (6 Mar) – Highly skilled scientists working in the microbiology department at a Merseyside hospital are to take substantial industrial action over pay, Unite announced today (6 March 2024). The workers, who are members of Unite the UK’s leading union, based at the Whiston Hospital on Merseyside are to take 36 days of strike action between March and June (see notes to editors), beginning with three days from 14 March. The workers, who covered all Covid testing for the region, have been informed they do not qualify for the essential services payment worth £4,000. The workers, employed by the Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, are taking unprecedented action due to the failure of the trust to pay the scientists in the microbiology team the same £4,000 payment that other members of the pathology department have received read more
CWU
Save Enniskillen EE (ex-BT) site – The EE Enniskillen call centre is a lifeline for our community. It’s closure threatens over 300 jobs, eroding the heart of our local economy. This is a community crisis. Local businesses, public services, and the Fermanagh economy stand on the brink of a devastating blow
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]
National Museums Liverpool strike suspended (25 May) – The long-running strike at National Museums Liverpool will be suspended from Tuesday (28 May) to Sunday, 2 June to allow members to vote on an improved offer from management. Our members at NML have taken more than 60 days of action in protest over the employer withholding a cost-of-living payment, leading to widespread gallery closures affecting the Museum of Liverpool, the World Museum, the International Slavery Museum and the Maritime Museum, as well as the Walker Gallery, Sudley House and the Lady Lever Art Gallery. The £1,500 payment, which was part of the government’s pay offer for 2022/23, came as a result of our union’s national campaign, which also doubled the original 2023/24 pay offer to at least 4.5%. Following talks this week, PCS is putting the employer’s improved offer to a ballot of all NML members involved in the dispute in the coming days. Strike action due to take place during half-term next week (28 May to 2 June) has therefore been suspended. However, a planned strike over the bank holiday (25 to 27 May) is going ahead read more
PCS calls for comprehensive independent inquiry into sexual harassment in defence (24 May) – PCS General Secretary Fran Heathcote has signed a joint open letter to the Ministry of Defence, calling the revelations of widespread sexual harassment in the department appalling, depressing and a “stain on the reputation of the government.” The letter, also signed by other unions, academics and campaigners, calls for a “comprehensive and independent inquiry into sexual harassment in defence.” The letter comes after more than 60 women went public about sexual harassment and sexism within the MOD last November read more
Conference deplores dismissal of HMRC reps (23 May) – Conference deplored the actions of HMRC in dismissing two PCS reps from Benton Park View, and in recent weeks, for launching a further two conduct and discipline cases read more
More strike dates announced at Heathrow (17 May) – More than 500 PCS members in Border Force at Heathrow airport are to take a further 3 days’ strike action in a dispute over a new roster that has been imposed. The strike action is at the back end of the half term holidays on 31 May, and 1 and 2 June. It will be followed by 3 weeks of action short of a strike that will include a work to rule and overtime ban running from 4 to 25 June. The strike action on 29, 30 April, 1 and 2 May was well supported and members were clearly in favour of further action should there be no movement from the Home Office read more
G4S in DWP win strike ballot (15 May) – G4S in DWP have won their strike ballot on a 54.59% turnout with over 95% of participating members voting for strike action. This means we can call strike action alongside the ongoing GMB strike…The GEC will meet urgently to discuss the next steps in the campaign. We will communicate next steps as soon as possible read more
PCS strike ballot results published (15 May) – The ballot papers have been counted in our strike ballot that closed on 13 May. Our ballot of 171 civil service and related areas for strike action over our national campaign demands closed on Monday, 13 May. The ballot papers have now been counted. The total percentage of members voting yes for strike action was 83.7% of those who voted. But while a large percentage of members voted for action, the number of people who can strike is severely limited by the Tories’ anti-union laws. We achieved over 50% (the turnout required by law for strike action) in employers including DVSA, HM Land Registry, DEFRA, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) and Rural Payments Agency. This means that in those areas we have a legal mandate to take strike action. The turn-out figures in the areas that were below the 50% needed for action still place us in a strong position for negotiating with the government in those specific areas and more generally across the civil service. The PCS national executive committee (NEC) is meeting today to discuss the results and our annual delegate conference in Brighton next week will decide on the next steps in the campaign. Reports of decisions made at conference will be posted regularly on the PCS website read more
PCS members to begin industrial action at ONS (25 Apr) – The action short of a strike from 8 May will take the form of non-compliance with the mandatory return to the office directive. PCS members in the Office for National Statistics (ONS) will begin action short of a strike on 8 May over the organisation’s introduction of a mandatory workplace attendance policy. Members voted overwhelmingly for strike action and action short of strike in a ballot that closed on 2 April, in response to an instruction that staff spend at least 40% of their working time in an office, with effect from the start of April read more
PCS fighting Imperial War Museum derecognition threat (22 Mar) – PCS is campaigning against the threat of being derecognised as an official union with negotiating rights at the Imperial War Museum, which has 5 sites in England and Northern Ireland. On 6 March, Imperial War Museum Director Francoise Harris wrote to PCS, FDA and Prospect unions confirming that they wish to derecognise PCS and FDA and move forward with only one union – Prospect. Essentially, derecognising PCS constitutes a direct attack on IWM workers’ rights, job security, economic equality, workplace protections, solidarity, and democratic principles. PCS does not accept derecognition and are launching a campaign to maintain recognition at IWM read more
Pensions Regulator strike suspended (13 Mar) – The strike action has been suspended as a result of TPR agreeing to enter into meaningful negotiations with PCS. The strike action which was due to restart today and continue into next week has been suspended as a result of TPR agreeing to enter into meaningful negotiations with PCS over the proposals we have made to end the dispute. Importantly TPR has agreed with the key proposal that they commit to securing the funding for the full percentage pay increase to the overall pay pot suggested by the 2024/25 Treasury Pay Remit Guidance. The have stated that they are already engaging with DWP on the pay strategy for the year ahead. They have also committed to submitting a pay flexibility case for the Pay Remit Guidance in 2024/25 which will guarantee additional money to the basic pay remit pot. TPR have also agreed “to engage in meaningful consultation, on matters relating to TPR’s employee value proposition, including reward, annual leave entitlement and the pay and terms and conditions of staff TUPE transferred to TPR.“ The agreement from TPR management is as a result of PCS members taking over 50 days of strike action since 2023. We have reminded TPR that we still have a mandate for strike action until 8 May and that a failure to progress the issues in good faith and time will result in further strike action. TPR members remain in the PCS national campaign and will be participating in the ballot due to start on Monday 18 March read more
Sign our petition for members in Hinduja Global Solutions to keep their jobs (12 Mar) – Members in HGS in Liverpool have been told they will need to relocate 40 miles to keep their jobs. In November 2023 Hinduja Global Solutions announced a significant restructure on the Disclosure and Barring Service contract, which they planned to take effect from 1 April 2024. Staff were told that the restructure was a direct result of the new contract for services between HGS and DBS. The impact on PCS members in Liverpool has been damaging because the changes mean a 41% reduction in headcount (later reduced to a 26% cut) and withdrawal of all staff from the Tithebarn Street office, meaning HGS would no longer have a presence in the city read more
Prospect
Open letter on sexual harassment in the Ministry of Defence and wider defence industry (21 May) – Prospect, with the support of other unions, academics and campaigners, has submitted an open letter to the Ministry of Defence calling for a “comprehensive and independent inquiry into sexual harassment in defence.” Read more
Prospect members at Dounreay to take industrial action for first time in a generation (15 Apr) – Prospect members at Dounreay have voted to take industrial action over pay, starting with two days of strike action on May 1st and May 2nd followed by a work to rule read more
Prospect ballots members at Defence Equipment & Support on strike action (16 Feb) – Prospect union is balloting its members at Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S), a Ministry of Defence (MoD) agency, on industrial action. The ballot comes after the employer failed to meet the union’s pay claim and imposed an unagreed pay offer for 2023/2024. Under the imposed pay offer, the majority of DE&S employees will receive a consolidated pay increase of 3.25% or less. Prospect is recommending that members vote yes to both strike action and action short of strike (ASOS) read more
GMB
Energy price cap: Public still struggling with high bills (24 May) – GMB, the energy union, has responded to a drop in the energy price cap, which was announced today read more
Asda Brighton Hollingbury Bank Holiday Weekend strike set to cause barbecue chaos (24 May) – Customers will have to cross a picket line to get barbecue and picnic supplies. More than 100 workers at Asda’s Brighton Hollingbury superstore are set to down tools from 20:00 on Friday 24 May until 15:00 on Saturday 25 May read more
Asda workers face third month of wage errors (22 May) – Asda workers now face a third month of wage errors thanks to TDR Capital. Thousands of low paid retail and logistics workers have been paid incorrectly for the majority of 2024. For those who have been overpaid, Asda has given them until just 28 May to agree a repayment or face potentially huge deductions from their June pay packet. The errors stem from TDR’s attempts to switch to a new payment system to save money, having deemed the previous system – used by former owners Walmart – too expensive read more
Nottinghamshire hospital workers announce more strikes (24 May) – Private contractors at three of Nottinghamshire’s biggest hospitals are set for two more days of strikes. Employed by Medirest, a private contractor in Nottinghamshire’s Sherwood Forest Hospital Trust, workers are furious as company bosses refuse to keep terms and conditions in line with colleagues employed directly by the NHS. Strike action will take place from 06:00 on Thursday 30 May through to 05:59 on Saturday 01 June. Nearly three hundred workers, including porters, cleaners, security staff, catering workers and reception teams will take part in the walkout at King’s Mill, Mansfield Community and Newark Community Hospitals read more
Birmingham faces school strike escalation (22 May) – GMB Union will ballot members in 35 additional schools. Along with the thirty-five that took part in strike action earlier this month, this brings the total number of Birmingham schools facing equal pay strike distribution in the city to 70. Workers including teaching assistants, catering staff and grounds maintenance workers will take part in the ballot. The vote comes after the union slammed council bosses for delays and broken promises on settling GMB members claims for equal pay read more
GMB responds to Labour’s Port Talbot call (22 May) – GMB Union has responded to Labour’s call for job support and training guarantees read more
Judge’s ‘secret soundings’ legal claim hits Court of Appeal (20 May) – A judge has received a date for their legal challenge to the use of ‘Secret Soundings’ when deciding on the appointment of judges. This highly contentious practice involves seeking the views of existing judges as to the suitability of a candidate and is, according to GMB – the union for judges – a continuation of the “old boys’ network” within the Judicial Appointments Commission [JAC] read more
DWP must step in to stop Job Centre strikes (20 May) – The DWP must step in to end a dispute which will see more than 1,000 job centre security guards strike. Security guards employed by G4S across the UK are set to walk out from 00:01 until 23:59 on 20 May over a real terms pay cut that has seen 90 per cent of them paid just the minimum wage. DWP has handed G4S £211 million by the Department for Work and Pensions since Dec 2022, despite employment costs being just £161 during the same period. GMB has now called on DWP to step in ahead of the next strike dates, May 28 and 29 read more
BCP Council hit by GMB union strike ballot (20 May) – Council workers being balloted over non-disclosure of information relating to job re-evaluation. Members of GMB, the union for BCP Council, are now being balloted as part of a long-running dispute, centred around the council’s job re-evaluation and regrading process. The workers are based within the council’s waste, recycling and street services and are based at the Southcote Road and Hatchpond Depots. The council is aiming to harmonise pay across the council, after the coming together of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Borough Councils on 1 April 2019. Despite several meetings with GMB union since members first rejected the council proposal in mid-March, council staff are still not being allowed to see data informing them of how changes will affect them personally. The formal ballot, scrutinised by Civica, is now open and will close on Wednesday 29 May, meaning any strike action could take place as early as mid-June read more
More than 3,000 NI education workers announce strike dates (14 May) – More than 3,000 GMB members working in Northern Ireland’s education will strike in a dispute over pay and grading
Classroom assistants, drivers, bus escorts, catering staff, cleaning staff, administrative, building supervisors and technicians are set to take four days of industrial action on 20 and 21 May and 3 and 4 June 2024. This mainly low paid women workforce are either are on temporary contracts, only work term time or are on part-time contracts. GMB, along with Nipsa, Unison and Unite, is fighting for a fully funded implementation of the education pay and grading Review for these workers. Primary responsibility for funding lies with the Northern Ireland Assembly and ultimately with Treasury read more
Cheshire nuclear workers vote to strike (13 May) – Nuclear workers in Cheshire have voted to strike in a dispute over pay. Around 500 staff at the Urenco Nuclear site in Capenhurst voted for industrial action after pay talks broke down. Unions GMB, Unite and Prospect will now meet with members to discuss strike dates read more
Industrial action hits defence giant Rolls-Royce (29 Apr) – GMB members working on the company’s nuclear submarine programme have begun industrial action. The action begins today, Monday 29 April, and will run for one month. The action comes after 90 per cent of GMB members at the company supported action if company bosses failed to present a pay rise acceptable to union members. Known as ‘work to rule’, the industrial action will see GMB members applying strict limits to working outside of pre-agreed processes read more
Amazon workers will decide on union recognition (19 Apr) – Amazon workers are one step closer to Europe’s first recognised union at the retail giant. GMB Union has today announced that the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC), the Government body responsible for regulating collective bargaining between workers and employers, has ruled in favour of GMB’s application for a union recognition vote at the company’s Coventry Warehouse read more
Birmingham Amazon workers join strike action (27 Mar) – Workers are escalating their campaign for £15 and union recognition at the online retail giant’s Birmingham warehouse. Workers at Amazon’s new flagship HQ in Birmingham, a £500 million site that only opened its doors in October, will down tools this week in an escalation of the ongoing strike action hitting the company. The strike dates come as GMB members at the company submit their application for mandatory recognition to the Government’s Central Arbitration Committee (CAC). Last week workers at the company’s Coventry fulfilment centre walked out, making March the biggest month of strike action in company history read more
Swindon Borough Council faces strike vote over ‘colonial era work practices,’ says GMB (24 Apr) – Social workers at Swindon Borough Council are set for a strike vote over ‘colonial era working practices’, GMB Union claims. Staff – many recruited directly from India – were handed a contractually agreed £8,000 signing on bonus and a £7,000 recruitment and retention bonuses spread over three years. The recruitment and retention bonus has now been stopped but they are still being told if they leave Swindon Council within three years, they will have to pay back the £8,000. The move only affects staff recruited from India – with no equivalent reduction of money for social workers from the UK. All 14 workers have written writing to management but have been ignored, while Jim Robbins, Labour leader of the council, has not responded to GMB Union. The ballot closes on Friday 26 April 2024 read more
Epsom & St Helier ambulance strike to begin on Wednesday amid union claims of expensive strike busting (22 Apr) – The Trust look set to pay for private hire vehicles for patients on the strike days but not to pay these members what they’re owed, says GMB. GMB, the union for NHS workers, can today announce the dates for the strike action at Epsom & St Helier NHS Trust. Members of the union employed as Care Assistants in the patient transfer ambulances will be taking strike action this Wednesday [24 April] and will also strike on Thursday 2, Friday 3 and Tuesday 7 May. The escalating dispute centres around backpay, with some workers owed up to £1300 for non-payment of the London Living Wage read more
Asda Lowestoft workers announce strike dates (18 Apr) – Asda workers Lowestoft have announced the dates they will strike. Almost 200 workers are set to down tools for 48 hours from 00:01 on Friday 10 May until 23.59 on Saturday 11 May read more
Wisbech Asda workers in two day Easter strike (28 Mar) – Asda Wisbech workers will strike this Easter weekend on one of the supermarket’s busiest periods. Around 170 Wisbech Asda workers will walk out from 00:01 to 23:59 on Friday 29 and Saturday 30 March – Easter weekend. The strike has been caused by cuts to hours and an increase in a bullying management culture. Workers are also angry about poor levels of training and support for their job roles, the equal pay claim dragging on for years, health, safety and fire safety issues being ignored and a lack of collective bargaining with GMB Union read more
South Western Ambulance Workers balloted over ‘dangerous’ breaks (16 Apr) – South Western Ambulance Trust (SWAST) workers are set to be balloted over a break policy which could be dangerous. Workers are forced to take their break wherever the nearest, often overcrowded, depot is and have been advised to carry their food in their cabs. The union has health and safety concerns over the new policy – including the risk of food poisoning due to a lack of chilled storage and loose food and drink containers posing a risk when travelling at speed responding to an emergency. GMB, the union for ambulance workers, has told SWAST some staff with reasonable adjustments prescribed by occupational health must be exempt from the policy – but management has so far refused to hear grievances. The ballot is due to close on 17 May 2024 and could see members balloted formally for strike action read more
Hundreds of gas emergency workers to strike (26 Mar) – Hundreds of gas emergency workers are set to strike across Yorkshire. A majority of 99.5% per cent of workers at Northern Gas Network (NGN) voted to take industrial action on a 97 per cent turnout. Workers are angry after the company failed to implement necessary improvements to terms and conditions and safety changes. GMB has been raising concerns over working practices for a number of years. Concerns include engineers being forced to work excessive hours and a culture of workplace bullying. These concerns were so serious that the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) stepped in and ordered NGN and other gas distribution companies to limit shift length to a maximum of twelve hours. GMB are concerned for both public and worker safety. GMB representatives have been negotiating with NGN to address the shift length alongside other terms and conditions, but due to NGN’s failure to respond in a timely manner workers took the decision to ballot. The industrial action could potentially take place in the spring 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
Stop the Council Cuts – Sign the petition: Save our Services – Nottingham City – started by Nottingham City Unison
Support Barnet UNISON Mental Health social worker strike – Mental Health Social Worker Strike Escalates! (17 May) – UNISON has sent a strike notification to the soon to be departing chief executive stating that our members will be on strike for the period between 3 June and 14 June. Our previous strike timetable was as follows:-
- From 15 April to 26 April 2024 (two weeks). Already taken.
- From 13 May to 1 June 2024 (three weeks).
- From 17 June to 12 July 2024. (four weeks).
The strike notification in effect means our members will be on strike continuously from Monday 13 May until Friday 12 July a total of nine weeks read more
Send messages of support to [email protected]
Fairer work will be good news for millions, says UNISON (25 May) – Fair pay agreement for care will boost recruitment in the sector. Commenting on the Labour Party’s plan to make work pay, UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said today (Saturday): “There will be a clear choice in July. A vote for a party that understands the huge struggles employees and their families have been facing. Or one that’s persistently let working people down these past 14 years. Labour’s new deal best illustrates that choice. It will make work fairer and boost the economy too…” read more
Workers in councils and schools should reject low pay offer, says UNISON (23 May) – Staff to be consulted over employers’ pay proposal. Council and school staff in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are worth far more than the “disappointing” pay increase they’ve been offered by employers, says UNISON today (Thursday). The union is to consult hundreds of thousands of workers in local government over the £1,290 offer made last week, with a recommendation they vote to reject it. UNISON is calling for an improvement to pay that fairly rewards council and school staff, many of whom are in low-wage roles, for the essential services they provide read more
Statement in solidarity with student protests for Gaza (23 May) – Peaceful protests, encampments and occupations on university campuses have played an important role in many struggles against injustices in the world read more
UNISON raises concerns over UK energy security (23 May) – National Grid plans to put the biggest natural gas terminal on the market read more
Opinion: The water industry is a national scandal (20 May) – Privatisation has meant failing water infrastructure, increased sewage spillages and reduced confidence in the safety of drinking water, while shareholders pocket billions read more
Bedfordshire NHS hospital staff in 48-hour strike over pay (11 Mar) – Staff across two Bedfordshire hospitals say they are being asked to perform medical tasks above their pay grade, such as inserting cannulas. Hundreds of NHS emergency hospital staff are expected to take part in strike action in a dispute over pay and rebanding of roles. Some 400 workers at the Bedford and Luton & Dunstable hospitals will walk out for 48 hours from 07:30 GMT. The union Unison said healthcare assistants were being asked to carry out clinical tasks without extra pay read more on BBC website. Unison: ‘Ripped off’ Bedfordshire NHS staff vote on strike action
NHS staff across Teesside announce strike date in pay dispute, says UNISON (27 Feb) – Around 1,000 healthcare assistants at North Tees & Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust and South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust will take strike action next month in a dispute over pay… Staff at the trusts’ seven sites* will walk out for 24 hours from 7am on Monday 11 March as part of their campaign to be paid on a higher wage band which accurately reflects the work they have been doing read more
NIPSA
Education members update: its your future, fight for it (21 May) – Welcome to this edition of our NIPSA Members Update for education workers. We hope you find it useful. You will be aware that NIPSA is involved in action to achieve Pay and Grading justice. This has involved publicity, campaigning, lobbying and industrial action. We have made considerable progress but there is still some distance to go. With that in mind NIPSA Education Strike Committee met today, 21 May 2024, to agree next steps. All NIPSA branches in education were represented. The Strike Committee has agreed the following, A strike day on Monday 3 June 2024 read more
Health Strike (30 Apr) – NIPSA, the largest trade union in Northern Ireland, has issued notice to the Belfast Health Trust that strike action will commence on May 8 and continue until May 10. This action is being taken in Family and Childcare (social services). The strike action will run in parallel with action short of strike action and will be expanded to other health trusts over the next few weeks. Approximately 40 NIPSA members will take part in the strike action read more
Royal College of Nursing
General election 2024: ‘Don’t make the NHS and social care a political football’ (22 May) – As the Prime Minister calls for a 4 July election, we’re urging all political parties to make firm commitments to nursing staff read more
RCN members vote to reject pay offer for nursing staff in Northern Ireland (22 Mar) – The results of the RCN’s consultation on the HSC pay offer for nursing staff in Northern Ireland have been announced 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
RCM
RCM launches snap poll for members in Northern Ireland (22 Apr) – The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) is calling all its members in Northern Ireland to take part in its snap poll on additional hours worked which launches today. The RCM wants to know how many unpaid extra hours its members worked during last week, 15-21 April. Midwives and Maternity Support Workers (MSWs) can let the RCM know by taking this quick poll here. Earlier this month RCM members in England, Scotland and Wales told the RCM that they had worked 136,834 extra unpaid hours to keep services running safely. The RCM says that now members in Northern Ireland have voted to accept the pay offer, it’s their turn to tally up the extra unpaid hours they’ve been working read more
SOR
Parties must prioritise NHS workforce funding ahead of general action, says SoR (23 May) – NHS workforce planning should top all parties’ list of priorities in order to cut waiting lists ahead of the announced general election read more
CSP
Joint letter calls on three main political party leaders to prioritise rehabilitation services (22 May) – In the run up to the general election, the CSP, as part of the Community Rehabilitation Alliance, has signed a letter calling for the government to invest in and commission quality rehabilitation services read more
BMA
Donate to support striking junior doctors
Strike for fair pay commences (22 May) – Rejection of demand for full pay restoration forces walk-out in Northern Ireland read more
Junior doctors open to offer (22 May) – Improving pay not a priority for the Government as strike continues in Northern Ireland read more
Government offers revised pay deal (16 May) – SAS doctors are set to vote on a new and improved offer on pay, after the BMA secured a concession following negotiations with the Government read more
Junior doctors and Government enter mediated talks to make progress on pay dispute (15 May) – The BMA’s junior doctors committee (JDC) today announced that it had entered a new intensive phase of talks with Government, facilitated by an external mediator read more
Consultants in Northern Ireland to be balloted for industrial action (25 Apr) – No alternative’ as talks break down and deal agreed in England. Consultants in Northern Ireland are to be balloted on industrial action, the BMA has announced. The five-week ballot will open on 7 May 2024 after talks between consultant representatives from the BMA Northern Ireland consultants committee and the devolved Department of Health broke down. Consultants had raised their concerns with the continuing erosion of their pay and the effect this is having on consultant recruitment and retention in Northern Ireland, and the subsequent effect this has on patient care, and to seek a solution to these issues. Consultants in Northern Ireland are still waiting for last year’s Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration-recommended 6 per cent uplift to be applied. And with a new pay deal for consultants in England having been accepted, pay talks continuing in Scotland and Wales, and higher pay available for consultants working in the Republic of Ireland, BMA NI consultants committee chair David Farren said it was ‘imperative’ consultants in Northern Ireland do not fall further behind. Last year, 77 per cent of respondents to a survey of BMA Northern Ireland consultant members said they were willing to take industrial action read more
Doctors to enter pay negotiations with the Welsh Government (9 Apr) – BMA Cymru Wales has suspended forthcoming industrial action for Consultants and SAS doctors following a constructive meeting with the Welsh government to resolve its pay disputes. As a result of sustained pressure, including three rounds of industrial action by junior doctors in Wales, the Welsh Government has made a significant proposal to form the basis of talks to end the pay disputes with all secondary care doctors including Consultants, SAS and Junior doctors. Since the meeting last week, the committees representing doctors from all three branches of practice have voted to enter pay negotiations based on this proposal. The planned 48-hour strike by Consultants and SAS doctors due to take place from 16th April will now be suspended. Junior doctors have paused plans to announce more strike dates whilst they enter negotiations with the Welsh Government. The Welsh junior doctors committee, Welsh SAS committee and Welsh consultants committee will now each engage in pay negotiations, with the aim of reaching deals which can be taken separately to their respective members read more
HCSA
HCSA launches pay consultation of consultant and SAS members in Northern Ireland (21 May) – HCSA – the hospital doctors’ union has today opened a consultation of consultant and SAS doctors in Northern Ireland on NHS pay. Members are being asked whether they are willing to take strike action and/or action short of strike over pay read more
HCSA launches fresh reballot of junior doctors in England (29 Apr) – Today, HCSA – the hospital doctors’ union has opened a fresh ballot of junior doctors in England in the ongoing pay dispute. If successful, this will extend the right to strike for another six months until December 2024. The ballot will close on 4th June 2024. The ballot also asks members for the first time whether they would be willing to take Action Short of Strike (ASOS); a form of industrial action which could consist of doctors working strictly to contract and refusing to perform certain tasks. HCSA is calling on junior doctors to vote in favour of both strike action and action short of strike. If successful, this will give HCSA Dispute Committee the flexibility required to exert maximum leverage in the face of anti-strike legislation read more
NEU
General Election: 40 days to stop school cuts (24 May) – A General Election has been called and, after 14 years of neglect that has left education in tatters, we’re ready for it. We all know the devastation that has been inflicted on our schools and colleges by over a decade of underfunding. Soaring staff vacancies, ballooning class sizes and schools literally crumbling around students’ ears. Child poverty at record levels, rising mental health problems and students with SEND left without vital support. As we approach this election, every political party has to ditch the vague promises and piecemeal solutions. We need meaningful proposals that will truly reverse the damage. It is time to stop school cuts. Watch video by NEU General Secretary Daniel Kebede
NASUWT
Windermere teachers strike over pensions sabotage (21 May) – Members of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union at Windermere School in the Lake District will take strike action on Wednesday 22 and Thursday 23 May over forced changes to their contracts. The changes demand that they are moved to an inferior pension scheme – whether they consent, or are fired and rehired on a new contract offering only the inferior scheme – and could leave them significantly worse off in retirement than teachers in the standard Teachers’ Pension Scheme. The employer has so far refused to engage in negotiations with NASUWT or ACAS conciliation talks. Further days of strike action are planned for 5 and 6 June if a resolution cannot be found.
NASUWT General Secretary Dr Patrick Roach will join striking teachers on the picket line from 07:30 – 08:45 on Thursday and will be available to speak with press and media read more
Election must spark change for teachers, pupils and schools (22 May) – Commenting on the announcement by the Prime Minister of a General Election on 4th July, Dr Patrick Roach, General Secretary of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union, said: “We welcome the Prime Minister finally moving to announce a General Election. July 4th presents a major opportunity for the country to elect a new government that will deliver a new deal for teachers and for children’s education. It will be a defining moment for the country and for the next generation…” read more
Cheadle teachers fight pay and pensions attack (14 May) – Members of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union at Lady Barn House School in Cheadle are taking the first of six planned days of strike action on Thursday after they were threatened with being fired from their jobs unless they accept a pay cut to retain access to the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS). The employer is threatening teachers with ‘fire and rehire’ to force through new and inferior contracts which impose a 3.5% pay cut in return for remaining in the TPS. Despite current financial forecasts from the school stating they can afford to continue paying pension contributions up to 2028, the employer has refused to delay the imposition of contractual changes on staff read more
Teachers at Llangors CiW Primary School escalate to councillors in 6th week of strike action (13 May) – On Tuesday 14th and Thursday 16th May, members of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union at Llangors CiW Primary School in Llangorse will once again take strike action. An early morning picket will take place from 07:30 – 09:00 on Thursday with support from members of the local community. This will include the school’s former Foundation Governors, who resigned last month in support of the teachers. The dispute continues as the Council’s failure to engage in negotiations with NASUWT persists, with no communication from the local authority since 29th April. NASUWT members have now reached out to all 67 councillors in Powys, stating terms for resolution and requesting urgent action read more
Teachers to strike at Lincoln school over bullying concerns (22 Apr) – Members of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union at Sir Francis Hill Community Primary School in Lincoln will begin strike action this week over bullying and adverse management practices. The first planned day of industrial action will take place on Wednesday 24th April and further days are planned for the 1st and 2nd May. NASUWT members have endured a pattern of bullying that has affected the health, safety and welfare of teachers. Strike action is the last resort to restore a safe and supportive atmosphere to the school read more
Employer intransigence prompts further strike action at Ascot school (17 Apr) – Members of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union at St Mary’s School in Ascot are taking the first of six further days of strike action today over attempts to downgrade their pensions. This follows an initial day of strike action in March. Teachers are facing the forcible withdrawal of their pensions from the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS) to an inferior Defined Contribution (DC) scheme, which will pay out less in retirement. Teachers have been told that if they do not accept the transfer of their pensions, they will be dismissed from their jobs and reengaged on new contracts which include the DC pension arrangements read more
Norfolk teachers strike to protect their pensions (16 Apr) – Teachers at Aurora Eccles and Aurora Whitehouse schools in Norfolk are taking strike action after their employer threatened to remove them from the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS) under threat of being sacked. The Aurora Group runs publically funded schools for children and young people with special needs. The DFE have fully funded councils to pay for increased employer contributions to the TPS and the council has passed this funding onto Aurora. Aurora are however choosing to keep this money instead of passing it on to teachers, which means that teachers would be forced to move to a cheaper, inferior pension scheme. The employer has repeatedly refused to negotiate with the NASUWT, causing great distress to our members. They are left with no action but to take strike action this week and in the coming weeks to protect their pensions and their livlehoods. Further strike action is planned for Tuesday 23 April, Wednesday 24 April and Thursday 25 April read more
Teachers at Boston school strike for a safe working environment (16 Apr) – Members of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union at Haven High Academy in Boston are due to begin the first of six days of strike action on Wednesday over adverse management practices, including the failure of the employer to put in place adequate measures to deal with poor pupil behaviour. Teachers at the school feel they are being left vulnerable to abuse and violence from pupils due to a lack of consistent sanctions for students and support from management to manage pupil behaviour read more
Teachers at Chester college strike over pensions attack (15 Apr) – Members of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union at Abbey Gate College in Chester are taking a further five planned days of strike action, starting tomorrow (Tuesday) over attempts to make teachers choose between their pension or their pay. The employer is attempting to remove staff from the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS) and enrol them in an inferior Defined Contribution scheme. If teachers choose to remain in the TPS they must accept a reduced salary. Teachers took an initial day of strike action last month read more
Nursery school staff strike over restructure (26 Mar) – A strike will take place at Eastwood Nursery School in Wandsworth on Wednesday 27th March after the employer proposed a restructure that threatens to move two nursery provisions to one site with only one qualified member of staff on duty each day. Further days of strike action are planned for 16th, 17th, 23rd, 24th and 25th April read more
Lecturers in Northern Ireland vote to reject pay offer (20 Mar) – Lecturer members of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union have voted overwhelmingly to reject the pay offer for Northern Ireland’s Further Education Lecturers. Lecturers had been awarded 5% plus an unconsolidated payment of £1500. 87% of NASUWT members voted in favour of rejecting the offer, with a turnout of 63%. 71% said they were prepared to take further strike action and 93% said that they were prepared to take further action short of strike action. The NASUWT National Action Committee will now consider the results of the member survey before deciding on the union’s next steps read more
Pension threats prompt strike action at Newcastle school (18 Mar) – Members of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union at Dame Allan’s Schools in Fenham are taking the first of six planned days of strike action tomorrow over attempts to downgrade their pensions. Teachers are facing the forcible withdrawal of their pensions from the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS) to an inferior Defined Contribution (DC) scheme, which will pay out less in retirement. Teachers have been told that if they do not accept the transfer of their pensions, they will be dismissed from their jobs and reengaged on new contracts which include the DC pension arrangements. We do not accept that there is any financial necessity for the school to undermine teachers’ financial security in this way read more
Tring Park School teachers take strike action over pension sabotage (12 Mar) – Members of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union at Tring Park School for the Performing Arts have begun a series of strike days due to a dispute over their pensions. After being offered a pay rise below levels of inflation, teachers at Tring Park School have now been told that if they wish to remain in the Teachers’ Pension Scheme – the standard scheme for teachers across England – they will need to take a pay cut in order to compensate for their employer’s contributions. Their only alternative is to move to a scheme of lower value. Strike action took place at Tring Park School on Tuesday 12th March and will take place again on Wednesday 13th March. Further days are planned on 19th, 20th and 21st March read more
NAHT
School leaders’ union NAHT launches its manifesto For Their Future as Prime Minister calls General Election (22 May) – NAHT has today launched its manifesto ‘For Their Future’ – calling for children’s education to be a pivotal part of the debate leading up to the July General Election read more
EIS
Discussions Between EIS-FELA and Employers Continue but with no Progress Made (23 May) – EIS-FELA met with College Employers Scotland (CES) to discuss the revised four year pay claim submitted last week, in an attempt to end their long running dispute. It was expected by the union side that CES would be mandated to have meaningful negotiations which would address the revised pay claim submitted by EIS-FELA. Disappointingly, there was no offer tabled at the meeting by employers in respect of the revised claim and discussion on it enabled no further progress read more
Glasgow EIS Opens Consultative Ballot over Education Cuts (22 May) – The Glasgow local association of the EIS has opened a consultative ballot of its members to gauge their willingness to take industrial action in opposition to Glasgow’s Council’s planned education cuts. This three-week ballot is the next step in EIS Glasgow’s dispute with Glasgow City Council over deep cuts to teacher numbers which has already seen 125 teachers lost this year, with a further 172 set to go next session and a total of 450 proposed teaching posts lost over the course of Glasgow City Council’s 3-year budget plan read more
INTO
Non Teaching Staff Strike Action 03 June 2024 – INTO acknowledge that our sister unions must pursue their objectives in ways most appropriate to their members. The interests of INTO and our non-teaching trade unions are not dissimilar, and to be clear, the INTO supports their endeavours. Our non-teaching education staff are essential and vital to the running of our schools. Indeed, our schools simply would not function without them. Our members have reported, over many years, difficulties in recruiting and retaining staff to the many essential non-teaching roles in schools. This is directly related to their salary and how they are valued. Our children need these workers to be appropriately remunerated for the essential role they fulfil. Therefore, we stand fully behind them in this dispute and will take no steps to undermine their campaign. INTO members should not reduce the efficacy of the industrial action of classroom assistants. Our members should undertake no duties that would be untypical of that day read more
UCU
University of Surrey management given vote of no confidence by staff (24 May) – Staff and students have called on the University of Surrey management to stop the threat of job cuts after staff and students delivered an overwhelming vote of no confidence in the University’s Vice-Chancellor, Provost and the Executive Board. Over nine in ten voters (97%), in a ballot organised by the University and College Union (UCU) and other campus unions at the University of Surrey, said they have no confidence in Surrey’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof GQ Max Lu, its Provost, Prof Tim Dunne (the architect of the cuts programme) and the Executive Board. Staff are furious at the axing of more than 140 jobs as part of a radical programme of cuts. The unions, staff and students fear these moves are merely the thin end of the wedge, with further cuts to jobs, provisions, and course content likely in the future, which may lead to closure of some degree programmes read more
UCU calls for Edge Hill chancellor to oppose job cuts (23 May) – UCU today called on the Chancellor of Edge Hill University to speak out against the attack on arts and humanities jobs at her university. Edge Hill bosses are planning to sack 11 senior academics, part of £1 million cuts in the English and Creative Arts Department read more
UCU responds to government decision not to scrap the student visa scheme (23 May) – Responding to news that the government would be retaining the graduate visa scheme, UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: ‘It is welcome news that this pernicious policy idea has been dropped. Instead of attacking migrants and undermining our universities, the government should be doing everything it can to welcome international students and staff into our higher education sector…” read more
Dispute at Redbridge Institute of Adult Education called off after UCU win (23 May) – UCU has today called off potential industrial action at Redbridge Institute of Adult Education in East London, after management agreed to demands to improve staff working conditions read more
UCU responds to report into the experience of trans and non-binary students in higher education (23 May) – Responding to a report published today by the Higher Education Policy Institute, UCU said there is work to be done on the well being of trans students and called for more training for staff so that everyone can better understand the challenges that trans and non-binary students face read more
Strike confirmed at University of Winchester over ‘vicious job cuts’ and ‘unhealthy’ workloads (21 May) – The University and College Union (UCU) today announced that University of Winchester staff will strike on Tuesday 4 June over drastic job cuts, unless the university halts plans to get rid of staff and impose excessive workloads. An overwhelming 79% of members who voted backed strike action, in a ballot that closed last week with a turnout of 59%. 93% also voted for action short of strike, which will begin on Wednesday 5 June and includes working to contract and refusing to cover for absent colleagues. The dispute is over plans to cut around 40 academic staff, and unfavourable changes to workloads which the union fears will lead to unhealthy and unmanageable working hours read more
Outcry over University of Portsmouth job cuts (16 May) – UCU has lodged a trade dispute with the University of Portsmouth over job cuts. The dispute comes after the university put 163 academic staff at risk of redundancy on Tuesday (14 May) with over 20 set to lose their jobs. A further 434 academic related professional and support staff have also been put at risk and UCU estimates that up to 100 could go. Staff are now being forced to reapply for their jobs at the same time as they are preparing students for year-end assessments and graduation read more read more
297 staff threatened with the sack at London South Bank University (16 May) – Staff at London South Bank University have no confidence in the vice-chancellor and senior leadership team, announced the University and College Union (UCU) today after 297 posts were put at risk, including almost one in five (226 out of 1082) academic staff read more
Staff to strike at North East college group open day (2 May) – Staff at five colleges in Cleveland, Redcar and Stockton-on-Tees will strike on Thursday 16 and Wednesday 22 May in a long running dispute over low pay that has already seen staff down tools for eight days. On Thursday 16 May staff will picket the open day at Redcar and Cleveland College campus and on Wednesday 22 May they will picket Stockton and Riverside College campus. The strike action is the latest escalation after staff rejected employer Education Training Collective’s (ETC) most recent offer. This did not include any improvement on pay and was limited to an extra two “wellbeing days” and additional points on the lecturer and course leader pay scales starting on Thursday 1 August 2024. ETC’s position on pay remains that it wants staff to accept a paltry increase of just 3% for 22/23, with an additional 1% from May 2023 read more
Strike threat at University of Lincoln as over 220 staff face the axe (18 Apr) – Staff at the University of Lincoln are poised to take a stand against brutal cuts. A consultation over potential strike action is set to begin Monday. The looming threat targets over 220 employees, including one in ten academic staff. Cuts include the phasing out of the fashion degree and ending specialist support for widening participation students in the foundation studies centre. The centre’s teaching team have been notified their jobs are at risk read more
University of Kent staff vote to strike over course closure “bonfire” as VC quits (5 Apr) – Staff at the University of Kent have backed strike action in defence of jobs. The result comes as the person in charge of the cuts, vice-chancellor Karen Cox, announces she will step down in May, before they are even implemented. An overwhelming 85% of UCU members who voted said yes to strike action in a ballot with a turnout of 57%. The vote comes after 58 staff were placed at risk of redundancy as part of a programme that would see courses closed across the university read more
Strike ballot at Sheffield Hallam over “scandalous” cuts programme (5 Apr) – A strike ballot will open on Monday 15 April at Sheffield Hallam University, announced the University and College Union (UCU) today. UCU has accused the university of pushing ahead with expensive building projects while launching a wholesale attack on staff and students through an unprecedented cuts programme, severely breaching the post-92 contract and national framework, and attacking on working conditions read more
Goldsmiths marking boycott set to begin this month over “brutal” sackings (5 Apr) – The University and College Union (UCU) today confirmed staff at Goldsmiths University will begin a marking boycott on Friday 19 April over plans to sack more than one in six academic staff. The boycott will cover all marking and assessment, including in writing, online, or verbally. It will also include any assessment-related work such as exam invigilation and the administrative processing of marks. UCU warned that graduations will be impacted unless the university resolves the dispute by halting its plans to cut over 130 jobs. Alongside the boycott, UCU members will take other forms of industrial action including working to rule and boycotting processes related to management’s “transformation programme” of cuts. The boycott follows an overwhelming vote for industrial action against the cuts, which would see more than a third of academics axed in the 11 affected departments in the schools of arts & humanities; culture & society; and professional studies, science & technology read more
Goldsmiths staff vote to strike over “incomprehensible” bonfire of jobs (28 Mar) – The University and College Union (UCU) today announced staff at Goldsmiths University have overwhelmingly voted to take industrial action in a fight to stop the sacking of more than one in 6 academic staff at the institution read more
Strike ballot at New College Durham over low pay (11 Mar) – UCU has opened a strike ballot at New College Durham in a dispute over low pay. The ballot will close on Monday 15 April and a successful result paves the way for strike action if the employer refuses to make a realistic offer. The ballot comes after staff voted to reject a paltry pay offer of 4% (from August 2023). According to its most recent accounts the college has over £9m in assets, a £2m increase on the year before, and is rated as having outstanding financial health by the government’s Education and Skills Funding Agency, yet UCU’s research shows it spends less of its income on pay than any other college in the region read more
UCU fighting fund: the link is here and donations to the fund are spent on supporting members involved in important disputes.
FBU
End Thatcherite experiment that wrecked Britain, says union leader (23 May) – In the an intervention following the calling of the general election, the Fire Brigades Union has called for the scrapping of the anti-union laws. From the union’s Annual Conference in Blackpool, FBU general secretary Matt Wrack set out the damage caused by 14 years of Tory rule to living standards and public services read more
Firefighters win 4% pay offer and advances on maternity following talks (26 Apr) – 4% headline pay offer 2024. Firefighters and fire control staff have been offered a package of pay improvements, including an above-inflation pay rise, improvements to maternity pay, and a large increase to the retainer paid to on-call firefighters. Pay negotiations have been underway at the National Joint Council (NJC) between the Fire Brigades Union and fire employers for some months read more
POA
Prison service crisis (24 May) – The POA leadership accept that a General Election has been called and we enter a period of purdah. There is no doubt that the Prison Service and the criminal justice system is under massive pressure from overcrowding. The POA Leadership through Mark Fairhurst National Chair and Steve Gillan General Secretary have made it absolutely clear at the end of the POA Conference that we will not allow the health and safety of our members to be put in jeopardy by any attempt to further overcrowd our prisons. We agree with Amy Rees CEO HMPPS and Phil Copple Director General HMPPS, on their red lines and any attempt to breach this will be met with fierce resistance from the POA read more
NAPO
Panorama – Napo’s Position (24 May) – Many people will have watched last night’s Panorama programme and be left feeling angry, anxious, saddened and undervalued. The footage shown was only a tiny reflection of what would have been recorded by the undercover reporter during their time at Fleming House, and so necessarily has been subject to significant editing. That said, we can’t avoid what appears in the footage to be some individuals doing and saying things that were difficult to watch, no doubt most of all for them and their immediate colleagues read more
BFAWU
Bakers Union to Launch Election Manifesto (15 May) – The Bakers Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU) launched their Bakers Dozen manifesto that they and their members want to see introduced by the next UK Government. Aimed especially at the Labour Party, the Bakers Dozen report and manifesto lays out 13 policy demands that would transform the lives of their members and working class people across the country. Based on union policy and a survey of their members the Bakers Dozen Manifesto sets out a visionary range of policies including full employment rights from day one, a £15 an hour living wage, the creation of a national care service, renationalisation of utilities and the abolition of university tuition fees. The survey also demonstrated that support amongst BFAWU members has fallen and that Labour in Government must deliver for working class people and not take their support for granted read more
Support the campaign to unionise Samworth Brothers – get organised, sign the petition read more
BALPA
Bristow Helicopters Dispute Update Statement (16 May) – In response to the latest Bristow Helicopters statement to media, BALPA General Secretary Amy Leversidge said: “We appreciate Bristow Helicopters management finally acknowledging that pilots and tech crews are critical to the success of the company and indicating they want to come back to the table to negotiate with us. However, they need to accept that in a ballot of our members 95% rejected the current offer on the table. After the ballot we entered back into ACAS talks and after over a week of trying to get movement from Bristow management they tabled an offer that was virtually indistinguishable from the rejected offer. There is no confusion or misunderstanding on our part, our members are clear and resolute – we need an offer that is just focused on pay and is not reliant on reducing terms and conditions…” read more
Nautilus International
RFA officers to undertake industrial action from 1 June (17 May) – Nautilus members working for the RFA voted for industrial action for the first time in the organisation’s history, after more than a decade of pay austerity that has seen them endure a 30% real-terms cut in wages. Image: RFA
Nautilus members working for the RFA voted for industrial action for the first time in the organisation’s history, after more than a decade of pay austerity that has seen them endure a 30% real-terms cut in wages. Image: RFA
Nautilus International, as the union representing officers at the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA), has officially informed the RFA and Ministry of Defence that members will begin industrial action, commencing from 1 June 2024. Hundreds of Nautilus members working onboard RFA vessels will undertake ‘action short of a strike’. This means that they will only undertake work responsibilities commensurate with their job title (i.e. they will not provide cover), or act in a capacity above or below their job title read more
NUJ
Palestine: journalist shot by Israeli army (23 May) – NUJ joins the International Federation of Journalists in condemning an attack by Israeli soldiers on Palestinian journalist Amr Manasra read more
Government must reconsider dropping pilot on pay transparency (21 May) – The NUJ’s Equality Council has supported the House of Commons Women and Equalities Committee’s call for the government to go ahead with a project to reduce the gender pay gap read more
High Court grants Julian Assange permission to appeal extradition to the United States (20 May) – The National Union of Journalists has welcomed the High Court’s judgment granting Julian Assange victory in his case requesting leave to appeal extradition to the United States read more
STV dispute ends as improved pay offer accepted (15 May) – Nick McGowan-Lowe, NUJ national organiser for Scotland said: “This has been a slow and difficult dispute, but we have finally reached a pay offer that has been accepted by our members.” Journalists at STV News have voted to accept an improved pay offer, ending the industrial dispute at the broadcaster which resulted in Scottish news programmes being taken off air and almost all digital website news stopped. Members of the NUJ voted 82 per cent in favour of a deal which will see a consolidated increase backdated to January, a guaranteed bonus of between £300 and £500 to all staff across the business in July, and potential for a further, non-consolidated bonus if the company hits 2024 profit targets. The deal represents increases of up to 6.7 per cent read more
Springer Nature staff hold unprecedented vote on industrial action (14 May) – Writers on respected journals ballot for first time. In an unprecedented move, UK staff working on the renowned Nature portfolio of science journals are balloting for industrial action in a dispute over pay. The portfolio, which includes the world’s leading science magazine Nature, is owned by international publisher Springer Nature read more
Equity
General Election – Stop the Cuts, Save the Arts (22 May) – Equity will make sure that arts funding is front and centre of the national agenda during the general election campaign read more
Equity members vote to continue fight against pay cuts and compulsory redundancies at Welsh National Opera (19 May) – Today at Equity’s Annual Conference members voted unanimously to pass an emergency motion supporting the Chorus of the Welsh National Opera read more
Musicians’’ Union
Protect Welsh National Opera: Sign the Petition Now (2 May) – Musicians at Welsh National Opera orchestra are campaigning to keep the orchestra full time and secure the company’s future read more
Community
Union votes for strike action over Tata job losses (9 May) – Community said 85% of its members backed industrial action. Members of the largest steelworkers’ union, Community, have voted in favour of industrial action over Tata Steel’s restructuring plans. The union said 85% of those who voted supported the move. Workers were balloted after Tata Steel announced 2,800 job losses across the UK as part of the closure of Port Talbot’s blast furnaces and a transition to greener steelmaking read more on BBC website
USDAW
Labour’s new deal for working people will be transformational and end 14 years of Tory attacks says Usdaw (25 May) – Retail trade union Usdaw has given full backing to Labour and their new deal for working people, which will end fourteen years of Tory attacks on workers and their trade unions. The union is backing Labour in the general election to deliver the change workers desperately need read more
Yodel staff are devastated by the proposed closure of the Shaw site in Oldham, Greater Manchester (21 May) – Retail and distribution trade union Usdaw has been briefed by parcel delivery giant Yodel about their proposal to close the distribution at Shaw in Oldham, Greater Manchester, putting over 230 roles at risk of redundancy read more
Usdaw members at a GXO distribution centre in Swindon start industrial action over pay on Sunday, which could impact B&Q stores (22 Mar) – Members of the retail distribution union Usdaw at a GXO distribution centre in Swindon, which operates a B&Q contract, are starting a 48-hour strike over pay, starting at 2pm on Sunday 24 March 2024. Over 100 drivers and clerical staff are set to take part in the action read more
UVW
Cleaners declare ¡Victoria! at private school in South London (21 May) – “We never had sick pay before, this is a big win for us, thanks to our unity and the support of our union that had our back all the way…. It felt like facing a lion and now I feel so strong and powerful” – Judit Morales, Ecuadorian cleaner at Blackheath Prep and UVW member. Migrant cleaners at a private school in South London declared !VICTORIA! as they won an inflation-busting 15% pay rise, full pay sick pay and improved working conditions after they returned a unanimous vote to strike read more
Migrant cleaners at Department For Education to strike for equality in June (9 May) – “No sick pay, too much work, no proper holiday cover. We feel we are treated with disdain, we are fed up and stressed but united in our resolve” – Gloria Mancera, cleaner of 18 years service at DfE and UVW member
The cleaners at the Department for Education (DfE) have voted unanimously to strike again, returning a 100% yes vote, and will walk out of their jobs for the second time in a year on 11 and 12 June 2024. They took three days of strike action last summer as part of a mass strike by UVW members demanding dignity, equality and respect. The cleaners, who are outsourced to ISS UK Limited and are members of United Voices of the World (UVW), demand parity of terms and conditions with civil servants read more
IWGB
Workers at debt charity vote to strike following “aggressive intimidation” from management (8 Mar) – Frontline workers at the debt advice charity Rooted Finance will down tools later this month after their ballot to strike passed with a 100% yes vote. The decision to walk out on March 18 and 19 follows what workers have described as “anti-union and intimidatory tactics” from management read more
Find out more about the couriers’ strikes on the X/twitter of the IWGB Couriers’ branch @IWGB_CLB
SIPTU (Ireland)
SIPTU NEC condemns attack on union activist running for election in Dublin (19 May) – The SIPTU National Executive Council (NEC) has strongly condemned a recent attack on Janet Horner, a union activist and candidate for the North Inner-City Local Electoral Area in Dublin’s upcoming local council elections read more
Other news
Counter-protest against Tommy Robinson – assemble 11am Saturday 1st June Downing Street
Sign this petition: To the Right Honourable Steve Barclay, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and The Right Honourable Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister – Make toxic landfills safe – Support ‘Zane’s Law’! Find out more about this campaign here
Affiliate with STAMMA – STAMMA’s Employment Support Service helps people who stammer as well as those who don’t around issues related to stammering in the workplace. Union branches and regions can affiliate with STAMMA to access a range of services and support at a reduced rate.
- £75 for branches and regions
- £125 for national unions with under 400,000 members
- £200 for national unions with 400,000+ members
Fight blacklisting and victimisation of union reps
Hazards urgently need our support
Many workers were blacklisted because they raised complaints about health and safety or took on the role of a union safety rep. So when our blacklisting campaign was first starting back in 2009, Hazards magazine set up the Blacklist Blog on their website. Alongside our FaceBook page it is the go to online resource for what our campaign has achieved over the past 13 years. www.hazards.org/blacklistblog
Hazards is now in financial difficulty and needs the support of the union movement. Its major funding stream has vanished almost overnight. The magazine and the Hazards centres around the country need union branches or official unions to take out a regular subscription to keep the union movement’s flagship safety magazine in operation. If you or your union committee can afford it, please support Hazards:
PCS rep in Newcastle sacked by HMRC (5 Apr) – Gordon Askew was sacked by HMRC on grounds of ‘potential’ computer misuse following strike action taken by the branch. HMRC management at Benton Park View in Newcastle have sacked Gordon Askew, a member of the branch executive committee, on the grounds of ‘potential’ computer misuse. PCS members at Benton Park View, alongside HMRC East Kilbride, took part in targeted strike action last year, as well as their members taking part in the three national days of strike action. Following the strike action, the department launched an investigation into two Newcastle-based representatives. The charge against Gordon was a ‘potential’ breach of the department’s IT policy; arising from a Microsoft Teams message sent to a number of PCS members, relating to strike action. The department’s decision maker claimed that Microsoft Teams had been used “without a legitimate business reason”. A second rep is on a similar charge. We understand the decision maker said that they had considered a lesser penalty, but had decided to sack the rep because he didn’t appear to be sorry enough for what he had done. This was despite him having nearly thirty years of spotless service to the department. PCS is discussing next steps with our Legal Department read more
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
Solidarity with the striking textile workers at Ozak in Turkey – read more on Twitter of Solidarity with the People of Turkey @spotturkey
Diary
2024
June
22 NSSN Conference 2024 – 11am Conway Hall, Holborn, London
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