The NSSN continues to build solidarity and support for workers and their unions taking action. This appears to be again on the increase, as workers face down Starmer’s austerity and the bosses’ offensive. As you’ll read in this bulletin, there are long-running disputes along with new strikes and industrial action ballots. Please continue to support them all, and send us details of any strikes taking place so that we can publicise.
Support the striking Birmingham Binworkers –MegaPicket2 closes the bin depots
The NSSN supported the MegaPicket2 Friday 25th July to support the striking Unite Birmingham Binworkers. The workers have been on 5 months of indefinite strike action after being threatened with pay cuts of up to £8,000 a year, and are facing brutal strike-breaking measures by the Labour council, backed by Starmer’s government. Solidarity is even more essential as the council effectively threatens to fire and rehire the workers.
The MegaPicket2 was initiated by Strike Map and was supported by over 15 national trade unions and many organisations. Watch the ReelNews video of the MegaPicket2.
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. NSSN Chair Rob Williams spoke on the MegaPicket2 to pledge our continuing support, and calling for a national Saturday demo in Birmingham to support the strikers and build solidarity.
Unite conference votes overwhelmingly to re-examine relationship with Labour and suspend Angela Rayner from Unite membership over Birmingham bins dispute (11 July) – Unite has overwhelming voted to re-examine its relationship with Labour and deputy prime minister Angela Rayner has had her Unite membership suspended over her role in the Birmingham bin strike. The decision was taken following an emergency motion passed at the union’s policy conference in Brighton today that condemned Birmingham’s Labour council and the Labour government for attacking the bin workers. Birmingham council leader John Cotton and fellow Unite Birmingham councillors have also had their Unite membership suspended for their roles in effectively firing and rehiring the workers, who are striking over pay cuts of up £8,000. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite is crystal clear it will call out bad employers regardless of the colour of their rosette. Angela Rayner has had every opportunity to intervene and resolve this dispute but has instead backed a rogue council that has peddled lies and smeared its workers fighting huge pay cutsread more
Birmingham bins fire and rehire threats won’t work, Unite (9 July) – Labour has been a disgrace and should hang their heads in shame. Missing in action Birmingham council leader John Cotton’s threats to effectively fire and rehire striking bin workers shows Labour is complicit in attacking workers. The bin workers are striking over pay cuts of up to £8,000 – up a quarter of their wages for some – and have an industrial action mandate until December. They have been told to accept these lower terms or be made redundant. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Let’s be very clear, what Birmingham city council has proposed is fire and rehire in a Labour council under a Labour government read more
Starmer and Rayner must intervene to end Birmingham bin strike, warns fire union leader (20 July) – Fire Brigades Union general secretary Steve Wright has called on Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner to step in to deliver a decent settlement for the striking Birmingham bin workers 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/
- Join the MegaPicket2 (hosted by Strike Map) – Friday 25th July details
Twenty-five unions sign open letter calling on government and Birmingham Council to end bin strike read more in Morning Star
The NSSN Conference on Saturday 5th July brought together hundreds of union reps and members together to support the strikes that are taking place and to discuss how we organise against the austerity from Starmer’s Labour Government. Fighting union leaders and striking workers spoke from our platform, followed by a full discussion from the floor.
Watch the videos of the platform speeches here – Steve Gillan POA General Secretary, Steve Wright FBU General Secretary, Carmel Gates NIPSA General Secretary, Onay Kasab Unite National Lead Officer, Ian Hodson BFAWU National President, Ed Harlow NEU Vice-President, Fiona Brittle PCS NEC (personal capacity), Danny Taylor Unite Birmingham Bin Striker, Joel Mayfield Unite Sheffield Veolia bin striker, Caroline Hayhurst striking Unison Gloucestershire phlebotomist, Paula Peters DPAC, Lois Austin SpyCops and NSSN Chair Rob Williams
Come to the NSSN TUC Congress Rally & Lobby – 1pm Sunday 7th September in The Old Ship Hotel I Brighton Facebook event
The NSSN has produced the following model motion for union branches & trades councils to get support for NSSN TUC Congress lobby & rally which will lobby for support for the motion from the TUC Trades Councils Conference that will be tabled at the 2025 TUC Congress which campaigns to “oppose the attacks on disability benefits to…build support for the TUC Disabled Workers Committee to organise a demonstration and lobby of Parliament…and for the TUC to organise a weekend demonstration against Labour austerity as a launchpad for sustained trade union action in defence of workers and young people.”
The motion was tabled at the TUC Trades Councils Conference by NSSN National Secretary Katrine Williams on behalf of Cardiff Trades Council.
This (union branch/trades council) notes that the Starmer Labour government has
announced its intention to slash governmental budgets, which includes its vicious Welfare Bill to cut disability benefits. This is at the same time as councils make cuts, the NHS is under massive pressure and there is a funding crisis at all levels of education. This is alongside recessionary signs in the private sector, with threats to jobs while the cost-of-living squeeze remains.
This [union branch / trades council] believes that it is essential that the trade union
movement takes the lead in organising against Starmer and Reeves’s austerity and the bosses’ offensive. We 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.
This [union branch / trades council] welcomes the motion from the TUC Trades Councils Conference that will be tabled at the 2025 TUC Congress which campaigns to “oppose the attacks on disability benefits to…build support for the TUC Disabled Workers Committee to organise a demonstration and lobby of Parliament…and for the TUC to organise a weekend demonstration against Labour austerity as a launchpad for sustained trade union action in defence of workers and young people.”
Therefore, this [union branch / trades council] supports the 2025 National Shop Stewards Network (NSSN) rally at TUC Congress in Brighton on Sunday 7th September, which will be on the theme ‘Make the rich pay not workers’ and will lobby for TUC Congress to pass the motion from the TUC Trades Councils Conference
This [union branch / trades council] resolves to:
• Affiliate / reaffiliate to the NSSN
• Publicise the NSSN lobby and rally at TUC Congress in Brighton to all our members and affiliates, and encourage them to attend
• Make a donation to the NSSN to help cover the cost of the rally
Download and distribute our NSSN Workplace Report
Affiliate your union branch/trades council to NSSN (£50).
Renew/donate online (HSBC: 40-06-41, 90143790)
Cheque (NSSN, 16 Warren Rd, London E10 5QA).
Contact us: email – [email protected].
Support the Unite Sheffield Bin strike – Unite: Strikes at Veolia in Sheffield set to continue as company refuses to negotiate – Fresh ballot from union shows strong support for continuing industrial action read more. Strikes at union-busting firm Veolia are set to continue in Sheffield following the latest successful ballot of workers at the Lumley Street depot read more
Donate to the strike fund – Unite NEYH, 60-83-01 20173962
Support the Unison Gloucestershire phlebotomists strike
Christina McAnea joins striking phlebotomists in Gloucester (22 July) – The specialist health workers are demanding their roles are re-banded to reflect their knowledge, skills and training read more
The results of the NHS phlebotomists in Gloucestershire Hospitals industrial action ballot returned a 100% YES vote, with a turnout of 100%.
Picketing and plan of action for week 21:
- Monday 4th: Joint picket at Gloucester Royal Hospital from 07.30 to 12:00.
- Tuesday 5th: Joint picket at Cheltenham General Hospital from 07:30 to 12:00.
- Wednesday 6th: Joint picket at Gloucester Royal Hospital from 07.30 to 12:00.
- Thursday 7th: Joint picket at Cheltenham General Hospital from 07:30 to 12:00.
- Friday 8th: No picket.
Donate to the strike fund
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
Support the BMA Resident Doctors strike
Pay restoration for resident doctors in England – Well done to everyone who has supported our strike action. We negotiated until the eleventh hour in an attempt to avert strike action, but all the Health Secretary came back with was the promise of more talks. Nothing substantive. Nothing on pay and only vague words on possible non-pay elements of any deal. Doctors are not worth 21% less than they were in 2008, nor has work diminished by 21%. Our ask is a reasonable one and we’ll continue to make the case for full pay restoration until the Government realises that we won’t be taken for granted. Well done for holding the line! Read more. Details of picket lines
UCU statement to support BMA industrial action (25 July) read more
“To all doctors: fair pay” Equity extends solidarity to British Medical Association following Health Secretary comments read more
FBU: Firefighter union leader shares message of support with striking doctors (24 July) read more
Union News
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RMT
No Sackings, No Deportations, Defend our members’ right to stay! – Lobby the London Mayor: 8.30am Thursday 11th September, City Hall, Royal Docks E16 1ZE
Fishguard figures show urgent need for legally binding Seafarers Charter (1 Aug) – Seafarers’ union RMT have highlighted figures from the Fishguard–Rosslare ferry route that prove the case for a mandatory, legally enforceable seafarers’ charter to protect jobs, safety and service standards in the UK ferry industry. Passenger numbers on the Stena Line-operated Fishguard route were nearly 10% higher in 2024 compared to 2019 – bucking a wider trend of lower volumes across Ro-Ro ferry ports, post-pandemic. In contrast, passenger numbers on Irish Ferries’ Pembroke–Rosslare service, which uses a P&O-style low-cost crewing model, have collapsed, falling by nearly 50% in 2024 compared to 2019. This crewing model not only drives down wages and conditions but also relies on fatigue-inducing roster patterns that endanger both safety and service quality. RMT says the key difference is that Stena Line recognises the union, and operates under collective bargaining agreements, ensuring decent pay and conditions for their seafarers read more
Orkney Ferries workers vote for industrial action after rejecting pay offer (1 Aug) – RMT members working on Orkney’s lifeline ferry services have voted in favour of industrial action short of strike, following the rejection of a pay offer from their employer. The offer failed to address key issues around pay, rest time, and job security. Given the existing short staffing across the service, any action short of a strike is expected to cause major disruption. The workforce is already stretched thin, and even limited action will have a serious impact on operations read more
Tube ballot to defend agreements smashes anti-union law thresholds (29 July) read more
Tube worker vote YES for strike over pay (29 July) read more
DLR ballot successful (29 July) read more
RMT supports commemoration of 1825 North Sands massacre (1 Aug) – Maritime union, RMT is backing a major event to mark the 200th anniversary of the North Sands Massacre, when five striking seafarers were shot dead by soldiers during an industrial dispute in Sunderland. The killings took place on 3 August 1825 during action organised by the Seamen’s Loyal Standard Association (S.L.S.A.), one of the first attempts to form a trade union among British seafarers read more
RMT demands urgent action on escalating violence across southern and Gatwick express routes (26 July) – Rail union, RMT demanded urgent intervention from Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) today, following a serious escalation in violent and anti-social behaviour across Southern and Gatwick Express services. Staff are facing daily incidents of assault, threats, spitting, verbal abuse, and intimidation. This rise in violence and aggressive behaviour is putting workers’ physical and mental health at risk, with frontline staff increasingly forced to carry out their duties in fear. Despite repeated calls for action, GTR has failed to implement adequate safety measures. As a result, the union is calling for immediate steps to be taken read more
RMT backs call for restoration of blue light status for Emergency Response Unit (24 July) – RMT has today backed the call from the London Assembly Transport Committee for Transport for London (TfL) to publish the review which led to the removal of blue light status from Emergency Response Unit (ERU) vehicles, and is calling for the reinstatement of this vital emergency capability. Blue light status was granted to ERU vehicles in 2012 following a recommendation from the London Assembly’s 7 July Review Committee in response to the 7/7 bombings read more
RMT urges Labour to reject pension age hike (24 July) – Transport union, RMT has warned the Labour government that any attempt to drastically raise the state pension age beyond 68 would be met with strong resistance, including coordinated protests and direct action from across the trade union movement. Currently the state pension age is 66 for men and women. It is due to rise to 67 between 2026 and 2027, and to 68 in 2044. But the decision by Work and Pensions secretary Liz Kendall to launch a review, has sparked fears in some quarters that the pension age could be dramatically increased to 74, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS). The union has called on Labour to reject tired arguments about affordability and instead embrace an alternative economic strategy based on fair taxation, public investment, and recognition that pensions are not a privilege but a right earned by workers read more
RMT to ballot GWR Gateline staff over dangerous lone staffing plans (11 June) – Rail union, RMT is balloting over 300 Gateline staff across Great Western Railway (GWR) for strike action in response to company plans to impose single staffing and extend working hours. The proposals would leave staff isolated, more exposed to abuse and violence, and unable to provide proper ticket enforcement and adequate assistance to passengers. Unfortunately management have resorted to attempting to intimidate workers by insisting they will not win the ballot and that the new working arrangements are being imposed regardless of union action. RMT is clear that single staffing on Gatelines is a direct attack on the safety, dignity and job security of frontline workers and the union will not accept it read more
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…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 in action on Hull Trains – as long as it takes (9 July) – Mick Whelan, general secretary, ASLEF:COLLEAGUES, may I take this opportunity to praise our colleagues on Hull Trains who have been on all out strike in support of a colleague who has been terminated for doing nothing wrong, and outside the agreed processes and procedures, which is a real kick in the teeth to the safety culture of the whole railway. It has been made clear to the company that we are here until we get a right and just resolution to the issue and, along with the many messages of solidarity, we shall be sending a message to Hull Trains and the whole railway industry, that our branches will support financially their colleagues and friends for as long as it takes read more. Strike mandate renewed: new strike dates – 10th August-11th September. See updates on ASLEF Facebook page
TSSA
TSSA accuses train companies of “pricing workers off the railways” (31 July) – TSSA today accused train operating companies (TOCs) of “pricing workers off the railways” after the ORR announced that ticket prices across Great Britain had risen by 5.1% in the last year. The increase in ticket prices compares sharply with the RPI rate of inflation of 3.2% meaning ticket prices have risen faster than housing, food and council tax costs in the last year read more
TfL pay talks update (29 July) –
- TfL declines to improve its offer
- All unions present state the offer is unacceptable in its current form
TSSA are representing you as TfL Head Office’s largest trade union in TfL Pay Talks for Pay Bands 1-3. At today’s round of pay talks, TfL’s negotiating team declined to improve their offer of 3.4% for this year. All trade unions present stated that this offer is not acceptable in its current form. TfL asked that all unions provide a written response to the offer by Thursday 31 July – and said that if all unions put the offer to their members and the offer was accepted by 28 August, they would be in a position to implement the deal in the November payroll. TSSA reps do not believe that this offer is yet in a fit state to present to you, our members, based on the results of our consultation with you in preparing our pay claim. There are no further meetings scheduled at this stage read more
TSSA members to commence action short of strike in Translink 30th July read more
TSSA strikes at Translink suspended after new offers ahead of The Open (18 July) – Strikes involving TSSA members working at Translink have been suspended after the company made last minute offers ahead of walkouts due to start at midnight (00:01 Friday). The breakthrough for TSSA members working as Clerical staff and as Management, Professional & Technical Grades (MPT) came after extensive talks over two days at the Labour Relations Agency (LRA) involving union officials and Translink read more
Unite
BREAKING NEWS!! Stagecoach North East strikes suspended following improved pay offer (6 Aug) – Strikes by Stagecoach North East workers have been suspended due to an improved pay offer. Unite, the UK’s leading union, will be balloting the workers on the new offer over the coming days. Strike action scheduled for 11 and 12 August will not take place. If the offer is rejected, strike action for 18 and 21 August will go ahead read more
Potential shutdown at Bournemouth Airport as workers ballot for industrial action over pay (5 Aug) – Bournemouth Airport could be shut down next month as almost 80 workers are being balloted on whether to take strike action. The workers, members of the UK’s leading union Unite, include plane fuellers, baggage handlers, security and check-in staff and flight dispatchers amongst others. With workers in so many sections of the airport involved in the dispute any strikes would close the airport thus grounding all flights for the period of the stoppage, and causing flights into the airport to be delayed or cancelled. Members have unanimously rejected a pay offer of 4.5 per cent for the lowest paid bringing them up to £12.22 per hour, then 3 per cent for the higher paid members. Many workers have struggled with the cost of living crisis and believe that given increased costs of essentials this equates to a real terms pay cut. Meanwhile Bournemouth Airport is profitable. This year it increased all of its airport charges by 5 per cent as well as investing over £50 million in expanding the airport due to increased passenger numbers…The ballot closes on 20 August. Any strike action could happen as early as the first week of September read more
Disruption expected at Sellafield as PX Limited workers set to strike over pay (5 Aug) – There is set to be disruption at Sellafield, as Unite members working for PX Limited, the firm supplying the steam and power to the Cumbria nuclear site, are walking out in a dispute over pay. Almost 40 workers will take industrial action from 7am on 19 August to 7am on 20 August after turning down two unsatisfactory pay offers from the employer – with the final being 3.5 per cent to 5 per cent depending on a set of criteria. Members at PX Limited who will be on strike include operators, team leaders, planners and buyers. Workers are also currently undertaking an overtime ban. The workers taking part in the dispute play a vital role at Sellafield as the plant can’t do some of its nuclear operations without the power they supply to it. Unite members believe their pay should reflect the fact they are an intrinsic part of processes at Sellafield. PX Limited is a highly profitable company. According to its latest financial report submitted in 2024, it has a turnover of £77m, making a gross profit of £15m and compared with the previous year it had a turnover increase of 61 per cent read more
Heathrow expansion plans need firm commitment from government says Unite (1 Aug) – Commenting on Heathrow’s submission of ‘shovel ready’ plans for a third runway, Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite welcomes Heathrow’s plans and is pleased that the government continues to support building a third runway. Now ministers must put their words into action and ensure that construction begins as quickly as possible…” read more
Glasgow airport summer strike action averted as Unite delivers major pay win (1 Aug) – Increases worth up to 11.6 per cent for airport workers. Unite the union can confirm today (Friday 1 August) that summer strike action has been averted after workers backed an increased pay offer made by Glasgow airport’s new owners. Around 100 workers employed by Glasgow Airport Limited were involved an escalating pay dispute after wage offers were rejected by the workers and several rounds of strike action were called-off due to last minute progress in pay negotiations. Glasgow Airport Limited workers will now benefit from a two-year pay deal effective from January this year. In 2025, the pay deal includes a basic four per cent rise alongside a one-off £500 payment. The cash payment is worth an additional 4 per cent for the lowest paid members with airside support unit operatives gaining an additional uplift increasing their pay award by up to 11.6 per cent. In 2026, the pay award will be equal to the December inflation rate and run for one year. The pay deal successfully negotiated by Unite represents substantial progress from an original 2.7 per cent offer which marginally increased to four per cent when 98.7 per cent of Unite members at Glasgow Airport Limited emphatically backed industrial action. The workers benefiting from the pay deal include airport ambassadors, airside support officers, engineers and managers…Unite has clocked up a string of recent successes as part of its ‘Runway To Success’ campaign which is designed to establish standards above the legal minimums across Scottish airports. It includes recent wage wins for 100 North Air workers across Scottish airports, 400 workers across companies based at Aberdeen airport, 300 Menzies Aviation workers based at Edinburgh airport and a further around 1000 based at Glasgow Airport covering ICTS, Menzies Aviation, Falck firefighters, ABM and OCS read more
Potential disruption to bus services in Hertfordshire, Bucks and Bedfordshire as workers ballot for strikes (1 Aug) – There could be major disruption to bus services across the South East, as 700 Unite members including drivers are being balloted for industrial action over pay. The dispute covers workers across Arriva the Shires and Arriva Kent Thameside across five depots. These are Luton, Milton Keynes, (both the Shires) and Stevenage, Ware and Hemel Hempstead (Arriva Kent Thameside). At the Shires, around 50 routes a day out operate of Milton Keynes and Luton while Kent Thameside operate approximately 30 routes a day out of Hemel Hempstead, Ware and Stevenage, meaning any strikes will be extremely disruptive. Arriva have offered a below-inflation increase of 65p per hour, equating to 3.82% for a bus driver backdated to 1 January 2025. This is despite the fact in the last financial year Arriva – which operates in 11 European countries – was purchased by new American owners I Squared Capital and saw its total revenues reach €2.46bn in the year read more
Unite Secures Landmark Recognition Agreement for EMCOR Staff at Oxford University (1 Aug) – Unite, the UK’s leading trade union, has secured a formal recognition agreement with EMCOR UK for workers delivering facilities management services at Oxford University. This marks a significant step forward for staff rights and representation on the prestigious campus, giving Unite the legal framework to engage in collective bargaining on behalf of EMCOR staff at Oxford University and enabling the union to negotiate improvements in pay, job security, shift patterns and holiday entitlements. EMCOR UK, a subsidiary of the Fortune 500-listed EMCOR Group, Inc, is a major provider of mechanical and electrical construction, facilities management, and infrastructure services…The recognition agreement, overwhelmingly backed by 100 per cent of Unite members on the contract, follows 18 months of sustained efforts by the union to secure a formal voice for EMCOR employees within the workplace read more
Music events in Cardiff face disruption as bus drivers set to strike (1 Aug) – Bus workers at Cardiff City Transport Services LTD, more commonly known as Cardiff Bus, are set to take three weeks of continuous strike action later this month. Over 450 members of Unite, including bus drivers, at the firm will take the action from Sunday 17 August until the morning of Sunday 7 September in an ongoing dispute over pay and conditions. Strike action is likely to impact travel arrangements for ongoing entertainment events within the city including planned music events by artists including Tom Jones, Will Smith and Basement Jaxx at Cardiff Castle. Workers at publicly-owned Cardiff Bus are financially struggling and have rejected the company’s latest offer which leaves driver pay below levels in the rest of the UK read more
Glasgow Village Hotel set for historic strike action (1 Aug) – Village Hotel in Glasgow, one of the city’s major hotels, is set to be rocked by all-out strike action starting on 2 August. Unite understands that the industrial action will be the first strike at a major hotel since the chambermaids went out at Grosvenor House Hotel, London in 1979. On 15 July, Unite members returned an overwhelming mandate for industrial action when 100 per cent voted yes to strike action on an 81 per cent turnout read more
Unite delivers Menzies Aviation pay deal for 300 Edinburgh airport workers (31 July) – Wages set to increase by up to 10 per cent. Unite confirmed today (Thursday 31 July) that around 300 Menzies Aviation workers at Edinburgh airport have agreed to a new pay award ending the threat of strike action. The one-year pay deal, overwhelmingly accepted by the Menzies workers, amounts to an average increase of 6.5 per cent with some members gaining up to 10 per cent. An additional success for Unite was negotiating the introduction of a pay grade system which rewards length of service and skills. The pay award covers dispatchers, allocators, airside agents and controllers read more
200 OCS passenger assistants at Edinburgh airport balloted over strike action (30 July) – 200 OCS Group workers based at Edinburgh Airport are being balloted on strike action in an escalating dispute over pay, Scotland’s leading aviation union, revealed today (30 July). OCS has tabled the lowest possible wage offer of 12.60 an hour to match the Scottish Living Wage minimum rate to the workers which they overwhelmingly rejected. The ballot on industrial opens on 30 July and closes on 19 August. It means potential strike action could take place from early September if the ballot is successful. The OCS Group covers workers who aid passengers with reduced mobility issues including assisting with wheelchairs and ambilift vehicles for travellers at Edinburgh airport read more
Unite members fly-high with pay deals at Aberdeen airport (30 July) – 400 aviation workers secure better jobs, pay and conditions. Unite, Scotland’s leading aviation union, can confirm today (30 July) that over 400 members based at Aberdeen airport have backed multiple pay deals. Around 180 Skytanking ‘front-of-house’ customer service, ramp and bagging agents accepted a basic five per cent increase, while over 100 ICTS Central Search workers similarly backed a 4.5 per cent increase to basic pay and allowances. The ICTS workers deal with passengers directly in the security search areas and process them for flights. The union has also successfully negotiated a basic four per cent increase for around 80 workers employed by Aberdeen Airport Limited. The workers include airport ambassadors, airside support officers, engineers and managers. A further 40 Falck firefighters who perform fire safety functions at the airport accepted a 4.5 per cent offer on basic pay also successfully negotiated by Unite read more
Unite hits out at union busting firm supplying coffee chain Starbucks (30 July) – Unite has hit out at the unfair treatment of two shop stewards working at Food Service Logistics, who have been suspended on trumped-up charges. The reps are a senior shop steward and their deputy, who have been falsely accused of being involved in an altercation after being singled out to do work not in their job description and now face disciplinary hearings next week. It comes after these Unite stewards had previously brought numerous grievances against Food Service Logistics including discrimination for trade union activity and behaviour of management towards them and other Unite members. Hemel Hempstead-based Food Service Logistics is a primary supplier to the Starbucks retail network in the south of England, including franchised stores. Starbucks itself has come under fire in recent years after facing accusations of unfair dismissals and union busting in the US read more
Hundreds sign Glasgow Keep the Cap taxi campaign (30 July) – Cab demonstration at George Square to hand in petition. Glasgow taxi drivers will hold a rally and hand-in a petition today (Wednesday 30 July) signed by over 500 people against the proposal to consider lifting the cap on private hire vehicles across the city. A petition launched by Unite’s Glasgow Cab Section has gained 545 signatures so far protesting against the prospect of the number of taxis and private hire cabs cap being lifted by the city’s authority read more
Unite ballot shows NHS staff overwhelmingly reject pay deal (29 July) – Unite’s ballot of members in health has demonstrated the strength of feeling among the NHS workforce with 89 per cent of members believe that the pay award (3.6%) is unacceptable and are prepared to take action up to including strike action. The strength of feeling around government cuts was even greater with 95 per cent of members expressing their willingness to take action in order to oppose cuts to the NHS. We are calling on the UK government to meet with us and in order to avoid a strike that is likely to affect a number of Trusts (including Ambulance Trusts) and a number of national organisations such as NHS England and NHS Blood and Transplant. The pay award offered to Agenda for Change NHS staff (i.e. most staff other than doctors) was below RPI and CPIH. It is less than the award for doctors and it is less than that offered through negotiations in Scotland…Unite is committed to resolving this issue and will work with the government to do so, but given the lack of willingness from ministers to date, Unite will progress towards the next formal ballot we are required to carry out in order that we can take action. Our members have witnessed the NHS deteriorate for years and feel duty bound to take a stand to defend it read more
Huge disruption to North East bus services as hundreds of workers strike over pay (29 July) – There is set to be significant disruption to bus services across the North East during the summer holidays as nearly 600 Unite members at Busways Travel Services including drivers have voted to strike in August. The dispute comes after workers at the firm were offered a below inflation pay rise of 3.3 per cent. The hourly pay for drivers in the North East – £15.01 per hour – is well below the pay of those doing the same job in the North West. Busways Travel Services is part of the Stagecoach North East group. Stagecoach is a highly profitable firm, with figures from last year showing it recorded a total operating profit of £51.1m – up from £33.1m – and a profit before taxation of £47.6m…Workers who have voted to take action include 500 members based at the Slatyford and Walkergate depots in Newcastle upon Tyne, including bus drivers. The majority of passenger bus services to and from Newcastle city centre operate from these depots meaning strikes will be extremely disruptive. Meanwhile over 80 engineers and cleaners based at these depots as well as Sunderland and South Shields will take strike action at the same time, on Monday 11 and Tuesday 12 August as well as Monday 18 and Thursday 21 August. This action will impact commuters as well as families taking trips during the school summer holidays with bus services likely to be cancelled and severely delayed read more
Unite hails latest offshore medics recognition agreement (25 July) – Agreement covers TAC Healthcare offshore medics on Repsol platforms. Unite, the UK’s largest offshore trade union, has hailed the latest recognition agreement in the offshore sector covering medics on Repsol platforms. The recognition agreement covers around 20 offshore medics employed by TAC Healthcare Group Limited working on Repsol’s Arbroath, AUK, Bleoholm, Claymore, Clyde, Fulmar, Montrose, and Piper Bravo platforms. The agreement means that Unite will now have a platform to undertake collective bargaining on behalf of the workers to improve jobs, pay and conditions on the Repsol contract read more
Encirc workers in Bristol secure pay rise as wine bottle shortage averted (25 July) – Workers secure increased pay and conditions after taking industrial action. Over 200 members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, employed by Encirc at its Avonmouth site have secured a vastly improved pay and conditions deal after taking industrial action. The workers are employed by Encirc producing and packaging glass bottles for supermarket wines. After beginning targeted industrial action last month and which continued into early July, the company returned to the negotiating table and a vastly improved deal was agreed. Pay will increase by 4.4 per cent and which is backdated to January 2025. In addition, pensions will increase by one per cent which is also backdated to January 2025. Overtime rates will improve, with double time paid in future from 19:00 on Friday until 07:00 Monday. The redundancy policy has been improved as has the sickness policy read more
Threat by Associated Print to shut Portadown site indefensible (24 July) – Proposed closure will leave only one newspaper printworks in Northern Ireland. Unite the Union has condemned plans by Associated Print to shut its Portadown facility, warning that the move would result in the loss of over 30 skilled jobs and deals a severe blow to Northern Ireland’s newspaper print capacity. The union is calling on Associated Print to drop its plans to close the site and instead invest in the business or else sell the site to someone who would take on the business as a going concern. Unite believes the modern and small-scale print works at the factory are perfect to meet the needs of the industry given the complexities involved in printing large numbers of papers in small quantities…The closure would occur alongside the proposed shutdown of a printing plant in Cork and further the centralisation of newspaper production to Britain. The union is engaging with its members on the next steps in its campaign to keep the Portadown print works open read more
350 offshore workers moving towards strikes as platforms set to shutdown (24 July) – Repsol, CNOOC and MCL Medics workers balloted in disputes over jobs, pay and conditions. Unite the union can confirm that around 350 offshore workers are travelling towards strike action in disputes with offshore operators and companies. Workers employed by Repsol, CNOOC and MCL Medics are all involved in strike ballots or forthcoming industrial action on offshore platforms. Over 200 Repsol workers have rejected several unacceptable pay offers with the latest amounting to a three per cent increase in basic pay. Unite can confirm its membership has emphatically backed strike by 92.1 per cent after rejecting the latest pay offer. Industrial action is now set to hit Repsol’s Arbroath, AUK, Bleoholm, Claymore, Clyde, Fulmer, Montrose, and Piper Bravo assets in a series of stoppages. A one day strike will commence at 06:00 on 6, 13, and 28 August as well as a further stoppage on 4 September. A continuous overtime ban will also be in operation. The union claims that the impact of industrial action will lead to the shutting down of platforms as the workers involved include control room operators, supervisors, electricians, technicians, mechanics and HSE advisors read more
Victory for workers in long-running Oscar Mayer dispute (24 July) – Unite secures compensation and reinstatement of fired workers. Workers at Wrexham’s Oscar Mayer ready meal factory are celebrating today after concluding their long-running industrial dispute with the company, marked by the signing of a statutory recognition agreement. This follows an earlier trade dispute agreement that secured the reinstatement of 26 dismissed workers and improvements to holiday compensation. In excess of 500 Unite members at the plant took over 200 days of strike action between September 2024 and April 2025 in a fight for their colleagues’ jobs and over terms and conditions of employment. The company attempted to slash pay by up to £3,000 a year by firing and rehiring them on inferior contracts. The workers have now secured an agreement that not only reinstates the dismissed workers but also compensates workers for the loss of paid breaks, gets members an extra day’s holiday if they work bank holidays, allows them to carry over accrued holidays to 2026 and for the first time puts in place a formal recognition agreement between Oscar Meyer and Unite read more
Lindsey refinery workers to demonstrate against sites closure plans (23 July) – Workers at the Lindsey oil refinery and members of Unite will stage a demonstration tomorrow (Thursday 24 July) in protest at the plans to wind down production at the site, ahead of a planned closure this autumn read more
Government must act to secure future of Lindsey oil refinery (21 July) read more
Carnival transport chaos on cards as West London bus workers balloted for strikes over pay (17 July) – Drivers, engineers and controllers could walk out. Bus travel in West London could grind to a halt this summer as nearly 2,000 workers are being balloted on strike action. Members of the Unite trade union, Britain’s leading trade union for public transport workers, are furious that not all elements of the new pay offer they have received from their employer are being backdated to their pay anniversary in December. This would mean drivers losing out on hundreds of pounds of back pay after First Bus bought the company earlier this year from RATP. One of the subsidiaries involved London United is also attempting to change the pay anniversary of some workers and is refusing to reinstate shift work premiums for others…The ballot opens today (Wednesday) and will close on 11 August. Should workers vote for strike action they could walk out on the August bank holiday Monday crippling bus services during the Notting Hill Carnival read more
Bin strike looming in Wrexham as workers balloted on action (17 July) – Street scene operators at Wrexham council angry over changes to working patterns. Bin strikes could take place in Wrexham later this year, including the August bank holiday and over the busy Christmas period, as over 100 Unite members are being balloted to take industrial action. The dispute comes after Wrexham council changed the way workers in the street scene operation team were given overtime. Street scene operators include refuse workers as well as those working on parks, gardens and highways. Previously, they were given additional days off over Christmas and can volunteer to work overtime. However, the council forced through changes without any consultation with workers or Unite, which means they now have to compulsorily work Saturdays and are threatened with disciplinary action if they do not attend. This is a choice by the employer to extend the working week without agreement and means every worker would lose half a day’s pay…The ballot closes on 5 August and industrial action could take place in late August. Unite members are also considering any potential strike action to take place over Christmas, when households usually have more rubbish needing to be removed than usual read more
Fawley ‘famished’ as oil refinery canteen workers strike (16 July) – Fawley workers will be famished when the oil refinery’s canteen staff strike over poverty pay. The predominantly female workers, employed by catering outsourcer Compass, are paid only slightly more than the minimum wage. They are demanding a pay rise that reflects the rising cost of living and ensures the gap between their wages and the absolute legal minimum does not shrink. London-based Compass Group is the world’s largest catering provider and raked in nearly £1.2 billion in operating profits in the six months to March 2025 – an increase of 11.6 per cent…The workers will strike from 25 to 28 July and from 1 to 4 August. Canteen and food services across the refinery will not be available during the strikes. Industrial action will intensify if the dispute is not resolved read more
Knottingley Ardagh Glass bottle factory facing disruption during strikes (15 July) – Forklift drivers employed by Lockwood Haulage walkout over disgraceful union busting. Forklift drivers employed by Lockwood Haulage at the Ardagh Glass bottle factory in Knottingley will strike over union recognition. The forklift drivers were previously employed by GXO before transferring to Lockwood Haulage in March after the company took over the Ardagh Glass contract. GXO had a longstanding recognition agreement on collective bargaining with Unite, which Lockwood is refusing to honour…The workers will strike on 18 and 21 July. Industrial action will continue to escalate until the dispute is resolved. The strikes will severely impact Ardagh’s operations as the company will not be able to load bottle onto trucks for delivery to clients including Diageo, InBev, Coca Cola, Heineken and Highland Spring read more
Industrial action escalates over Liverpool University hybrid working changes (14 July) – Hundreds of workers at Liverpool University are escalating their continuing industrial action by taking part in further strike days over changes to the current hybrid working agreement. Over 340 professional services staff including those involved in graduation ceremonies, confirmation of places and clearing for September’s intake of new students, will strike on 14 August and again from 16 to 19 September, when the university welcomes its new and returning students. At present, the workers, members of Unite, are also taking action short of a strike such as by refusing to work overtime. This is set to impact graduation ceremonies taking place from today to Friday (18 July) by causing administrative delays read more
Unite ballots Orkney Ferries workers on strike action in pay dispute (11 July) – Strike ballot opens on 15 July. Unite the union confirmed today that it is balloting Orkney Ferries workers on industrial action in an escalating dispute over pay. Unite represents around 30 outer north and inner isles workers who have rejected several offers from Orkney Ferries. The latest offer overwhelmingly rejected amounted to a basic four per cent increase. The ballot will open on 15 July and closes on 5 August, if workers vote for industrial action strikes could begin from the end of August read more
East Coast bus drivers strike ballot over pay (10 July) – 130 drivers reject two-year offer at publicly owned subsidiary of Lothian Buses. Unite has confirmed around 130 drivers employed by East Coast Buses are involved in an industrial action ballot after rejecting a two-year pay offer. The ballot will open today (10 July) and close on 24 July. If workers vote for industrial action then strike action could start in early August potentially impacting on the Edinburgh Festival and the Oasis concert (9 August) at Murrayfield. The East Coast Buses drivers provide services from the city of Edinburgh and the East Lothian coast and mainland. East Coast Buses and Lothian County are both owned by the publicly run Lothian Buses. A separate pay deal has been successfully negotiated by Unite for Lothian County bus drivers which run services across west Edinburgh and West Lothian read more
Belfast GLL leisure workers vote for industrial action (7 July) – Largest council in Northern Ireland has worst pay for leisure workers. Industrial action to commence Tuesday 15 July with a work to rule at outsourced leisure centres and gyms. Members of Unite and NIPSA employed at Belfast’s municipal leisure centres have voted overwhelmingly for industrial action. The ballot followed the refusal of Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL) to agree the workforce’s pay claim. The company is contracted by Belfast City council to manage its outsourced leisure centres and gyms. As a result of GLLs failure to offer a fair pay offer a continuous work-to-rule will begin on Tuesday 15 July. The unions also contacted GLL to clarify that they stood ready to commence negotiations to resolve the pay dispute at any time. Because of the outsourcing of leisure services by Belfast City Council, pay for workers at leisure centres has fallen considerably behind that for leisure workers employed by other councils in Northern Ireland. Workers are seeking an additional one pound an hour pay increase this year which will reduce the pay differential with other leisure workers. The unions have also contacted GLL to clarify that they stood ready to commence negotiations to resolve the pay dispute at any time read more
International Transport Workers’ Federation staff strike to protect jobs (4 July) – A quarter of staff facing redundancy while senior management wages increase 47%. More than 100 workers at the London-based International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) will strike over planned redundancies and attacks on collective bargaining read more
Unite reject pay award from Welsh NHS and prepare for strikes (2 July) – NHS staff across Wales have voted to take strike action following a poor pay award. Members of Unite, one of the country’s leading health sector unions, have voted in heavy numbers to reject the pay award and indicated they are prepared to take industrial action demanding that the Welsh government make improvements to their pay. Unite members in Wales have voted in large numbers that the pay award is unacceptable. 87 per cent rejected the pay award and said they were prepared to take strike action to try to achieve a better and fairer pay increase. Unite is now calling on the Welsh government to open up pay negotiations with unions. If negotiations on pay do not happen Unite will have no choice but to start the formal industrial action ballot process. Any industrial action will affect a number of services including ambulance services where Unite has particularly high membership read more
Airbus workers balloted for strike action over pay (30 June) – Unite members at Broughton and Filton could walk out if pay offer isn’t improved. Over three thousand aircraft fitters and engineers at aerospace giant, Airbus, are being balloted from today (Monday 30 June) for industrial action in a dispute over pay. Members of the Unite union, Britain’s largest union in the defence and aerospace sector, are to be balloted about taking industrial action following a series of unacceptable pay offers. Although Unite has begun balloting for industrial action, the union remains hopeful that Airbus will return to the negotiating table and a mutually acceptable agreement can be reached. The highly skilled workers play a critical role in the production of aircraft wings for the hugely successful A320 family, A330, A350 and A400M military transport aircraft – core programmes in Airbus’s global operations. Should they vote to strike the company’s sites in Broughton (Flintshire) and Filton (near Bristol) will grind to a halt, delaying delivery of aircraft wings bringing aircraft deliveries to a standstill read more
Tata Steel: Strike set to escalate tonight as management cancels scheduled talks (26 June) – Pay freezes have left Tata workers at just over minimum wage. Unite has served Tata Steel with notice of five more days of strike action over the coming weeks following management’s decision to cancel scheduled talks on pay differentials. The next strike action follows a 48-hour stoppage last week and will take place from 21:59 hours tonight (26 June 2025) until 22.01 on 30th June 2025. There will be another one-day stoppage starting 21.59 hrs on 10 July 2025, with further strike action from 21.59 on 24 July 2025 until 22.01 on 28 July. The strike action is in addition to the continuous ban on overtime and work to rule and the discontinuous strike action as set out in Notice of Action dated 11 June 2025. The dispute surrounds the workers’ claim for restoration of pay differentials eroded as a result of pay freezes in recent years read more
Council workers overwhelmingly vote to reject this year’s pay offer (24 June) – Local authority workers who are members of Unite have overwhelmingly voted to reject this year’s pay offer of 3.2 per cent. Council workers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland were offered the increase from 1 April 2025, which was tabled by national employers without any negotiation with unions. However, 84 per cent of Unite members in local authorities have rejected it in a consultative ballot. Following discussions with sister unions in the local authority sector who were consulting at the same time, Unite could now hold ballots for industrial action which could take place from late summer read more
London Hedin Mercedes mechanics to strike (17 June) – Brooklands, Bromley and Croydon workers walkout over real terms pay cuts. Mechanics at Hedin Mercedes-Benz dealerships will strike in June and July over pay, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today. The mechanics, responsible for Mercedes repairs, MOTs and servicing across the capital, voted for industrial action over the company’s refusal to put forward a 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 will strike on 23, 25, 27 and 30 June and 2, 4, 7, 9 and 11 July. Further dates will be scheduled if the dispute is not resolved. The industrial action will impact Hedin customers requiring repairs, servicing and MOTs across its sites in Brooklands, Bromley and Croydon read more
Unite to ballot 1500 construction workers at Sellafield for strikes over lack of pay (11 June) – Nuclear site clean-up could grind to a halt if workers walk out. Staff demanding recognition for specialised work. Unite, the country’s leading trade union for nuclear site workers, is to ballot around 1,500 construction workers from 36 contractors at Sellafield. The affected workers range from electricians, joiners, pipefitters, riggers, groundworkers, welders and painters and other vital construction roles. The long running dispute is around the employers at Sellafield refusing to resolve requests for additional ‘Sellafield Specific Allowances’. The requested allowances relate to Unite construction members engaging and constructing on advanced technologies projects. A further demand was for the introduction of a nuclear professional allowance for Unite members who are working in a unique working environmental at Sellafield. All such requests have been refused by the employers read more
Wigan Alpla UK plastic packaging strikes over fire and rehire disgrace (9 June) – Coca Cola, Muller, Unilever, Britvic supply chains facing disruption due to Alpla UK’s exploitation. Plastic packaging workers employed at Alpla UK in Golborne, Wigan, will strike over the company’s attempts to fire and rehire them on degraded contracts. Over 150 workers, members of the UK’s leading union, Unite, are being threatened with the sack if they do not accept shift changes that will increase their hours, including extra nights and weekend working…The workers will strike on 16, 17, 27 and 28 June and 11 and 12 July. Industrial action will intensify if the dispute is not resolved. Clients reliant on plastic packaging from the Golborne factory, including Coca Cola, Muller, Unilever and Britvic, will be impacted read more
CWU
CWU LIVE – Royal Mail Group Pay Ballot Your Questions Answered with Dave Ward and Martin Walsh (July 31) – General Secretary Dave Ward and Deputy General Secretary (Postal) Martin Walsh talk all things Royal Mail Group Pay Ballot in a live Q&A more
Community Demands Action Over Crown Post Office Closure at London Bridge (July 25) – A high-stakes public meeting was held at Southwark Cathedral – led by MP Neil Coyle – to confront the deeply troubling plans to close or franchise the Crown Post Office at London Bridge. Local residents, campaigners, and community advocates came out in force, galvanised by an online petition that has amassed nearly 1,000 signatures. The proposed closure sparked outrage, particularly over the Post Office’s misleading claim that it had consulted with the Communications Workers Union (CWU). The CWU unequivocally clarified that it was merely notified – not consulted – a move many view as a blatant sidestep of proper procedure. Attendees were also shocked to learn that while the government is footing the bill for postmaster compensation, the Post Office’s legal fees – running into the millions – are being charged to the public purse. The lack of financial transparency drew fierce criticism read more
CWU LIVE – Updates From North West Reps Meeting, Pay talks, USO And More (July 25) – Fresh from the North Wales & North West Reps Meeting, we have updates on pay talks, the USO, and what’s next. We hear from Martin Walsh, Tony Bouch, Davie Robertson, Justin Madders MP, plus local reps. We also break down the Rebuilding Royal Mail ballot timetable more
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
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]
Palace of Westminster security staff vote overwhelmingly for strike action (5 Aug) – The dispute is over five main issues including the key issue of the removal of six days’ annual leave/rest days. PCS members employed as security staff at the Palace of Westminster (Houses of Parliament) voted by 98% in favour of strike action, in a ballot that closed on 29 July. In addition, 99.5% of members voted yes to taking action short of a strike. The key issue in the dispute is the reduction of annual leave entitlements, but pay has also stagnated since 2019 and the ethnicity pay gap is widening yearly. Management has consistently failed to address members’ grievances in a timely and satisfactory manner, and has been heavy-handed in the use of disciplinary sanctions, including dismissals. Members were previously balloted in 2023 and 98% also voted in favour of industrial action at that time. The action was withdrawn due to the employer’s promise to resolve matters, as strike action would have affected King Charles’ first state opening of parliament. However, the employer reneged on that promise and has avoided dealing with the issues, hence the high strength of feeling in this ballot. PCS reps at the branch have met and discussed dates for strike action, which will be announced shortly read more
Civil Service Pension administration hits crisis point (5 Aug) – PCS has warned that the outsourced administration of the civil service pension scheme is at risk of collapse and should be brought back-in house read more
IOPC staff vote to pause industrial action after improved offer (4 Aug) – The members at the Independent Office for Police Conduct have been taking action short of a strike in a dispute over office attendance and job cuts. Over 400 members at the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) have been taking action short of a strike since 1 April after management announced the imposition of a change to existing hybrid working arrangements. The IOPC has also seen restructuring which involves job losses read more
MyCSP strike to be extended (1 Aug) – PCS members in MyCSP are planning a further six weeks of strike action, as PCS writes to the Public Accounts Committee over MyCSP’s ‘misleading’ excuses for refusing to recognise the union. Following the Cabinet Office’s plans to transfer the pensions administration work from MyCSP to Capita, and the ongoing refusal by MyCSP to meet PCS’s demand for recognition and full consultation regarding the TUPE transfer of our members, PCS members in MyCSP have now been on strike for four weeks, as part of a six-week campaign of action. Despite PCS’s efforts to secure agreement with MyCSP, their deeply uncooperative attitude to industrial relations has meant that to maintain the pressure, we have informed MyCSP that we will be extending our industrial action for another six weeks. This means that without any positive moves by MyCSP, the strike action is scheduled to continue until Friday 26 September read more
Breakthrough in MyCSP strike (25 July) – The outsourcing giant Capita has written to PCS to set up talks to establish formal union recognition for PCS members transferring to the company read more
PCS rejects DWP pay offer (1 Aug) – PCS proposed a business case to address low pay using the civil service pay remit’s flexibility, but it was dismissed by the employer. PCS has rejected the DWP’s final pay offer for 2025–26. The offer not only falls short of our members’ expectations but also fails to make full use of the flexibility allowed under the civil service pay remit guidance to address low pay read more
Pay – an Update (1 Aug) – PCS negotiators have been in pay talks with individual employers in the civil service and related areas during June and July read more
PCS defends members in the water sector (31 July) – If the government wants to create a water industry that delivers for working people it should work with PCS members in the sector. We are clear that the current regulation system needs significant reform but completely reject it’s our members’ fault read more
News from the NEC – The PCS National Executive Committee met on 23 and 24 July in Durham read more
PCS members at MHCLG escalate industrial action (26 June) – PCS members in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) will begin action short of a strike from 30 June.The dispute, which began earlier this year, centres on the closure of six offices, the imposition of rigid office attendance policies, and the withdrawal of location-neutral recruitment read more
Third two-day strike at CAA starts tomorrow (16 June) – Civil Aviation Authority members at Gatwick Airport and Canary Wharf will be walking out again on 17 and 18 June. PCS Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) members based at Gatwick Airport and Canary Wharf are taking six days of industrial action in their dispute over pay. In this six-day period of strike action, the members working for the aviation industry regulator walked out for two days on 3 and 4 June and 10 and 11. This is a continuation of the dispute that also saw them take strike action in January and March as well as a work to rule with an overtime ban. The members’ pay dispute goes back to 2024: the imposed pay offer for 2024-2025 was below the industry rate and the civil service pay remit. We are currently negotiating pay for 2025-2026, which will also consider the 2024-2025 pay dispute read more. And send messages of support to [email protected]
Resounding turnout and yes vote in OFGEM strike ballot (12 June) – PCS members at the energy regulator OFGEM have voted overwhelmingly for strike action in a dispute over pay, jobs, working conditions and industrial relations. On a turnout of 65%, smashing the undemocratic ‘threshold’ for action, 85% of members voted ‘yes’ for strike action. This is a resounding result, demonstrating the members’ depth of feeling and resolve. Our members have called time on OFGEM’s failure to fix pay in the organisation, on its refusal to provide reassurances on jobs and on its lack of regard for the agreements it makes with their union. With this new mandate now on the table, we now expect serious responses from OFGEM to resolve all the issues in dispute read more
Benton Park View strike rally attracts support from across the movement (9 June) – The strike rally at Benton Park View in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne drew support from across the labour and trade union movement. The rally on Friday marked over 5 months of strike action by employer services members on the site in defence of PCS reps Joel, Gordon and Rachel, dismissed by HMRC for trade union activity. Acting branch secretary Angie Foggett thanked members for their selfless support for the 3 reps. Joel and Gordon gave emotional accounts of the impact of the dismissals on their lives and those of their families… PCS HMRC Group will now meet to discuss the next steps in the campaign 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
Prospect
Two thirds of civil servants back measures to improve government performance but staff have doubts over implementation of government reform agenda (31 July) – The first major survey of civil servants since the government announced its reform plans has revealed a stark disconnect between the government’s agenda and civil servants’ faith in how it is being delivered read more
FDA
“An opportunity missed”: FDA responds to new Ethics and Integrity Commission – Dave Penman has labelled new Commission “an opportunity missed” and called on the government to go further and look at parliament for a more independent system read more
GMB
Waltham Forest bin workers reject pay deal as strike threat looms (31 July) – Outsourced refuse workers in Waltham Forest have rejected a 2.8% pay offer, sparking the possibility of industrial action. The offer did not apply to those workers recently placed on the London Living Wage, despite them being among the council’s lowest paid employees. Over half the workforce employed by FCC Environment and working on behalf of Waltham Forest Council voted in a ballot, which saw 100% of GMB members reject the pay deal on 100% turnout. A 3.2% pay offer is now on the table – although it still excludes London Living Wage employees and sits below the rate of inflation. GMB will ballot members on the offer. Refuse workers’ frustration with FCC Environment and the council extends beyond pay. Concerns have also been raised over inadequate staff facilities at the waste depot and insufficient supplies of water for workers, particularly in hot weather read more
NHS workers reject pay award – GMB demands meeting with Streeting (25 July) – GMB members have voted by 67 per cent to reject the pay award offered for 2025/26 in England. The union has now written to the Secretary of State calling for an urgent meeting to discuss pay and other issues of significant importance to GMB members working across the NHS and ambulance services read more
Pay deal for 150,000 schools and council staff settled (24 July) – GMB union has ‘reluctantly’ settled a pay offer of 3.2 per cent for around 150,000 schools and council workers read more
Subway, Five Guys and Man uUd workers win chance for union vote
GMB Union (24 July) – Workers delivering food for Manchester United, Five Guys and Subway have won the right to vote for a union voice. More than 1,800 staff at Bidfood – a company which also delivers food for the army, prisons and schools across the UK – will vote on whether the company must allow GMB and Unite to negotiate on pay, terms and conditions. GMB and Unite were recognised trade unions for Bidfood for more than thirty years – but in January Bidfood bosses ripped up the deal with immediate effect, without the standard notice period. Now workers will get the chance to vote the unions back in following a decision by the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) to accept the unions’ joint application for recognition read more
Hula-Hoops, Pom-Bears and Disco workers begin strike vote (22 July) – Hula-hoops, Pom-Bears and Disco crisps could be in short supply as workers begin voting on strike action, GMB Union has warned. KP Crisps workers at the company’s site in Billingham, County Durham, rejected a pay rise of just 77 pence per hour. The ballot closes on 12 August, with any industrial action likely to take place in September read more
Airedale Hospital workers to vote on strike action (21 July) – Airedale hospital workers will begin a strike vote on Friday [25 July]. Porters, domestics, catering and security staff are angry because they get worse terms and conditions than colleagues working at the same hospital. The workers have been outsourced to AGH Solutions (AGHS), a wholly owned subsidiary of Airedale NHS Foundation Trust. AGHS uses its subsidiary status to not honour the NHS Agenda for Change terms and conditions, including NHS pensions, sick pay rates, annual leave and Sunday working enhancements. GMB is calling for parity for everyone working across the trust. The strike ballot closes on 13 August, with any industrial action is expected to begin in September read more
Sellafield workers vote to strike (18 July) – Mitie workers at Sellafield have voted to strike in anger at a ‘derisory’ pay offer. GMB members overwhelmingly rejected the 3.5 per cent deal offered by the company. The around 200 frontline workers are responsible for cleaning, security, landscaping, waste management, postal services, and laundry support the safety and functionality of one of Europe’s most hazardous nuclear facilities. Despite their vital role, the offer would leave many workers earning little more that £13 an hour. Last year Mitie reported operating profits of £166 million, up 42 per cent from the previous year, £5.09 billion in revenue and CEO pay of £14.7 million – 575 times the average worker’s salary. A two-week strike is now set to begin on 1 August affecting operations at Sellafield and associated sites read more
Birmingham equal pay strikes loom (1 July) – Birmingham could be set for more equal pay strikes as women workers vote with hundreds of millions of pounds of stolen wages left unpaid. Members of GMB Union, Birmingham Council Council’s largest trade union, will today begin a consultative vote on strike action. Around 3,000 workers across Birmingham schools are expected to take part in the initial ballot. Birmingham Council admitted it had an equal pay liability in June 2023. Then in December 24 agreed a formula – with unions – which valued the claims at at least £250 million read more
Stafford school strikes loom (24 June) – Workers are furious after school bosses demand more work for less money, says GMB union. GMB Union has today announced that workers at a West Midlands primary school will stage strike action next week. Schools support staff at Doxey Academy in Stafford, owned by Creative Learning Partnership Trust, will down tools after school bosses threatened to impose a new contract on staff. The new contract will see support staff and Teaching Assistants paid only for term time work. The changes could see some staff as much as £6,000 worse off a year. Strike action will begin on Wednesday 2 July read more
Thames weir and lockkeepers suspend industrial action (17 June) – River Thames weir and lockkeepers have suspended industrial action after a last-minute offer from bosses. Workers, employed by the Environment Agency, had voted to strike and we’re set to begin ‘work to rule’ today [Tuesday] over concerns only 52 permanent trained staff were expected to perform tasks needing more than 90 during peak season. They have now received an offer pledging at least 80 staff during the summer. Industrial action has been suspended will GMB and members review details of the offer 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
UNISON wins long-running race discrimination case against Leicester City Council (22 July) – Bindu Parmar gets “the justice she deserves”. A British Asian social worker, who claimed she was subject to racial discrimination by her employer Leicester City Council, has won a significant legal victory at the Court of Appeal, says UNISON today (Tuesday) read more
Pay up Mitie: Striking cleaners demand the pay that they are owed (16 July) – The striking workers, most of whom are women, are experiencing extreme distress as a result of Mitie’s failure to pay them what they’re owed. NHS cleaners employed by private contractor Mitie in East Lancashire are striking to demand the pay that they deserve. So far, the cleaners have taken six days of strike action. They are striking for the whole of this week. Today, the group met with UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea at UNISON Centre in London. The 40 cleaners, contracted by Mitie, are among the lowest-paid staff in the NHS. They have been routinely underpaid for months, due to payroll problems, on top of which they have yet to receive their COVID-19 recovery payments, which were agreed in 2023. The £1,655 COVID-19 recovery lump sum payment was part of the deal agreed by the government and health unions following strikes in the NHS. It was made in an effort to recognise the sustained pressure facing the health service. Tens of thousands of NHS staff have received the payment. However, the hard-working cleaners employed by Mitie, who are essential to maintaining hygiene standards in hospitals, have received nothing read more
Strike fund appeal for Nottingham healthcare workers (7 July) – Donations are being sought for healthcare support workers as their dispute at Nottingham University Hospitals Trust continues read more
Royal College of Nursing
RCN Northern Ireland lodges formal dispute over failure to implement pay award (1 Aug) – Absence of a pay award in Northern Ireland will once again push nursing staff out of pay parity with colleagues across the UK read more
NHS and HSC pay consultations results: 3.6% is not enough (31 July) – Swift investment is needed now as RCN members deliver their verdict on a broken system that holds back nursing pay and careers…Consultations took place in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with a record number of nursing staff taking part. In England, the turnout in the consultation reached 56%, with more than 170,000 nursing staff voting. Nine in 10 (91%) said 3.6% was not enough to turn around a struggling profession gripped by widespread vacancies or keep patients safe amid an NHS corridor care crisis. We’re telling ministers in England to use the summer to reach agreement or face formal escalation to dispute and an industrial action ballot. In Wales, members working in the NHS also voted overwhelmingly to say that 3.6% is not enough. We’re now pushing for meaningful discussions with the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care and considering next steps. As a pay award, staff on AfC NHS Terms and Conditions in England and Wales will receive the 3.6% consolidated uplift backdated to 1 April 2025 from August salaries. In Northern Ireland, members were consulted on the recommended award and voted to say 3.6% is not enough. However, no funding has been made available by the Northern Ireland Executive to award the 3.6% uplift that the Northern Ireland Health Minister has said he wants to pay. We’re working on next steps to secure this long-overdue award and make sure that nursing staff in Northern Ireland don’t continue to fall behind on pay parity. Read more about the results in Northern Ireland and Wales 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 publishes results of pay consultation with members in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (25 July) – The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) has today published the results of its three-week consultation with eligible members in England, Wales and Northern Ireland on the 2025/26 pay award of 3.6%. With the majority in each nation – 81.9% in England, 83.5% in Wales and 77.7% in Northern Ireland – saying they found the pay award ‘not acceptable’. The RCM says while the overall response rate was low, the consultation has still provided a helpful insight into the views of some of its members across the three countries. Terms and conditions in the workplace – too few staff, crumbling estates and the inability to provide adequate safe care to women and families – are also significant factor in midwives’ and maternity support workers’ disillusionment with the NHS. While pay is also undoubtedly a part of this, the RCM says it recognises that the picture is much more complex read more
Midwives in South Tyneside and Sunderland vote YES to industrial action (23 July) – Midwives in South Tyneside and Sunderland have voted in favour of taking industrial action over proposals for arrangements that would see them being ‘on call’ on their days off. The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) says its recent ballot of impacted members has resulted in a resounding yes to industrial action with 97.18% voting in favour of industrial action consisting of a strike while 98.59% voted in favour of industrial action short of a strike. Almost three quarters (72%) of affected members took part in the ballot which means the necessary legal requirements to authorise industrial action have been met if the Trust enforces new acute on call arrangements by 1 September, says the RCM. The proposals, which the RCM has described as ‘grossly unfair and unsafe’, would effectively see midwives having their on call working hours extended, running into their much-needed days off. In effect, this would mean midwives being on call for an additional 18 days a year. The union said it had no choice but to ballot its members on industrial action after trying to reach a reasonable agreement with the Trust following a formal consultation and talks over the past two years read more
CSP
CSP deeply concerned by reports of imminent collapse of NRS Healthcare (31 July) – The media is reporting that a leading provider of healthcare equipment for patients being discharged from hospital or requiring home support is on the verge of collapse read more
SOR
NEU
Joint statement by 22 union leaders on defending the right to peaceful protest (15 July) – Today, a total of twenty-two general secretaries of the trade union movement have issued a statement expressing deep concern about the erosion of the right to peaceful protest. Following a peaceful march for Palestine on January 18 in London, charges were brought against prominent activists, including former NEU executive member, Alex Kenny. The statement calls for the charges to be dropped read more
Teacher and school leader pay (9 July) – Joint education union response to Secretary of State: “Responding to the Secretary of State’s consultation on the STRB report, ASCL, NAHT, NEU and Community have set out their united view on the need for the Government to provide the additional investment needed to fully fund September’s 4% teacher and school leader pay increase. Teachers and school leaders have seen huge real terms cuts to their pay since 2010. Their pay cuts have been much greater than those of other professions and as confirmed by the STRB this has hit the competitiveness of teacher and school leader pay hard. Excessive workload and poor wellbeing are driving teachers and leaders out of the profession, worsening the recruitment and retention crisis in education. The unions are also calling for a fair national pay structure and the removal of performance-related pay read more
Sixth Form College indicative pay ballot results (4 July) – National Education Union members who teach in sixth form colleges have returned a strong result in their indicative ballot over their readiness to undertake a formal strike ballot in support of their 2025/26 pay claim. Over 4,500 members across 75 colleges were balloted, achieving a 68.2 per cent turnout overall and an 88.7 per cent vote in favour of action. Should the pay claim not be met satisfactorily by the Sixth Form College Association (SFCA), then a formal strike ballot will follow in the autumn term read more
OGAT strike action over increased working hours continues into July (30 June) – National Education Union members in fourteen Outwood Grange Academy (OGAT) secondary schools across the country will continue to take strike action throughout July. The dispute is over an increase to workload created by the proposed extension to the school day. Ongoing talks are in place to find a resolution. ACAS talks have also been scheduled for 10 July. However, until such time as a clear picture emerges of how workload will be reduced members are not willing to stop the action. Dates for action are 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16 and 17 July read more
NASUWT
More Dorset teachers strike as dispute widens over restructuring plans (15 July) – Members of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union at Sturminster Newton High School in Dorset are taking strike action today (Tuesday) in protest at restructuring plans. The Sherborne Area Schools Trust (SAST), which runs Sturminster Newton and Shaftesbury schools, is pushing ahead with plans to cut teachers’ jobs and cut the pay of subject leads and head of year posts. The NASUWT believes this is unacceptable and will significantly impact the remaining teachers’ workloads, their pay and status and will be detrimental to pupils’ education. NASUWT members at Shaftsbury School have already taken strike action over the plans and now teachers at Sturminster Newton are striking, with further days of action planned in September read more
Shaftesbury teachers draw public support as dispute deepens over restructure (7 July) – Members of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union will continue strike action at Shaftesbury School this week as Sherborne Area Schools Trust (SAST) refuses to come back to the negotiating table. SAST has made a number of teachers redundant in a cost-cutting exercise and now expects Heads of Department to be shared between Shaftesbury School and Sturminster Newton High School. Teachers at Shaftesbury School will hit the picket lines on Tuesday 8th and Thursday 10th July, and will enjoy renewed public support after a video from last week’s picket line went viral on TikTok over the weekend. In the video, Shaftesbury teacher Rachel Sammons explains the “traumatic” impact of losing her job as Head of English after working at the school for twenty five years. Thousands of people, including her ex-pupils, have commented to share their shock and dismay at the cuts read more
Teachers strike at £24k-a-year private school over ‘second class’ pay offer (26 June) – Members of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union at Surbiton High School are taking the first of three days of strike action today (Thursday) over a pay award that is 45% lower than that given to state school teachers. The fee-paying school in the London borough of Kingston, Surrey, which charges as much as £24k a year per pupil, has only offered 3% to teachers for the 2024/25 academic year. In contrast teachers in the state-funded sector were awarded 5.5% for the 2024/25 academic year read more
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
EIS
EIS Members at UWS vote overwhelmingly for strike action over redundancy plans (23 July) – Members of the Educational Institute of Scotland University Lecturers Association (EIS-ULA) have delivered a strong mandate for strike action at the University of the West of Scotland (UWS) in response to the university’s proposed redundancies. Over 94% of members who participated in the ballot supported taking industrial action, signaling their deep-seated opposition to the university’s proposals. UWS is seeking 75.2 FTE redundancies relating to academic and academic related staff, which the EIS believe will have an adverse impact on the quality of education students would receive. The staff cuts would also place additional burdens on an already stretched workforce at UWS. The EIS lodged a dispute in March in response to the proposed redundancies, but a lack of meaningful consultation discussion resulted in a ballot for strike action being opened last month. The EIS has formally complained to the university that it has not shared sufficient information and that the university identified redundancy pools without the pre-requisite initial consultation on avoiding redundancies read more
EIS ULA Members Launch Consultative Ballot Over ‘Derisory’ 1.4% Pay Offer (1 July) – EIS ULA announced that its members have commenced a consultative ballot on a proposed 1.4% pay offer for the 2025-26 academic year, with the trade union recommending members reject the pay offer and vote YES to taking industrial action. The ballot will be open for six weeks and will close on Monday, August 11th read more
EIS AGM: EIS Launches Consultative Strike Ballot Over Workload (5 June) – The EIS opens a consultative industrial action ballot over teacher workload. The ballot will be launched on Friday afternoon by General Secretary Andrea Bradley during her keynote address to the EIS Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Aviemore 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
UCU
UCU Stop the Cuts campaign
Sign petition against the education cuts
Turning universities into extension of the border force ‘shameful’ & ‘doomed to fail’ (4 Aug) – Responding to The Times’ claims that the government will punish universities for accepting international students who seek asylum, UCU general secretary Jo Grady today said: Attempting to turn universities into an extension of the border force is not only shameful but doomed to fail. Admissions must focus on academic ability, not whether an incoming student may need to seek asylum. This policy could have perverse consequences, such as forcing a university to bar students from war torn countries like Palestine or Ukraine because they may not be able to safely return home. ‘After another weekend in which far right groups like Britain First took to the streets to protest against asylum seekers, Labour has a responsibility to challenge anti-migrant rhetoric which has further dehumanised those seeking refuge, not add to it. It must stop sacrificing our universities on the altar of its hopeless attempts to outflank Reform on immigration and start backing the sector. Only then will higher education be able to thrive, improve local economies and enhance the UK’s global standing.’ Read more
Staff at Liverpool Hope University announce strike action over job cuts (31 July) – UCU members at Liverpool Hope University have announced they will take 10 days of strike action across the first two weeks of teaching in response to the university’s plans to slash academic jobs. Staff will walk out from Monday 22 September to Friday 26 September, and again from Monday 29 September to Friday 3 October. The action comes after 69% of UCU members voted in the recent ballot, with 85% backing strike action. The dispute centres on proposed cuts to academic posts across multiple departments, including Education and Social Sciences, Creative Arts and Humanities, and Human and Digital Sciences. UCU says these plans pose a serious threat to the university’s academic mission and the quality of provision for students. Despite a partial retreat by university management, after union-negotiated alternative proposals reduced the number of roles at risk, 11 positions and over 30 staff remain under threat. Management has reopened its voluntary redundancy scheme yet refuses to rule out compulsory redundancies. UCU says there is no financial justification for these cuts, pointing to significant cash reserves and highlighting that the university’s recent deficits stem not from staff costs but from rocketing non-staff expenditure, including major capital projects. Meanwhile, senior leaders at the university have continued to enjoy generous pay packages, with the vice-chancellor receiving a total of £313,000 in 2024 read more
Strike ballot opens at University of Leicester over threat of compulsory redundancies (31 July) – UCU has this week opened a ballot for strike action at the University of Leicester. The dispute is over university leadership’s refusal to rule out a programme of compulsory redundancies in the upcoming academic year read more
97% strike vote at Manchester international student college (15 July) – Staff at INTO Manchester, a private college for international students, have overwhelmingly voted to strike over low pay. An incredible 97% of UCU members voted to take strike action in a ballot that saw a turnout of 83%. The union said strike action can now only be avoided if management agrees to pay staff fairly. The dispute is over a paltry 2% pay award for 2025. INTO Manchester has refused to make an improved offer despite charging international students up to £38k per year, making over £20m last year and paying out £15m in dividends read more
Huge 94% strike vote at Warrington & Vale Royal College over frozen pay (14 July) – An overwhelming 94% of staff at Warrington and Vale Royal College backed strike action in a ballot with a turnout of 75%, UCU announced today. The huge vote reflects staff anger at having their pay frozen for almost a year (from Thursday 1 August 2024). Warrington is now the only college in the North West that has refused to make a pay offer this academic year read more
Staff & students rally to defend jobs at Working Men’s College (10 July) – Staff, students and supporters of the historic Working Men’s College (WMC) in Camden held a rally in protest against sweeping cuts to staffing and the college’s vital adult education offer. UCU members organised the rally to coincide with a meeting of the college’s governors, who are threatening to cut staff and student provision. Nineteen jobs have been placed at risk just weeks before the start of the new academic year as a direct consequence of funding cuts read more
University and College Union strike ballot at University of the West of Scotland in dispute over threat of compulsory redundancies (7 July) – A ballot for industrial action opens today at the University of the West of Scotland (UWS) in a dispute over job cuts and university senior management’s refusal to rule out compulsory redundancies. The ballot could pave the way for strikes at the university. Members of the University and College Union (UCU) at UWS are being asked if they are prepared to take part in strike action and action short of strike. Action short of strike could include working to contract and not covering for any absent colleagues. The ballot will run until 14 August read more
Staff to lead rally against job cuts at Redbridge Institute of Adult Education (7 July) – The University and College Union today condemned plans by Redbridge Institute of Adult Education (RIAE) to cut at least 12 staff ahead of the new academic year this September, and confirmed staff will be protesting against the cuts later this week. On Friday (11 July) staff and students will demonstrate outside the college at 12.30pm to demand management halts the cuts. RIAE management is trying to slash jobs, cut student service provision and reduce teaching hours. Management claims the cuts are necessary due to funding pressures. However, UCU, supported by fellow unions Unison, GMB and NEU, said the proposals are unjustified, excessive, and deeply damaging to students and staff. The union also warned the loss of experienced teaching and support staff would harm students and place unsustainable pressure on remaining staff read more
Centre for Academic Language and Development staff at University of Bristol to strike in July and August (26 June) – Staff working in the University of Bristol’s Centre for Academic Language Development (CALD) have voted to take 21 days of strike action in a dispute over plans to threaten staff with redundancy, the University and College Union (UCU) has announced today. An overwhelming 95% of UCU members who voted backed strike action in a ballot that had a turnout of 82%. Staff will down tools on the following days (picket info tbc):
- Wednesday 9 to Friday 11 July
- Monday 14 July, Wednesday 16 July and Thursday 17 July
- Monday 21 July to Thursday 24 July
- Monday 28 July, Wednesday 30 July and Thursday 31 July
- Tuesday 5 August to Friday 8 August
- Monday 11 August
- Wednesday 13 August to Friday 15 August read more
Cheshire College South & West staff to strike in July and August (25 June) – Staff at Cheshire College South & West (CCSW) will take industrial action for four days over July and August in a dispute over pay, the University and College Union (UCU) has announced today. An overwhelming 79% of UCU members who voted backed strike action in a ballot that had a turnout of 58%. Staff across the three CCSW campuses in Crewe, Ellesmere Port and Chester will down tools on Monday 7 July and again on Thursday 21, Friday 22 and Tuesday 26 August, with pickets at the Crewe campus from 8am-11am on each day. The dispute is over management’s refusal to provide staff a pay award for the current year; instead imposing a paltry one-off payment of just 1.5% read more
University of Bradford staff to down tools for 10 days over £16m cuts programme (25 June) – Staff at the University of Bradford will begin ten days of strike action next week over plans to make £16m of cuts, slash hundreds of jobs and close multiple courses. The full strike dates are;-
- Monday 30 June
- Monday 7, Tuesday 8, Thursday 10 & Friday 11 July
- Monday 21, Tuesday 22, Wednesday 23, Thursday 24 and Friday 25 July
Staff will be on picket lines from 8am every strike day and the branch is planning a rally outside the front of the university on Monday 30 June at 11.30am. The action comes after an overwhelming 67% of UCU members who voted backed downing tools in a ballot with a 57% turnout. The dispute is over the £16m of cuts management wants to force through read more
Edinburgh University staff strike in dispute over £140million cuts and job losses (20 June) – University and College Union (UCU) members at the University of Edinburgh are on strike today, Friday 20 June, in the first of a series of strikes over senior management’s plans to cut £140million from the annual budget and refusal to rule out compulsory redundancies. Staff will be on picket lines across the university and will hold a rally from 11.00am on George Square in Edinburgh. As well as striking today, to coincide with a university open day, staff at the university will also take strike action at the start of the new academic year in September. The union estimates that cuts of £140million could see 1,800 staff lose their jobs. The strike follows a ballot where 84% of UCU members at the university voted to back strike action and 93% to back action short of strike. The turnout was 60% read more
Staff back strikes at Truro and Penwith College in job cuts dispute (19 June) – Staff at Truro and Penwith College have overwhelmingly voted to take strike action in defence of jobs and student provision. Last week over eight in ten of UCU members who voted (82%) backed strike action, in a ballot that beat the anti-trade union turnout threshold of 50%. The dispute is over management’s plans to axe up to 100 employees in redundancy plans that have already seen some staff given the boot. Financial mismanagement has led to a £4.2m shortfall for 2024/25 and the college is refusing to rule out compulsory redundancies. College expenditure has persistently outstripped income since 2017 read more
University of Lincoln staff vote for strike action (9 June) – Staff at the University of Lincoln have voted to take industrial action in a dispute over plans to threaten nearly 300 staff with redundancy, the University and College Union has announced today. An overwhelming 86% of UCU members who voted backed strike action in a ballot that had a turnout of 61%. The dispute is over the announcement by the university to threaten up to 285 staff with redundancy, having previously told UCU that were no plans for large-scale cuts. This comes after 220 staff already lost their jobs through voluntary severance and redundancy last year read more
Four days of strike action begins at Bournemouth University this week (9 June) – Staff at Bournemouth University will strike on Wednesday 11, Thursday 12, Monday 23 and Tuesday 24 June, in opposition to management plans to cut over 100 academic staff, UCU announced today. The walkout follows an overwhelming 75% yes vote in favour of strike action with 91% backing action short of strike on a turnout of 78%. There will be pickets across multiple campuses on the strike dates. The dispute is over plans to cut 116 academic staff next month (by Thursday 31 July). Bournemouth leaders claim they need to make £20m cuts due to a fall in student numbers. This would see 15 courses permanently closed, including undergraduate degrees in English, politics and anthropology. Overall, including academic and professional services staff, the university is planning to slash more than 200 jobs read more
Three days of strikes to hit Havant & South Downs College (6 June) – Staff at Havant & South Downs College (HSDC) will strike on Friday 13, Wednesday 18 and Thursday 19 June over plans to cut the jobs of around one third of the workforce, UCU announced today. The Principal and Chief Executive, Mike Gaston, announced his retirement this week, and this follows the announcement of formal intervention in the running of the college. The college is based over three sites, Alton, Havant and South Downs and staff will be picketing all three from 8am to 10am each day. The walkout follows a ballot of UCU members, in which 64% backed strike action on a turnout of 61%. National Education Union (NEU) members will also be joining the action. The dispute is over management’s plans to axe around one in three staff by the end of the month due to a financial crisis of its making. The college claims it needs to cut £3.7m from its budget and wants to cut staff by 29% at Alton, 30% at Havant and 33% at South Downs. The Department for Education has intervened in the management of the college, issuing a Financial Notice to Improve and demanding additional oversight from the Further Education Commissioner. College management has offered talks with UCU and NEU next week about how the strike can be avoided and the trade dispute resolved 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
UCU fighting fund: the link is here and donations to the fund are spent on supporting members involved in important disputes.
FBU
Sign this petition: To Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire Authority and Chief Fire Officer – STOP, THINK & REASSESS Dangerous Cuts to Firefighter Numbers
Invest in fire service to protect public from emerging risks of e-batteries, says FBU leader (28 July) – Firefighters need resources to keep public safe from emerging risks of e-batteries and climate change, says the leader of the Fire Brigades Union. The Office for Product Safety recently reported that there were at least 211 e-scooter and e-bike fires last year, including five that caused fatalities. The figure in 2020 was 26. Most of the e-bike and e-scooter fires reported last year were in London, and the true national total is certain to be higher since it is based on voluntary reporting by regional brigades. Lithium-ion battery fires are particularly challenging to extinguish, potentially causing explosions and the release of flammable gasses. Alongside an increase in flooding and wildfire incidents fuelled by the climate crisis, these challenging incidents will continue to put pressure on the fire and rescue service in coming years. Despite increasing pressures, 1 in 5 firefighter posts have been lost to cuts since 2010. As a result of lack of investment fire service response times in England have slowed by over three minutes since the 1990s read more
FBU calls for action on “dangerous” firefighter staffing crisis in Bedfordshire (23 July) – The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has today condemned senior leaders at Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service (BFRS) for presiding over a critical failure in risk management, after it emerged the service is being forced to cut emergency response resources due to a major shortfall in firefighter recruitment. The FBU says that due to inaction by the chief fire officer Andy Hopkinson, the service is now operating with dangerously low crewing levels. Up to 30 more firefighters are needed to return the service to safe and sustainable operational capacity. The process of recruiting and training this number of new staff could take 18 months or more, which will leave both the public and firefighters exposed to heightened risk throughout that period. This is during a high-risk season, with the region preparing for extreme summer weather. In July 2022, Bedfordshire was forced to declare a major incident during a heatwave, with firefighters hospitalised due to exhaustion as they battled to protect lives and property read more
POA
NEC minutes July 2025 read more
General Secretary update read more
National Chair update July 2025 read here
“The Government must act urgently” as 85 assaults per day are carried out on prison staff says union leader (4 Aug) – Violence and exposure to traumatic incidents is a daily experience for Prison Officers in England and Wales and the situation is getting worse according to the latest statistics published by the Ministry of Justice. The data published shows assaults on staff, violence, deaths in custody and incidents of prisoner self harm soaring. The quarterly report to March 2025 shows that there were 10,568 assaults on staff, an increase of 254% since the start of data collection in 2010. For the same period serious assaults increased by 220% to 2.5 a day, prisoner self harm increased by 202% to almost 80,000 incidents and by March 2025 401 prisoners had died in custody read more
Huge victory for union members at Gatwick (24 July) – Detention Custody Officers at the Gatwick Immigration Removal Centres are celebrating a major victory following the outcome of an employment tribunal case. The Prison Officers Union representing workers at the centres took their employer SERCO to tribunal following the imposition of a pay award which bypassed the existing collective bargaining arrangements. The union’s lawyers Thompsons Solicitors represented the claimants, and the tribunal came down on the side of the members resulting in a compensation award of £5128 for every claimant 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
Probation Union to ballot members for industrial action (18 July) – Napo the largest trade union in the HMPPS Probation Service (England and Wales) has today served notice of its intention to ballot its members to support a campaign of industrial action. This follows an unresolved trade dispute on Probation Pay and Workloads and a deadlock following recent negotiations with the employer on a joint Napo, UNISON and GMB claim for a 12% pay increase in 2025 read more
Unions submit 2025 Pay Claim to Cafcass (4 June) – The attached joint pay claim has been submitted to the employer by Napo and UNISON this week. We are seeking on behalf of our members: Either a 6% rise or a flat rate of £3,500 whichever is higher 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
Support the campaign to unionise Samworth Brothers – get organised, sign the petition read more
BALPA
BALPA response to Heathrow third runway plans (1 Aug) – Responding to the publication of proposals for a third runway at Heathrow, Joji Waites, Director of Flight Safety at the British Airline Pilots’ Association (BALPA), said: “We’re pleased to see this big step forward towards a third runaway at Heathrow, which is essential to better meet existing – and enable future – demand for air travel…” read more
Nautilus International
River cruise crew: have your say to shape your future (30 July) – What is working on river cruise vessels really like? What are the working conditions, job security, and workplace challenges? Despite the industry’s significance on Europe’s inland waterways, there is still a lack of comprehensive, scientific research on the reality of employment in this sector. This is where you come in. The European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) has launched a survey about onboard life in river cruise vessels, and ETF affiliates such as Nautilus are encouraging members to take part read more
Leave no worker behind, whether on land or at sea, Nautilus GS urges Tolpuddle Festival (22 July) – Nautilus International general secretary Mark Dickinson has issued a rallying cry for workers and trade unionists to fight for dignity, justice and their right to a collective voice at this year’s Tolpuddle Festival. Mr Dickinson attended the Festival in his capacity as TUC president read more
NUJ
Open letter on protecting journalists and defending truth in Gaza (5 Aug) – The NUJ, International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), and Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate (PJS) are among signatories of open letter urging action to protect journalists and truth in Gaza read more
Right to Report on Palestine Action (31 July) – The UK Home Office’s decision to proscribe Palestine Action under the Terrorism Act 2000 has been the subject of considerable debate, prompting a range of queries about the rights and responsibilities of journalists read more
Israel: IDF must stop slandering Gaza’s journalists (30 July) – Attempts to discredit journalists are “war of attrition against the media”. The International Federation of Journalists has condemned unproven allegations being made against journalists in Gaza that puts their lives at risk read more
Philippines: Broadcaster murdered in targeted shooting (25 July) – Erwin Labitad Segovia gunned down on his way home. Authorities in the Philippines have been urged to intensify their efforts to protect journalists following the death of Erwin Labitad Segovia after his local radio show read more
Bangladesh: Journalist killed in violent attack (25 July) – Khandaker Shah Alam died allegedly in retaliation for his reporting. The NUJ joins the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate, the Bangladesh Manobadhikar Sangbadik Forum (BMSF), in strongly condemning the killing of journalist Khandaker Shah Alam read more
Reach group chapel statement on use of AI (25 July) – A motion by the Reach NUJ group chapel has expressed alarm over the company’s use of artificial intelligence. The motion was passed unanimously after the company announced an overhaul of its sports coverage and major redundancies across its national and local titles read more
Starving of journalists in Gaza “silences the truth” (22 July) – Agence France-Presse’s journalists’ union warns its colleagues at serious risk of starvation read more
Equity
WeTransfer data use assurances secured (28 July) – Equity action clarifies data rights and protections read more
Equity joins Arts & Minds campaign in call for urgent government action (26 July) – Last week, Equity was amongst a coalition of arts and entertainment organisations who joined the Arts & Minds campaign as they handed in a 10,000-signature letter to Bridget Phillipson MP, Secretary of State for Education, and Lisa Nandy MP, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, calling for urgent action to support arts education in schools. The Arts & Minds campaign is a direct response to the alarming decline in arts education across the UK read more
Musicians Union
MU Reaches Agreement with Heathrow on Handling of Musical Instruments (5 Aug) – Musicians travelling with instruments through Heathrow can now expect the airport to act in accordance with guidelines agreed by the MU read more
Community
USDAW
Low Pay Commission visits Newcastle to hear Usdaw’s evidence for a further substantial increase in the minimum wage (5 Aug) – Retail trade union Usdaw is giving oral evidence to the Low Pay Commission (LPC) about minimum wage rates. Commissioners will meet workers in Newcastle, on 6 and 7 August, to hear their first-hand experiences of life on low pay read more
B&M propose the closure of their distribution centre in Middlewich, Cheshire – Usdaw will enter into consultation talks (22 Aug) – Retail trade union is to start consultation talks in the coming weeks with discount retailer B&M, after their shock announcement that they plan to close a Cheshire distribution centre in Middlewich and transfer the operation to a third party in Rugby, Warwickshire by June 2026 read more
UVW
First hotel housekeepers’ walkout in 46 years & joined by Draughts Games bar workers (4 Aug) –
· First hotel workers strike in England since 1979 to take place on Saturday 9 August 2025
· Outsourced hotel housekeepers at the Radisson Blu in Canary Wharf, predominantly migrant women from Nepal, are striking against poverty wages, slashing of hours and drastically increased workload imposed by outsourcing giant WGC.
· They will be joined in coordinated action by bar staff from Draughts, London’s popular board games café and restaurant, who are fighting back against precarious zero-hour contracts.
· A momentous event in a sector where strike action is rare due to outsourcing, union-busting, and widespread job insecurity.
On Saturday 9 August, London will witness a defining moment for the UK labour movement as housekeepers at international hotel Radisson Blu, Canary Wharf, walk out in the first hotel workers’ strike in England since 1979. They will be joined by bar staff from London’s trendy Draughts games bar, marking a coordinated strike across two areas of the capital’s hospitality industry. Workers at both workplaces voted 100% in favour of strike action in response to increasingly precarious conditions read more
Radisson Blu Housekeepers to launch first hotel strike in the UK since 1979 (25 July) read more
Solace strike cancelled (24 July) – UVW and Solace to begin working collaboratively together on the terms of a voluntary recognition agreement read more
“Striking is not a game – but we’re ready to play”: Solidarity rally for Draughts Games bar workers (15 July) – “An especially empowering moment was when the police arrived despite our gathering being measured and completely peaceful. The officers came and confirmed that there was absolutely nothing wrong with our rally” – Pearl, UVW member and worker at Draughts Games Bar. Over 60 people gathered outside Draughts Waterloo on Monday evening to show support for the brave bar staff who have voted unanimously to strike over exploitative zero-hours contracts, chaotic scheduling, and unsafe working conditions. The rally – full of joy, colour, art, and resistance – was joined by supporters from radical games collective Games Transformed, live mural painting by street artist dukdukpaint, and a brief visit from police. It marked a powerful moment in the growing campaign for dignity and security in hospitality work read more
West End Quays concierge and cleaners to strike in July against surveillance, intimidation and punitive pay policy (25 June) – Cleaners and concierge at West End Quays luxury apartments in West London will walk out on strike on July 7, standing up to what they say is an aggressive and union-busting agenda from management. The workers, all members of United Voices of the World (UVW) union, are fighting the attempted imposition of performance-related pay, the unlawful use of CCTV surveillance and a culture of bullying and abuse of disciplinary processes read more
Hundreds of NHS facilities’ workers at St Helier and Epsom Hospitals launch historic strike ballot in major push for equality (25 June) – “We are the pillars of this hospital — if we don’t clean, transport people around or serve food, patients and their families suffer. The board knows this. It’s time they gave us the respect we deserve. Change our contracts. Give us equality, dignity, and the recognition every NHS worker should have” – Dennis Gyamfi, a cleaner at Epsom Hospital and UVW member read more
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
Cleaners vote for first ever strike at Ernst & Young in the face of job cuts (14 July) – Cleaning staff working at EY (Ernst & Young) sites in London have successfully voted to strike on 15-18 and 20-22 July after being told by subcontractor Mitie that 37% of their jobs would be at risk. The cleaners, represented by the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB), voted by a margin of 98% to strike, with a 90% turnout. Cleaners will be picketing at EY offices at 1 More London Place and 25 Churchill Place on the morning of Tuesday 15th July and the afternoon of Wednesday 16th July, with a protest at 1 More London Place at 12pm on Tuesday and a protest at 25 Churchill Place at the same time on Wednesday. Before the redundancies were announced, cleaners had reported issues of overwork, including some reporting physical health conditions such as arthritis. Cleaners have expressed concerns that their already high workload will be pushed onto a smaller number of staff, exacerbating these issues read more
Mandate (Ireland)
Mandate Meeting with Senator Mary Fitzpatrick Regarding Bill to Protect Retail Workers (5 Aug) – Mandate welcomes the introduction of a Bill entitled Protection of Retail Workers Act 2025 by Senator Mary Fitzpatrick, aimed at amending the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994 to create specific offences for assaulting, threatening, harassing, or abusing retail workers while they are carrying out their employment. At a recent meeting between Mandate representatives and the Senator, Fitzpatrick indicated that she was determined to see the passage of the Bill through to a successful outcome. Mandate indicated that the Union are prepared to support her in this objective, as it has been part of their long standing Respect Retail Workers campaign to categorise abuse and assaults against retail workers as a standalone offence. When Mandate surveyed their members previously, 78 percent said they did not believe their employer was doing enough to protect them read more
SIPTU (Ireland)
SIPTU Early Years members back pay proposals including an up to 10% wage increase (1 Aug) – SIPTU members working in Early Years services have delivered a decisive mandate in support of a proposed pay deal, with more than 90% backing it in a consultative nationwide ballot counted in Liberty Hall read more
SIPTU recommends members accept proposals in long-running ambulance pay dispute (30 July) – SIPTU representatives are recommending members in the National Ambulance Service (NAS) accept Workplace Relations Commission proposals on pay and work practice changes in a ballot which could conclude a long-running dispute over changes to the service read more
Other news
General Strike Centenary & The Cramlington Train Wreckers 2026 – As you know, next year is a hugely important year for working history (centenary of the General Strike) .Following the success of The Cramlington Train Wreckers last November (4,000 people attended 7 venues) it is transferring to the 1200-seat Newcastle Theatre Royal next July. We are looking to touring it next year but would like feedback from unions re support. Can you circulate it among your affiliates, please? We also have an event at Glasshouse in May to mark the first full day of the centenary of the General Strike.
We are using both events to encourage a new layer of (young) trade union activists. It is an opportunity to draw in people We had a tremendous intervention in at Durham Miners’ Gala over the weekend. Any support would be appreciated.
The Cramlington Train Wreckers is transferring to Newcastle Theatre Royal after a sell out tour at 7 North East venues (4,000 attended!) last November.
www.cramlingtontrainwreckers.co.uk
www.wisecrackproductions.co.uk
From SHAC (Social Housing Action Campaign) – 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 national central London demo is this Saturday 9th August – 12noon Russell Square details
A number of unions have issued statements on the situation in the Middle East, including: the TUC, FBU, RMT, NEU, Unite, Unison, PCS, ASLEF, TSSA, UCU, EIS, USDAW, BFAWU, 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
September
7 NSSN TUC Congress lobby & rally 1pm Brighton
7 Burston strike school rally – 10am details
