We headline this week’s bulletin with a call out to all our supporters and affiliates to join the People’s Assembly demonstration in Central London this Saturday. It is the first national demo against the cuts and austerity of the Labour Government. This anti-worker programme is shown by the disgraceful attack on the Birmingham binworkers by the Labour council in the city, and backed by Starmer. The whole union movement must support the binworkers and their union Unite.
The NSSN calls on all the unions to come together to co-ordinate demonstrations and strike action to force back Labour’s offensive. The first U-turns by Starmer shows what is possible if the unions give a lead. The strike wave of the last few years has shown the power of the organised working-class.
And the victory of the Livv Housing workers on Merseyside should be an inspiration to all workers that we can win!
Peoples Assembly demonstration: Austerity is a political choice, welfare not warfare, stop the far-right, stop the cuts – Saturday 7th June 12noon Portland Place W1B
LIVV Housing strike victory
NSSN sends solidarity and congratulations to workers and their unions Unison and Unite at LIVV Housing in Knowsley on Merseyside after they won an impressive victory. These workers had been taking action since last October.
Unite: Long-running Knowsley Livv Housing strikes end with ‘fantastic’ pay victory
Support the Unite Birmingham Bin Strike – The NSSN will continue to give full solidarity to Unite and the striking binworkers and will keep mobilising support for the strike and for any action called to back the workers.
Birmingham council finally presents ‘watered-down’ bin dispute proposal (31 May) – Further negotiations necessary after ballpark offer at ACAS is ‘watered-down’ by government commissioners and council leader who have never been in negotiation room. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “It is important to remind people what the dispute is about: Bin workers in Birmingham waking up one morning and being told their pay would be cut by up to £8,000. For some up to a quarter of their pay. Putting their mortgages, rents and livelihoods at risk. The government and the leader of the council have been attacking these workers for weeks for defending themselves and their families by striking, whilst briefing the public that these workers should accept an offer on the table that never existed. After weeks and weeks of saying one thing in public and another to workers, the government commissioners finally allow a proposal to be put on the table. The proposal is not in line with the ballpark offer discussed at conciliation (ACAS) and has clearly been watered-down by the government commissioners and the leader of the council, who were not in the negotiating room. Numerous deadlines were missed. In fact, what was to be tabled 48 hours after the ACAS talks, arrived as a much watered-down proposal, yesterday evening, three weeks later. Unite will be consulting with our reps over the weekend and will give a detailed response to this watered-down proposal, in advance of a reconvened ACAS meeting. The actual decision makers now need to be in the room at the further ACAS talks. The treatment of these workers has been an absolute disgrace and this Labour council and Labour government should hang their heads in shame. It is little wonder many workers in Britain are turning away from Labour when they allow workers to be treated like this” read more
- Sign petition to support binworkers
- Send a message of support to Unite and the binworkers
- Donate to the strike fund – Unite WM/7186 Branch, account: 20308397, sort code: 608301. Title donation: BCC Strike Donation
- Send a postcard to tell Birmingham Council’s leader to ‘Stop attacking your workers’ at https://supportbinworkers.unitetheunion.postbug.app/
Twenty-five unions sign open letter calling on government and Birmingham Council to end bin strike read more in Morning Star
Its time for change: fair funding for local government – Unite launch for campaign to demand fair funding for local government ‘It’s time to take a stand for fair pay, fair funding and to say no to cuts’ – 1pm Monday, 16 June 2025 at 1pm at College Green, Westminster (opposite Parliament)
NSSN Annual Conference 2025 – Make the rich pay not workers!
11am-4.30pm Saturday 5th July in Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL. Attendance fee – £10 Facebook event
Confirmed speakers so far – Steve Gillan POA General Secretary, Steve Wright FBU General Secretary, Annoesjka Valent NAPO National Official, Ed Harlow NEU Vice-President, Fiona Brittle PCS NEC (personal capacity), Unite Birmingham Bin Striker
This year’s NSSN Conference will be on the theme ‘Make the rich pay not workers!’ This is when the Starmer New Labour government is looking to slash budgets at the same time as councils make cuts, the NHS is under massive pressure and higher education is in crisis. This is alongside recessionary signs in the private sector, with threats to jobs while the cost of living squeeze remains.
A major part of our conference and our activity will be about the need for the trade union movement to organise against Starmer and Reeves’s austerity and the bosses’ offensive. Our conference will also demand the immediate repeal of the Tory anti-union laws, including the undemocratic voting thresholds, promised by Starmer but still in force despite his government being elected with a 160 seat plus majority last July. It will also be a platform for union reps and members from the growing number of disputes to speak about their action. We will continue to support workers’ struggles and publicise them in this, our weekly NSSN bulletin.
Model motion and letter for union branches & trades councils to get support for NSSN conference
Fight the disability welfare cuts
NSSN activists include many disabled members and strongly encourages working with DPAC to organise against the welfare cuts. There are protests coming up targeting MPs who are openly for the cuts including DWP minister (31st May) after organising excellent protests in Swansea, Cardiff + AND the sham, not so public consultations. Go to the DPAC website and Facebook page for more information
Disabled union members have also drafted this Quiz as a tool for use in, before or after meetings and workplace actions to highlight the scale and depth of those round of cuts. They have requested we share this online version to test and further feedback how and where you could use it. Using Google forms
https://forms.gle/m8GWU9eyyFaEQRDe6
Feedback in the final 3 questions of the quiz or reply to this bulletin with subject header ‘Dis cutz’.
We can also arrange for the quiz replies and sources to be shared for those leading any workshop or meetings.
Solidarity and thanks
NSSN News
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Union News
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RMT
CrossCountry workers to begin overtime ban in rest day working dispute (23 May) – RMT members at CrossCountry will begin an overtime ban and refuse to work rest days from Monday 9 June to Friday 25 October – excluding Sundays. The action follows Cross Country’s refusal to negotiate on enhancements for all grades to overtime and rest day working, despite previously agreed commitments read more
RMT strike action to hit Nottingham bus services in pay dispute (23 May) – Bus workers employed by CT4N in Nottingham will take strike action across four days in June and July in a dispute over pay and working conditions. Strike action will take place on the following days:
• Thursday 12 June 2025
• Wednesday 18 June 2025
• Wednesday 25 June 2025
• Wednesday 2 July 2025
Bus workers operate critical services across Nottingham, including the Medilink routes serving NHS hospitals and clinics. Despite the vital role they play in the city’s transport system, CT4N staff remain underpaid and undervalued read more
Balfour Beatty Rail Plant strike ballot to open (19 May) – Rail union RMT, will open a ballot for industrial action on Tuesday, after Balfour Beatty refused to improve its derisory 2.5% pay offer. RMT members working rail infrastructure maintenance, operations and engineering and technical support, have already overwhelmingly rejected this offer, which does nothing to address the rising cost of living. Despite further talks, the company has refused to make a meaningful improvement in their approach. The ballot will close on Tuesday 10th June 2025 and the union is urging members to vote “Yes.” Read more
ASLEF
ASLEF: Drivers at Hull Trains take strike action (17 Apr) – Mick Whelan, general secretary of ASLEF, the train drivers’ union, and Dave Calfe, president of ASLEF’s executive committee, will join Nigel Roebuck, ASLEF’s full-time organiser in the north-east of England, and lead officer with Hull Trains, on the picket line at the front of the railway station in Hull tomorrow [Friday]. ASLEF members at Hull Trains are taking industrial action in defence of a driver who has been unfairly sacked and has done nothing wrong read more
TSSA
TSSA backs government over protecting bus routes (3 June) – Transport and travel union TSSA has backed plans by the Labour government to protect bus routes across the country, with the union describing the measures as “essential” for communities and the economy. The government’s Bus Services Bill, which passed its second reading stage in the House of Commons yesterday (2nd June), gives councils power to run their own bus services and promises to ‘end the plight [sic] of bus routes being scrapped at short notice.’ Read more
TSSA Urges Westminster to Rethink Oxford-Cambridge Line Funding Classification (2 June) – Rail union TSSA has called on the UK government to urgently reconsider its classification of the new Oxford to Cambridge rail line as an “England and Wales” project – a move that would deny Wales vital transport funding, despite the line offering no direct benefit to the country. The multi-billion-pound “East West Rail” project, linking Oxford, Milton Keynes, Bedford and Cambridge, will not extend into Wales. However, the UK government has confirmed that the scheme falls under the England and Wales funding envelope within the Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline (RNEP), meaning it could impact the allocation of transport infrastructure funding for Wales under the Barnett Formula read more
TSSA signs collective bargaining agreement for Operational Managers (30 May) – Last week, Alan Valentine, Organiser with lead responsibilities for TransPennine Express (TPE) attended the inaugural meeting of the Operational Management Council along with your newly elected representatives read more
TRU Customer Delivery Collective Bargaining agreement with TSSA (30 June) – On the 20th of May, Alan Valentine, TSSA Organiser with lead responsibility for TransPennine Express (TPE), met with representatives of TPE to celebrate the newly agreed TRU Customer Delivery (TCD) Council Collective Bargaining Agreement read more
TSSA statement on fare dodging on the Transport for London network (29 May) – The Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association has consistently called for properly trained and fully resourced personnel, both British Transport Police and London Underground revenue control teams, to deal with fare evasion in a way that is effective, lawful and safe. The recent actions of a Conservative MP, who chose to take matters into his own hands on public transport, starkly illustrate the real risks of individuals engaging in vigilante style behaviour. This incident was not only inappropriate but also potentially dangerous for passengers, staff and the individual involved. Fare evasion is a serious issue, but it must be tackled with professional, trained enforcement, not MPs trying to score points or social media clout on their daily commute read more
Unite
BREAKING NEWS!! Victory for Gatwick workers as pensions problem is solved (4 June) – Industrial action by Unite members at Gatwick Airport has been called off after their employer Red Handling committed to fixing problems with workers not receiving pension payments. Over 100 Unite members at the firm had gone on strike last month due to long-standing issues with pensions, including having contributions not paid and plans not set up. Unite has since received proof of payment of pension contributions from Red Handling to pension provider Royal London, while Red Handling will hold individual workshops for every employee to look at their contributions to ensure accuracy. Unite will also fully support any member who has outstanding pension issues to ensure these are put right. Red Handling has also agreed to cover the loss of interest on any contributions that were not paid and there will be an independent audit to ensure the situation does not happen again…Red Handling members, who work in areas such as baggage handling, check-in and flight dispatching, had also complained of being overworked and not having proper breaks between shifts but have now voted on new working terms, which include receiving overtime pay and having guarantees around time off read more
Unite to ballot NHS members over “substandard” pay award (4 June) – Union urges members in England and Wales to reject real-terms pay cut. Workers also balloted for industrial action. Unite, one of Britain’s biggest health unions, has begun balloting its NHS members over the recent below-inflation pay award from the government. The union, which represents staff working across the NHS in almost every professional group has urged members to reject the insultingly low 3.6 per cent award. It is also balloting members on whether they would be prepared to take strike action. The pay award is below the rate of inflation, with RPI sitting 4.5 per cent in April. The increase is less than doctors and dentists, who have been awarded four per cent along with an additional £750 increase. The increase is also lower than Scotland NHS pay award where workers were awarded 4.25 per cent for 2025/26 and 3.75 per cent for 2026/27 with a guarantee this is 1 per cent above the Consumer Price Index (CPI)… The ballot for Welsh NHS staff opens on 9th June and the ballot for English NHS workers on 16th June. The ballots will be open for three and four weeks respectively. Should staff reject the award and vote for industrial action, Unite will announce dates and locations in due course read more
Job loss threat for hundreds of skilled contractors at Grangemouth and Mossmorran (4 June) – Unite the union has today (4 June) said the oil and gas industry in Scotland is being hit by an ‘avalanche’ of job losses as hundreds of Grangemouth and Mossmorran based contractors face unemployment in the coming weeks. The trade union highlighted that over 140 jobs with the contractor Altrad who provided operational support to the Petroineos oil refinery in Grangemouth face losing their job at the end of June read more
Unite members at Cambridge University Hospitals to protest against huge job cuts (3 June) – What: The Unite Cambridge Medical branch demonstrating against job cuts; When: Wednesday 4 June between 12.30 and 13.30; Where: The roundabout in Hills Road, close to the main entrance of Addenbrooke’s Hospital, CB2 0QQ. Unite members at Cambridge University Hospitals will demonstrate against job cuts in the region this Wednesday (4 June). There are over 500 jobs at risk, mainly at Addenbrooke’s Hospital which is the largest in the area. Roles up for redundancy include those working in ‘support functions’ such as porters, estate workers such as maintenance staff, plumbers and engineers and those in administrative and clerical roles. The cuts come after a mandate from NHS England earlier this year, which said that spending on support functions in NHS trusts must return to April 2022 levels read more
Long-running Knowsley Livv Housing strikes end with ‘fantastic’ pay victory (3 June) – Long-running strike action by maintenance workers at Livv Housing in Knowsley has ended after Unite secured a pay deal for 2024/25 worth between eight and 8.5 per cent. The workers, who have been striking since October, voted to accept an immediate pay rise of 7.7 per cent plus a £175 non-consolidated payment. Under the deal, matched pension contributions will increase from six per cent to 10 per cent and a pension salary sacrifice scheme will be implemented to help members benefit from tax savings. Staff will also receive a further three days of annual leave a year read more
Glasgow subway workers to strike over working conditions (3 June) – Unite says SPT ‘running on empty’ due to underpaid and overstretched system. Unite has confirmed that its Glasgow subway members have emphatically voted for strike action in a dispute over working conditions. Unite members voted by 97.5 per cent for strike action with over 100 Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) workers set to take part in a series of 24-hour stoppages this summer. The strike action is scheduled to take place on 21, 25, 27 and 28 June. The disruption will mean the subway system will be closed on the Punk All Dayer festival featuring the Sex Pistols along with the Sting, Simple Minds and the Stereophonics gigs being held as part of the summer sessions at Bellahouston Park. A continuous overtime ban will also be in place from 13 June read more
Oxfam workers to protest against job cuts (2 June) – Unite members at Oxfam will protest tomorrow (3 June) outside their London, Manchester and Oxford offices against redundancy and outsourcing plans by the charity. The outsourcing targets workers in the charity’s publishing team – which manages the production of globally respected research and reports – and its training team, who develop staff skills. Oxfam is planning to replace secure jobs with casual work. Staff are being made redundant, but the organisation is proposing their work will then be done by outside agencies or casual staff, without a business case being made for this to workers read more
Union launches drive for school support staff to secure permanent jobs (2 June) – Action follows commitment from Northern Ireland education minister Paul Givan that he will ask education authority to process requests for permanent contracts “as quickly as possible”. Unite is encouraging all its school support workers working on a temporary engagement forms for more than four years to formally request a permanent employment contract. Unite’s drive follows receipt of communication from education minister Paul Givan in which he said he would “ask the EA to ensure such requests are processed as quickly as possible”. The commitment follows Unite making public official department of education figures which confirmed that 2,727 workers employed through ‘temporary employment forms’ were in place for four or more years. The minister clarified he would comply with the terms of the Northern Ireland Executive’s own fixed term workers regulations and stated “any temporary staff who have accrued four years of service can contact the EA to request that their contract be made permanent” read more
Spirit Aerosystems sale: Government must create joint venture to save jobs (2 June) – Unite warns Spirit break-up would threaten NI aerospace sector. Union seeks urgent meeting with business and trade ministers to chart way forward. Unite has written to both secretary of state Jonathan Reynolds MP and minister of state for business Sarah Jones MP seeking an urgent meeting over the future of Spirit Aerosystems. Over 3,700 workers at the company’s five sites in Northern Ireland face growing uncertainty following the Boeing takeover of Spirit globally. The decision by Airbus to take on only those production lines in its own supply chain threatens an immediate break-up of the company. A loss of economies of scale and the fragmenting of production lines that poses a risk to the long-term future of aerospace in Northern Ireland and the highly skilled jobs in the sector read more
Jones Engineering drops case against Unite shop stewards as union awarded costs (2 June) – Trade union Unite, which represents construction workers throughout Ireland, today (Monday) welcomed the decision by Jones Engineering to drop its High Court case against the union and three shop stewards. Jones has also been ordered to pay Unite’s costs. Jones Engineering’s unprecedented decision to target union shop stewards arose from a one-day stoppage in March 2023 in pursuit of Unite’s claim against members of the Mechanical Engineering & Building Services Contractors’ Association (MEBSCA) for restoration of the first hour of travel time. Payment of the first hour of ‘travel time’ was originally cut as a so-called ‘temporary measure’ following the 2008 financial crash read more
Scottish Water pay offer rejected as strike action resumes (30 May) – Seven days of strike action set for next week. A new wave of strike action is hitting Scottish Water next week as the pay dispute continues to boil over. The latest pay offer which contained no substantive improvements was overwhelmingly rejected by Unite’s 500-strong membership on Friday (30 May). Strike action is taking place from 2 June until the end of 8 June involving Unite’s membership at offices and wastewater treatment works across the whole of Scotland. Unite will stage protests: When & Where: 10:00 – Wednesday 4 June at Shieldhall Depot, 38 Renfrew Road Govan Glasgow, G51 4SU read more
Unite secures double digit increase in pay for ICTS workers at Glasgow airport (29 May) – Wages lifted by over 60 per cent in recent years. Unite has secured an improved pay deal for ICTS hold baggage screeners based at Glasgow airport, Scotland’s leading aviation trade union, confirmed today (Thursday 29 May). Around 50 ICTS hold baggage screeners covered by the deal will see their basic pay increase by 9.8 per cent backdated to October 2024. The hourly rate for screeners will increase by £1.28 to £14.33 with double time being secured on Christmas or New Year’s Day. A one-off bonus of £500 will also be paid to all ICTS workers which increases the worth of the overall pay package to 11.6 per cent. The security agents perform a number of tasks including the x-ray screening of hold baggage, document checks and the upkeep of the baggage system read more
Unite responds to Thames Water receiving a record fine for sewage breaches and dividend payments (28 May) – Unite responds to Thames Water receiving a record fine for sewage breaches and dividend payment. Thames Water has been fined a record £123m over sewage breaches and dividend payments, with £18m of this making up the fine for the latter. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “We can all see that the privatisation of water has been a disaster. We now need to stop to companies like Thames Water treating workers and communities with contempt once and for all. This fine for paying out dividends is just too little, too late. This company needs to be returned to public ownership and it must be the owners not the workers who pay the price for its failure.” Read more
Action at Chesterfield Royal Hospital against union busting postponed (28 May) – A demonstration by Unite members at Chesterfield Royal Hospital tomorrow (29 May) against union busting has been postponed. Hundreds of members from Derbyshire Support and Facilities Services (DSFS) were set to protest at the hospital’s main entrance after their employer made the decision to derecognise Unite as of 12 June without any negotiations. It came after Unite led a successful campaign in conjunction with Unison to retain pay parity with the NHS for DSFS workers after the firm broke with the NHS and attempted to push through its own, smaller pay rise. However, due to pressure from Unite, DSFS has asked to hold a meeting with the union. As an act of goodwill Unite has paused tomorrow’s demo read more
Liverpool Hospital lab workers’ strike called off after parade incident (27 May) – A planned strike by workers at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital today (27 May) has been called off following yesterday’s incident in Liverpool city centre. Over 50 workers were set to walk out today after also taking action on 22 and 23 May after concerns that staff burnout and understaffing was putting patients at risk. The members of Unite work in the microbiology department at Liverpool Clinical Laboratories (which is part of the hospital trust) and play a key role in diagnosing infections at the hospital, analysing samples including blood and tissue before a clinician uses the results to decide on the correct course of action for the patient. However, following the incident in Liverpool which saw a car plough into a crowd in the city centre during Liverpool FC’s Premier League victory parade yesterday evening leaving over fifty people injured, the workers made the decision to suspend today’s industrial action. Unite regional officer Derek Jones said: “Following yesterday’s tragic events in Liverpool, members took the immediate decision to suspend action so they could provide full support to the major incident which has been declared by the hospital trust. The dispute is not over and more action is planned – but we are urging Liverpool Clinical Laboratories to come back to the table and commit to addressing the problems with staffing and overwork.” At present, further strike dates have not been announced read more
Glasgow and Edinburgh airports summer strike action looms (27 May) – 600 Menzies Aviation ground service workers to ballot unless new offer tabled. Ground services crew employed by Menzies Aviation at Edinburgh and Glasgow airports have overwhelmingly rejected pay offers as Unite says summer strike action looms over the nation’s largest airports. Around 600 workers including dispatchers, allocators, airside agents and controllers have rejected two separate pay offers by Menzies Aviation at each airport. In the region of 300 Menzies Aviation workers emphatically rejected a basic uplift worth around 4.25 per cent at Glasgow airport. By an emphatic 100 per cent, around 300 workers based at Edinburgh airport also rejected an offer worth around four per cent read more
London Hedin Mercedes mechanics poised to strike (23 May) – Brooklands, Bromley, Croydon and Dartford workers angry at refusal to offer pay rise. London mechanics at Hedin Mercedes-Benz dealerships are being balloted for strike action over pay, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today. The mechanics, responsible for Mercedes repairs, MOTs and servicing across the capital, are angry that the company is refusing to put forward any pay offer for 2025. Last year, the workers received a two per cent pay rise, while the average rate of RPI inflation for 2024 was 3.6 per cent. Meanwhile, RPI inflation for April 2025 was 4.5 per cent…The workers are being balloted until 9 June. Strike action would impact Hedin customers requiring repairs, servicing and MOTs across its four sites in Brooklands, Bromley, Croydon and Dartford read more
NHS Pay: Government needs long-term solution to tackle health staff crisis in Wales (22 May) – Unite, one of the UK’s principal health sector trade unions, has warned that the government’s pay proposal for NHS staff still fails to address the long-term issues of low pay which is threatening the future of the service in Wales. NHS workers are being offered 3.6 per cent following a recommendation from the pay review body (PRB). While the pay announcement for NHS staff is above the 2.8 per cent increase that was floated by the UK government at the end of last year, it is below the rate of inflation (RPI) which is currently running at 4.5 per cent. It is also below what NHS staff in Scotland have accepted. The proposed increase also fails to reverse a lost decade of pay freezes and below inflation pay increases, which have significantly decreased pay in real terms and resulted in NHS staff struggling with the cost-of-living as well as the NHS in Wales having difficulties with recruitment and retaining staff read more
Pay for Northern Ireland health workers must keep pace with rest of NHS (22 May) – Proposed increase doesn’t resolve long-term problems faced by HSC workers with staff shortages and cuts creating a toxic environment. Unite has warned that the government’s pay proposal for NHS staff still fails to address the long-term issues of low pay and staff cuts which is threatening the future of the service. The Pay Review Body (PRB) which proposes pay increases for NHS workers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland has recommended a 3.6 per cent rise for 2025-26 and this has now been offered by the government to NHS workers in England. The increase is below both the rate of inflation (RPI) which is currently running at 4.5 per cent as well as the increase accepted by NHS staff in Scotland. The increase will fail to reverse the lost decade of pay freezes and below inflation increases which have resulted in NHS staff struggling with the cost-of-living and a staffing crisis read more
NHS Pay: Government needs long-term solution to tackle health staff crisis (22 May) – Unite, one of the UK’s principal health sector trade unions, has warned that the government’s pay proposal for NHS staff still fails to address the long-term issues of low pay and staff cuts which is threatening the future of the service. NHS workers are being offered 3.6 per cent following a recommendation from the pay review body (PRB). While the pay announcement for NHS staff is above the 2.8 per cent increase that was floated by the government at the end of last year, it is below the rate of inflation (RPI) which is currently running at 4.5 per cent. It is also below what NHS staff in Scotland have accepted. The proposed increase also fails to reverse a lost decade of pay freezes and below inflation pay increases, which have significantly decreased pay in real terms and resulted in NHS staff struggling with the cost-of-living read more
Unite hits back at strike busting tactics by Redline at Gatwick (21 May) – Unite, the leading union representing airline workers, has criticised Redline Oil Services Ltd over desperate and expensive strike busting tactics. Plane refuellers from Redline Oil, who mainly work for budget airline easyJet at Gatwick Airport, have walked out for four days in a dispute about pay and are set to take industrial action from this Friday (23 May) to next Tuesday (27 May). However, Redline Oil has employed strike busting tactics, including drafting managers from other sites to cover striking workers and offering them free accommodation which costs £200 a night while they work at Gatwick. Unite has estimated that Redline have paid £5,000 a day to cover the strike and have brought in at least two replacement workers for every member on strike, meaning the first set of strikes could have cost them £20,000…The Redline workers voted to strike after unanimously rejecting a pay offer of 4.25 per cent, but Redline has refused to come back to the negotiating table read more
Six weeks of strikes at Stagecoach West of Scotland bus services as pay talks breakdown (21 May) – Company fails to improve pay offer to hundred of drivers.
Unite the union can confirm today (21 May) that around 430 Stagecoach drivers will take strike action over six weeks after a breakdown in pay talks. Bus services are set to stop across the west of Scotland after Stagecoach West Scotland failed to use last ditch pay talks to improve on a four per cent “strings attached” offer which was tabled last November and emphatically rejected by the membership. Strike action will take place on 26 May, 2 and 6 June. It will then be followed by six weeks of continuous action starting on 9 June lasting until 21 July. The strike action will impact Stagecoach West Scotland operating out of several depots in Ayr, Arran, Ardrossan, and Kilmarnock servicing passengers across bus routes in Ayrshire, Lanarkshire and Glasgow. The bus depots in Dumfries and Galloway are not involved in this phase of strike action. Unite members have voted by 98 per cent to take industrial following the emphatic rejection of the four per cent pay offer. The union has continued to highlight that the current pay offer is ‘unacceptable’ as it would leave the drivers one of the poorest paid across Stagecoach’s UK operations read more
Hundreds of striking Heathrow workers march to airport HQ demanding fair pay (20 May) – 800 Wilson James workers assisting passengers with restricted mobility call on Heathrow bosses to intervene as strikes intensify. Hundreds of striking workers will march to Heathrow’s head offices in Hillingdon to demand the airport’s management intervene in their pay dispute with contractor Wilson James read more
Anti-poverty charity workers to strike due to inflated directors’ pay (19 May) – Workers at the Zacchaeus 2000 Trust (Z2K) will go on strike later this month in a row over directors’ pay. Staff at the London-based anti-poverty charity accepted a three per cent pay rise in January. However, the workers, who are members of Unite, have now voted to take industrial action after the charity signalled its intention to press ahead with plans to increase the salary for directors – a senior management grade – by 25 per cent. Z2K has a radical political background, having been founded by the late Reverend Paul Nicholson during the 1990s in opposition to the Poll Tax. Now, the organisation works to tackle the ‘twin pillars’ that create and sustain poverty – inadequate incomes and high costs – through providing advice and campaigning. Workers at the charity will be undergoing 2 weeks of continuous strike action from 27 May until 6 June to demand fairer pay increases read more
Red Handling strike at Gatwick suspended as Unite members are balloted (15 May) – Industrial action by Red Handling workers at Gatwick Airport over late and missing pension payments have been suspended for two weeks to allow members to vote on new working terms. Over one hundred workers at Red Handling, who are members of Unite and work in areas including baggage handling, check-in and flight dispatching were set to walk out this Sunday (18 May) as well as 25 May, but this has been postponed after Unite received proof of payment of pension contributions from Red Handling to provider Royal London. Red Handling has also agreed to cover the loss of interest on any contributions that were not paid and there will be an independent audit to ensure the situation with missing pensions does not happen again. Some Red Handling workers had also been paid wages late leaving them in financial difficulty – but the new offer would also mean Red Handling would have to give staff a bonus payment if payday was late. Meanwhile, workers had also complained of overwork and not having rest breaks and under the new terms there will be guarantees around this, such as giving staff overtime pay read more
Unite strike action against Veolia to escalate as workers in Cheshire balloted (14 May) – Workers at toxic waste incineration plant in Ellesmere Port furious at low pay. Unite’s long running campaign against anti-union employer Veolia is set to escalate further as workers in Cheshire are being balloted for potential strike action. The union already has a recognition dispute with the company in Sheffield that has seen workers on continuous strike since last autumn. Now workers who do a dangerous and difficult job staffing a toxic waste incineration facility in Cheshire are set to walk out over pay. Nearly 50 workers are furious at the pay offer on the table and are seeking an urgent improvement. They are being balloted for strike action that would cripple the plant and stop incineration taking place, leading to a stockpiling of dangerous and hazardous waste read more
Majority of workers at Sheffield refuse site want Unite recognition agreement (28 Mar) read more
TotalEnergies workers balloted for strike action (25 Apr) – Elgin Franklin and North Alwyn platforms at risk of major disruption. Unite the union announced today (25 April) that offshore workers employed by TotalEnergies are being balloted for strike action. Around 50 Unite members based on the Elgin Franklin and North Alwyn platforms are involved in an escalating dispute after the overwhelming rejection of an unacceptable pay offer. The dispute centres on the pay claim for 2025 which should take effect from 1 January. TotalEnergies originally offered a 1.5 per cent basic salary increase, which after being overwhelmingly rejected by the workers, was minimally increased to 1.75 per cent. The latest offer which also amounts to a real terms pay cut was similarly rejected. The ballot covering the Elgin Franklin and North Alwyn platforms opens on 29 April and closes on 2 June read more
Hundreds of Dundee university workers back strike action (25 Apr) – Unite steps up campaign in defence of jobs at STUC Congress next week. Unite the union can confirm today (25 April) that hundreds of Dundee university workers have overwhelmingly backed strike action in the fight for jobs and the institution’s long-term future. Unite represents hundreds of workers at the university in professional services roles including technicians and student support. Unite is backing demands for the Scottish government’s external taskforce involving unions and other key stakeholders to spearhead measures to protect hundreds of livelihoods and sustain the future of the university. As part of the initial discussions, the union has welcomed the removal of an initial threat to workers that they could face redundancy as the university grapples with a £35m deficit. The interim principal Shane O’Neill stated in a recent letter to the Scottish parliament that over 700 jobs could be at immediate risk…On Tuesday (29 April) following an emergency motion on the crisis facing Dundee university tabled by Unite at the STUC Annual Congress, a rally outside the Caird Hall involving trade unionists, community activists, students and workers will take place. A march involving trade unions and students will also assemble at the university’s Tower Building at noon which will then set off to join STUC delegates for the rally at 12:30 PM outside the Caird Hall read more
Striking Ealing traffic wardens protest outside Parliament over local MPs’ inaction (22 Apr) – Demonstration held as letters of complaint against MPs Deirdre Costigan and James Murray sent to standards commissioner. Striking Ealing civil enforcement officers will protest outside of parliament tomorrow (23 April) over union-busting, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today. The workers are angry at the ‘disgraceful’ lack of support from their local MPs Deirdre Costigan and James Murray. The civil enforcement officers, who are employed by Greener Ealing, began industrial action in August 2024 over the council-controlled company’s refusal to recognise their union, Unite. Since then, four wardens have been sacked on trumped up charges while they were taking strike action read more. Send messages of support to Patrice 07915 064797 – Unite rep of Ealing Parking Assistants who has been sacked (along with 3 others) for leading strike action
Bus services across Telford under threat as workers ballot for strikes over pay (4 Apr) – Bus services in Telford, Shropshire could stop from next month, as over a hundred drivers ballot for strikes over pay, Unite has announced. The drivers have not had a pay rise during the last year and currently earn £13.36 an hour – 11 per cent less than the West Midlands average of £14.93. They have also had years of below-inflation pay rises, leaving them feeling ‘shortchanged’ by their employer but work long hours as well as early, late and weekend shifts…The ballot closes on 17 April. If it is successful, industrial action could take place in early May. Any strike action will have a serious impact on all bus services running in the Telford area read more
Unite general secretary joins Manchester Capita picket line (2 Apr) – Unite general secretary Sharon Graham will be joining striking workers employed by Capita on the Royal London contact in Manchester tomorrow (Thursday 3 April)… The workers are employed in Capita’s life and pensions division where they work on the contract for insurance giant Royal London. The dispute is a result of the failure of Capita to make a pay offer for 2024, effectively attempting to force a pay freeze on its workforce…The current strike action began on Wednesday 26 March and continues until Monday 7 April. There will then be a separate period of action which begins on 7 April and continues until Tuesday 22 April. Prior to the current industrial action, the workers had already taken 13 days of industrial action, which began at the end of January read more
CWU
CWU LIVE – Santander Workers Are Fighting Outsourcing (29 May) – This week we have an update on Santander’s damaging cuts, branch closures, outsourcing, and redundancies. Fiona Curtis (CWU National Officer), Karen Rose (Deputy General Secretary for Telecoms, Tech & Financial Services) and Gordon Johnston (CWU Telecoms & Financial Services Executive member) explain the latest on Santander’s transformation, what the CWU and Advance Union are doing together, and how you can help push back watch video
CWU members in Santander need your support. They have faced outsourcing, offshoring and technology is being used to negatively impact our members futures. They are now fighting back with a joint campaign with Advance Union. All CWU members, family members, friends and the wider public can help us by signing and sharing this petition.
Every signature counts – https://cwu.eaction.org.uk/cwuadvancepetition
Capita BBC Audience Services members to vote on inflation-busting pay offer (8 May) – The CWU is recommending that Capita members working on the BBC Audience Services contract accept an inflation-busting pay offer being offered to them this week. After ongoing pay discussions where the union raised the question of the current financial situation, which remains volatile and uncertain, it was agreed that the company would offer a 5% wage increase for all employees, as well as an additional day of annual leave (which must be taken before December of this year). This is the first result – and a major one – of the new bargaining unit established for the group of workers, who manage public questions, comments, complaints and general feedback for the public broadcaster read more
PCS
You can show your support to the strikes by PCS members by:
- Making donations to the PCS Fighting Fund Levy account, sort code: 60-83-01, account no. 20331490
- Sending solidarity messages to [email protected]
CAA members to take further strike action over pay (2 June) – Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) staff based at Gatwick Airport and Canary Wharf have announced a further six days of industrial action. The members working for the aviation industry regulator also walked out in January and March and took part in a work to rule with an overtime ban, in their pay dispute which goes back to early 2024. The employer’s pay offer was imposed in August 2024 despite being rejected by PCS and Prospect. The next round of strike action will take place on June 3, 4, 10, 11, 17 and 18. Pay negotiations for the 2025-26 period are underway, but PCS considers the offer made so far to be inadequate. We are calling for an inflation-linked pay increase that includes a restoration element specifically covering 2024–25 read more
Civil service pay remit guidance – an update from the NEC (29 May) – On 22 May, the UK Government announced its position on public sector pay for 2025/26. In the UK civil service, the pay remit figure was set at 3.25%, with an extra 0.5% to deal with specific issues including low pay, giving a total remit of 3.75%. During the talks on the remit guidance, PCS was clear with the government that its stated intention to impose a figure of 2.8% was unacceptable. We were clear our members required an inflation-proofed pay rise; together with a degree of pay restoration for the erosion of living standards they had suffered over decades; and measures to deal with chronic low pay. We are pleased that the government has accepted some of our arguments read more
Sacked HMRC reps issue is ‘an attack on all of us’ (22 May) – Solidarity with our three sacked reps at HMRC Benton Park View (BPV) was unanimously reaffirmed by our conference delegates in Brighton. Conference agreed to continue to support the long-running campaign to win reinstatement for the victimised reps and end the employer’s attacks on the PCS branch. Gordon Askew, Rachel Farmer and Joel Hamilton were dismissed at the end of last year because of their trade union activity. Members have been taking strike action in defence of the reps since 23 December – action which is currently continuing until 6 June read more. Take action, show your support and send solidarity messages to the reps and branch, email HMRC group secretary Steve Swainston: [email protected] read more. Members can also support the campaign by donating to the fighting fund. Donations can be made to the PCS account with the reference ‘BPV Strikes’ –
- Account name: PCS Fighting Fund
- Levy account number: 20331490
- Sort code: 60-83-01
MyCSP members to be balloted for strike action (22 May) – The company is refusing to acknowledge PCS as the recognised trade union for staff. PCS has notified MyCSP that we will be balloting our members for industrial action due to their continued failure to acknowledge PCS as the recognised trade union. MyCSP administers the civil service pensions arrangements on behalf of the Cabinet Office, and provides pensions to over 1.5 million people. MyCSP refuses to acknowledge PCS, despite PCS having a number of legacy staff who TUPEd over from the civil service. It has now become essential for PCS to challenge the employer as MyCSP staff are due to TUPE again to Capita in December 2025. PCS and MyCSP have disputed recognition for a long time but recently it has been made clear that PCS will not formally be involved in TUPE talks, despite previous assurances read more
Ofgem staff balloted for strike action (1 May) – Members working for Ofgem are in dispute over pay, jobs, office attendance and industrial relations. Hundreds of PCS members employed by the energy regulator in Glasgow, London and Cardiff are being balloted for strike action. The ballot opened today (1) and closes at noon on 12 June. PCS has taken the decision to ballot its members at Ofgem following a series of provocative moves by the energy regulator over a number of issues read more
Strong support for MHCLG strike (23 Apr) – There has been a great turnout by striking PCS members in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. Members working in the Newcastle office, which is under imminent threat of closure, have led the strike with 9 days of industrial action which started yesterday and ends on 2 May. Members at other offices threatened with closure — in Birmingham, Exeter, Sheffield, Truro, and Warrington — also began a 4-day strike yesterday. There has been strong support on picket lines in Newcastle and Sheffield by reps and members in the department and by colleagues across PCS, in particular from members in the Home Office, Department for Education and NHS England read more
ONS members vote to escalate industrial action (2 Apr) – PCS members in the Office for National Statistics have voted for strike action in their dispute over a forced return to workplaces. In a ballot that closed on Monday (31 March), 68% of Office for National Statistics (ONS) members taking part voted to take strike action while 91% voted to take action short of a strike (ASOS), on a 71% turnout. Since May 2024, over 1100 PCS members working for the ONS in various locations (Newport in South Wales, Titchfield in Hampshire, London, Darlington, Manchester and Edinburgh) have been taking action short of a strike by refusing to comply with the new attendance policy. They have refused to follow an instruction to spend at least 40% of their time in the office and are refusing to work overtime, out of hours and out of grade. This action had no tangible impact on the ONS’s outputs, proving PCS’s argument that there was nothing to be gained by the attendance policy change. To increase the pressure on the employer, members had been working-to-rule since 27 August 2024. By extending the strike mandate by a further six months, this ballot result will allow PCS to further ramp up the pressure on ONS management over their insistence that staff spend at least 40% of the time in a designated workplace read more
Prospect
Prospect raises formal Failure to Agree with Babcock Group boss over pension reforms (3 June) – Prospect has written to David Lockwood, chief executive of Babcock International Group, to raise a formal Failure to Agree following unsuccessful negotiations over making much-needed improvements to the company’s pension scheme read more
Prospect pay negotiations secures ‘great result’ for AWE branch (30 May) – Prospect members at its AWE branch have voted overwhelmingly to accept a multi-year pay offer of between 3.75% and 5.5% for the first year, with following years to increase by a further 0.5% above CPI inflation read more
Prospect responds to reports of civil service job cuts (29 May) – Responding to reports that 1 in 10 civil service jobs will be cut by 2030 in the upcoming Spending Review, Mike Clancy, Prospect General Secretary, said: “Civil service reform is a goal that staff support, but a cheaper civil service is not the same as a better civil service. Prospect has consistently warned against arbitrary targets for headcount cuts, and the Government must provide more assurances in the Spending Review that this isn’t the case…” read more
Prospect responds to BT’s full year review as it enters formal trade dispute over pay offer (22 May) – Rachel Curley, Deputy General Secretary of Prospect, responding to BT’s full year results, said: “BT’s decision to increase its dividend at the same time as giving a derisory or non-existent pay rise to managers shows the disregard they have for Prospect members. People will be incensed that when 28% of managers are being offered a 0% pay rise, and the offer is worth 1.24% on average, the company has taken this decision to increase dividends. The overwhelming rejection this week of the insulting pay offer shows the strength of feeling among our members. We have subsequently notified the employer that we are now in a formal trade dispute with them in the hope that BT will now offer a fair deal. If an acceptable offer does not materialise in the coming weeks, we will be looking at all options available to us.” Read more
BT workers overwhelmingly reject “derisory” pay offer (20 May) – Prospect members working for BT have overwhelmingly rejected a “derisory” pay offer from the employer. The pay offer was an average of 1.24%, less than half the rate of inflation, with 28% getting no pay rise at all read more
Prospect sets out its stall for 2025 pay talks with MOD (9 May) – Prospect and fellow MOD Civil Service Unions have submitted a position paper to MOD, paving the way for this year’s pay talks, but which also highlights the imperative to address both short-term issues, as well as long-term structural problems in need of urgent repair read more
FDA
FDA reiterates calls for a full independent bullying and harassment policy in the Senedd (3 June) – Appearing before the Senedd Standards of Conduct Committee, FDA National Officer Jane Runeckles made clear that the process for dealing with bullying, harassment and sexual misconduct must be independent from MSs read more
FDA rejects Reform’s “nonsensical” claims on EDI spending (3 June) – The FDA has rejected claims made by Reform UK that £7 billion could be saved by cutting Equality Diversity and Inclusion initiatives, despite the most recent Cabinet Office review showing civil service EDI spending was around £27 million read more
Civil service pay award demonstrates government has “failed to grasp the nettle of fundamental reform” (23 May) – The government has published its Civil Service Pay Remit Guidance alongside a Written Ministerial Statement confirming the government’s decision to accept the recommendations of the SSRB read more
GMB
GMB union: Brighton & Hove Council press releases coinciding with increase in attacks on refuse workers (3 June) – BHCC comments in the press ‘less than helpful’, says GMB. GMB is calling for a ‘professional’ working relationship and an end to the negative public communications. The union is concerned that the negativity is creating a very hostile environment for its members within Environmental Services that are being abused, sworn at and spat at whilst carrying out their vital job. Union members have reported a sharp rise in both verbal and physical abuse from members of the public recently, coinciding with numerous articles in the press relating to the service. GMB is calling for common sense to prevail to allow collaborative working to solve these ongoing problems rather than this series of negative communications constantly being played out in public read more
Brink’s staff vote to strike over pay row (30 May) – GMB Union members employed by logistics and security giant Brink’s have voted decisively to strike over a dispute about pay and working conditions. The strike ballot saw 78 per cent of members, who are based in Feltham, vote in favour of industrial action. These workers, employed as driver couriers, are responsible for transporting cash and valuables—a role that carries significant risk and responsibility. Despite this, members say their concerns have been ignored and their work undervalued. GMB is calling on Brink’s to return to the negotiating table with a fair and respectful offer that reflects the vital role these workers play in the UK’s cash-handling infrastructure read more
Up to a thousand school staff at risk of redundancy in Norfolk (27 May) – Schools must stop ‘picking the pockets’ of the lowest paid staff, says GMB Union. GMB, a union representing more than 100,000 school support staff, estimates that as many as 1,000 jobs are currently at risk in Norfolk’s schools. This would affect school support staff including teaching assistants, mealtime supervisors, and caretakers. GMB is calling on schools not to cut support staff roles, warning that doing so will disproportionately affect the lowest paid staff. Job losses among teaching assistants would also have a significant impact on children with special educational needs (SEN) at a time when the number of children requiring additional support is rising. It has pointed to the staff and funding cuts already undertaken by schools and Norfolk County Council as evidence of how desperate the situation has become. The union has learned of a primary school in the county proposing to close early to save on staffing costs and charging parents to keep their children on site read more
GMB ballots NHS staff on pay award (22 May) – GMB Union has begun balloting tens of thousands of NHS and ambulance workers in England on this year’s pay award. The Department for Health and Social Care announced today [Thursday] NHS staff will receive a 3.6 per cent pay rise for 25/26. The ballot opens today and closes on 17 July read more
School staff demand parity with teachers’ pay (22 May) – School support staff have demanded parity with teachers following the pay award today [Thursday]. Teachers have been handed a 4 per cent award, while school staff including teaching assistants, caterers, admin staff and caretakers have been offered just 3.2 percent. Research by GMB, which represents more than 100,000 school support staff across the country, shows teaching assistants earn an average annual salary of just £17,000 read more
Sunderland refuse fury at bin bag snooping (21 May) – Workers at Pallion Recycling Centre are balloting for industrial action that will shut the site this summer. Private company SUEZ, which runs the plant, wants to introduce ‘bag splitting’ – asking workers to open residents’ black bags and search them for recyclable materials. GMB members have raised multiple safety concerns, including the lack of proper protection from the risk of needles and dangerous chemicals. So far SUEZ has not listened. The ballot closes on Friday, 30 May, – with any industrial action expected in June. A petition calling for a reversal of the decision is now live read more
More than 150,000 council and school workers vote on pay offer (6 May) – GMB Union has recommended more than 150,000 members working for councils and schools reject the local government pay offer. Local authority and education workers across England and Wales have been offered a 3.2 per cent pay rise for 2025/26. GMB’s Local Government and Schools Committees has unanimously recommended a rejection and to seek support for industrial action to secure an improved offer. The consultative ballot – which will include a commitment to industrial action – opens on 12 May and closes on 20 June read more
River Thames weir and lockkeepers in strike vote (6 May) – River Thames weir and lockkeepers have begun voting on strike action over safety concerns, GMB has said. Workers will decide whether to take industrial action over ‘budget-driven decisions’ that are ‘putting people and property at risk’. There are only 52 permanent staff on the river, plus 10 temporary posts which expire at the end of this year and have yet to be filled. According to a 2008 EA assessment, more than 90 staff were needed during peak season. The ballot opened on Friday [2 May] and closes on 23 May read more
Dozens protests Basingstoke cab office after union rep stood down (9 Apr) – The rep was discriminated against for carrying out trade union duties. More than 50 drivers at Basingstoke’s Alpha Cars protested outside the firm’s office on Monday. The drivers, who are members of GMB Union are angry that their colleague whom they have elected to be their union rep has been stood down by the company. Since the drivers are self-employed, the driver could not be sacked but has been told he will not be used by the company going forward read more
Strike action begins at Tower Hamlets primary school over staff cuts (1 Apr) – School support staff at St Luke’s Primary School in Tower Hamlets are today [Tuesday 1 April] starting strike action over reduced staffing levels. A further walk out will take place on Thursday this week. The strike ballot saw 100 per cent of participating members vote in favour. A restructure at the school will cut the number of teaching assistants from 28 to 21 – a reduction of 25 per cent – while the overall workload is unchanged. The school – which has a large proportion of pupils with special educational needs – has failed to demonstrate how these staffing levels will work in practice. To date, the school has not shared a risk assessment outlining the impact of these cuts on the safety of the staff or children 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 Unison
Thames Water is running out of options (3 June) – Customers and staff deserve better. Commenting on the withdrawal of potential investors in Thames Water and the publication of interim findings by the Cunliffe Review, UNISON head of environment Donna Rowe-Merriman said today (Tuesday): “The situation at Thames Water can’t go on. Customers and staff are being failed at every turn and deserve better. With the options running out, the government must take decisive action sooner rather than later…” read more
UNISON supports abortion decriminalisation (2 June) – UNISON members are encouraged to write to their MP to ensure women who end their pregnancies are met with compassion, not criminalisation read more
Gloucester phlebotomists pass 60 days of strike action (28 May) – The strike over re-banding began on 17 March and will now run until at least Sunday 1 June. Forty phlebotomists at Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust have been striking for over 60 days to demand re-banding. Phlebotomists are specialist health workers who take and handle patient blood samples. At present, they are paid at band 2 of the NHS’s Agenda for Change pay scale, but UNISON says that their knowledge, skills and training equate to those of a band 3 worker. The long-running dispute, led by union members, centres on the trust’s refusal to properly re-evaluate the roles that phlebotomists currently perform. The re-banding issue was first raised with the trust in 2024, but after no action from management, the phlebotomists took matters into their own hands. This time last year, just one member of the team was a member of UNISON and they were struggling to be heard. Now, every single phlebotomist has joined the union and is taking part in the strike, demanding they are re-banded to band 3 and paid up to six years of back pay to correct historic underpayment for the work they have done. In early May, two of the members’ band 4 managers have also joined UNISON and since been striking with them in solidarity to demand the re-banding. Sunday 25 May was the 60th day of the strike read more
Please show phlebotomists your support and solidarity by donating to their strike hardship fund:
Make a donation via SumUp
UNISON Gloucestershire DHC Branch 21311
Sort code: 60-83-01
Account number: 20301750
Reference: strikefund
Monday 9th.: Joint picket at Gloucester Royal Hospital from 07:30 to 12:00.
Tuesday 10th: Joint picket at Cheltenham General Hospital from 07.30 to 12:00.
Wednesday 11th: Attending Parliament for discussion with MPs.
Thursday 12th: Leaflet drop at both sites followed by coffee.
Friday 13th: Joint picket at Gloucester Royal from 07:30 to 12:00.
Cheltenham and District Trades Union Council is hosting two performances of Battle Lines by Banner Theatre, sponsored by Unite SW/007 Gloucester District Branch. Battle Lines re-visits the communities of the 1984-85 miners’ strike with songs, music and videos of this historic working-class struggle. Banner Theatre’s production links this to today’s battles with songs and videos from striking Amazon workers in Coventry to trade union disputes in the Global South. Phlebotomists at Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in UNISON will be speaking at the performance on 24th June.
Join us at:
- 7 pm on Wednesday 11th June at the George Watson Memorial Hall, Tewkesbury: https://bit.ly/4lNKTYFhttps://www.facebook.com/events/1061344039380691/
- 8 pm on Tuesday 24th June at the Parabola Arts Centre, Cheltenham: https://bit.ly/4lKHEB4https://www.facebook.com/events/1031613618506528/
Tickets are £2 each and can be booked using the above Eventbrite links. All proceeds will be donated to the Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign.
NHS staff likely to be disappointed with this year’s pay rise (22 May) – Award of 3.6% shows pay review body process should be ditched. Commenting on the announcement today (Thursday) that NHS staff in England are to receive a 3.6% pay rise this year, UNISON head of health Helga Pile said: “The pay rise is more than ministers said they could afford, but it barely matches inflation. The money will also be landing in pay packets four months late. Health workers had high hopes this government would have learned from the mistakes of its predecessors. But a reliance on the slow, outdated and unnecessary pay review body process has once again failed to deliver…” read more
UNISON members at Greater Manchester Mental Health Early Intervention Service have received an offer from GM Mental Health FT & the ICB to settle the Early Intervention dispute that’s been ongoing nearly 9 months. Members have agreed to stand down action next week whilst members are balloted on the offer. For more info, follow @Unisongmmh @NorthWestUNISON on X/Twitter
The inspiring St Luke’s school strikers E14 are back on the picket line this Thurs 1 May. UNISON Teaching Assistants and NEU Teachers are striking together to demand a safe school. Rally at 8.40am & are doing a call out to activists to join us read more on Tower Hamlets Unison website
Pay Fair for Patient Care: Nottingham University Hospitals – Hundreds of healthcare support workers at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH) will take strike action over pay. Staff at Queen’s Medical Centre and City Hospital are set to walk out again in the week commencing 9th June. In a recent ballot, 94% of those who voted backed strike action read more.
*To donate to the strike fund: pay online to Unison NUHT 20122 Branch, acc no. 20370066, sort code 60-83-01 or pay be cheque to Unison NUHT 20122 Branch and post to Unison East Midlands – Unit E, Nottingham One. 154 Canal Street. Nottingham. NG1 7HG
Donate to show solidarity with members at Livv Housing (24 Mar) – UNISON members have been taking action over pay since last October. Christina McAnea joined Livv Housing members on the picket line earlier this year. UNISON is launching a national appeal to support members at Livv Housing on Merseyside, who are taking strike action in a long-running dispute that stems from years of below-inflation pay increases read more
For strike dates, read more on Knowsley Unison website and Facebook page. Please donate to strike funds by emailing [email protected] for details
Royal College of Nursing
Your England and Wales NHS pay award is here (29 May) – Is this increase enough? Get ready to have your say and check your details are up to date read more
RCN Wales responds to Welsh Government’s NHS pay award for 2025/26 (22 May) – Is this increase enough? Get ready to have your say and check your details are up to date 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 announces details of consultation with members on pay award (29 May) – The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) has announced plans to consult with its members in England, Wales and Northern Ireland on the 3.6% pay award. Last week the RCM cautiously welcomed the news that the governments in all three nations had accepted the pay recommendations from the NHS Pay Review Body (PRB) in full. On Wednesday the RCM Board met to discuss next steps and approved a consultation which will be launched on Monday 16 June and run for three weeks, closing Monday 7 July. The RCM says that, as in previous years it will be led by its members and is urging all Agenda for Change (AfC) members in England, Wales and Northern Ireland to ensure their details are up to date so they are able to have their say when the consultation opens read more
Government announces pay award for RCM members in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (23 May) – The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) has issued a cautious welcome to the news that the governments in England, Wales and Northern Ireland have accepted the pay recommendations from the NHS Pay Review Body (PRB) in full. The RCM says while it believes its hard-working members deserve more, the 3.6% is a ‘small improvement’ on the 2.8% the Westminster Government initially said it could afford. The PRB recommended a 3.6% consolidated uplift effective from 1 April 2025 for all Agenda for Change (AfC) staff in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. However, the RCM says that there is still much work to be done to improve the working lives of midwives and maternity support workers read more
CSP
Marching together proudly – CSP champions LGBTQIA+ members and allies (30 May) – June is UK Pride month and the CSP is celebrating our LGTBQIA+ community read more
Pay awards for NHS staff in England, Wales and Northern Ireland announced (22 May) – The CSP will consult members in England, Wales and Northern Ireland on NHS pay awards revealed this week read more
SOR
SoR position statement: support for transgender community in light of Supreme Court ruling (30 May) – The SoR has published its position statement in support of transgender individuals, in light of the Supreme Court’s ruling read more
SoR stands with members amid ICB cuts and calls for immediate action (27 May) – Integrated Care Board cuts will have a serious impact on NHS services across England and the radiography professionals working in them read more
SoR welcomes NHS pay award and confirms member consultation (23 May) – Radiographers in England have been offered a 3.6 per cent pay increase, on the back of last week’s confirmation of Scottish NHS pay increase read more
BMA
Statement of support for doctors affected by the Supreme Court ruling
by the BMA (29 May) – We reaffirm our commitment to supporting trans and non-binary members, and the wider community of medical professionals and patients read more
Sub-inflationary pay lift angers doctors leaders (22 May) – DDRB recommendation leaves medical profession feeling unvalued and unwanted read more
Resident doctors in England announce ballot for industrial action (2 May) – Resident doctors in England have announced dates for their ballot for renewed industrial action over pay. With three weeks having passed since they warned the Government of the consequences of the absence of a reasonable, timely pay offer, the BMA’s resident doctors committee (RDC) has chosen to ballot its members for strike action. The ballot will open on 27 May and close on 7 July 2025 read more
NEU
Teacher pay announcement (22 May) – Commenting on the teacher pay announcement for September, Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National Education Union, said: “It is testament to the strength of feeling in the profession that government have moved from their initial recommendation of a 2.8% pay rise to the 4% announced today. Whilst we acknowledge and welcome additional funding to that initially offered by government, it is still the case that the pay award is not fully funded. In many schools this will mean cuts in service provision to children and young people, job losses, and additional workloads for an already overstretched profession. The NEU will never accept cuts to education. Children deserve a fully-resourced education and government should see education as an investment in the country’s future not a cost…” read more
Support these strikes:-
NASUWT
Teachers strike at OGAT schools over planned increase to school day (2 June) – Members of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union at five secondary schools run by the Outwood Grange Academies Trust (OGAT) are to take strike action over plans to increase the length of the school day and the resultant impact on teachers’ working hours, workload and the welfare of staff and pupils. Members at OGAT Hindley in Wigan, OGAT Foxhills in Scunthorpe and OGAT Easingwold in York will begin six days of strike action tomorrow (Tuesday). Members at OGAT Portland and OGAT Valley, both in Worksop, will begin five days of strike action on Tuesday 10th June. OGAT is planning to increase the length of the school day and teaching contact by 30 minutes per day from September 2025 onwards read more
Glodwick teachers strike over years of mistreatment (22 May) – On Thursday 22nd May, members of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union will begin strike action at Glodwick Infant and Nursery School in Oldham due to continuous issues with health and safety, and mistreatment of staff. Further strike days are planned on 3, 4, 5 and 10, 11 and 12 June. For years, teachers at Glodwick have endured a lack of action from school leadership over health and safety risks onsite. It is becoming increasingly difficult for teachers to report and mitigate these risks as leadership is not responding in an appropriate manner. Two months ago, the teachers took the difficult decision to escalate their concerns to Oldham Local Authority. Last week, it seemed that progress had finally been made, with Oldham promising to put measures in place to mitigate risks and protect teachers. But Oldham have reneged on the deal, leaving teachers vulnerable to persistent intimidation and bullying from senior leaders. They have no choice but to take industrial action read more
NASUWT responds to STRB report (22 May) – Responding to the publication of the STRB report, Matt Wrack, Acting General Secretary of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union said: “Teachers have been waiting for this announcement and it is welcome that the Government has published the report and its response early enough for the award to be applied from September. We also welcome that the STRB recommendation has recognised the need to increase pay by more than the 2.8% the Government proposed in its evidence and that this has been accepted. Teachers in the NASUWT will be wanting to assess the details and the Union will be carefully considering the implications of today’s announcement…” read more
LIPA teachers strike over critical management failure (19 May) – Members of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union at LIPA School in Liverpool will begin strike action this week after leadership failed to deal with a number of concerns related to health and safety, adverse management practices, and dangerous pupil behaviour. While NASUWT representatives have met with leaders at the school, no progress has been made. LIPA Multi Academy Trust does not appear to recognise trade unions read more
Strong support for Northern Ireland FE pay and workload offer (19 May) – NASUWT -The Teachers’ Union has welcomed the news that its members have voted to accept a 5.5% pay increase for 2024-25 and 3% for 2025-26, alongside commitments to address parity with schoolteachers and significant measures to address workload pressures. 79.4% of NASUWT members voted in favour of the offer read more
Westbourne Academy teachers strike over constant disruptive behaviour (12 May) – NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union members at Westbourne Academy in Ipswich will begin strike action on Tuesday 13th May due to untenable levels of classroom disruption. A large group of pupils at Westbourne Academy are refusing to attend lessons and instead choose to roam the school, disrupting other lessons and engaging in threatening behaviour towards staff and other pupils. Teachers have sought help from school leadership but no plan has worked in practice, with teachers often waiting for most or all of their lessons for urgent assistance read more
Epsom teachers strike to protect pensions (6 May) – Members of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union at Ewell Castle Senior and Prep Schools in Epsom are starting the first of seven days of planned strike action tomorrow (Wednesday) after being threatened with dismissal from their jobs unless they agree to new contracts that would leave them worse off in retirement. The Employer is seeking to withdraw from the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS) and impose inferior pension arrangements on teachers which would adversely affect their future financial security. Teachers have been threatened with fire and rehire if they do not agree to sign new contracts amending their pension entitlements read more
EIS
National Survey Lays Bare the Scale of Workload Pressures on Scotland’s Teachers (3 June) – The excessive workload demands that continue to be placed on Scotland’s teachers have been highlighted in the results of a national survey carried out by the EIS. Almost 11,000 teachers took part in the survey, providing a clear picture of the issues facing teachers in schools across Scotland. Today, in the first of a series of themed papers based on the survey results, the EIS has published its Workload Briefing read more
EIS Members at Robert Gordon University escalate strike action as compulsory redundancy dispute continues (28 May) – Members of the Educational Institute of Scotland University Lecturers’ Association at Robert Gordon University are set to take their fourth and fifth days of strike action on Thursday 29th and Friday 30th May, intensifying their ongoing dispute with University management over planned compulsory redundancies. This escalation underscores the deep-seated concerns of staff regarding job security and the potential detrimental impact on the quality of education and research at RGU read more
EIS to consult members on industrial action in teacher class contact dispute (9 May) – The national Council of the EIS has today agreed to open a consultative industrial action ballot of its members, as a dispute over teacher class contact time intensifies. A formal dispute was declared three months ago, as a result of the failure of government and employers to deliver any progress towards the Scottish Government’s 2021 manifesto commitment to address longstanding issues with teacher workload by reducing teachers’ maximum class contact time to 21 hours per week. With no proposals forthcoming from the Scottish Government and local authorities on the delivery of this commitment, the EIS will now move to ballot its members and seek their views on industrial action in pursuit of a resolution to the dispute read more
INTO
Unions call for ‘moment of reflection’ on June 4th for peace in Palestine (30 May) – Over the last eighteen months, Israel’s brutal assault on Gaza has resulted in the deaths of more than 15,000 children and injuries to 34,000. In light of this ongoing tragedy, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions is now calling on workers across Ireland to observe a moment of reflection on Wednesday, June 4th, marking the International UN Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression read more
UCU
UCU Stop the Cuts campaign
Sign petition against the education cuts
UCU national demonstration against job cuts: Newcastle Wednesday 11th June – 12.30pm King’s Gate, Claremont Road NE1 7RU
Overwhelming vote for strike action at University of Bradford (28 May) – Staff at the University of Bradford have voted to strike in huge numbers over plans to slash £16m from the budget in cuts that will see hundreds of jobs go and multiple courses close, announced the University and College Union (UCU). An overwhelming 82% of UCU members who voted back strike action in a ballot that had a turnout of 57%. The dispute is over the £16m of cuts management wants to force through. Members will meet tomorrow to decide upon next steps but strike action and action short of strike could begin as soon as 12 June unless management rules out compulsory redundancies read more
OfS sanction another “nail in the coffin” for Leeds Trinity management? asks UCU (28 May) – The University and College Union (UCU) today said the Office for Students (OfS) report should be a “nail in the coffin” for the senior management team of Leeds Trinity University. The OfS report , published last week, fines the university for failures of management and governance. The report follows UCU repeatedly raising very serious concerns about admissions arrangements and the lack of oversight of academic standards and practices within franchised provision and the work of franchise partners. Many UCU members raised concerns but management failed to act, a cloud of secrecy developed and issues were swept under the carpet. UCU locally say the situation has led to a toxic culture with many staff feeling bullied and pushed out read more
University of Dundee compulsory redundancy plans result in new wave of strikes (27 May) – University and College Union (UCU) members at the University of Dundee today, Monday 26th May. begin a further five days of strike action over threatened job losses and staff facing compulsory redundancy. The strike follows 15 days of strikes in February and March. Since then, university senior management, in the face of continued industrial action and criticism from the Scottish Government and local politicians, backtracked on their original plans to cut 700 jobs. Management initially accepted Scottish Government advice, announcing a reduced figure of 300 job losses through a voluntary redundancy process. But the employer is refusing to rule out compulsory redundancies and redundancy consultations are well under way in both the Leverhulme Research Centre for Forensic Science (LRCFS) and the Educational Assistive Technology Team (EduAT) at the university read more
University union lays ground for its first ever strike ballot against Labour (26 May) – Delegates at the University and College Union’s (UCU) annual Congress have overwhelmingly voted to prepare for an industrial dispute with the Secretary of State for Education over university funding, the first step towards a potential strike ballot, announced the union today (Monday 26 May) read more
UCU Congress votes for England-wide college strike ballot over low pay (25 May) – Members of the University and College Union (UCU) attending the union’s Congress (UCU) today (Sunday 25 May) voted to ballot staff at further education colleges across England for strike action. UCU has already launched a consultative ballot, which closes on Friday 20 June, to lay the ground for a strike ballot to open in Autumn. The union is demanding a new deal for further education workers, including a 10% pay rise, parity with schoolteachers, national bargaining and nationally agreed workloads read more
Edinburgh University staff overwhelmingly back industrial action in row over £140million cuts and job losses (21 May) – Staff at the University of Edinburgh have today backed industrial action in a dispute over senior management’s plans to cut £140million from the university’s annual budget and refusal to rule out compulsory redundancies. In the ballot of University and College Union (UCU) Scotland members at the university, 84% of those who voted backed strike action on a turnout of 60%. 93% of members voting said that they would also be willing to take part in action short of strikes which could include working to contract, and not covering for absent colleagues, or undertaking voluntary activities. A marking and assessment boycott could also be one of the possible forms of action short of strike read more
Union vows to fight cuts at Liverpool Hope (21 May) – Liverpool Hope University intends to axe 39 staff before the end of the year, announced the University and College Union (UCU) today. The threatened cuts will fall on the faculties of education and social sciences, creative arts and humanities, and human and digital sciences with courses including sociology, education studies and health science being hit. Management claims it needs to make the cuts due to a its own predicted deficit, with staff set to go as soon as November (2025). Despite the cuts to front line staff, the university has healthy cash reserves and its vice-chancellor takes home a total package worth over £300k. If the university refuses to rule out compulsory redundancies by Friday 23 May, UCU will enter into a formal industrial dispute, which is the first step towards a possible strike ballot and disruption on campus read more
Strike ballot opens at Kingston University over cuts & course closures (19 May) – Over 300 staff at Kingston University will be asked to vote yes to strike action in a ballot that will open tomorrow. The dispute is over a £20m cuts programme that university management is forcing through, including the closure of the humanities department alongside courses in the department of criminology, sociology and politics. The university has already tried to get staff out the door through a voluntary severance scheme. UCU fears compulsory redundancy is also on the cards and that a further nine departments are at risk. Management pulled out of talks aimed at resolving the dispute and refuses to rule out compulsory redundancies despite its £7m surplus (23/24) and the over £400m it holds in reserves read more
‘Rogue employer’ University of Greenwich could axe over 300 staff (15 May) – The University of Greenwich intends to axe up to 319 staff, around a quarter of its total workforce (319/1245), in a bid to slash payroll, announced the University and College Union (UCU) today. The university wants to get rid of staff by August, and the cull will fall on the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Sciences (FLAS), the Faculty of Engineering and Science (FES), and the Greenwich business school (GBS). Every single hourly paid lecturer in FLAS (151 in total) and GBS (45 in total) is set to be axed. In FLAS, they will be replaced by a pool of 50 part time workers, equivalent to just 17 full time posts read more
Statement from UCU general secretary following the news that the Cardiff University strike has been called off – Following the news that the Cardiff University strike has been called off after agreement has been reached for no compulsory job losses to take place this year, UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: ‘This is a significant victory for our members at Cardiff University. Their collective action and unwavering commitment have led to a crucial assurance that protects jobs and upholds the integrity of academic provision…” read more
University of East Anglia staff begin strike action today over threat of compulsory redundancies and lack of financial transparency (1 May) – Staff at the University of East Anglia (UEA) will begin nine days of strike action today (Thursday 1 May) in a dispute over compulsory redundancies, financial accountability, and transparent governance. Pickets will be in place from 8:00-11:00 read more
UCU declares academic boycott of Brunel University over mass redundancies (15 Apr) – The University and College Union (UCU) has declared an academic boycott of Brunel University London in response to the institution’s continued pursuit of mass redundancies. Brunel University has already overseen significant numbers of voluntary redundancies and is now pressing ahead with plans to impose further compulsory job cuts. UCU believes that the future of entire academic departments are under threat. The union has condemned the university’s refusal to engage meaningfully with staff representatives and warned that these actions could cause irreparable damage to Brunel’s reputation. The union’s higher education committee (HEC) has unanimously backed the boycott, also known as ‘greylisting’, which is the most serious sanction the union can impose. The boycott will begin on Tuesday 15 April 2025, unless the university withdraws the threat of compulsory redundancies, provides transparent financial information, enters collective conciliation talks through Acas, and reinstates those already involuntarily dismissed read more
Brunel University staff begin strike action over job cuts (27 Feb)
Keele University staff vote to strike over brutal cuts programme (11 Apr) – Staff at Keele University have overwhelmingly backed strike action in a fight to protect jobs and student provision, announced the University and College Union (UCU). An overwhelming 75% of UCU members who voted said yes to strike action in a ballot with a turnout of 55%. While 89% also backed taking action short of strike, which could include working to rule. Strike action is now set to take place on Monday 28 April, Tuesday 29 April, Thursday 1 May, Tuesday 6 May and Thursday 8 May read more
Durham University UCU members overwhelmingly back industrial action in the fight against huge job cuts (2 Apr) – UCU members have voted in favour of strike action with a majority of 72%, whilst 81% have backed action short of a strike up to and including an assessment boycott, in a ballot that saw 64% of Durham UCU members vote. The ballot result means that staff could now down tools unless management agrees to rule out compulsory redundancies. Members of UCU will now meet to decide and vote upon next steps including the options of strike action and action short of a strike and is calling on Durham University leaders to listen to its workforce, and work with the union to avoid compulsory redundancies and prevent industrial unrest on campus read more
Northern Ireland college staff vote to take industrial action over pay ‘betrayal’ (1 Apr) – Staff at all six further education colleges across Northern Ireland have voted to take industrial action for fair pay, the University and College Union (UCU) has announced. Belfast Metropolitan College, Northern Regional College, North West Regional College, Southern Regional College, South Eastern Regional College and South West College educate more than 63,000 students between them. The ballot was open for three weeks and was conducted via Royal Mail with 90% voting in favour of strike action, and 98.5% voting in favour of action short of a strike (ASOS), with a 49% turnout read more
Sheffield University staff back strike action in dispute over 1,000 jobs at risk (1 Apr) – Staff at the University of Sheffield have voted to take strike action in a dispute over drastic restructuring plans that put up to 1,000 jobs at risk, the University and College Union (UCU) announced today (Tuesday 1 April). The dispute centres on the university’s intention to slash staffing costs by £23 million over the next two years. In November 2024, the Vice Chancellor announced plans to cut £9 million in staffing costs in 2025 and a further £14 million in 2026. Relatedly, the university recently launched its ‘New Schools’ proposal, which has involved reducing the number of academic departments from 45 to 21 and restructuring Professional Services staff across all schools 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 recommends pay deal to members as union leader warns Labour it must reverse austerity (24 Apr) – The executive council of the Fire Brigades Union is recommending that members accept a pay offer of 3.2%, with additional commitments to discuss pay progression and other additional payments. However, Steve Wright, the union’s general secretary, has warned that “inflation-level pay rises will not be enough”, and that the government must invest to protect the public and fund bigger pay increases in the future. Unlike many other sectors, pay in the fire service is negotiated directly between the Fire Brigades Union and national fire service employers at the National Joint Council (NJC) read more
Firefighters back Birmingham bin workers and will not clear waste, says FBU (7 Apr) – The Fire Brigades Union has offered its support to striking bin workers in Birmingham. Councillor Roger Harmer, the leader of the Liberal Democrats in Birmingham, last week argued that the army or fire service should be brought in to clear obstructions and waste. The FBU said it would advise members not to carry out any strike-breaking work and has described Cllr Harmer’s remarks as “clueless”. FBU general secretary Steve Wright also declared the union’s “full solidarity” with bin workers “in their fight to defend their pay, jobs and conditions” and called on the council to settle the dispute read more
POA
National Chair update May 2025 read here
NEC minutes April 2025 read more
Employment rights bill and prison officers right to strike (13 Mar) – POA Circular 14/2025 explained to members that John McDonnell MP had submitted amendments to the Bill that would reinstate the basic human right of Prison Officers ability to withdraw their labour. The Executive invited members, their families, friends and others in the Trade Union movement to contact their MPS to support the amendments. As a result of the campaign 1572 people contacted their MP by email, along with many others who contacted their MP by other means. Despite this, MPs were denied a vote on John’s proposal and the Bill has now gone through the Report Stage without John’s amendments included and we will continue to have our basic rights denied. John McDonnell did speak in the House of Commons on his amendments and a link to his speech can be found here. In addition, the following MPs added their name to the amendment: John McDonnell, Mary Kelly Foy, Richard Burgon, Mike Amesbury, Dr Simon Opher, Jon Trickett, Brian Leishman, Neil Duncan-Jordan, Kim Johnson, Nadia Whittome, Steve Witherden, Kate Osborne, Imran Hussain, Jeremy Corbyn, Andy McDonald, Ian Byrne, and Zarah Sultana read more
NAPO
Our position on Probation pay (23 May) – Members will have seen yesterday’s pay announcement on the intranet about the Prison Service Pay Review Body and the publication of the Civil Service Pay Remit Guidance and, in case needed, we wanted to make clear the current position for staff subject to Probation Service terms and conditions. The recommendations of the Prison Service Pay Review Body do not apply to Probation Service staff who are subject to different terms and conditions as well as a separate pay process read more
Unions lodge Pay Progression Dispute (1 May) – The Probation Unions position is that the trade unions and employer previously reached an agreement that, under the Competency Based Framework, on the 1st of April each year eligible staff would achieve incremental progression – i.e. moving up one pay point within their bay band. Also, that this process is completely separate to the outcome of any pay negotiations between the employer and trade unions, which can result in increases in the value of employee’s pay. Our view is that there exists a wealth of evidence, much of it previously issued by HMPPS to its staff, that they were – at least until recent months – of the same view read more
BFAWU
Pre Conference Foodworker 2025
Support the campaign to unionise Samworth Brothers – get organised, sign the petition read more
Nautilus International
International Bargaining Forum agrees 2026-2027 pay rise for seafarers (29 May) – The International Bargaining Forum (IBF), which is comprised of the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) representing seafarers and the Joint Negotiating Group (JNG) representing ship managers and owners, has agreed a pay increase for hundreds of thousands of seafarers around the world. The IBF is the forum at which negotiations are held for the world’s only global collective bargaining agreement, which applies to more than 250,000 seafarers who work on flag of convenience vessels covered by an ITF-IBF collective bargaining agreement. Workers’ representatives have agreed to accept an offer from employers which means that seafarers, officers and ratings will receive a 3.5% increase in wages and compensations in 2026 and a further 1.5% in 2027 read more
NUJ
Reporters speak out about ‘climate of fear’ in Northern Ireland amid paramilitary death threats (3 June) – Journalists in Northern Ireland are facing regular death threats and attacks, with few of the perpetrators prosecuted, according to a new report by Amnesty International read more
NUJ shocked at Nigel Farage’s “baseless” attack on reporters (2 June) – Reform UK leader falsely accused journalists of being “involved” with protests outside press conference read more
Palestine: Journalist Moataz Mohammad Rajab killed (2 June) – At least 166 Palestinian journalists and media workers have lost their lives in Gaza. The NUJ joins the International Federation of Journalists and the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate (PJS) in mourning the death of Al-Quds Al-Youm TV journalist and video editor Moataz Mohammad Rajab read more
NUJ condemns Iran’s “relentless intimidation” of journalists (2 June) – There has been an acute escalation in the persecution of UK-based Iranian journalists – including scores of NUJ members – and their families read more
Yemen: journalist Mohammed Dabwan Al-Meyahi sentenced to 18 months in prison after social media posts (29 May) – Sentence follows enforced detention of Al-Meyahi since September. The NUJ joins the International Federation of Journalists in condemning the 18 month prison sentence given to Yemeni journalist and writer Mohammed Dabwan Al-Meyahi for criticising the Houthi militia. Al-Meyahi has also been ordered to pay five million Yemeni riyals (around 18,000 Euros) as a ‘financial guarantee’ by the Houthi-run Specialized Criminal Court in the country’s de jure capital Sana’a. He was abducted from his home in September 2024 by armed Houthi militants and detained for several months read more
Vote of no confidence in PA Media editor-in-chief Jack Lefley over restructuring plans (29 May) – NUJ chapel also reveals indicative vote in favour of strike action. NUJ members at PA Media have voted overwhelmingly in favour of a motion of no confidence in the leadership of the veteran company’s editor-in-chief Jack Lefley. It follows an indicative ballot strongly in favour of strike action, and overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action short of a strike, if management continues its restructuring plans – which the chapel has described as a “destructive course of action.” After four months in post, Lefley announced a plan to restructure the editorial department, putting 74 editorial staff at proposed risk of redundancy with the loss of up to 25 jobs read more
Journalist wins court ruling against unlawful police raid with NUJ backing (29 May) – The NUJ has welcomed the Central Criminal Court’s decision to refuse police access to Asa Winstanley’s journalistic property after determining that the search warrant was unlawful. On 17 October 2024, counter-terror police raided Winstanley’s home in North London. The journalist was neither arrested nor charged with an offence read more
Palestine: Death toll of journalists rises after Hassan Majdi Abu Warda is killed (28 May) – At least 165 journalists and media workers have now been killed in Gaza. Another tragic milestone has been reached in the number of journalists and media workers killed in Gaza following the death of Hassan Majdi Abu Warda. The director of Barq Gaza News Agency was killed on the morning of 25 May in an Israeli airstrike that hit his home in the Jabalia al-Nazla neighborhood in northern Gaza. According to reports, the attack also claimed the lives of several of his family members. The airstrike is part of Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza, which began after Hamas attacked Israel, killing around 1,200 people and kidnapping around 250 hostages on 7 October 2023 read more
Pakistan: Journalist killed in front of family (28 May) – Abdul Latif Baloch shot, just three months after his son was murdered. Journalist Abdul Latif Baloch has been shot and killed at his home in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province. Latif Baloch was shot four times in his home in the Mashkay Tehsil area of Awaran district in front of his wife and children after four armed men broke into his house read more
Equity
Equity welcomes appeal against Leicester Square busking ban (3 June) – “Since the ban in April, Leicester Square has lost its vibrancy and it is evident that the entertainment is sorely missed.” Read more
Musicians Union
MU Calls for Urgent Action to Protect Freelance Creative Workers in Scotland (3 June) – The MU is calling for immediate action following the publication of a damning new report by the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) and Scottish creative industry unions, which revealed that only 6% of over 800 creative freelancers surveyed would describe their working conditions as “good” read more
Stop the Closure of Riverside Theatre in Northern Ireland (2 June) – The MU is concerned to learn of the proposal to close The Riverside Theatre in Coleraine, Northern Ireland, and urges members to get involved by signing the petition and joining the peaceful protest taking place on Tuesday 3 June 2025 read more
MU Joins Industry Wide Call for £10 Million Investment in UK Music Export and Exchange (29 May) – The MU has joined over sixty music sector organisations in signing an open letter to government, calling for urgent and sustained investment in music export and exchange initiatives read more
USDAW
Usdaw urges the company to improve their pay offer to avoid planned strikes (28 Apr) – Usdaw members working at breakfast cereal giant Weetabix will be taking three days of industrial action in a dispute about pay from tomorrow (29 April). The strikes affect sites at Corby and Burton Latimer read more
Burton Latimer and Corby Weetabix strikers ‘determined’ as they begin two-day industrial action (29 Apr) read more on website of Northamptonshire Telegraph
UVW
Museum strikes paused again as pay offer promised by 1 April – Following talks between UVW and Wilson James earlier this week, the incredible guards at Natural History Museum, London Science Museum and Victoria and Albert Museum have agreed to suspend daily strikes due to commence on 7 March, following confirmation that a pay offer will be presented by 1 April. The guards are demanding a significant pay rise after years of poverty pay, full sick pay for day one, more annual leave and other benefits. Since last October, 76 days of strike action have been called including periods of daily walks outs.
Strike action will resume in April if the museums fail to deliver UVW Facebook page
Solidarity Financial Appeal: UVW’s office was targeted in a break-in! (10 Jan) – Overnight, laptops, essential equipment and other valuables worth several thousands of pounds were stolen, disrupting critical support for low-paid, migrant and precarious workers. This won’t stop our fight for justice. The theft comes as UVW leads critical campaigns with hundreds of workers taking strike action across London. Please support UVW during this critical time. Help replace stolen equipment and ensure campaigns for dignity and equality continue. Every donation makes a difference. Donate now: https://www.uvwunion.org.uk/donate. Read more on UVW Facebook page
IWGB
CITY CLEANERS STRIKE: ROUND 2! – Outsourced cleaning staff at City University have just announced they will STRIKE AGAIN, from 22nd to 24th May. Join them at their strike rally on Thurs 23rd May at 12pm, outside City University (Northampton Square, London EC1V 0HB)! Follow @IWGBUoL on X/Twitter
Mandate (Ireland)
Raise The Roof Demonstrations on 17th and 21st June (29 May) – Mandate is calling on its members to support two Housing Protests planned for next month under the Raise The Roof banner, a trade and civil union-led campaign on housing.
- Dublin – Tuesday 17th June: Rally outside of the Dail at 6pm to coincide with cross party PMB on Housing
- Cork – Saturday 21st June: March and Rally in Cork City, from National Monument, Grand Parade to the Opera House, commencing at 2pm
Irish workers need a new deal on housing. Please support the campaign. More details to follow read more
SIPTU (Ireland)
National Workplace Moment of Reflection for Peace in Palestine on 4th June (30 May) – The Irish Congress of Trade Unions has called for a National Workplace Moment of Reflection for Peace in Palestine at lunchtime on Wednesday 4th June. Where possible workers are asked to take a silent moment with their colleagues at 1.05pm on Wednesday, 4th June, which is International UN Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression read more
AbbVie Workers Challenge Government ‘Legislate for Collective Bargaining Now’ (29 May) – SIPTU members employed in pharmaceutical manufacturer AbbVie in Carrigtwohill, County Cork, have called on the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke, to legislate for the right to collective bargaining for workers in Ireland, highlighting their long running battle for union recognition read more
Unions call for nationalisation of Tara Mines if owners fail to develop new ore body (7 May) – The Tara Mines Group of Unions has called on the Government to take over the running of part or all of Tara Mines in Navan, County Meath, if its current owners fail to invest in the development of a major new ore body that has the potential to maintain the facility’s operation for an additional 40 years read more
Other news
From SHAC (Social Housing Action Campaign) – Protest: Demand Homes Fit for Life – 4pm Friday 6th June, Bruce Kendrick House, 2 Killick St, London N1 9FL
SHAC Housing Crisis Workplace Impact Survey:-
To aid our engagement with trade unions, and to expose a well-hidden aspect of the housing crisis, we have a survey about the impact of the housing crisis in the workplace.
The survey is completely anonymous. It asks about the impact of rising rents, as well as stress, illness and injury triggered by bad housing which in turn leads to workplace absences. The survey closes on 31st March 2025.
Please help by filling in the survey if you are in work, and for all to circulate within your networks.
www.shaction.org/housing-in-the-workplace-survey/
Alan Hardman ‘Need not Greed’ – Alan Hardman’s razor-sharp political cartoons collected for the first time. Coinciding with the 40th anniversary of the Miners’ Strike, Need Not Greed is a career-spanning collection of visual art by one of Britain’s greatest unsung political cartoonists. Alongside Alan Hardman’s essential work, the book also includes a contribution from former President of the National Union of Mineworkers, Arthur Scargill, as well as a foreword by Jeremy Corbyn order a copy – £45 each
Can you help? Crowdfunding to tour a production and exhibition of The Grunwick Strike Autumn 2025 – 2026 – We wanted to get in touch to let you know we are crowdfunding for a new production and interactive exhibition. The theatre show will tell the story of Jayaben Desai – the inspirational leader of the 1976-78 Grunwick Film Processing Factory Strike. We need your help to get this production and exhibition on the road, any donation you make will mean we are one step closer to getting this very important story out there performing to audiences across the UK. Any money raised will be matched by other funders. We’ve just got eight weeks to reach our target. Please find the link for our crowdfunding campaign HERE. Link to our Crowdfunding video Here. www.cramlingtontrainwreckers.co.uk
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
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
Stop the attack on Gaza
Many NSSN supporters have joined marches and protests against the escalation of violence in the Middle East, particularly the invasion and bombardment of Gaza by the Israeli government.
See Stop the War website for info on protests. The next central London demo is on Saturday 21st June at 12noon
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, MU, UVW, GMB, SOR, RCM, RCN, IWGB, Prospect, CSP, NAPO, INTO (Ireland), SIPTU (Ireland) and Mandate (Ireland)
Fight blacklisting and victimisation of union reps
‘SPYCOPS’ EXPOSED AND DEFEATED – Campaigners have successfully exposed the scandal of 50 years of secret undercover political policing. In fact activists are also celebrating 5 decades of struggles for a better world, despite police spying and repression
Affiliate to the Campaign Opposing Police Surveillance (COPS) here
ITV documentary – https://policespiesoutoflives.org.uk/itv-spycops-documentary-coming-soon-spring-2025/
www.campaignopposingpolicesurveillance.com
https://policespiesoutoflives.org.uk/
https://tmg-uk.org/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/blacklistSG/?locale=en_GB
https://powerbase.info/index.php/UndercoverResearch_Portal
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
Support Berlin hospital strike – support a strike that has been going on for several weeks at CFM, the outsourced facility management company of Charité, one of the largest and best-known university hospitals in Europe. CFM colleagues earn much less than their directly employed colleagues who were not outsourced, even though their work as non-medical staff keeps the hospital running. They are demanding reintegration into the regular workforce, equal pay for equal work and the same collective wage agreement as the public sector so that they can fight together. This is an important dispute in which we have repeatedly been involved since the start of the outsourcing process (2006) and the fight against it. We therefore ask you to send us messages of solidarity for the strike so that we can pass them on to the colleagues. We have already been able to read out and distribute several statements of solidarity from other sectors and other cities, which has greatly motivated and strengthened the strikers. You can find a short English article here: https://www.socialistworld.net/2025/05/29/call-for-international-solidarity-with-striking-berlin-workers/. Please send your messages of solidarity to: [email protected]
Appeal for support for two victimised Mass Art (Massachusetts College of Art and Design) workers over their participation in a rally over Gaza. This is part of the current nationwide crackdown on opposition, especially in educational bodies, which the Trump administration is demanding. Please send copies of any messages of support to [email protected].
Sign the petition if you haven’t already. Share widely! https://chng.it/9JcTZ8QBcr
Call and email MassArt administration:
MassArt President Mary Grant (617) 879-7077
Like, share, and comment on the Instagram post by Massachusetts Teachers Association Rank and File for Palestine (MTA RF4P) calling to defend our right to protest against genocide and for us to be taken off leave and not disciplined: https://www.instagram.com/p/DJeVFBlxh9b/?igsh=MXRobzA2cjk4dTE3aQ==
Turkey’s People Rise Up for Democracy (25 Mar) – Mass protests are sweeping across Turkey as people take to the streets against the oppressive rule of President Erdoğan, which has made life unbearable for many read more on the website of SPOT – Solidarity with the People of Turkey
Online Rally: Thursday 3rd April
#SolidarityWithTurkey #StandWithTurkey #FreeThemAll
Please share widely and stand with us! ✊
NIGERIA SOLIDARITY – END THE ATTACKS ON DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS! END THE ‘TREASON’ TRIAL AND DROP ALL CHARGES AGAINST ADARAMOYE MICHAEL LENIN AND OTHER #ENDBADGOVERNANCE PROTESTERS
The ‘treason’ trial of Michael Lenin and 10 other #endbadgovernance protesters was scheduled to commence on 29th of January after its postponement last year.
Adaramoye Michael Lenin and 10 others would be arraigned in Court on trumped up charges of treason and terrorism financing which could potentially earn them a death penalty if not quashed.
Further details on www.NigeriaSolidarity.com/Events
Diary
2025
June
14 Orgreave Anniversary march and rally – Assemble 1pm City Hall, Barkers Pool, Sheffield, S1 2JA details
29 Unions East Community Festival 1pm-5pm Coronation Gardens, Leyton E10 Facebook event
July
5 NSSN Annual Conference 2025 11am-4.30pm Conway Hall London
12 Durham Miners Gala details
18–20 Tolpuddle Martyrs’ Festival details
26 Troublemakers At Work conference central Manchester read more
September
7 NSSN TUC lobby & rally 1pm Brighton
