NSSN 735: Support the Solidarity Rally on the 1-year anniversary of the Sheffield Bin Strike

The Solidarity Rally is taking place on Tuesday 19^th August to mark the year’s anniversary of the Unite Veolia dispute in Sheffield:–

6am Lumley Street Depot S4 7ZJ
10am Tinsley Park Road S9 5DL

Donate to the strike fund – Unite NEYH, 60-83-01 20173962

Sign the Statement of Solidarity

We stand in full solidarity with the striking workers at Veolia’s Lumley Street depot in Sheffield.

This is not a new recognition claim. It is about defending rights that already exist.

When Veolia took over the refuse contract, the union recognition agreement in place under the previous employer should have transferred under TUPE. Veolia also has a national recognition agreement with Unite. Both are being ignored.

Refusing to honour these agreements is an attack on the right to union representation. Unite members at the depot have taken lawful industrial action to defend that right. Their fight is not only justified, it is essential.

This is not a dispute between unions. It is about holding an employer to account for undermining collective bargaining and ignoring legal obligations. If allowed to stand. Veolia’s actions set a dangerous precedent.

We call for:

• Reinstatement of the transferred recognition agreement

• Full application of the national agreement with Unite

• An end to defamatory attacks on striking workers

• Serious engagement with Unite to resolve the dispute

• A shared commitment across the trade union movement to uphold

recognition where it reflects the will of the workforce

Trade unionism means standing together. We stand with the workers at Veolia Sheffield.

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.

There will be a speaker from the Sheffield Bin Strike at the NSSN TUC Congress Rally & Lobby in Brighton on Sunday 7^th September, alongside disputes such as the Birmingham Bin Strike and militant union leaders and reps.

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

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 25^th 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 5^th 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 7^th 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.

Model Motion

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).   

Affiliation letter    

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 22:

Monday 11th: Joint picket at Cheltenham General Hospital from 07.30 to 12:00.
Tuesday 12th: Joint picket at Gloucester Royal Hospital from 07:30 to 12:00.
Wednesday 13th: Joint picket at Cheltenham General Hospital from 07.30 to 12:00.
Thursday 14th: Joint picket at Gloucester Royal Hospital from 07:30 to 12:00.
Friday 15th: To be confirmed.

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 Nigeria Solidarity

From Rob Williams NSSN Chair:-

At a recent international conference recently I had the privilege to meet Adaramoye Michael, National Coordinator of the Youth Rights Campaign in Nigeria. Michael is one of the Nigerian activists facing trial for treason, which can carry the death penalty, for the ‘crime’ of protesting against bad governance and poverty. The trial of Michael and other defendants has been delayed repeatedly but is now set for 9 October, 2025. Please show your support by asking your branch to pass the Nigeria Solidarity motion that can be found here: Union Motion – Nigeria Solidarity, sending protest letters to the Nigerian High Commission (template here: Letter to Embassy on #EndBadGovernance Protestors Repression – Google Docs), donating to the campaign if possible, and taking solidarity photos in the days before 9 October.

Further details on www.NigeriaSolidarity.com/Events   

Union News    

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RMT    

RMT National Dispute Fund     

RMT End Rail Outsourcing – Mass Meeting – Thursday, August 14 2pm – The Vine Inn, 44 Kennedy Street, Manchester M2 4BQ. Join us and our guest speakers to hear how RMT is fighting to create a single, integrated, publicly owned railway.

#EndRailOutsourcing

No Sackings, No Deportations, Defend our members’ right to stay! – Lobby the London Mayor: 8.30am Thursday 11^th September, City Hall, Royal Docks E16 1ZE

RMT remembers those lost five years on from Carmont tragedy and warns lessons need to be learnt (12 Aug) – Rail union, RMT warned that the failure of Government and Network Rail to fully act on safety recommendations made following the fatal Carmont rail crash has left rail workers and passengers at continued risk. Today marks five years since the derailment caused by a landslip in heavy rain near Carmont, Aberdeenshire, on 12 August 2020, which claimed the lives of three people – RMT conductor Donald Dinnie, Train driver Brett McCullough and passenger Chris Stuchbury. The tragedy also injured six others including RMT guard Nicola Whyte who continued to carry out her duties with professionalism despite being badly hurt in the accident 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 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 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 Win: Train drivers will finally have access to toilets at work (8 Aug) – Dignity for Drivers: Train drivers will finally have access to toilets at work thanks to campaigning by ASLEF. This is a massive win for ASLEF members and the union’s Dignity for Drivers campaign read more

Time when we look to the past and the future (6 Aug) – ASLEF’s General Secretary, Mick Whelan read more

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 – 10^th August-11^th September. See updates on ASLEF Facebook page

TSSA

Five years on – TSSA Remembers Stonehaven rail accident (12 Aug) – Rail union TSSA has called for continued rail safety vigilance five years on from the Stonehaven rail crash which killed three people in Aberdeenshire. Driver Brett McCullough, 45, conductor Donald Dinnie, 58, and passenger Christopher Stuchbury, 62 lost their lives when a ScotRail train struck a landslip and derailed at a bridge in Carmont, near Stonehaven, on August 12, 2020. Six others were left injured after the train hit debris from a drain read more

CalMac Pay talks 2025 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

Unite    

BREAKING NEWS!! Orkney Ferries workers overtime ban in pay dispute (13 Aug) – Unite claims ferry services will be reduced by industrial action. Unite the union confirmed today that Orkney Ferries workers will take part in industrial action in an escalating dispute over pay. Over 20 outer north and inner isles Orkney Ferries workers represented by Unite will take part in a continuous ban on overtime starting from 00:01 on 28 August. The union claims that due to the ferries relying on the goodwill of workers to take shifts beyond their contracted hours and at short notice that services could be reduced by the industrial action. The latest development in the pay dispute follows Unite’s membership overwhelmingly rejecting a two-year pay offer. Unite members have also reacted angrily to an enhanced ‘recall’ rate given for extra hours worked now being removed by Orkney Ferries read more

BREAKING NEWS!! North East Stagecoach bus strike back on after workers reject pay offer (13 Aug) – Summer holiday Stagecoach bus strikes across the North East are back on after workers rejected the company’s latest pay offer. The 600 workers voted to reject a below inflation five per cent offer split over two years. The offer did not bring the workers pay parity with colleagues doing the same job for Stagecoach in the North West. For example, Stagecoach North East drivers currently only earn £15.01 an hour, whereas North West drivers in Manchester earn £17.54. 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 read more

Cardiff Bus strike suspended as workers vote on improved offer (12 Aug) – Strike action by 450 Unite members at Cardiff City Transport Services Ltd, more commonly known as Cardiff Bus, has been suspended to allow them to vote on an improved offer. Workers at the firm including drivers were set to strike from Sunday 17 August until the morning of Sunday 7 September in an ongoing dispute over pay and conditions. Staff at publicly-owned Cardiff Bus had previously rejected an offer which left driver pay below levels in the rest of the UK, while timetabling issues had left workers unable to take proper breaks and workers also had unsatisfactory sickness terms. Cardiff Bus has now put forward an improved pay offer to Unite members, as well as proposing changes to conditions including longer breaks and improved sickness terms. All strike dates are currently on hold, pending the outcome of the ballot read more

Birkenhead, Chorley and Preston facing bus chaos as drivers in strike vote (12 Aug) – 500 Stagecoach workers in industrial action vote over pay. Birkenhead, Chorley and Preston are facing bus chaos as 500 drivers ballot for strike action over pay, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today. The workers are demanding a pay rise that reflects huge disparities between their pay and drivers in the same areas. For example, Arriva drivers in Birkenhead earn £2.69 an hour more than Birkenhead Stagecoach drivers and £2.13 an hour more than Stagecoach drivers in Chorley and Preston. 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…The workers are being balloted for strike until 28 August. If the ballot is successful, industrial action will be scheduled soon after read more

Gatwick braced for severe August delays as baggage screeners strike (12 Aug) – Gatwick airport baggage screeners will strike over pay in late August, including over the bank holiday, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today. The workers, employed by ICTS, are amongst the lowest paid workers at the airport earning just above the minimum wage. ICTS’s turnover has grown by 110 per cent since 2020, reaching £170.59 million in 2024. It made a profit before tax of £6.1 million in 2024, a 46.9 per cent increase compared to the year before…The workers will strike from 22 August to 26 August and from 29 August to 2 September. All flights out of Gatwick will face disruption during these times. Industrial action will intensify if the dispute is not resolved read more

Wrexham Council attacking workers’ pay despite government cash injection (12 Aug) – Unite has criticised the chief executive of Wrexham council after it has emerged that millions of pounds of funding was allocated by the Welsh government to be used for workers, who are now set to take industrial action over attacks on their conditions and a loss of pay. Around 100 workers in the street scene operative team at the council will strike for several days from this month in a dispute about changes to their working patterns that would see them lose half a day’s pay every bank holiday. Street scene operators include refuse workers as well as those working on parks, gardens and highways. Wrexham council claimed the changes were due to cost saving, with bank holiday Monday bin collections changed to the Saturdays following bank holidays without any consultation with Unite. This means workers now have to compulsorily work Saturdays and are threatened with disciplinary action if they do not attend when previously they could volunteer to do overtime. The council has unilaterally decided to extend the working week despite Wrexham council recently receiving £3,808,252.13 in funding for waste services from the Welsh government, including the street scene team…Workers will be striking every weekend from 23 August until 15 November, while an overtime ban will also be in place during this time read more

Bin strikes to take place in Wrexham over changes to working patterns and salary reductions imposed by the local authority (8 Aug) – Unite members who work in the street scene operation team at Wrexham Council will strike from this month in a dispute over working patterns and reduced salary. Street scene operators include refuse workers as well as those working on parks, gardens and highways. The dispute comes after Wrexham council changed the way workers in this team were given overtime. Previously, staff in this team were given additional days off over Christmas and can volunteer to work overtime. However, the council has since 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. The council’s new interim chief executive, Alywn Jones, has also failed to engage with Unite following an initial meeting to resolve the dispute…After 71 per cent of the around 100 affected members in the dispute voted to take action, strikes will take place on 23 and 30 August, 6, 13, 20 and 27 September, 4, 11, 18, and 25 October and 1, 8 and 14 November, while an overtime ban will also be in place during this time. Should the dispute remain unresolved, Unite members are also considering further action to take place over Christmas, when households usually have more rubbish needing to be removed than usual read more read more

Repsol Resources workers accept pay offer (12 Aug) – While other offshore workers remain in disputes over jobs, pay and conditions. Unite the union can confirm that over 200 Repsol Resources workers have backed an enhanced pay and conditions offer to bring its offshore dispute to an end. The pay deal successfully negotiated by Unite is worth 8.5 per cent over two years. In 2025/26, the pay increase amounts to 4.5 per cent and in the following year due to changes in shift rotation allowances, workers will receive a further four per cent. The Repsol workers had previously rejected several unacceptable pay offers. Planned industrial action on 6 August was suspended to allow members to vote on the improved offer. The scheduled strikes on 13, and 28 August as well as 4 September are now cancelled following the successful resolution of the dispute. The pay agreement covers workers such as control room operators, supervisors, electricians, technicians, mechanics and HSE advisors on Repsol’s Arbroath, AUK, Bleoholm, Claymore, Clyde, Fulmer, Montrose, and Piper Bravo platforms…A further 130 CNOOC workers are being balloted on industrial action in a dispute over jobs, pay and conditions on the Buzzard, Scott, and Golden Eagle platforms. Several offers concerning pay and allowances have been rejected by the workers with the latest amounting to a 4.25 per cent increase in basic pay. The industrial action ballot closes on 28 August. In another escalating dispute over pay levels and training allowances, around 20 offshore medics employed by MCL Medics, who provide lifesaving services are being balloted on strike action. They work on the Armada, Britannia, Jasmine, Judy, Lomond, North Everest assets owned by Harbour Energy The ballot closes on 26 August read more

Unite craft workers back COSLA pay deal (12 Aug) – Two-year deal overwhelmingly backed by workers. Unite the union has today (12 August) confirmed that its local government craft membership have voted to accept a pay offer from COSLA (Convention of Scottish Local Authorities). The craft workers agreement covers a two-year period running from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2027. It comprises a four per cent uplift in pay which will run over the first year followed by a 3.5 per cent uplift in April 2026. The agreement will also see increases in bonuses, tool allowances, stand-by payments, along with apprenticeship rates of pay. The craft agreement covers tradespersons in local government and outsourced workplaces who maintain council buildings and housing. It covers a range of trades including joiners, labourers, painters and electricians read more

Knottingley Lockwood Haulage strikes off after recognition agreed (11 Aug) – Strikes by forklift drivers employed by Lockwood Haulage in Knottingley have ended after the company agreed to recognise the workers’ union Unite. The forklift drivers, employed on the Ardagh Glass contract, took strike action in July to gain recognition. All scheduled strike action has now been cancelled, with the workers now having formal union recognition for vital areas like health and safety, pay negotiations and disciplinary hearings read more

Industrial action at Dale Farm could lead to milk shortages (11 Aug) – Drivers and engineers vote overwhelmingly for industrial action. Unite warns strike will impact milk collection and multiple Dale Farm sites in Northern Ireland. Trade union Unite has announced strike action at dairy producer Dale Farm group beginning on Wednesday 20 August. Engineers and drivers at multiple Dale Farm production sites will participate in the initial three day strike action. A further three day strike is scheduled for the following week escalating to a five day strike the week after. In the absence of a resolution, all-out strike action will commence from the fourth week. Drivers and engineers voted in a formal ballot with majorities of 90 and 89 per cent respectively for strike action in support of their pay claim. Pay for Dale Farm workers is lower than it is for industry comparators in Northern Ireland read more

NDP must yield workers’ dividend or risk missing targets (10 Aug) – Unite warns poor conditions shrinking construction labour supply. Quarter-trillion Euro package must be used to drive ‘race to the top’. Trade union Unite, which represents construction workers throughout Ireland, today (Sunday) warned that the National Development Plan (NDP), which envisages €275.4 billion of public capital investment to 2035, will miss its targets if poor working conditions in the construction sector are not addressed. Calling for a ‘workers’ dividend’, the union said that new public procurement criteria must be introduced which would strictly limit subcontracting chains while requiring collective bargaining and adherence to collective agreements, as well as union involvement in compliance monitoring read more

Jones Engineering: Unite meets Irish Embassy in Stockholm to highlight concerns (8 Aug) – Despite Jones being forced to drop High Court action against shop stewards, company refuses to engage meaningfully with Unite. Embassy had supported opening of Jones’ new Swedish office. Trade union Unite, which represents construction workers throughout Ireland, this week met with senior officials at the Irish Embassy in Stockholm read more

Potential disruption to bus services in and around Bristol as drivers ballot for strikes (8 Aug) – There could be major disruption to bus services in and around Bristol as over 1,000 drivers, members of Unite, are being balloted for industrial action over pay at six depots. In Bristol, the First West of England drivers work at Bristol Bus Station, Lawrence Hill and Hengrove, which provide inner-city bus routes in the city as well as services for Bristol Airport, the local universities and Amazon’s Bristol warehouse. The other three depots being balloted are Weston-Super-Mare, Bath and Wells. The dispute comes after members rejected a two-year pay deal, which would give them just £1 an hour extra of pay per hour from now until March 2026, then a 30p hourly increase from April 2026. New starters will only be offered 50p extra on the hourly rate, which goes up by just 10p next April. Drivers will also lose out financially, as despite the pay anniversary date being April First West of England has not committed to giving backpay for the past four months of the wage increase. First West of England is part of First Group PLC. Last year, First Group PLC had an operating profit of £204.3m and share dividends were increased by 45% compared to the previous year…The ballot at Lawrence Hill and Hengrove closes on 19 August while the one at Bristol Bus Station, Weston-Super-Mare, Bath and Wells closes on 21 August. As First West of England is the main bus operator in Bristol, any industrial action is likely to be extremely disruptive with delays and cancellations of services expected read more

Unions lodge notice of first 24-hour strike by workers at Belfast council leisure services (7 Aug) – Joint UNITE-NIPSA press release: Belfast leisure workers are lowest paid in Northern Ireland and are seeking a one pound an hour increase to the current pay offer. Talks ended without management company Greenwich Leisure Limited making any improved pay offer. Unite and NIPSA trade unions have announced a 24-hour strike by leisure staff at facilities operated by Green Leisure Limited in Belfast. 14 leisure centres and two gyms owned by Belfast City Council are operated by the arms-length management company. The strike will commence at 00.01 on Tuesday August 12 and continue until midnight. The industrial action is likely to shut down entirely the operation of several leisure centres, given that more than 200 leisure workers are members of two trade unions. Pay at Belfast leisure centres has fallen behind that of other council leisure facilities in Northern Ireland following the decision to outsource them to Greenwich Leisure Limited. Belfast leisure worker pay is now the lowest in Northern Ireland…The strike follows an overwhelming ballot for industrial action by workers in both unions and represents an escalation from a work-to-rule which came into force on Tuesday 15 July. Labour Relations Agency-mediated negotiations between the trade unions and the employer ended on Wednesday 30 July, after management failed to provide any improved offer read more

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

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

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

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

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 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 – It’s Time for a Shorter Working Week (7 Aug) – Over the past couple of years, general interest in the idea of a shorter working week has grown. In this country, hundreds of employers have been experimenting with reducing hours for no loss of pay with positive results, including: Better work/life balance, lower levels of stress, lower staff turnover, greater workplace productivity. On this episode of CWU Live, Host Michael Walker is joined by Deputy General Secretary (Telecoms & Financial Services) Karen Rose and CWU Field Organiser Kevin Leetionread 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]

Ofgem workers to strike across energy price cap day (12 Aug) – PCS members working for the energy regulator Ofgem are set to strike on 26, 27 and 28 August over pay, jobs and working conditions. The dispute in Ofgem is about pay, jobs, working conditions and the way decisions about these are made. Whilst progress has been made on a couple of the issues, Ofgem is refusing to reach key agreements on the other matters. In an industrial action ballot in June, members voted by a resounding 85% for strike action on a 65% turnout. Since then we have attempted to resolve the dispute through negotiation. Our negotiators have listened to Ofgem’s views about our initial proposals and have offered new alternatives which constructively respond to those views. Unfortunately, Ofgem has not taken the same approach, which has led to the negotiations stalling. Therefore we are calling on Ofgem members in Glasgow, Cardiff and London to take strike action on 26, 27 and 28 August, which includes “price cap day” read more

National Campaign – join our Activists’ Forum (12 Aug) – We will be holding two sessions on Tuesday 19 August to talk about how we build our national campaign. The national executive committee (NEC) met on 23 and 24 July to consider the way forward in the national campaign in line with conference policy read more

PCS signs open letter vowing to stand Together With Refugees (11 Aug) – More than 200 organisations have signed the open letter in response to recent anti-refugee protests. More than 200 refugee organisations, charities, trade unions and campaign groups have signed an open letter to party leaders today condemning anti-refugee protests that took place across the weekend read more

End of fifth week of MyCSP strike action (8 Aug) – The PCS members have been out on the picket lines in Liverpool and Cheadle with seven more weeks of walk-outs planned. To close week five of the MyCSP strike a well-attended members’ meeting was held, which welcomed new members who have joined since the dispute began and are now taking part in the strike action. Members’ resolve couldn’t be stronger in their dispute with the employer, which centres around MyCSP’s refusal to acknowledge PCS and negotiate with us on vital TUPE talks. PCS has had positive talks with Capita this week, the company to which the members are due to be transferred, on a recognition agreement which will come into being from day one of the transfer. We have still not heard from MyCSP since Duncan Watson, the chief executive, rejected outright our simplified recognition agreement which contained a proposal on reviewing any previously agreed TUPE terms. It was therefore surprising that he sent an email to staff claiming he was “continuing to work closely with PCS behind the scenes to explore ways to bring this to a swift conclusion.” The PCS general secretary has written to the Cabinet Office calling on the administration of the Civil Service Pension Scheme (CSPS) to be brought back in house as the integrity of the administration of the CSPS is now at risk. The PCS head of bargaining has also written to the chair of the public accounts committee to address the inaccuracies in the evidence presented to it by Duncan Watson, MyCSP CEO. Next week will see the vibrant and well-supported picket lines continue outside the MyCSP offices in Cheadle and Liverpool. It’s intended that Friday’s picket on 15 August, marking the end of the first six weeks of strike action, will be a big event, including after-picket activity with games and food. Picket lines are held on weekdays from 7:30-10am at MyCSP Ltd, 40 Tithebarn Street, Liverpool, L2 2BW and from 8-10am at MyCSP, Landmark House, 5 Station Road, Cheadle Hulme, Cheadle, SK8 7JG read more

PCS industrial action escalated at ONS (7 Aug) – PCS members at the Office For National Statistics have stepped up their long-running dispute over a forced return to workplaces by instigating a zero-office attendance policy and increasing their use of work to rule. More than 1200 members began the escalation with immediate effect on 25 July, while the branch considers next steps in the use of its mandate to use strike action. In a ballot which ended on 31 March, members voted for strike action with 68% of ONS members taking part voting to take strike action while 91% voted to take action short of a strike (ASOS), on a 71% turnout. PCS members have been in dispute with ONS since April 2024 over changes to the hybrid working policies and have since held three statutory ballots on a programme of continuous industrial action involving non-compliance with mandated office attendance targets and working to rule. The PCS ONS Branch has been placing pressure on the interim ONS senior management to engage with us after a growing number of ONS members have reported managers attempting to force attendance based on wafer-thin “business requirements” to undermine our action short of a strike (ASOS) that has restored working autonomy to members read more

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

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

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]

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

GMB 

National water shortfall while reservoirs flogged for cash (12 Aug) – GMB Trade Union – National water shortfall while reservoirs flogged for cash. The ‘nationally significant’ water shortfall shows privatisation has failed, GMB Union has said. An investigation by the union shows water companies have sold off at least 35 reservoirs since 2017 – while building just two in the same period read more

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

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   

Strike on the cards at Dorset hospitals in outsourcing dispute (12 Aug) – Overwhelming majority of health workers say they want to vote for strike action. Three women holding UNISON placards that say ‘Stop Subcos – Keep the NHS public’. Healthcare staff at three NHS trusts in Dorset say they want to vote for strike action in a row over plans to move 1,700 staff from the NHS to an external company. An overwhelming majority (98%) of members, including porters and cleaners, have backed plans for an industrial action ballot, which is set to open in the coming weeks. Any action could result in widespread disruption across the region read more

NHS Forth Valley workers win against Serco (11 Aug) – With ice creams and ad vans, UNISON forced the outsourcing giant to back down on proposed changes to pay frequency. UNISON members at Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Scotland have successfully fought back against private contracting giant Serco, forcing the company to row back on proposed measures to pay staff monthly instead of weekly read more

Health workers prepared to take strike action over pay, warns UNISON (6 Aug) – Pay consultation must act as a wake-up call for ministers. NHS staff in England are far from happy with this year’s pay rise and many are prepared to take strike action to challenge it, says UNISON today (Wednesday). Seven in ten (70%) of UNISON members who responded to the union’s consultation on the 2025/26 NHS pay award said they’d back walkouts if the union were to ballot for strike action. The result should be a wake-up call for ministers who must commit now to dealing directly with growing anger among health workers, says the union. The government must hold urgent talks to address problems with the outdated NHS salary structure and combine these with negotiations on next year’s wage rise. This is the only way to convince health workers that ministers get the seriousness of the situation, says UNISON. The pay award of 3.6% for NHS workers on ‘Agenda for Change’ contracts barely matches inflation. That’s done nothing to lift staff morale, adds UNISON 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

NIPSA

NJC Pay Update (11 Aug) – We wish to inform you that the NJC pay award for local government services in England has now been accepted. Full details are available here: NJC local government services (‘Green Book’) employees. As a result of this agreement, staff on NJC terms and conditions will receive a 3.2% pay uplift, backdated to April 2025. The NJC pay scales are negotiated between employer and trade union representatives through the National Joint Council (NJC) for Local Government Services in England. These pay scales apply to employees on NJC terms and conditions across Northern Ireland and Wales, including those in Education. As a trade union solely based in Northern Ireland, NIPSA does not hold a seat in the NJC negotiations in England and therefore did not ballot our members, the agreed uplift will apply to NIPSA members in Education who are employed under Green Book terms and conditions Management within the Education Authority (EA) are currently preparing an update for staff, which will include the revised NJC pay scales and the expected date of payment. We will continue to keep you informed as further details become available read more

Royal College of Nursing    

Violence against nursing staff: government must tackle NHS pressures (12 Aug) – Punching, spitting and acid attack threats are just some of the behaviours staff in emergency departments are exposed to, the RCN says read more

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

On call proposals scrapped by Trust following RCM ballot result (6 Aug) – Confirmation that plans to implement a grossly unfair acute on call rota for midwives in South Tyneside and Sunderland have been scrapped has been welcomed by the Royal College of Midwives (RCM). The RCM says the U-turn by the Trust is as a result of ‘members collectively standing strong together’ and turning out in their numbers to vote yes in a recent ballot on industrial action. The on-call proposals would have effectively seen midwives having their on call working hours extended, running into their much-needed days off. Which would mean midwives being on call for an additional 18 days a year. The RCM says it’s pleased the Trust has issued an apology to members for failing to meaningfully consult with them over the past two years on this issue and has now agreed to work with the RCM to resolve this and other pressing issues in the maternity service read more

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

CSP  

Include physios in jobs guarantee scheme, CSP tells government (11 Aug) – The CSP is seeking urgent clarification from health ministers in England over a new graduate job guarantee scheme that appears to apply only to nurses and midwives read more

BMA

Wales: A new deal on contract reform (12 Aug) – Resident contract negotiations have concluded, now it’s time for members to have their say. Shwmae pawb. We’ve reached a deal with NHS Wales employers on a new resident doctor contract. As part of the deal, Welsh Government will invest additional money into the resident doctor workforce and our pay read more

‘Greater mutual understanding’ achieved between government and resident doctor leaders (6 Aug) – Meeting between health secretary and RDC leads to further cooperation on bringing strike action to an end and addressing pay claim. Agreement on further negotiations on pay, jobs and working conditions for resident doctors in England has been reached following ‘constructive’ talks between the BMA resident doctors committee and Wes Streeting. A meeting held yesterday between the health secretary and RDC co-chairs Ross Nieuwoudt and Melissa Ryan has seen each side commit to further discussions aimed at meeting doctors’ demands and bringing strike action to an end. The meeting, which has been described by Dr Nieuwoudt and Dr Ryan as ‘constructive’ and ‘informative’, comes following a five-day full walkout by resident doctors in England last month. Following the walkout, the BMA had urged Mr Streeting to ‘reconsider his strategy’ on reaching a solution to the impasse on doctors’ pay and resume talks. Striking a cautious yet optimistic tone on their meeting with the health secretary, Dr Nieuwoudt and Dr Ryan said they felt they had ‘achieved a greater mutual understanding’, and that they were eager to work with the Department of Health in finding a way forward read more

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 11^th 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 

UCU calls on government to invest in all of FE, in response to Technical Excellence College announcement (12 Aug) – Responding to the announcement of new ‘Technical Excellence Colleges’, UCU general secretary Jo Grady said; “Whilst any additional investment for further education is welcome, extra funding for just 10 colleges should not be at the expense of other institutions and create a two-tier system, that may see other colleges continue to struggle…” 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  

Wildfire major incident in Dorset reveals dangers of fire service funding crisis, says FBU (11 Aug) – With two significant wildfire incidents breaking out within 24 hours this weekend, the Fire Brigades Union has issued a warning that UK fire services do not have the resources to keep the public safe. In the last 24 hours, a major incident was declared at a wildfire in Holt Health, Dorset, while firefighters in Edinburgh also tackled a wildfire on Arthur’s Seat. With temperatures predicted to rise this week, fire and rescue services are likely to face an increase in incidents, but the union says that funding cuts have left them without enough crews and resources read more

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

POA    

NEC minutes July 2025 read more

General Secretary update read more

National Chair update July 2025 read here 

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

Privatisation of UPW (8 Aug) – Napo, Unison and GMB are extremely concerned that the government is giving serious thought to re-privatising the supervision of unpaid work (UPW). Without the benefit of any written briefing on these proposals, we understand from a meeting with officials and the Prisons and Probation Minister that one of the options that Ministers are considering, as part of their strategy to underpin the delivery of the Sentencing Bill, is putting individuals or groups subject to unpaid work orders at the disposal of private companies read more

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    

Post BFAWU Conference Foodworker 2025

Support the campaign to unionise Samworth Brothers – get organised, sign the petition read more    

Nautilus International

Seafarer happiness rises, but overshadowed by serious industry safety concerns (6 Aug) – The Q2 2025 Seafarers Happiness Index, published by The Mission to Seafarers, shows a notable rise in crew wellbeing, with the average happiness score climbing to 7.54/10, up from 6.98 in Q1. Improvements were seen across key areas including connectivity, food, training, and wages, suggesting a more supported life at sea read more

MAIB urges rethink on watchkeeping in ‘the digital age’ as collisions persist (6 Aug) – The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has called for a fundamental reassessment of human watchkeeping practices following a series of serious collisions involving merchant vessels in 2024 read more

NUJ  

NUJ members hold vigils and protests for colleagues killed in Gaza (12 Aug) – Following the killing of five Al Jazeera staff and a freelance photojournalist by Israeli forces on Sunday, NUJ members across the UK and Ireland are holding emergency vigils and protects in solidarity with colleagues killed read more

Palestine: NUJ deplores killing of Al-Jazeera journalists (11 Aug) – The Israeli government has admitted to killing five Al-Jazeera journalists and media workers in an airstrike on a tent outside the al-Shifa hospital in Gaza last night read more

Colombia: trade unions condemn US interference in Alvaro Uribe ruling (8 Aug) – The NUJ has joined trade unions across the UK and Ireland in expressing support for the independence of the Colombian judiciary following criticism from US secretary of state Marc Rubio read more

Afghanistan: Taliban arrests at least seven journalists in July (7 Aug) – The plight of Afghan journalists under the Taliban authorities has been highlighted by the International Federation of Journalists, with reports of harassment, imprisonment and intimidation read more

Palestine: Israeli forces extend closure of Al Jazeera office in the occupied West Bank (6 Aug) – Shutdown of bureau lengthened again by court order. Israeli forces have raided the closed Al Jazeera’s bureau in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank and lengthened its closure order by another 60 days read more

Equity  

Equity Challenges Minister’s Drag Storytime comments (6 Aug) – Equity Northern Ireland official challenges comments made by Minister Lyons about Drag Storytime event in open letter read more

Musicians Union

BBC Performing Groups Become First Regional Contract Orchestras to Achieve Tutti Salary of Over £40k – Following the acceptance of a recent pay offer, the BBC Performing Groups will be the first regional contract orchestras to achieve a Tutti salary of over £40k read more

Community

Recognition agreement secured at XPO Thurrock (12 Aug) – Community is pleased to announce the signing of a new recognition agreement at XPO Thurrock in Essex. The agreement will cover all staff working in the Payroll, Engineering Administration, Reconciliation and Administrative Assistance Operations departments at the Titan Truck Park site in West Thurrock. Elections will shortly be held for two local union representatives, with one each covering the day and night shifts respectively read more

USDAW

Opposition to Labour’s plan to make work pay and jobs more secure is shameful, says Usdaw (12 Aug) – Retail trade union Usdaw has called Conservative, Liberal Democrat and Reform UK attempts to water down Labour’s Employment Rights Bill “deeply disappointing”. The union calls on MPs to block damaging changes to the legislation that opposition Peers made in the House of Lords read more

Usdaw welcomes Government moves to end discriminatory age bands and unfair pay (6 Aug) – The Government’s manifesto commitment to deliver a genuine living wage for working people moved a step closer as it set out new considerations for the Low Pay Commission (LPC) when recommending next year’s National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage 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

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! – in January, 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

Sign NOW! #RespectAtWork

SIPTU (Ireland)  

Gaza journalists’ murder an atrocity that is an attack on all media workers (11 Aug) – SIPTU representatives have called the targeted killing of five journalists working for Al Jazeera in Gaza overnight an attack on all media and the very basis of international law with its concept that certain categories of workers should have a protected status even during a war read more

SIPTU says thousands without domestic waste collection service highlights need for reform (11 Aug) – SIPTU has renewed its call for the radical reform of domestic waste collection services following reports that thousands of homes in north County Dublin without a provider are being investigated for possible illegal dumping of rubbish read more

SIPTU writes to Stryker CEO following major safety breach at anti-union plant (11 Aug) – SIPTU representatives have written to the US-based CEO of the medical devices manufacturer Stryker, expressing grave health and safety concerns after another fire at the company’s facilities in Carrigtwohill, County Cork, which are the centre of an ongoing union recognition struggle read more

Sign this petition: Take Action for Workers’ Rights!

SIPTU member forced to retire at 65 awarded €18,000 (6 Aug) – A SIPTU member who worked at the Deepak Fasteners manufacturing plant in Shannon, County Clare, has been awarded €18,000 by the Labour Court in relation to a claim he instigated following his forced retirement at 65 years of age. Liam Murphy, who had worked for his employer for over 45 years, requested to continue working for one year beyond age 65 but the company rejected his request. SIPTU, representing Mr. Murphy, submitted a case alleging age discrimination under the Employment Equality Acts to the Workplace Relations Commission, which was won on appeal at the Labour Court 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

www.worbella.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

STAMMA website    

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 6^th September – 12noon details

A number of unions have issued statements on the situation in the Middle East, including: the TUC, FBU, RMT, NEU, Unite, Unison, PCS, ASLEF, TSSA, UCU, EIS, 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   

Sign petition  

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    

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

[email protected]

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==

Diary     

2025  

September

7 NSSN TUC Congress lobby & rally 1pm Brighton  

7 Burston strike school rally – 10am details