The NSSN headlines this week’s bulletin on the Labour Government’s unveiling of its Employment Rights Bill. We welcome any improvements in workers rights in this bill, which is due to come into effect in 2026.
We also welcome the commitment to repeal the most recent Tory anti-union legislation, namely the Minimum Service Levels Act and the Trade Union Act. The latter law enshrines the undemocratic 50% industrial action ballot voting thresholds. However, we call on the Government, with its overwhelming majority of nearly 160, to enact emergency legislation to immediately abolish these brutal laws.
But we also call for the bill to go much further. The POA should have the right to strike for its prison officer members restored. And, all the Tory anti-union laws going back to Thatcher and Major should be repealed.
These laws and their attack on the ability of unions to act collectively outline the main weakness of the Government’s bill.
As Professor Keith Ewing and Lord John Hendy KC have stated in their article in the Morning Star: “The bitter truth is that what working people (half the total population of Britain — with most of the rest dependent on them) need is not more individual rights, welcome as they may be, but greater power. Power to have a real say over the pay, terms and conditions on which they work. That means freeing the trade unions from the shackles imposed in six Acts of Parliament by Thatcher’s crew in the 1980s and ’90s. No-one else will represent workers. And to do that job unions need the power, when necessary, to organise industrial action and compel employers to bargain with them. What is also needed is a framework of laws which support collective bargaining and decent terms and conditions…Much of the Bill is thus about individual employment rights…There are welcome new employment rights and improvements of existing rights. But it does not do nearly enough to remove the restraints on trade unions or to give them the powers they need to make a significant difference to the lives of the millions of workers who are without a voice at work.”
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham has said: “This Bill is without doubt a significant step forward for workers but stops short of making work pay…Failure to end fire a rehire and zero hours contracts once and for all will leave more holes than Swiss cheese that hostile employers will use. The Bill also fails to give workers the sort of meaningful rights to access a union for pay bargaining that would put more money in their pockets and, in turn, would aid growth. Unite will continue to make the workers’ voice heard as we push for improvements to the legislation as the Bill goes through parliament.”
It is essential that the union movement scrutinises the proposed legislation in order to demand that it is strengthened.
The annual TUC Congress in September passed an EIS-led composite motion: ‘End of the hostile environment towards workers and unions’ which included an amendment from PCS – “Congress notes the Labour Party’s 2024 general election manifesto committed to implementing ‘Labour’s Plan to Make Work Pay: Delivering a New Deal for Working People’ in full – introducing legislation within 100 days. If the government has not legislated within the first hundred days, a special TUC congress will be called to discuss next steps.”
Such a congress would be an important tool for the unions and their members to draw a balance sheet about the bill and the plan of action needed to fight for a real Workers’ New Deal.
FBU urges no delay in full implementation of workers’ rights package (10 Oct)
POA: POA demands equity with other UK trade unions (10 Oct)
RMT welcomes Labour government Employment Rights Bill (10 Oct)
ASLEF: A New Deal for Working People (10 Oct)
New Deal paves the way for a better Britain – TSSA (10 Oct)
PCS responds to Employment Rights Bill (10 Oct)
Prospect: Employment Rights Bill is biggest change to workers’ rights in 50 years (10 Oct)
GMB: Employment Rights Bill ‘groundbreaking first step’ (10 Oct)
Unison: Bill will make game-changing improvements to working life, says UNISON (10 Oct)
NEU: Labour’s plan to “Make Work Pay” (10 Oct)
NASUWT: Working rights boost for millions welcomed (10 Oct)
UCU response to Employment Rights Bill (10 Oct)
Nautilus welcomes moves to strengthen seafarers’ employment rights (9 Oct)
Equity Statement on Employment Rights Bill (10 Oct)
MU Celebrates Employment Rights Bill – A Major Win for Trade Unions (10 Oct)
Community: Employment Rights Bill welcomed (10 Oct)
Employment Rights Bill will help to make work pay with more secure jobs says Usdaw (10 Oct)
Support COPS – the Campaign Opposing Police Surveillance. There will be a demo outside the Undercover Policing Inquiry on the 21st Oct, 12.30pm International Dispute Resolution Centre, Juxon House, EC4M 7BQ
Public Meeting: ‘Save the Markhouse Centre for disabled adults’ – Thursday 24 October at 7pm at the William Morris Community Centre, Greenleaf Road, Walthamstow, E17 6QQ. Meeting hosted by Waltham Forest Trades Council
Southampton March & Anti-cuts Conference – Saturday 2nd November, assemble 12noon Bargate. Conference: 1pm Friends Meeting House SO15 2AZ
For more info – contact Declan Clune Secretary Southampton & South West Hampshire Trades Union Council. Tel: 07873 958510
From Strike Map: London book launch & social: A Manual of Industrial Unionism – Join the exciting launch of our reprint of A Manual of Industrial Unionism by William Z Foster 6.30pm on 29 November at Marx Memorial Library more details
Organise Now, are leading a campaign to organise the coffee shop and bakery chain, GAIL’s – they have just announced a week of action on 25 November- 1 December. Click here to join this campaign and sign up for one of the volunteer briefings later this month
Workers Unity to stop the far-right
The NSSN stands with the rest of the union movement against the violent protests whipped up by the recent racist far-right and the fascists. Our supporters have taken part in the many counter-protests that are taking place.
The far-right are looking to exploit the horrific incident in Southport this summer for their own ends. We send support and solidarity to all those affected by that attack, especially the families of those killed and injured.
With absolutely no evidence and on the basis of deliberate misinformation, the far-right have targeted refugees, migrant workers and the Black and Asian and Muslim communities.
It is essential that the trade union movement plays the leading role in building a united movement against the far-right. This is especially the case as history has shown, the far-right and fascist forces have targeted unions and striking workers.
With 6.5million members, across all working-class communities, the unions have the authority and power to unite workers against racist division which weakens our movement and only assists the bosses.
The strike wave over the last few years has shown that workers and their unions are prepared and able to fight to defend jobs and living standards, and when they do so, they become a pole of attraction for all those suffering from austerity.
Therefore, we believe that the TUC and the unions should call a national Saturday demonstration to bring together workers in a united response to the far-right.
And where the racists call local protests, the union movement should take the lead in organising counter-protests, linking up with migrants, refugees and any targeted communities as well as anti-racist and anti-fascist organisations. All protests must be well stewarded by trade unions to guard against any threat from far-right groups.
We welcomed the motion passed at TUC Congress in 2018 that launched a “Jobs, Homes, Not Racism campaign to unite the wider trade union movement and to campaign effectively against the far right” as it is vital that the labour and trade union movement takes on racist division by giving an alternative to the decades of austerity and anti-worker policies of successive governments.
The union movement has responded to the far-right protests with statements including the following – TUC, Unite, RMT, CWU, PCS, Unison, NIPSA, CSP, NEU, UCU, FBU, NUJ, Equity, BFAWU, ASLEF, GMB, RCN, CSP, UCU, NAPO, POA, Musicians Union, Community, USDAW, IWGB, Prospect, SOR, BMA, HCSA, INTO, UVW, POA
Join the counter-protest to Tommy Robinson – central London Saturday 26th October. For details of this and other protests, see the Stand Up To Racism website.
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.
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And if you can, come to one of our regional Conferences. If there is not one in your area, get in touch to either assist in organising or have a speaker at one of your meetings or events. Contact Rob or Katrine on [email protected]
The NSSN is developing a campaign pack for social care, which we hope to make available in the not-too-distant future for supporters to use in their localities. As part of this, communications officer Dave Gorton is keen to hear from supporters who:
(1) work in social care (either local authority, private or independently provided)
(2) represent social care workers for a trade union
(3) are in need of social care provision themselves or act as an (unpaid/underpaid) carer for a family member
Dave can be contacted in the first instance via [email protected]
Union News
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RMT
BREAKING NEWS!! London Underground workers to strike over pay offer (16 Oct) – RMT members on London Underground will take strike action after rejecting a pay offer deemed wholly inadequate. While some progress was made in negotiations, the current proposal leaves a large number of staff excluded from collective bargaining, which remains a core issue for the union read more
RMT demands action on London Overground ticket offices and understaffing (12 Oct) – Rail union, RMT is urging Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, to intervene over the damaging ticket office cuts and chronic understaffing on the London Overground. Despite widespread opposition, Arriva Rail London (ARL) which runs London Overground, slashed ticket office hours and removed Oyster services, leaving passengers with limited support, particularly affecting vulnerable groups read more. Sign petition: To: Steve Best, Managing Director, Arriva Rail London and Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London – Restore ticket office hours and Oyster facilities at London Overground ticket offices
Labour announces new laws to tackle rogue P&O style employers (10 Oct) – RMT welcomes the Labour government’s commitment to introduce new laws to stop another P&O Ferries scandal taking place and ensuring basic pay protections for seafarers. The maritime union says this crucial initiative is an important first step to protect the employment rights and conditions of seafarers across the ferry sector and to ensure workers are protected by collective bargaining rights read more
RMT welcomes Labour government Employment Rights Bill (10 Oct) – Transport union, RMT strongly welcomes pledges to rapidly introduce legislation aimed at restoring workers’ rights, repairing industrial relations, and ensuring wage growth read more
London Underground: New continuation of action named in Jobs, Pensions and Agreements dispute (10 Oct) read more
London Underground staff secure 6-month strike mandate (1 Oct) – Tube union, RMT has won the backing from members for a strike action mandate on London Underground while pay negotiations continue. No strike dates have been announced but the union is keen to secure an improved offer on pay and to make sure all members are entitled to the same percentage increase. Due to changes being imposed by LU management to pay bands, as it stands, not all RMT members would be entitled to the same percentage increase and this is wholly unacceptable to the union. RMT will be meeting the employer soon and seeking to reach a negotiated settlement read more
London cable car staff suspend strike action after new offer (4 Oct) – Transport union, RMT has called off strike action tomorrow following an improved offer by Doppelmayr Cable Car (DCC) management. The new offer includes a backdated pay offer, a 3-year deal and enhanced maternity, paternity and bank holiday benefits. The company has also offered to cut the working week in exchange for accepting the offer. RMT members working for DDC will now be balloted. All strike action from October 12 onwards remains on for the time being read more
RFA take two days strike action (3 Oct) – Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) seafarers are set to strike on Friday 4 October and Tuesday 8 October due to a long running dispute over pay. While discussions between the RMT union and the Ministry of Defence have been constructive, no satisfactory offer has been made. Further talks are scheduled to take place next week in an effort to resolve the dispute. During the strike, all RFA workers will be standing down from their duties, though essential safety measures—such as monitoring moorings and gangways—will remain in place read more
Heathrow Express 48-hour strike action begins on Monday (20 Sept) – Heathrow Express staff will take 48 hours of strike action, from Monday, in response to a pay offer that was overwhelmingly rejected by members. Despite mulitple attempts to resolve the dispute, members will take the action next week read more
Solid bus strike action at First South West (12 Aug) – RMT bus driver members working for First South West took further solid strike action against low pay today (Monday August 12) at depots across Cornwall and Somerset. Speaking from a picket line at Penzance, RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said that it was the fourth day of action in the dispute which had prevented buses from operating across the region. “This union has put forward three different proposals following local consultations to prevent further strike action, but the bus company has refused to negotiate to end to the dispute. First South West’s parent company is raking in profits of £204 million while bus drivers at First South West are some of the lowest paid in the country…” read more
Scotrail and Caledonian Sleeper staff vote for strike action (8 Aug) – RMT members working on key Scottish rail services have voted for strike action following a ballot. Scotrail and Caledonian Sleeper workers were separately balloted after rejecting pay offers from both companies. Workers at Scotrail returned an 85% ‘yes’ vote for strike action on a 64% turnout. And Caledonian Sleeper members produced a 90% yes vote on a 66% turnout. The union will be speaking to both employers in order to come to a negotiated settlement read more
ASLEF
BREAKING NEWS!! London Tube drivers to strike over pay (16 Oct) – London Underground train drivers are set to strike next month in a dispute over pay, the Aslef union has announced. As well as Tube drivers, instructors, management grade staff and those in the engineering section are to take action. The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) has also announced industrial action by its members next month. Aslef said train operators and management grade staff would strike on 7 and 12 November, and those in the engineering section for 24 hours from 18:00 GMT on 1 November. Transport for London (TfL) said the action by Aslef and the RMT was “disappointing” but it remained engaged with the unions read more on BBC website
LNER strike action suspended (29 Aug) – Strike action due to take place at weekends between the end of August and mid November 2024 has been suspended. Drivers working at LNER were due to strike after a long dispute with the company which saw existing agreements broken by the employer. ASLEF members have consistently worked to negotiate with the company and explain why the breaking of agreements is unacceptable but the company continued to operate inappropriately, including paying driver managers a premium to drive trains, not recruiting enough drivers to run a full service, and trying to push drivers to work outside of agreed rostering systems. The railway is a safety critical environment and procedures are in place to ensure safe operation. ASLEF had raised safety concerns regarding driver managers ‘dual-rolling’ ie driving trains when they should have been available for on-call duties in the case of any incidents read more
TSSA
TSSA alarmed at train owner pay outs (14 Oct) – Rail and transport union TSSA has said it is “alarmed at the eye watering profiteering” by a train owning company which leases carriages to companies operating lines up and down the country. According to the Mirror newspaper Porterbrook paid out a dividend of £150 million last year, much of which went to shareholders at its parent company. At the same time accounts for Porterbrook Leasing also showed the pay packet to its boss jumped by £200,000 to just under £1.4million last year. The Labour government has so far decided not to bring rolling stock companies – known as Roscos – back into public hands read more
Pay victory for TSSA in Transport for Wales (9 Oct) – A Transport for Wales train, in white and red livery, standing at the platform in Cardiff Central station.
TSSA today (Wednesday) congratulated their members after reaching a pay deal with Transport for Wales (TfW), averting the need to ballot for strike action. The revised offer from TfW, which affects staff in clerical and management grades, includes a 5% pay rise in the first year of the deal and a commitment to match the rate of RPI in year two. It also includes a commitment to productivity talks with a view to reducing the working rate to a target 35 hours for some grades read more
TSSA Comment on County Down School bus crash (8 Oct) – TSSA today extended sympathy to the 43 passengers and driver involved in the school bus crash yesterday in County Down Northern Ireland read more
TSSA ballots for possible London Underground strike (7 Oct) – Transport and travel union TSSA is balloting members for industrial action, including a strike, across London Underground in a dispute over pay, and terms and conditions. TSSA, which represents hundreds of members working in a variety of jobs including Customer Service Assistants (advising/supporting passengers in stations), Customer Service Managers (running the station) and Service Control – is asking members to vote on strike action and action short of a strike. The ballot closes on 18th October (ballot papers were posted on Friday, 4 October). The union took the step after London Underground failed to meet the demands in the TSSA 2024 pay claim. LU has made an offer which would see most grades receive a below inflation pay offer based on February RPI inflation of 4.5 per cent. London Underground are also freezing most pay ranges – raising the possibility of long term, or indefinite, pay freezes read more
Unite
Unite leader to address striking Bakkavor workers in Spalding – Sharon Graham, general secretary of Unite will today (October 16) address workers employed by supermarket food producer Bakkavor in Spalding Lincolnshire.
When: Wednesday 16 October 12:00
Where: West Marsh Road, Spalding, Lincolnshire PE11 2BB
Over 700 members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, have been on continuous strike since the end of last month (27 September) in a dispute over pay. The workforce who earn just above the minimum wage, produce meals, soups, dips, salads, desserts, pizzas and breads for the company’s customers including Tesco, Marks and Spencer and Waitrose read more. Send messages of support to [email protected]
Unite leader calls for greater investment through changes to fiscal rules (15 Oct) read more
Crisis in Haringey housing department leads to continuous strike action (14 Oct) – Housing maintenance and repair workers at Haringey council begin strike action tomorrow over the continued crisis within the council’s housing department.
Unite’s members haven’t had a pay rise in over a decade despite a cost-of-living crisis and inflation running rampant in recent years. The lack of pay increases for productivity is estimated to have left workers over £6000 out of pocket. Following previous industrial action this year, and with no sign of the council listening or negotiating, workers have been left with little choice but to escalate their industrial action to a continuous strike from 15 October. Unite has compiled a “dodgy dossier” following years of broken promises by management to meaningfully negotiate with union members on pay, terms and conditions read more. Send messages of support to [email protected] and messages of protest to: [email protected] Haringey Council CEO and Council Leader at [email protected]
Ammanford Pullmaflex car seat workers win double digit pay rise (14 Oct) – Victory comes as Gestamp auto workers at nearby Llanelli vote in favour of strikes. Ammanford workers employed by car seat manufacturer Pullmaflex have secured an inflation busting double digit pay rise after voting for strike action. Around 200 workers, who are members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, voted to accept a two year pay deal that was offered after they balloted in favour of industrial action. For 2024, shopfloor Pullmaflex workers’ pay will go up by a total of eight per cent. Wages for workers performing shift manager, maintenance and other roles will increase by a total 4.8 per cent during the same period. In January 2025, shop floor workers’ pay will increase by a further 2.5 per cent. Their pay will increase again in April to maintain the differential between their wages and the new national legal minimum. In total, the deal for shopfloor workers is worth at least 10.5 per cent over two years as well as the differential applied above the minimum wage increase for 2025. Shift managers, maintenance workers and other roles will receive a total pay rise of 3.8 per cent for 2025, meaning their wages will increase by a total of 8.6 per cent over two years. The deal also ensures that shift premiums are calculated on a percentage point basis, further increasing the total take home pay for all the workers read more
Newham ICT workers balloted on strike action over outsourcing plans (14 Oct) – Vital workers set to down tools this autumn over “catastrophic” privatisation scheme that could put resident’s data at risk. Unite members working for Newham council’s ICT department are being balloted over potential strike action this autumn after the council announced plans to outsource the department – putting jobs at risk and endangering residents’ data. Following the release of a previously withheld report documenting the council’s plans for the ICT department, workers reacted with dismay at Newham’s shortsighted plans. The main issue with Newham ICT is the lack of resources as no recruitment has taken place since 2012 to fill vacancies. There are currently around 45 full time staff and a number of posts being covered by contractors. The current business case clearly outlines a staffing capacity of around 130 to deliver the aspirations of Newham. While councils across the country have recognised the cost of outsourcing and have begun returning ICT departments in-house, Newham will now buck this trend because it claims to be unable to attract staff because its pay and conditions are “poorer than elsewhere” read more
Guys’ and St Thomas’ nurses win late-night shift fight after strikes (14 Oct) – Guys’ and St Thomas’ day theatre nurses have won their fight against increases to late night finishes, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today. Around 100 nurses took strike action in June, July and September over extensions to their shift ending times that were impacting their physical and mental health and personal lives. Following negotiations with Unite, the trust has now agreed to significantly reduce the number of late-night finishes required of the nurses…All scheduled strike action has now been called off, however Unite will continue to consult with Guys’ and St Thomas’ over other issues related to the nurses’ working hours. As a sign of good faith, the trust has agreed to accept an extension of the nurses’ industrial action mandate until 12 March 2025 to allow negotiations to be completed read more
Strikes off at EPTA in Bradford as fridge makers secure pay increase (14 Oct) – Strikes action at EPTA in Bradford which was due to begin tomorrow (October 15), have been called off after workers accepted an improved pay deal. The 70 workers who build and maintain industrial fridges and freezers for major supermarkets chains, had announced strike action in a dispute over pay. However, following an improved pay offer of seven per cent (up from four per cent), backdated to 1st April, the strikes have been called off and the dispute ended read more
Grangemouth: Government inaction will not be tolerated, warns Unite (13 Oct) – Following fresh reports that the government remains reluctant to ensure the long-term future of the Grangemouth refinery, Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “What is happening in Grangemouth is an act of industrial vandalism. Unite will not allow Scotland’s only refinery to be mothballed with the loss of hundreds of jobs. It doesn’t matter the colour of a party’s rosette, Unite will always ferociously hold the government to account when they are wrong and putting jobs at risk read more read more
MEBSCA dispute: pickets set for Pfizer site tomorrow (13 Oct) – Employers must come to table or risk prolonging dispute. Unite members working for employers who are members of the Mechanical Engineering & Building Services Contractors’ Association (MEBSCA) are set to down tools tomorrow as they continue fighting to secure the reversal of the austerity-era cut to ‘travel time’ read more
Stagecoach drivers in the Scottish Highlands balloted on strike action (10 Oct) – Around 120 Unite members based in Inverness reject unacceptable pay offer. Unite the union can confirm that Stagecoach bus drivers across the Highlands are being balloted for strike action in a dispute over pay. Around 120 Unite members will take part in the industrial action ballot following an empathetic 94.6 per cent rejection of a pay offer made by Stagecoach Highlands which is based in Inverness. The offer amounted to four per cent from July with a further 2.5 per cent increase from January 2025. This was then followed by a three per cent pay offer running from July 2025 for one year. The ballot will open today (10 October) and closes on 24 October. If the ballot is successful then strike action could take place from early November bringing bus services around the Inverness area to a halt read more
Million pound plus legal claim for Oscar Mayer Wrexham workers launched (10 Oct) – Unite, the UK’s leading union, is launching a multi-million pound legal case on behalf of its members affected by the disgraceful decision by ready meal maker Oscar Mayer to fire and rehire them. More than 500 Oscar Mayer workers in Wrexham initially began four weeks of strikes in September over the company’s plans to fire and rehire them to reduce wages by up to £3,000 a year. The strikes were due to conclude this week, but the union has extended industrial action for a further two weeks due to the company’s refusal to enter into negotiations to resolve the dispute. The workers, many of whom speak English as a second language, are being threatened with dismissal without compensation if they refuse to agree to the detrimental terms by signing new contracts. Alarmingly, some members have been dismissed as they have not fully understood the notice period deadlines to accept the changes. In response Unite has now written to the company informing it that it is now pursuing Oscar Mayer for legal action on behalf of its members. Unite will mount a series of unfair dismissal cases (where workers have been dismissed) and protective awards cases on behalf of all its members for a failure to correctly consult with the workforce, prior to fire and rehiring them. The protective awards claim alone could be worth in excess of £3 million read more
Fire and rehire strikes: Oscar Mayer’s agency supplying illegal strike breaking labour (8 Oct) – The job&talent employment agency has been reported to the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate for advertising for temporary staff to work at Oscar Mayer’s Wrexham ready meal factory, during fire and rehire strikes. More than 500 Oscar Mayer workers in Wrexham began all out strikes in September over the company’s plans to fire and rehire them to reduce wages by up to £3,000 a year. Before the strike began, Unite warned job&talent, which is a regular supplier of temporary staff to Oscar Mayer, that it is unlawful to provide labour to replace striking workers. Despite this, job&talent sent text messages (example supplied) to previous job applicants to the factory after industrial action began saying work was available. Unite has now written to the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate, which is part of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, calling on it to investigate job&talent read more
Send messages of support to [email protected]
Send messages of protest to [email protected]
Unite secures pay victory at Cathay Pacific (8 Oct) – Cabin crew to get substantial pay deal negotiated by trade union. Over 300 cabin crew working for the airline Cathay Pacific, based at London Heathrow, have won a new pay deal after negotiations by Unite, the UK’s leading trade union. The two-year pay deal will see crew receive an eight per cent increase in salary in 2025 and a further three per cent in 2026. An additional increase in flight pay has also been secured with a 10 per cent increase in 2025 and a further three per cent in 2026… The pay agreement followed complex negotiations on behalf of the London cabin crew base by Unite and was overwhelmingly accepted by members in a ballot read more
Knowsley housing workers announce strikes over low pay (7 Oct) – Residents living in Livv Housing are braced for serious disruption to housing services from later this month as over 200 workers begin industrial action in a dispute over pay. The dispute is a result of workers experiencing many years of below inflation pay rises. As a consequence, the workers have rejected a pay increase of five per cent because this does not reverse the real terms pay cuts they had previously experienced. The two initial days of strike action have been called for Wednesday 16 October and Wednesday 23 October. An overtime ban will also be in place on both 16 October and 23 October read more
Strikes to escalate at Fareham aerospace company with new dates announced (4 Oct) – Workers at Eaton Ltd manufacturing to stage further walks out over pay. Approximately 150 highly skilled aerospace workers in Fareham, Hants, are escalating their strike action after their employer, Eaton Ltd, continued to fail to make a pay offer that would bring them in line with industry averages. Unite members at the company voted overwhelmingly for strike action at the factory which produces essential parts and products for the aerospace sector. Fitters, technicians, supervisors and other staff will strike on the following dates: 16-19 October, 21-26 October, 29 October–1 November, 4-9 November, 11-16 November read more
Doncaster First Bus cleaners join striking Sheffield colleagues in pay dispute (3 Oct) – First Bus real living wage employer but Bidvest Noonan contractors in Sheffield and Doncaster on poverty pay. Doncaster First Bus cleaning workers have joined striking Sheffield colleagues in their dispute over poverty pay. The Doncaster Bidvest Noonan workers voted overwhelmingly in a consultative ballot to join the dispute over their wealthy employer’s refusal to pay the real living wage of £12 an hour, despite First Bus contractors being obligated to do so. Cleaning and refuelling workers employed by Bidvest Noonan on behalf of First South Yorkshire at Sheffield’s Olive Grove depot began industrial action in September after being told their wages will not be increased above the legal minimum of £11.44 an hour. They are now ramping up strikes and will be joined in the coming weeks by their colleagues in Doncaster, who will soon begin a formal ballot for industrial action read more
Ealing parking free for all as traffic warden strikes intensify into November (3 Oct) – Council refusing to recognise traffic wardens’ union despite working with it to insource service. Strikes by Ealing traffic wardens will intensify from next week in a dispute over union recognition, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today. Around 40 parking services workers employed by council-owned Greener Ealing Ltd have been on strike since late August over their employer’s refusal to recognise their long-term union Unite for pay and other matters. The workers were previously employed by Serco before being transferred to Greener Ealing Ltd earlier this year. Their roles are completely different to the rest of Greener Ealing’s waste management workforce. As a distinct group, they want Unite, which has represented the workers for a decade, recognised for collective bargaining on their behalf read more
Altrad workers at Sellafield to strike over broken pay promises (2 Oct) – Unite members offered four per cent less than previously promised by employer. Vital workers operating at Sellafield are to strike this month following a string of broken promises from their employer, Altrad Services. Unite members at the site, who are responsible for access and maintenance of the Fellside site which produces steam for the wider Sellafield site next door, are taking industrial action from 10-15 October, 17-22 October and 24-29 October 2024. Workers at the site are furious that their employer, Altrad Services, has reneged on previously agreed pay deals, potentially costing workers thousands of pounds. Members were originally advised and agreed to a 11.3 per cent rise in January 2024. Prior to that during the cost of living crisis, Altrad paid an additional four per cent salary increase which staff were told was permanent. However, Altrad have only now given members a 7.3 per cent rise, rather than the agreed 11.3 per cent – the reduction being the same as the cost of living increase. This broken promise and backtracking has caused outrage among staff who have been left with little choice but to take industrial action read more
Waterford City and Co Council: Stoppage by members at Dunmore Depot deferred pending engagement with management (1 Oct) – Dispute surrounds unilateral change to work practices. Unite, which represents members working for Waterford City and County Council, today (Tuesday) said that it has deferred a 24-hour work stoppage by Unite members at Dunmore Depot in Waterford, which had been scheduled for tomorrow (Wednesday), as a gesture of good faith ahead of local engagement with management next week read more
Biomedical scientists in Yorkshire to strike over unsustainable workloads (26 Sept) – Unite members in York and Scarborough hospitals to walkout over fears about patient safety. Biomedical scientists at hospitals in York and Scarborough are to take strike action this autumn in protest over unsustainable workloads that are putting patient safety at risk. Microbiologists at York Hospital and blood scientists at Scarborough & Bridlington Hospital, both part of the York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust, have been forced to continually deal with workloads far beyond safe levels. Following a successful ballot, they will be taking strike action on 30 September, 7 October and 11 October 2024 read more
Llanelli Gestamp auto workers ballot for strike over poverty pay (19 Sept) – Industrial action would severely impact Nissan, BMW, JLR, Aston Martin and INEOS. Strikes by Llanelli Gestamp workers would severely impact the supply of critical parts to Nissan, BMW, JLR, Aston Martin and INEOS, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today. Around 200 workers on various grades are being balloted for strike action over unacceptably low pay offers by Gestamp. The Spanish-based company brought in revenues of €12.3 billion in 2023 and reported a profitability (EBITDA) of €1.4 billion. Despite Gestamp’s huge wealth, many of the workers at the Llanelli factory earn the national minimum wage and will only be taken slightly above it under the company’s current offer. Adding to the workers’ anger over poor pay is the fact that starter rates at Gestamp’s sister site in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, will rise to £13.77 in January 2025 read more
Unite comment on Welsh Government pay award for NHS staff (11 Sept) – Following the announcement that the Welsh Government has accepted the Pay Review Body’s (PRB) recommendation that pay for NHS staff should increase by 5.5 per cent for 2024/5, Unite, has issued the following statement. Unite regional officer Daryl Williams said: “Welsh NHS staff have suffered real terms pay cuts and have seen their living standards fall for over a decade. This has created huge recruitment and retention issues, which is a direct result of staff being thousands of pounds worse off in real terms. NHS workers across Wales deserve a restorative pay award and today’s announcement must be the beginning of Welsh Government honouring its 2023 commitment to pay restoration. Unite regional officer Daryl Williams said:
“Unite’s health members will have the final say on whether they believe this is an acceptable pay offer through a ballot.” Read more
Cardiff Valley Vets petition reaches 50,000 as poverty pay strikes escalate (10 Sept) – Historic strike taking on profiteering business model that harms animals and workers. The first ever strike at a private veterinary practice in the UK will escalate this week – as a petition in support of the striking workers grew to 49,503 signatures. Around 100 staff at Valley Vets in Cardiff, many of whom earn little more than the national minimum wage, have been on strike since July over poverty pay. Most support staff (80 per cent) report regularly borrowing money to make ends meet and five per cent report having to use food banks. VetPartners, owned by £138 billion private equity fund BC Partners, claims it cannot afford to give the lowest paid workers at Valley Vets the real living wage of £12 an hour. But in 2023, the company reported gross profits of £553 million. VetPartners says it is running at a loss despite its extremely healthy cash flow. This is because the company, which has more than 400 UK sites, has a policy of loading itself with debt to fund aggressive market expansion to increase its sale value. BC Partners bought VetPartners for £700 million in 2018; the company is now worth an estimated £3 billion…The workers have taken approximately six weeks of strike action since July. The next 24-hour strike will begin at 08:00 hrs on Friday 13 September read more
School staff to strike in Greenwich over job cuts and restructure, say unions (9 Sept) – Mulgrave School workers will walk out over threat to their livelihoods. Dozens of support staff at a London primary school are to strike on Wednesday (11 September) over a proposed restructure that would lead to 14 job cuts. Teaching assistants and other workers at Mulgrave School represented by Unite, GMB and Unison are walking out in response to Greenwich Council plans that involve scrapping flexible working arrangements, creating additional unpaid duties and cutting the pay of remaining workers. Staff represented by the three unions are furious at the plans and will be on the picket line to make their voices heard. The school and local authority have repeatedly failed to disclose the accounts to justify any restructuring and have called in neighbouring Hackney council to help support the restructure due to a lack of resource and expertise within Greenwich council read more
Unite will escalate ABC council dispute (5 Sept) – Bin workers based at Armagh depot suspend strikes but union members stand ready to defend reps. ABC council senior management have presided over a ‘hostile environment’ for union reps and their behaviour is ‘shameful’. Unite members employed in waste collection at the Armagh depot have voted to suspend a seven-week strike taken in response to the sacking of their union rep. Unite has vowed to continue to pursue justice for its sacked shop steward through all available avenues, including at employment tribunal where the council will have to justify its decision. The strike action will be suspended from midnight [Thursday] tonight with employees returning to work tomorrow. In a meeting notifying management of the decision to suspend, union officials demanded the council conduct an audit into its industrial practices, which they have agreed. The union has described the behaviour of senior council management at Armagh, Banbridge, Craigavon (ABC) council towards its team of workforce reps as ‘shameful’ and warned that any further aggression towards its reps or to the jobs, pay, terms and conditions of its members will be completely opposed by workers read more
Unite local government members prepare to ballot for autumn strikes as pay offer rejected (30 Aug) – Members of Unite, employed by local authorities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, have overwhelmingly rejected, the local government employers’ pay offer for 2024/5. Members, who cover many frontline roles including refuse collection workers, housing workers and care staff, returned a 85 per cent rejection of the pay offer which is worth a £1,290 flat rate, plus 2.5 per cent on allowances. This offer fails to tackle poverty pay or reverse the years of real terms pay cuts experienced by local government workers…Unite is now undertaking a full industrial action ballot for its local authority members. Balloting will begin today (30 August) and if workers vote for industrial action then strikes could begin later this autumn. Local authority workers have endured over a decade of pay freezes and below inflation pay increases which has seen their pay decline by over a quarter in real terms read more
National Education Union staff to strike over unacceptable workloads (28 Aug) – Employer unwilling to meet with staff to address concerns. Nearly 30 workers at the National Education Union (NEU) headquarters in London are to take three days of strike action due to the attitudes of their employer and its failure to address concerns over workloads. Unite members working in administrative roles at the NEU will walk out on 11 September and 2-3 October after management refused to meet with them or engage in meaningful negotiations over their concerns. Staff have repeatedly raised the alarm over workloads that are causing high levels of stress and sickness among staff. Further issues over workplace bullying and how this is addressed by the NEU’s management have been ignored. Having exhausted internal procedures and with an intransigent management, staff have been left with no option but to take to the picket line read more
Edinburgh Tram workrs back strike action over lack of toilet breaks (14 Aug) – Unite says it’s ’running out of track’ to resolve health concerns before strike action. Unite can confirm that its Edinburgh Trams membership have emphatically backed strike action in a dispute over late running times to the nation’s largest airport which is preventing workers from taking comfort breaks. Over ninety per cent of tram workers in the ballot supported strike action. Over 160 Unite members could now take strike action in a matter of weeks, if comfort breaks and wider health concerns impacting the workers are not swiftly addressed. Unite believes there is a shortfall of between 5-6 minutes in the running time from Edinburgh Airport to Newhaven. Each round trip takes on average two hours to complete. The maximum driving time before a scheduled break is five hours, and many tram workers go this length of time without hydration or toilet breaks. This is due to running late and having to make up the time read more
Glen Dimplex workers in Portadown to begin industrial action (12 Aug) – Dispute is a result of planned site closure, Unite has notified employer of work-to-rule, training and overtime ban. The workforce at Glen Dimplex will commence the first phase of industrial action including a work-to-rule from 00.01am on Friday 16 August. The industrial dispute is a result of plans by Glen Dimplex’s management to offshore work to Lithuania which will lead to redundancies and the potential closure of the site in Portadown… The work-to-rule will proceed indefinitely and will see workers refuse to undertake overtime, refuse to mentor or train new staff, and they will work to contractual terms and conditions and their job description only read more
Over 1,500 Ford white collar staff involved in nationwide industrial action (9 Aug) – Staff in Dunton, Stratford, Dagenham, Daventry and Halewood in dispute over pay and contract changes. Around 1,200 Ford office staff are joining hundreds of managers in taking industrial action over pay at sites across the country, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today (Friday). Yesterday, the office staff voted in favour of strike action and will begin action short of strike action on 22 August. Ford managers already have a strike mandate and are currently engaging in industrial action short of strikes. Both sets of workers, who are based in Dunton, Stratford, Dagenham, Daventry and Halewood, are in dispute with Ford over unacceptable pay offers and contract changes. Coordinated strike action will be scheduled if the dispute is not resolved read more
Continuous strike action announced at by Unite members at UCU (7 Aug) – Unite the union staff working for the University and College Union (UCU) have today announced they will take all out continuous strike action in an escalation of industrial action. Around 200 members will indefinitely strike from 2 September if their employer doesn’t resolve their dispute over workplace racism, repeated breaches of their collective agreements, and broken industrial relations read more
Jiffy workers escalate strike action over “pathetic” pay offer (5 Aug) – Summer of discontent at north west packaging company. Over 50 workers at the Jiffy packaging plant in Winsford, Cheshire, are escalating their strike action this month following a pay offer from their employer that Unite general secretary Sharon Graham described as “pathetic”. Workers at the Cheshire factory are striking from today (5 Aug) until 17 August. They previously walked out for two weeks in July but with Jiffy management still unwilling to come back to the negotiating table, staff have been left with little choice but to ramp up their industrial action campaign. Workers at the plant have been offered a mere 1.5 per cent pay increase despite a cost of living crisis and real rate of inflation (RPI) standing at 4.3 per cent, when the pay increase was due. Workers are therefore receiving a real-terms pay cut. Unite’s members are demanding an eight per cent pay increase backdated to the 1 April 2024. Additionally, workers are furious that they only receive eight weeks of sick pay and want to see an increase to 12 weeks alongside the reinstatement of breaks during the working day and changes to bank holiday working practices read more
Support the Sanctuary strikes – contact the Unite LE/1111 Housing Workers branch to offer support or if you are a housing worker wanting to get organised [email protected]
CWU
Capita 2023 pay deal issues resolved after ACAS intervention (14 Oct) – After involving the independent arbitration service, the CWU has finally secured full payment of the monies agreed with service provider Capita last year read more
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]
Escalation of Facilities Management dispute (15 Oct) – PCS members working for G4S and ISS are set to strike in a dispute over pay, terms and conditions. PCS members employed by outsourcing giants ISS and G4S as security officers, receptionists, cleaners, caterers and porters are set to take 14 days of strike action in an escalation of their dispute over pay, terms and conditions. G4S members voted 100% for strike action and the ISS ballot was 97% in favour. The walkouts at the Department for Business and Trade, the Department for Science Innovation and Technology, and the Cabinet Office will take place from 28 October to 10 November read more
100 days in office: where is the promised end to outsourcing? (11 Oct) – Soon reaching its 100th day in office, the government must end outsourcing in the civil service to halt the flow of profit out of the public sector into private hands. In its election manifesto, Labour made a commitment to insource facilities management services such as cleaning, catering and security within government departments and agencies, which would benefit thousands of PCS members. Yesterday (10), the government honoured its commitment to tabling a bill within 100 days of government to improve workers’ rights and reverse the Tories’ anti-union legislation. The Employment Rights Bill proposes increased protections for ‘transferring workers in outsourcing contracts’. Although we support a code of conduct which inserts minimum standards provisions on pay and terms and conditions for any outsourcing contracts, the government now needs to honour its commitment on insourcing…To show your support, use our e-action to email your MP to support the Early Day Motion calling for an end to outsourcing. Our outsourced workers have been fighting tooth-and-nail to push the new government to implement this commitment. But they have also been involved in fights for improvements to their current contracts, whose low pay and poor terms and conditions demonstrate the failures of outsourcing. In October and November, PCS members employed by G4S as security guards in jobcentres will take further strike action in their long-running dispute over pay. They received an insulting pay offer of just 32p per hour above the national living wage – an offer that members voted by 84% to reject. In Scotland, caterers and cleaners working for OCS at FCDO East Kilbride have been forced to take strike action in a dispute over pay, terms, and conditions. Today, they announced an escalation of this industrial action. PCS is also running a strike ballot until 14 October for cleaners, post room staff, porters, catering and reception staff employed by multinational ISS who work in several government departments. Like their colleagues working for G4S and OCS, these ISS members are demanding fair increases in pay and improvements to terms and conditions to end the two-tier workforce, with staff directly employed by the civil service in the buildings where they work on superior pay and terms and conditions read more
More strike action announced in ongoing OCS pay dispute (11 Oct) – The members working at the Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office in East Kilbride have announced another fifteen days’ strike action. PCS members working in cleaning and catering at Abercrombie House in East Kilbride have now taken nine days of strike action in their dispute with their employer OCS and the current period of walkouts will continue on 15, 17, 22 and 24 October. OCS are refusing to engage with PCS but we know that they are struggling to maintain cover on the days our members are taking industrial action and they are having to bring in cover from other regions. We met with the Government Property Agency last week to discuss the dispute and we continue to engage with the GPA. To keep up the pressure on the employer we have given notice of fifteen further days of strike action on 29, 30 and 31 October, 5, 6 and 7 November, 12, 13 and 14 November, 19, 20 and 21 November and 26, 27 and 28 November read more. There will be picket lines held on all dates between 7.30am and 10am at Abercrombie House, Eaglesham Rd, East Kilbride, G75 8EA. Messages of solidarity can be sent to [email protected]
Coalition of unions and climate groups give chancellor urgent letter (9 Oct) – The letter, signed by PCS, demands the government takes immediate steps to ensure jobs survive and thrive from a just transition to net zero. This morning (9) unions, including PCS, and climate groups joined forces to demand funding for a just transition in the energy sector read more
Met Police to impose new policy on hybrid working (8 Oct) – A Hybrid Working Policy is due to be imposed from January 2025 increasing the number of days staff must go into the office. On 3 October the Metropolitan Police announced a new Hybrid Working Policy will replace the existing Blended Working Framework introduced in 2021. The imposed changes increase the number of days in the office for police staff who can work partly from home. It has a negative impact on members’ health, safety and wellbeing, with particular implications for those with caring responsibilities. PCS has tried to negotiate an agreed policy, but this has not been possible. It appears the Commissioner has directed that all staff need to be in offices more, without giving any clear indication why, and despite the lack of suitable equipment and space for staff to return to…We have launched a members’ survey on these proposals and are clear that if there is support among members, we will move to ballot for industrial action. PCS hopes that through the dispute resolution process senior management will engage before it’s too late read more
Massive solidarity for OCS strikers (7 Oct) – Ahead of tomorrow’s busy picket, messages of solidarity pour in. Tomorrow (8), caterers and cleaners working for OCS at FCDO East Kilbride will build on their seven days of action with a further day’s strike. The outsourced and underpaid OCS workers rallied to busy pickets twice last week with the support and attendance on Friday (4) of Scottish TUC’s deputy president Dave Moxham. Further strike days are planned for 10, 15, 17, 22 and 24 October and the dispute will continue to escalate as bosses ignore workers. Meanwhile, the strikers’ demands for fairer pay, terms, and conditions are winning popularity and support from all corners read more
Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) publishes its best and final offer (3 Oct) – While pay talks were conducted in good faith, PCS negotiators felt the offer falls short of the PCS national pay claim and have rejected it. Details of the DE&S pay offer have now been published on the staff Intranet. The PCS Defence Sector group executive committee (DSG GEC) met on 8 July and 21 August to review the “best and final offer” and have unanimously voted to reject it read more
New strike dates announced for G4S members in jobcentres (2 Oct) – The members will walk out for more dates in October and November in their long-running dispute over pay. The PCS members, employed by G4S as security guards in jobcentres, recently voted overwhelmingly to reject the pay offer made by G4S and to take further strike action. The pay offer made was just 32p per hour above the national living wage. Members voted by 84% to reject the pay offer and by 89% for more strike action. The workers have already taken 41 days’ strike action in their dispute, resulting in jobcentres being closed and a reduced service being offered in others. The new strike dates are from 1pm on 18 October to 11:59pm on 20 October, 1pm to 11.59pm on 21 October, from 1pm on 25 October to 11:59pm on 27th, 1pm to 11:59pm on 28 October and 1pm on 1 November to 11:59pm on 3 November, 1pm to 11:59pm on 4 November, 1pm on 8 November to 11.59pm on 10 November and 1pm to 11:59pm on 11 November read more
MoJ pay offer 2024/25 (2 Oct) – PCS responds to the 2024/25 pay offer from the Ministry of Justice. Pay meetings have been scheduled for October read more
PCS members working for G4S to be balloted for strike action (23 Sept) – The ballot involves members working as security officers at various government buildings across London. PCS members working for G4S are to be balloted for strike action in an escalation to their dispute over pay, terms and conditions following receipt of a derisory pay offer that does not meet PCS’s demands. The ballot covers security officers providing services to Cabinet Office, Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office, Department for Business and Trade (DBT), and the Department for Science Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and the civil service hub in Canary Wharf. The ballot will run from 30 September to 14 October and asks members if they are prepared to take strike action over pay and a refusal to offer improvements to terms and conditions read more
Trade unions support for sacked PCS reps (13 Sept) – Sacked PCS reps at HMRC Benton View Park are receiving widespread support from the trade union movement. At this week’s TUC Congress, over 100 signatures were collected from visitors to the PCS stall for the petition calling for them to be reinstated. This included TUC general secretary, Paul Nowak who signed to show his support read more. Email your local MP to ensure they add their support to the campaign
Enforced roster changes leave Heathrow Border Force members feeling suicidal (3 Sept) – PCS members working at passport control at Heathrow Airport have reported major adverse impacts to their family life, physical and mental wellbeing as a result of enforced roster changes. Amongst over 250 responses to our survey, PCS members were unequivocal in their condemnation of the changes to the roster, with several members reporting that not only were they finding it difficult to maintain a work life balance, but that several had lost access to their children completely…Members on the picket line at Heathrow airport during the four days of strike action that finish today have been holding signs with personal testimonies, including: “I’m so tired that I’m scared I’ll make a mistake” and “The shifts are so long that I just never feel like I have a break from work.” After a solidarity visit to the picket line from Hayes and Harlington MP John McDonnell, , members are more determined than ever. Plans are in place for more parliamentary work to help bring the dispute to the attention of the new government. The members will now follow a work-to-rule and overtime ban until 22 September read more
National campaign update for members (16 Aug) – Following the publication of the civil service pay remit guidance, the national executive committee (NEC) met on 12 August to consider the way forward for our national campaign read more
Cuts to jobcentre security staffing (14 Aug) – G4S, the private contractor that provides security to jobcentres, has announced plans to cut the number of security guards. PCS has written to the DWP permanent secretary to express serious concerns about plans by G4S to cut the number of security guards across the Jobcentre network. The letter asks the DWP to stop any planned reductions and to restore the number of security guards where they have already been removed. We believe that it is scandalous that the DWP are allowing G4S to reduce security staffing at a time when there are increasing numbers of serious incidents in Jobcentres and public safety is being threatened by the rise of violent activity by the far-right. DWP have allowed G4S to undertake “risk assessments” in sites where they are proposing that numbers of guards are reduced or removed, but have failed to consult with PCS health and safety representatives as is legally required. PCS has consulted with members in Sudbury and Mildenhall in Suffolk where the security guards have been removed entirely. Members in these sites have been subjected to serious incidents in the past and feel very vulnerable as a result of the closure of local police stations, meaning that members can no longer rely on a swift intervention by the police. Following the consultation, members have indicated that they are prepared to take industrial action in support of their security guard colleagues facing redundancy and for their own safety. PCS is hoping to meet with DWP officials to discuss the situation and find a solution that avoids the need to formally ballot members facing safety concerns. However, if a satisfactory outcome cannot be achieved, we will ballot members for industrial action read more
Use the e-action to fight de-recognition of PCS at the Imperial War Museum – The e-action sends an email to the director general asking her to halt plans to derecognise PCS, and preserve workers’ voices and rights. 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. The three unions, Prospect, PCS, and FDA have a constructive and collaborative relationship and all three have appealed to management at the IWM not to derecognise PCS and FDA read more
Sign our petition for members in Hinduja Global Solutions to keep their jobs – 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
Unions have a central and indispensable role to play in Industrial Strategy (14 Oct) – The Government has published its Industrial Strategy Green Paper looking at how it can use the levers at its disposal to support industry in the next decade read more
GMB
Winter walk-out headache for British Gas over supplier strike (15 Oct) – Strike action by contractors in the energy giant’s supply chain could lead to delays, says GMB. GMB Union has announced today that workers at British Gas supplier TVS Supply Chain Solutions have voted overwhelmingly for strike action. More than 90 per cent of workers rejected the company’s pay offer and were willing to take industrial action, which comes after 10 months of talks and a three year pay-freeze for TVS staff. The company provides parts and maintenance support across British Gas home heating products, including home boilers and metering. Around 150 workers at the company’s Leicester and Coventry HQ are expected to take eight days of strike action between 18 – 21 and 25 -28 October 2024 read more
Patient transfer across Southern England set to be ‘at mercy of private sector’ (15 Oct) – Once again, the service is going to be about profiteers making a fast buck. GMB, the union for health services, is warning of the effect privatisation may have on patient transport services across Southern England. Non-Emergency Patient Transport is currently operated by South Central Ambulance Service across Sussex, Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire but has lost the contract to private contractor E-med from 1 April 2025. Staff look set to lose access to the NHS pension scheme and NHS pay awards as well as suffering significant changes to terms and conditions, including new base depots and meal break arrangements read more
All miscarriages and terminations need paid bereavement leave (11 Oct) – Miscarriages and termination for medical reasons before the 24th week of pregnancy must be result in paid parental bereavement leave, a ground breaking new charter from GMB Union says. The new Pregnancy Loss Charter stipulates employers should provide a minimum of one month’s paid leave for the pregnant person and two weeks for partners or prospective co-parents. The Charter is being rolled out during Baby Loss Awareness week this week read more
130,000 care vacancies shows ‘desperate need for Fair Pay Agreement (10 Oct) – A Skills for Care report released today [Thursday] shows the desperate need for fair pay agreements in the care sector, GMB has said. The document reveals there were more than 130,000 vacancies in care on any given day last year – while one in four (24.2 per cent) of people working in care left their jobs in 2023/24. The Employment Rights Bill, published tomorrow, is expected to include a Fair Pay Agreement for care workers, meaning more than one million care workers – and their unions – would be able to come together to negotiate for better pay, terms and conditions read more
Tetley’s workers walk out again (9 Oct) – Tetley workers will walk out again today as GMB announce 12 more strike dates. Almost 150 GMB members working at Tata Consumer Products, which makes Tetley Tea in Teesside, will down tools in anger at ‘poverty pay’. Dates of further industrial action, likely to be during the next two months, will be announced in the coming days read more
Ofwat report ‘damning’ (8 Oct) – Ofwat’s annual review of water and wastewater companies’ performance in England and Wales is ‘damning’, GMB Union has said. Ofwat’s annual review of water and wastewater companies’ performance in England and Wales is ‘damning’, GMB Union has said. The Industry regulator has ordered water companies to return £158m to customers via lower bills next year after missing key targets on issues like pollution and leaks read more
Brighton & Hove Council refuses talks on multi-million pound equal pay claims (10 Oct) – Any hope that the employer would engage with GMB union early have been dashed – now staff must make legal claims. Brighton and Hove Council has refused to talk to workers about their multi million pound equal pay claim, GMB Union has said. GMB members at the council have submitted equal pay claims on the advice of their union. The claims relate to historic underpayment of roles within the council, predominantly carried out by women. In less than a week, the deadline to submit claims – potentially worth thousands of pounds each – will expire. As part of the equal pay process GMB has not only written to the council requesting talks but also asked the Government’s independent conciliation service Acas to facilitate talks. To date the council has refused to engage with GMB or Acas read more
‘Penny-pinching’ in store could lead to strike action if management don’t take action, says GMB (7 Oct) – Members of GMB, the union for Asda, are warning management at the Trowbridge store that they are prepared to take strike action unless conditions improve. In June 2024, a majority of staff in the store submitted a grievance about poor management at the store, and inadequate staffing levels. GMB then carried out a consultative ballot, which showed that members were in favour of taking action if matters do not improve. Complaints made by members include the music being played over the PA system ‘like being stuck in the lift at an undertakers’ and more generally that morale at the store is very low read more
Asda Skelton faces strike (18 Sept) – Asda Skelton faces strike action after workers voted to walk out. More than 110 staff at the store will talk industrial action in anger at health and safety issue, a loss of working hours in the store and the wider fight for equal pay. A protest will take place outside the store tomorrow [September 19] at 11.30am. The ballot saw a total of 575 per cent of GMB members vote to walk out. Strike dates will be announced in the coming days read more
Ramadan headscarf craft workers vote to strike (23 Sept) – Staff at Lappets Manufacturing have started voting on strike action, GMB announces today (Friday). The workers, whose tasks include intricate sewing and quality control, need years of experience to meet required standards. With high pressure from bosses to meet targets, workers feel undervalued and overworked. They are urging bosses to come to the table – to discuss fairer pay and more reasonable targets read more
More than 700 gas emergency workers vote to strike (23 Sept) – More than 700 gas emergency workers have voted to strike as GMB warns of a looming crisis in the sector. Almost 750 Northern Gas Network (NGN) workers are set to walk out over workplace issues which they say pose a serious health risk to the public. Emergency gas engineers work around the clock fixing gas leaks across the north of England. But they are being forced to work such long hours fatigue is a serious issue – a clear danger when working with flammable, toxic gas leaks. Meanwhile those with covid are not given sick pay – and told to wear masks, even when working in care homes with vulnerable residents. GMB members have raised these issues with management, but their calls have fallen on deaf ears. Strike dates will be announced in the coming days – industrial action could see towns and cities across the north facing major disruption if gas leaks cannot be fixed read more
Farmfoods faces frosty future as workers down tools (19 Sept) – Workers at fast growing food retailer will take strike action on Monday. GMB Union has today announced that Farmfoods workers at a Solihull distribution centre will take part in a two-day walkout in a dispute over pay, conditions and union rights. The campaign to improve conditions has already seen work rates fall by over 15%, but workers are furious after company managers have turned down requests for union recognition and fair pay. The strike action will take place on Tuesday 24 and Wednesday 25 September, with around 100 workers expected to take part read more
Consultative ballot open for Wexham Park Radiographers (17 Sept) – Stakes rise as radiographers at Wexham Park Hospital vote to protect NHS service provision. Members of GMB, the union at NHS Frimley Health Foundation Trust, are voting in a consultative ballot in a dispute against the outsourcing of radiology services. The proposed contractor, InHealth, already provide some Diagnostic and Imaging Services to the NHS and run contracts worth over £300 million per year. The union members are employed as Radiographers, Radiology Assistants and associated support staff at Wexham Park Hospital near Slough. A grievance has previously been submitted to the Trust’s Chief Executive Lance McCarthy and Chairman Bryan Ingleby, with a formal meeting date to discuss concerns yet to be scheduled. The ballot opened on Friday and remains open until Friday 27 September and may lead to a formal industrial action ballot, pending the result read more
Leicestershire faces waste chaos as strike action looms (11 Sept) – Workers in the County’s tips are balloting for industrial action. GMB Union has today announced that workers in Leicestershire waste and recycling centres will begin balloting for strike action. The news comes after Leicestershire County Council announced plans to slash wages by as much as £1300 for workers at the sites in a bid to cut spending. Around 50 workers are expected to take part in the vote read more
Concrete makers escalate strike as fat cat bosses wine and dine (6 Sept) –Dozens of GMB members at Acheson & Glover’s (A&G) Toome are escalating industrial action. Further strike action comes after ‘fat cat’ bosses were wined and dined and a swanky awards ceremony. The workers, who make up more than 70 per cent of the workforce at the plant producing pavers and flagstones, will begin their fifth week of strike action on Monday [9 September]. The dispute arose when staff were offered a 2.5 per cent pay increase for 2024/2025, representing a real terms pay cut with RPI inflation at 3.1 per cent. The company announced pre-tax profits of £3.4m, while this week bosses wined and dined each other at a lavish awards ceremony read more
Fifteen more Birmingham schools begin equal pay strike vote (22 Aug) – Second wave of Birmingham Equal Pay school strikes could be imminent. GMB union has today announced that fifteen additional Birmingham City Council schools are set to vote on joining industrial action, following the Council’s ongoing failure to resolve the City’s equal pay crisis. The escalation comes after support staff in thirty five schools across the city downed tools and took strike action earlier this year. Council bosses are facing criticism for the lack of meaningful progress towards a resolution. This week a body of accountants and researchers have called for an independent inquiry into the Council’s issuing of two Section 114 Notices, effectively declaring itself bankrupt. Over 250 school workers will take part in the new ballot which would bring the total number of Birmingham schools facing strike action to fifty. Balloting will begin today [Thursday 22 August] with a result expected mid-September read more
London City Airport faces first ever strike after workers shun pay deal (20 Aug) – GMB Union today (Wednesday) warns that London City Airport is facing the first major stoppage in its 37-year history following a 100 per cent rejection of the employer’s pay offer in July. Workers are demanding that management at Gatwick Ground Services (GGS), must offer pay parity with counterparts working at Gatwick Airport who are paid at least 17 per cent more, and enjoy other fringe benefits that the City Airport workers are denied. Management at GGS has delayed getting back to the negotiating table, giving rise to additional frustration and anger among GMB members working at the airport read more
Bathroom workers back strike action (20 Aug) – Ideal Standard’s Rugeley factory workers have backed strike action over years of real term pay cuts. Workers have been left disappointed by a suggested pay uplift that would not correct previous below inflation pay 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 –
Support Manchester EIS Strike – Mental Health workers in Early Intervention in Psychosis will be on strike. It’s not over pay, which is not enough, but over serious concerns for the service, it’s users, & the community. Show your support. @MancStrikeNHS. Picket line: Wed 16th October, 8am -11am outside Prestwich Hospital, M25 3BL
No NHS sell-off – Colchester March & Rally 19 October 2024 10:00am–1:00pm
Colchester Hospital, Turner Road – Cleaners, caterers, porters, housekeepers and other East Suffolk and North Essex support staff are striking to stay in the NHS. They want to defend the quality of services they provide to the public as well as their own pay and conditions. Join them as they march through Colchester to say: “In house is best!” Assemble at 10am for a 10.30am march to Castle Park read more
North West migrant care workers win victory against modern slavery (15 Oct) – Salford mayor becomes the first to sign a new migrant care workers charter, created with the help of migrant workers themselves read more
Workers at Livv Housing to strike as pay and conditions row heightens (7 Oct) – HUNDREDS of workers at a housing association are set to go on strike next week as a dispute of pay and conditions intensifies read more on website of St Helens Star
Opinion: Why you should vote ‘yes’ to strike in councils and schools (23 Sept) – Mike Short, head of local government, explains the situation for council and school staff pay in England and Wales, and why UNISON is asking members to vote to strike read more
Plans by Essex trust for mass outsourcing of NHS services are out of order (18 Sept) – Staff have made it abundantly clear they want to stay within the NHS because that’s the best way to ensure patient needs are met. UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea and hundreds of striking health workers are urging the East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust to abandon its plans for a large-scale outsourcing of NHS services, the union says today (Wednesday). Cleaners, porters and housekeepers at Colchester hospital and other community sites are walking out for a twelfth day today over the trust’s plan to move their jobs out of the NHS read more
Local government strike ballot could be extended to more workers (10 Sept) – Scotland’s largest local government union is considering widening its strike ballot to more than 90,000 staff in councils and associated services over pay. The move comes after all council workers in the union overwhelmingly rejected Cosla’s latest pay offer in a consultative ballot a week ago read more
Council workers vote overwhelmingly to reject latest pay offer (3 Sept) – Council staff in Scotland belonging to UNISON have voted overwhelmingly to reject the latest pay offer from local government employers, says the union today (Tuesday) read more
Strike ballots to be issued to staff working in social care charity (6 Sept) – Hundreds of staff working for Enable, one of Scotland’s largest charitable social care providers, are to be asked if they’re prepared to strike over pay, UNISON says today (Friday). UNISON has written to the charity to say that if its workers back industrial action there could be mass walkouts by Enable Scotland’s social care staff later in the autumn. The union says this is the first strike ballot for over a decade in Scotland’s charitable social care sector and shows the deep dissatisfaction that exists over pay read more
Local government employers must improve pay offer to avoid strike threat (4 Sept) – Council and school staff strike ballot begins. More than 360,000 council and school support staff across England and Wales will begin voting today (Wednesday) on whether to take strike action over pay, says UNISON. The 2024/25 flat rate pay offer of £1,290 from local government employers falls short of what council employees need and has also been superseded by the deals achieved by some other public sector workers, says the union. This year’s pay deal was due from April, but the disappointing offer has delayed the process, UNISON says. When the union consulted workers, more than four-fifths (81%) of those who took part opted to reject the sum. Now social workers, teaching assistants, refuse collectors, caretakers, planning officers and other staff at more than 4,000 organisations will be asked if they’re prepared to strike. The six-week ballot will begin today (Wednesday) and closes on Wednesday 16 October. Meanwhile, the union is urging employers to improve their offer and is calling for central government to help fund an improved deal and look at the longer-term investment it gives to councils read more
Lancashire County Council – Social Care Support Worker Strikes (16 Aug) – The Chair of the Social Work Forum has sent a message of support to staff in social work teams across Lancashire who are taking a second round of strike action over salary grades and working cover read more
NIPSA
NIPSA Response to Proposed Health Bill (14 Oct) – NIPSA is the largest trade union in Northern Ireland representing over 46,400 members employed across the whole of the public service in organisations such as the Northern Ireland Civil Service and its Agencies, Local Government, Education and Library Boards, the Northern Ireland Housing Executive as well as a host of Non-Departmental Public Bodies (NDPBs), NIPSA also represents a significant number of members in the voluntary sector. Most relevant to the consultation NIPSA has over 10,000 members in the health and social care services and are the leading union for social work and one of the joint secretaries within its negotiating structures. NIPSA’s overall policy is to protect jobs and services for communities in Northern Ireland. There are many aspects of this proposed Bill that NIPSA view as potentially problematic, to the well-being of our members and the public. We have however chosen to respond to the main areas that impact our members in the workplace and have the potential to effect their terms and conditions of employment read more
Statement From HSC Trade Unions Northern Ireland (4 Oct) – Health Trade Unions in Northern Ireland have met with Health Minister Mike Nesbitt in our first engagement regarding pay for 2024/25. We pressed for this engagement as time is ticking on and there is still no clarity or certainty about our pay uplift for AFC staff working in health and social care in NI, an uplift that was due from April 2024. We clearly set out our frustration with the continuing time lag for health pay movement. We continue to be almost a year behind other parts of the UK NHS read more
Royal College of Nursing
NHS pay consultation in England: members vote reject (23 Sept) – Two-thirds of members who voted said the 5.5% pay award isn’t enough read more
NHS pay award in Wales: our consultation is now open (25 Sept) – Two weeks ago, the Welsh government announced a 5.5% pay award for NHS staff on Agenda for Change contracts in Wales. As an award, this will be implemented in November and backdated to April 2024 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 press for progress on pay for members in Northern Ireland (7 Oct) – The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) in Northern Ireland says it’s pressing the Government for progress on an overdue pay award for its members. Midwives and maternity support workers (MSWs) in Northern Ireland were due their pay uplift on 1 April and the RCM says its completely ‘unfair’ that its members remain in limbo. The RCM alongside colleagues from other HSC trade unions last week met with the Health Minister, Mike Nesbitt to press for immediate progress, with the RCM saying the delay is eroding staff morale, particularly as there have been announcements for members in all other parts of the UK read more
RCM urges members in Wales to have their say on pay award (23 Sept) – The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) is calling on all its members working in NHS in Wales to have their say on the 5.5% pay award announced by Wales First Minister Eluned Morgan earlier this month. The call comes as the RCM today opens a two-week consultation with midwives and maternity support workers (MSWs) in Wales. The RCM says it’s pleased the award is above inflation which meets the asks set out in its pay claim and that it’s on a par with what midwives and MSWs will receive in England read more
CSP
NHS pay across the UK (24 Sept) – As pay for 2024-25 moves forward in three of the four UK countries we look at the latest information read more
Scotland – members overwhelmingly vote to accept offer
Wales – members should look out for their opportunity to have their say
England – the majority of members feel the award is acceptable
Northern Ireland – awaiting Executive response to PRB recommendations
SOR
Northern Ireland health trade unions meet with health minister over pay (9 Oct) – With health staff in Northern Ireland still almost a year behind other parts of the UK, health trade unions pressed for clarity over uplifts read more
SoR seeks responses from members in Wales on NHS pay award (2 Oct) – The 37th NHS Pay Review Body report has resulted in an offering of 5.5 per cent to radiographers and other NHS professionals read more
Pay award consultation for Scottish SoR members open now (4 Sept) – The Society wants to hear responses from members in Scotland over the proposed 5.5 per cent pay increase read more
BMA
Addressing gradism: a call for change (15 Oct) – SAS doctors committee member Amit Kochhar outlines five steps to stamp out bias based on grade, and give the NHS the full potential of its SAS workforce read more
GPs prepare to take collective action after overwhelming ballot result (1 Aug) – GPs across England have voted overwhelmingly in favour of taking collective action. More than 8,500 GPs in England took part in the ballot and 98.3% voted in favour of taking part in one or more examples of collective action read more
NEU
NEU Cymru supply members protest – 16th October 2024 – 11am – Senedd – NEU Cymru members from across Wales will be gathering outside the Senedd from 11am to protest about the supply agency rip-off in education read more
Further Education pay recommendation 2024/25 (11 Oct) – All staff working in FE deserve better than this deeply unsatisfactory offer read more
STRB Report and Government response consultation (7 Oct) – Joint unions welcome the 5.5% pay increase for this year but this must be the first of steps to reverse pay cuts read more
Support the following NEU strikes:-
| Wirral Send Team/ Wirral (Changes to Terms & Conditions) | 22, 24 Oct | Ian Harris [email protected] |
| Glendale Middle School / Northumberland (Redundancies) | 22-24 Oct | Sean Kelly [email protected] |
Support staff pay – NEU members voted overwhelmingly (92% in England and 96% in Wales) to reject the offer. Similar consultations in NJC recognised unions led to Unison and Unite also rejecting the offer, though GMB have accepted it. NEU have already conducted an indicative ballot that indicated a willingness to take industrial action in support of the NJC claim alongside others, as well as a willingness to take industrial action on pay and funding alongside NEU teacher members. The vote and turnout strongly suggest that a formal ballot of support staff would return a legal mandate to take action in both scenarios. Therefore, we are approaching Unison and Unite to discuss co-ordinated action in pursuit of the claim. The ‘snap poll’ of state funded teachers in September may also open possibilities of co-ordinated action in schools in the next academic year. More details and the latest support staff newsletter are available here
NASUWT
Teachers strike after failure to make progress on behaviour and wellbeing (8 Oct) – On Wednesday 9th and Thursday 10th October, members of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union, at Ysgol Nantgwyn, Rhondda Cynon Taff, will take strike action after promises of change from the employer to deal with poor pupil behaviour failed to materialise read more
Northumberland teachers strike to save jobs (7 Oct) – Members of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union are continuing their campaign of strike action at three middle schools in Northumberland following the failure of Northumberland County Council to engage in meaningful consultation over plans to close the schools, which has resulted in over 100 redundancy notices being issued. The council wants to close Glendale, Tweedmouth and Berwick Middle Schools as part of a move to a primary and secondary school system. The NASUWT have tried for months to secure firm commitments from the Council and from Berwick Partnership Headteachers, to put in place real mitigations to avoid unnecessary compulsory job losses and teachers took strike action earlier this year in June. Teachers begin the first of seven days of strike action over the next three weeks beginning today (Monday 7 October). They will be on strike on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday this week and further action will take place on Tuesday 22, Wednesday 23 and Thursday 24 October. Members will be demonstrating on Berwick Bridge on Monday and Tuesday between 8am and 9.15am and National Executive Member John Hall will be available to speak to media on Tuesday 8 October on Berwick Bridge read more
Lincolnshire teachers strike for safe and healthy working conditions (30 Sept) – Members of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union at The Deepings School in Lincolnshire will take two days of strike action tomorrow (Tuesday) and Wednesday over working practices and a management culture which is driving up teachers’ workload and failing to support them to promote positive pupil behaviour. The strike action will take place despite extensive negotiations by the NASUWT with the employer, Anthem Schools Trust. NASUWT called off planned strike action last July after a series of talks on the key concerns facing members. It was agreed there would be consultation with union reps on those issues. However, on returning to school for the new academic year union members were presented with a revised policy on pupil behaviour that had not been agreed or even discussed with reps. Workload, due to staff shortages and management actions is a significant and growing problem in the school and new staff are expected to work through their lunchbreak as part of “The Anthem Way” read more
UCU
UCU responds to further education sector finance report (15 Oct) – The University and College Union (UCU) has today responded to a report from the Education Policy Institute on the financial health of the further education sector. Responding to the new report, UCU has repeated its call for fundamental change and significant investment in further education, and in particular the staff that are its backbone. As part of the union’s New Deal For FE campaign, UCU members are calling for a 10% or £3k pay rise, a return to a return to national bargaining, parity with schoolteacher pay, closure of equality pay gaps and national agreements on workload read more
UCU response to ‘disappointing’ further education pay recommendation (11 Oct) – UCU has today responded to the latest further education pay recommendation from the Association of Colleges (AoC). The further education employer body is recommending a pay offer of 2.5% or £750, whichever is greater. As part of the union’s New Deal For FE campaign, UCU members are calling for a 10% or £3k pay rise along with: parity with schoolteacher pay, a minimum starting salary of £30,000, closure of equality pay gaps, national agreements on workload, a return to national bargaining read more
New strike date at five North East colleges (25 Sept) – The University and College Union (UCU) has today announced a further strike date at five colleges in Cleveland, Redcar and Stockton-on-Tees. UCU members at Bede Sixth Form College, NETA Training Group, Stockton Riverside College, The Skills Academy, and Redcar and Cleveland College will down tools on Thursday 10 October as part of a long running dispute over pay read more
UCU calls on Open University to withdraw fire and rehire threat (20 Sept) – UCU today called on the Open University (OU) to scrap its plans to fire and rehire staff. The OU first began consulting on fire and rehire plans in 2023 and expects to cut up to 26 tutor jobs by January 2025, if the tutors refuse to have their working hours and pay reduced. If tutors are fired and rehired, they would have the reduction of hours and pay imposed, without compensation read more
University of Hull carbon neutral campus plans go ‘up in smoke’ as strike ballot opens (30 Aug) – A strike ballot will open on Monday 2 September at the University of Hull over plans to sack up to 127 staff. The latest round of cuts comes after the closure of a voluntary severance scheme in May (2024) that led to 107 employees already leaving the university read more
Joint statement on this week’s New JNCHES dispute resolution meetings (23 Aug) – UCEA and the five trade unions (EIS, GMB, UCU, UNISON and Unite) met in two dispute resolution meetings on Monday 19 August and Thursday 22 August 2024 read more
Staff at Sheffield Hallam University set to strike (9 Aug) – Staff at Sheffield Hallam University will take four days of industrial action in September in defence of jobs and employment conditions, the UCU has announced today. Members of UCU at the university will strike from Monday 23 September until Thursday 26 September following a ballot that saw 87% of those voting agreeing to take action read more
UCU fighting fund: the link is here and donations to the fund are spent on supporting members involved in important disputes.
FBU
FBU calls for end to “embarassment and disruption” in West Midlands fire service (15 Oct) – The FBU has raised concerns over recent events in West Midlands fire and rescue service, which have seen both the Chair of the Fire Authority and the fire service’s Chief resign read more
“Rebuild our fire service” – a thousand firefighters rally to demand action from government (8 Oct) – Around a thousand firefighters have rallied today in central London to demand that the new government take urgent measures to rebuild the fire and rescue service. The rally, organised by the Fire Brigades Union, drew attendance from firefighters and fire control staff across the UK. Speakers included Matt Wrack, FBU general secretary, rank and file firefighters, MPs, and international speakers representing firefighters in Greece and Italy. During 14 years of Conservative rule, the fire service lost 1 in 5 firefighter jobs, and 30% of its central government funding. Response times rose steadily to their worst ever level. Decades of fragmentation have also created a postcode lottery on fire cover, with no national standards covering issues such as crewing, response times, equipment, training, and so on. Labour promised in its manifesto to re-introduce national standards in the fire and rescue service, and to repeal the latest anti-union laws read more
POA
National Chair Update September 2024 read more
Membership actions in the campaign to repeal Section 127 of the Criminal Justice Public Order Act 1994 (11 Oct) – Our campaign to repeal Section 127 of the Criminal Justice Public Order Act 1994 was launched at the TUC with a motion which was unanimously approved by all trade unions who were present. The POA also had a stand where documentation was given out explaining our position. Copies of that document can be found on the POA website. I would ask all POA members to familiarise themselves with that document. A short film was produced at the TUC and indeed at the Labour Party Conference where the POA also had a stand where many members of Parliament attended and spoke to National Officials about our campaign including the Prisons Minister James Timpson. If you haven’t already viewed the two short films, they are available on the POA website and I would urge all POA members to view the short films. The NEC will be holding a parliamentary briefing for all MPs and Lords and invitations have been sent out, so we are hoping for a large turnout, but we also need your help read more
Launch of POA Briefing – “the right to strike” – Please find attached a letter from the Prime Minister and my response, together with a copy of “The Right to Strike” Briefing here
Prison officers demand the right to strike – POA publish briefing paper for TUC and Labour Conferences 2024 – Read the POAs briefing paper for TUC and Labour conferences 2024 here
Retired but still owed a refund (10 Oct) – If you still pay tax, even if it’s just on your pension, there’s a fairly high chance you may have paid too much. More than one in three taxpayers have paid more tax than they needed to after being given the wrong tax code by HMRC. For serving and retired POA members, the figures are even higher, with more than one in two members finding they had paid too much tax in the previous four years read more
NAPO
Government agree to re-open pay talks (2 Aug) – Napo’s Probation Negotiating Committee met yesterday to consider a pay offer that had received the personal endorsement of the new Lord Chancellor Shabana Mahmood. While the PNC noted that the offer does not wholly satisfy the terms of Napo’s current trade dispute on pay and workloads, it follows the joint unions’ campaign to re-open the three year pay award to give probation staff more pay now. The unions submitted a claim to get more pay back in 2023, which HMPPS rejected in April this year. But following votes in the UNISON and Napo consultative ballots of members which showed strong support for consideration of industrial action, the change of government, the escalating prison overcrowding crisis and the embarrassment of probation pay falling further and further behind prison pay, HMPPS finally agreed to re-open the award and offer more money in this final year of the Multi Year Pay Deal MYPD to our members. Of course, It would have been better if the employer had done this much earlier, but their hands were tied by the previous Conservative government. The HMPPS offer would not have happened without the unions’ campaign to re-open the pay talks over the last year and a half read more
BFAWU
Support the campaign to unionise Samworth Brothers – get organised, sign the petition read more
Nautilus International
Mounting pressure on government to resolve RFA pay dispute (23 Sept) – Members of Nautilus International working for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary stepped up their dispute with employers on Sunday 22 September with a rally outside the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool. The protest was part of the ongoing dispute between RFA officers and the Ministry of Defence (MoD), which oversees the service. Nautilus members are demanding the government end years of stagnating wages, and cuts to vital services leaving many feeling overworked, underpaid and undervalued read more
NUJ
New raft of cuts at the BBC an assault on journalism, says NUJ (15 Oct) – The NUJ has warned of long-term harm to the BBC without urgent investment, following its announcement of new cuts to news and current affairs programming read more
“Victory for press freedom” as government introduces spying safeguards (14 Oct) – Following a legal challenge by Liberty supported by the NUJ, state spying bodies will no longer be able to easily access journalists’ communications. From today, Monday 14 October 2024, bodies such as MI5 and MI6 must get independent authorisation from the Investigatory Powers Commissioner before searching for or holding onto confidential journalistic material they obtain through ‘bulk’ interception of data and hacking people’s devices read more
National Union of Journalists stands in solidarity over journalists killed in Gaza (10 Oct) – Appeal for support for those working in “horrific circumstances”. Today, October 10th, the National Union of Journalists stands with sister unions across the globe in solidarity with journalists killed in the horrific war in Gaza. In doing so we again appeal to our members to offer practical support and solidarity through the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) Safety Fund, which has played a vital role in assistance journalists in Gaza. In demanding an end to Israel’s attack on journalists in Gaza we remember all media workers killed and injured in the line of duty over the past year. A total of 138 journalists in Palestine, Lebanon, Israel and Syria have been killed since Hamas’ deadly and appalling attack on Israeli citizens on 7 October read more
NUJ condemns RELX for its union-busting decision to derecognise the union at LexisNexis and LexisNexis Risk Solutions (4 Oct) – The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) has today received notification from LexisNexis and LexisNexis Risk Solutions (formerly RBI) of its intention to terminate long-standing recognition agreements with the union. The NUJ strongly condemns the decision, urging a reversal of the ill-judged attempt to remove collective bargaining rights from journalists and editorial workers read more
Equity
Equity wins democratic vote on Bristol studios sale (15 Oct) – Plans for sale of Bottle Yard Studios will be brought back to Bristol Council following campaign by Equity read more
WNO chorus strike remains paused following constructive discussions with new interim management (7 Oct) – Equity members in the chorus of the Welsh National Opera vote to continue to pause strike action, meaning they will not go on strike on Friday 11 October read more
Musicians’’ Union
Welsh National Opera Orchestra Take Industrial Action Over Proposed Pay Cuts (24 Sept) – Musicians in the Welsh National Opera orchestra took Action Short of Strike on Saturday 21 September read more
Community
Community blasts HelloFresh’s mass dismissal of workers (10 Oct) – Community has blasted HelloFresh’s disgraceful decision to immediately dismiss 79 workers at their Nuneaton warehouse read more
USDAW
Parliament hears a call for the return of the Union Learning Fund – Usdaw welcomes the intervention (10 Oct) – Retail trade union Usdaw has welcomed a Westminster Hall debate on Skills England, initiated by Labour MP Antonia Bance. The newly elected MP and former TUC head of communications took the opportunity to put forward a range of proposals to reform Skills England and made the case for the return of the Union Learning Fund read more
Tesco distribution workers at eight sites reject a less than 5% pay offer – Usdaw consults members on industrial action (28 Aug) – Retail distribution trade union Usdaw has launched a consultation ballot, asking Tesco workers at eight sites across Great Britain if they are prepared to take a dispute over pay to industrial action. Members at all eight sites overwhelmingly rejected Tesco’s pay offer of between 2% plus £500 and 4.4%, depending on contract, along with some additional enhancements. The eight sites affected are: Hinckley, Magor, Southampton, Daventry Clothing, Goole, Lichfield, Livingston and Peterborough. The consultative ballot will run from 9 to 24 September 2024 read more
UVW
Security guards at the Natural History and Science museums vote overwhelmingly to strike! (9 Oct) – “We’re going through all this pain but we don’t show it. Yet the Museum looks at us as second-class citizens; directly employed staff get frequent breaks but we don’t. We do our best for the millions of people that come through the doors and all the high-profile events with politicians, billionaires, celebrities, and royalty that we look after” – Sempijja Juma, Science Museum security guard and UVW member. Outsourced security guards at the Natural History and Science museums, who are members of United Voices of the World (UVW) union, have overwhelmingly voted to strike with 96% in favour out of a 95% turnout, in a fight for better pay and conditions. They will walk out on the weekend of the 25 – 27 of October read more
Department for Education facilities workers declare victory in long running dispute (8 Oct) – “We extend our thanks to all those who contributed, whether through donations to the strike fund, raising awareness, or showing up in large numbers to offer support, which helped us avoid financial loss during our strike days. UVW has given us a voice and shown us that we don’t have to suffer in silence. Becoming a member of this union has truly transformed our lives, and we urge everyone in the catering industry and beyond to join us now!” – April Kayes, DfE caterer and UVW member. Outsourced facilities workers at the Department for Education (DfE)’s Sanctuary Buildings, who are members of United Voices of the World (UVW) union, have declared victory in a lengthy dispute that began in summer 2023 when predominantly migrant women cleaners decided they were sick of being treated like second class workers. The workers have won a pay rise, one off bonus of up to £2,500 per worker, full sick pay and more holiday after several rounds of strike action and two months of negotiations. The DfE facilities workers are employed by ISS UK Limited (ISS) and include cleaners, caterers, reprographic and post room workers read more
“Covid-19 was catastrophic for care workers” – Migrant Health Workers To Speak At Covid-19 Inquiry (8 Oct) – “It’s important that this inquiry leads to a revaluation of caregivers’ work; that it’s seen as just as important as that of doctors or nurses or others who were on the front lines during the pandemic(…) Our value was zero in the eyes of others because care workers are among the least heard in society. Nurses, doctors… They have a voice. And yet, we are the most important people to those we care for” – Julia Veros Gonzalez, care worker and UVW member read more
IWGB
Find out more about the couriers’ strikes on the X/twitter of the IWGB Couriers’ branch @IWGB_CLB
Mandate (Ireland)
SIPTU (Ireland)
SIPTU escalate campaign in opposition to the HSE’s Pay and Numbers Strategy (9 Oct) – SIPTU will today escalate the campaign in opposition to the HSE’s Pay and Number Strategy with further protests this week, highlighting member concerns that the policy will have a detrimental impact on services read more
SIPTU members in Becton Dickinson in Drogheda commence industrial action today (25 Sept) – SIPTU members employed in the Becton Dickinson manufacturing plant in Drogheda, County Louth, commenced a ‘work-to-rule’ industrial action today due to the failure of management to meaningfully engage with their Union concerning the threatened closure of the facility read more
Citizens Information Service staff vote in favour of strike action (23 Sept) – SIPTU members employed in the Citizens Information Service have voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action in a dispute over pay in a ballot counted this morning in Liberty Hall, Dublin read more
Other news
Affiliate with STAMMA – at this year’s NSSN Conference, Gary Clark retired CWU Royal Mail rep and a member of the NSSN Steering Committee spoke about 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
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
Make Equality Real – campaign call 23 October – We are a coalition of 14 national trade unions, community & campaign groups.We believe that social economic duty should be written into the Equality Act 2010 as part of a campaign to end austerity and make equality real. Ensuring that everyone in Britain can live secure and fulfilling lives. Find below our campaign petition, pledge for local councillors and materials to use in your workplace and beyond. Support the campaign to end austerity and make equality real read more
SOS NHS National Conference at 10am on 2 November 2024 at Hamilton House, 13 Mabledon Place, WC1H 9BD. Doors open at 9.30am on the day read more
From Strike Map – Our final instalment of the ‘Industrial Unionism’ series with Manifesto Press is here. Building on this success of our other pamphlets- which has sold over 2,000 copies, our next pamphlet in our series is the infamous ‘A Manual of Industrial Unionism’ by William Z Foster. Click the button here to pre-order your copy for you and your organisation
NEW Play: Cramlington Train Wreckers – Following the national success of Wor Bella (about WW1 women footballers), Tyneside-based playwright Ed Waugh will present his new work in November, which is about the Cramlington Train Wreckers. Ed, who has the distinction for a local writer of having had a record five plays produced at Newcastle’s prestigious Theatre Royal, writes about forgotten working class stories and his latest play is set during 1926 General Strike when striking miners uncoupled a rail on the mainline Edinburgh to London railway. As we rapidly approach the centenary of Britain’s only General Strike, the most notorious incident of that societal unrest in May 1926 happened when miners inadvertently derailed the Flying Scotsman on the mainline Edinburgh to London railway at Cramlington in Northumberland. The Cramlington Train Wreckers, which is supported by Arts Council England, will tour the North East in November. For further details visit www.cramlingtontrainwreckers.co.uk
filmpro with ten public sharing launch party – The launch party for the filmpro with ten public sharing, celebrating our 10 disabled campaigners turned artists – Monday, 11 November 276 Oak Square London SW9 9AW more details
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. This has now escalated and widened.
See Stop the War website for info on protests. The next national demo in Central London is Saturday 2nd November 12noon details
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)
Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC): Trade Unions Building Solidarity with Palestine – A conference for trade unionists to escalate their solidarity actions with the Palestinian people, against genocide and apartheid
Date: Saturday 19th October, 10am – 4.30pm in Hamilton House, Mabledon Place, WC1H 9BB London
Fight blacklisting and victimisation of union reps
1. Arthur Murray R.I.P.
Blacklisted workers are sad to hear the news of the death of Arthur Murray, one of the jailed Shrewsbury Pickets who fought for 5 decades to overturn a notorious working class miscarriage of justice. In 2021, the Blacklist Support Group and the Construction Rank & File presented Arthur with a ‘working class hero’ award (see photos). The TUC remembered Arthur at their Congress in Brighton last week. BSG send condolences to Arthur’s family, friends and comrades.
https://www.pilc.org.uk/blog/rest-in-power-arthur-murray
2. Blacklisted Construction Workers Retraining Fund
The Blacklisting High Court litigation resulted in the major contractors placing £230,000 in a fund to be used by litigants for retraining. Since the fund was relaunched last year, tens of thousands of pounds have been paid out to blacklisted workers to cover the cost of upgrading their qualifications and professional development training. The fund will cover new training courses in construction or in any other sector, and will cover the costs of any training costs paid by blacklisted workers themselves since 2016. BSG encourage all blacklisted workers who were part of the High Court litigation to apply for the funds – its your money!
3. Collusion investigation update
BSG have received multiple enquiries regarding the independent investigation into union collusion in blacklisting. We are not at liberty to provide detailed detailed updates, but we are able to say that the lawyers have made progress in taking evidence.
4. Spycops public inquiry update
This week there was a protest at the Home Office by activists spied on by undercover political police, calling on the new Labour government to rescind the former Conservative instruction for the inquiry to be closed down by 2026. Campaigners argue that this truncated timetable will mean the more recent examples of human rights abuse by spycops will be glossed over, and those spied on will be denied the opportunity to challenge the police narrative, let alone justice.
The public inquiry resumes taking oral evidence again on 7th October.
Support COPS – the Campaign Opposing Police Surveillance. There will be a demo outside the Undercover Policing Inquiry on the 21st Oct, 9am International Dispute Resolution Centre, Juxon House, EC4M 7BQ
Keep the faith
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
Nigeria: Support the campaign to demand the release of Adaramoye Michael (Lenin), Babatunde Oluajo(Sankara), Mosiu Sodiq and 1 other person abducted by the state. They are not criminals! They were leaders of the #Endbadgovernance protests in Abuja. You can make donations through the link below to support the campaign for their release.
Model motion – https://linktr.ee/nigeriansolidarityuk
Turkey: Fernas mining workers marched to Parliament against slave-like conditions (4 Oct) read more on website of SPOT – Solidarity with the People of Turkey
Diary
2024
October
November
29 from Strike Map: London book launch & social: A Manual of Industrial Unionism
Join the exciting launch of our reprint of A Manual of Industrial Unionism by William Z Foster 6.30pm on 29 Nov at Marx Memorial Library more details
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
