The NSSN sends solidarity to Unite and the striking Birmingham binworkers. Their heroic indefinite strike for well over a year against brutal fire and rehire by the Labour council has forced an improved offer.
The NSSN will continue to stand with Unite and the binworkers, who will vote on the offer, but as Unite general secretary, Sharon Graham has said, the improved offer: “is a vindication of the bin workers’ struggle for a decent deal.”
We also send solidarity to the Unison members at the National Coal Mining Museum near Wakefield – another long-running struggle – who have accepted a significantly improved pay offer after continuous strike action since last August.
Unite: Council statement on improved offer for Birmingham bin workers vindicates year long struggle, Unite (27 Apr)
The Birmingham council statement today by leader John Cotton – in relation to an improved offer based on the “ballpark” deal agreed at the conciliation service Acas and blocked by government commissioners – is a vindication of the bin workers’ struggle for a decent deal following their job evaluation regrading. This move shows the power of workers and how that can be realised when they are backed by their union. It is an absolute abhorrence that this deal has been blocked not just once but twice by unelected unaccountable commissioners and officers at Birmingham City Council, who enjoy eye watering pay packets and no consequence for their actions. The commissioner model is a licence for a few unelected individuals to print money and play games. The reason the offer has not yet been completed and gone to our members is because at the eleventh hour the government backed commissioners attempted to stop it, which has led to today’s statement of intent by the leader of the council. Negotiations took place over the last few months to get the original Acas deal back on track, between: Sharon Graham general secretary of Unite, John Cotton leader of the council, Richard Parker mayor of West Midlands, facilitated by Lord Brendan Barber. The roles played by mayor Parker and Lord Barber should be recognised as they very quickly saw that the deal was both reasonable and doable. But ultimately it was the resolve of striking workers and their union that has got this ballpark deal back on the table. The full details of the deal will remain confidential awaiting the detailed offer from the council and it will have to be voted on by the bin workers…Unite general secretary, Sharon Graham said: “As I have said on many occasions, the workers come first and we will always do everything in our power to ensure that our members are treated with dignity and respect. The move made today by the leader of the council is a vindication of the bin workers’ struggle for a decent deal…” read more
Support the Birmingham bin workers – over a year of indefinite strike action
The Unite Birmingham bin workers have taken over a full year of indefinite strike action against the brutal £8,000 slashing of their wages by the Labour Council, shamefully on the watch of a Labour government. In an unprecedented tremendous development, agency workers employed by Job & Talent began strike action on 1 December over bullying and harassment. Disgracefully, the Council has used vicious strike-breaking measures. But there has been mass support for the binworkers, including on three Mega Pickets, hosted by Strike Map.
But instead of looking to resolve the dispute, this Labour Council has shamefully applied to the courts for and been granted an injunction against Unite, resulting in a massive fine of £265,000. In addition, they have also been granted a ‘persons unknown’ legal injunction to stop solidarity protests, which threaten fines and even imprisonment. But no legal action will stop the trade union movement supporting the binworkers and their union, Unite. This dispute can be won – victory to Unite and the binworkers.
Bin strike fine ‘pathetic attempt to intimidate workers’, Unite (17 Mar) – Unite, the UK’s leading union, has vowed that it will not allow Birmingham bin workers “to pay the price for the council’s failings” after the union was fined by the courts for picketing. The bin workers have been striking since January 2025 after the council decided to cut their pay by up to £8,000 (between a quarter and a fifth of their earnings). Last week marked the first anniversary of the strike becoming all-out industrial action. The council has not been in negotiations over ending the dispute since May last year, after they reengaged on a “ballpark deal” agreed with council chief executive Joanne Roney and brokered by the conciliation service Acas. Unite remains ready to return to negotiations based on the “ballpark deal”, but the council has refused and it continues to waste millions trying unsuccessfully to break the strike read more
Unite vote to cut Labour affiliation by 40 per cent on the anniversary of the Birmingham bin strike (11 Mar) – Unite has made it clear that the actions of Labour against the Birmingham bin workers will not continue to be tolerated. As well as an escalation of the strike in Birmingham, Unite has voted to cut its Labour affiliation by £580,000. This move is unprecedented and shows the anger of Unite members. Read more
Music single released backing Birmingham bin strikers one year on (6 Mar) – A music single has been released backing the Birmingham bin strikers, marking a year since the all-out strike began in March 2025. Power To The Bin Strikers (Unite For Workers Rights) has been recorded by Birmingham’s Banner Theatre in partnership with Unite and raises funds for the Unite members who have been taking industrial action for over a year. Political theatre troupe Banner Theatre have reworked the 1960 hit My Old Man’s A Dustman by Lonnie Donegan into a contemporary protest song. A satirical anthem, it hits out at politicians and council proposals to reduce workers’ pay by up to £8,000 per year – the issue at the centre of the dispute. Birmingham bin worker Danny Taylor, who has been on strike since the dispute began in January 2025, said: “Myself and the other bin workers are delighted with the song and want to thank Banner Theatre for their support. It is a recognisable folk song reworked to portray the striking bin workers targeted by a Labour council. We hope the general public will like it as much as we do.” The single is out today (6 March) on all platforms including iTunes, Bandcamp, Spotify, Amazon Music, Youtube Music, Deezer, Tidal and Qobuz. It is performed by Dave Rogers and Mike Bethall from Banner Theatre and the music video features footage of the industrial action, including from the Unite picket lines and demonstrations around the bin strike. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite thanks Banner Theatre for writing and recording the song. The song will help to remind the general public why our members are on strike.” Bin workers are striking because Birmingham city council has fired and rehired both senior loaders (former WRCOs) and drivers onto contracts that reduce pay by up to £8,000. Earlier this month, they voted to extend their industrial action mandate past local elections in May and into September read more
- Sign petition to support binworkers
- Send a message of support to Unite and the binworkers
- Donate to the strike fund – Unite WM/7186 Branch, account: 20308397, sort code: 608301. Title donation: BCC Strike Donation
- Send a postcard to tell Birmingham Council’s leader to ‘Stop attacking your workers’ at https://supportbinworkers.unitetheunion.postbug.app/
- Go to the Facebook pages of Unite the Union and Unite for a Workers Economy for videos and photos of the strike, and watch a video of the MegaPicket from Reel News on YouTube, X/Twitter, Instagram and Facebook
- StrikeMap: [email protected]
Unison: Mining museum strike ends as workers vote to accept pay offer (27 Apr) – A long-running strike at the National Coal Mining Museum near Wakefield has ended after staff voted to accept a significantly improved pay offer. The decision brings to an end a continuous strike by more than 40 workers which began on 20 August 2025. Employees voted in favour of accepting the pay deal so they can return to work and ensure proper upkeep of the historic mine so it remains open to the public. Striking staff repeatedly raised concerns about the maintenance of the mine during the walkout. The improved pay deal for workers will see wages increase by 10.5%. This means mine guides will see their pay increase by £1.35 an hour, from £12.86 to £14.21. All disciplinary clauses previously included in pay offers have also been removed read more
NSSN News
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- SAVE THE DATE!! 2026 NSSN Conference is on Saturday 27th June 11am-4.30pm in Conway Hall in London – £10 fee Register here
Unions must demand Starmer scraps 50% strike ballot threshold now!
Starmer’s Labour government’s Employment Rights Act received royal ascent on 18 December. The NSSN welcomes any improvements in the rights of workers and trade unions. But in the Government’s press briefings, there is nothing about the undemocratic 50% threshold in industrial action ballots, brought in by Cameron in 2016.
This raises yet further unacceptable delays, despite being an election promise by Starmer before being elected with a massive 160+ seat majority in the 2024 general election. It should have been scrapped on day one of the new Labour government. Workers have voted for action by huge majorities, only to fall foul of this outrageous attack on democratic union rights. Unions must now demand that the 50% is scrapped immediately.
The NSSN demands the repeal of all the Tory anti-union legislation, going back to Thatcher. We will continue this fight.
We will continue to support workers taking action to resist the cost of living squeeze, while at the same time continuing to demand that the TUC calls a national weekend demonstration against Starmer’s austerity offensive. This action was passed at last September’s TUC Congress and is now TUC policy. The TUC and the unions must now name the date!
Consider taking this brief model motion to your next union meeting:-
- This union NEC/branch/union branch committee/trades council welcomes the unanimous vote at this year’s TUC Congress for the motions from the TUC Disabled Workers Conference and Trades Councils Conference.
- We fully support the demand in the motions: “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.”
- We welcome that this is now official TUC policy and call on our union NEC to demand that the TUC name the date for such a demonstration.
Savage UC severe conditions criteria (SCC) cuts have begun (6 Apr) read more on the Benefits and Work website
Another legal challenge to UC migration council tax hikes (2 Apr) read more on the Benefits and Work website
PIP and work linked in appalling Timms review public consultation (19 Mar) read more on DPAC website
Workers unity against the far-right – on 28th March, the NSSN proudly marched on the Together Alliance demonstration in Central London along with hundreds of thousands against the poisonous division of Reform and the threat of the far-right.
The far-right are again trying to whip up racist division by scapegoating refugees and migrants. The NSSN calls for the unions to play a leading role in opposing this offensive, which will only weaken our movement in the interests of the employers. We call on the TUC to implement the policy passed at its 2018 Congress, to launch a campaign of ‘Jobs and homes NOT racism.’
For details of protests, check your local trades council and go to the website of Together Alliance
Union News
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RMT
Sign this petition to Tricia Williams, Managing Director, Northern Trains
Northern Trains: End the dispute with Carlisle and bring outsourced rail workers in-house
RMT welcomes conviction of Neo-Nazi terrorist who targeted Sadiq Khan (1 May) – Transport union RMT, expressed solidarity with Mayor Sadiq Khan after he was one of several people targeted by a violent Neo-Nazi terrorist read more
RMT calls for cleaners to be brought in-house on Southeastern (29 Apr) – Rail union RMT, has called for an end to outsourcing on Southeastern services, demanding that cleaners employed by private contractor Churchill be brought back in-house under public ownership. Southeastern has been taken into public control and will be integrated into Great British Railways, but cleaning staff remain outsourced, receiving inferior pay, conditions and little to no job security. RMT highlighted that Churchill has paid out more than £50 million to shareholders in the last two years, arguing that profits are being prioritised over the interests of frontline staff and the travelling public. The union pointed out that the Labour government had promised the biggest wave of insourcing in a generation but that it had so far not followed through on that commitment. Activists from the union will leaflet Ashford International station from 7am on Thursday with a short demonstration to follow from 9am, in order to highlight the campaign read more
RMT condemns antisemitic attack in Golders Green (29 Apr) – Transport union RMT today condemned the stabbing of two people in Golders Green and urged maximum unity against antisemitism in the UK. Eddie Dempsey, general secretary said: “The scenes from Golders Green are horrific and the thoughts of everyone in RMT are with the victims and their families read more
Action Against Assaults national campaign day on Tuesday (27 Apr) – Transport workers from across rail, bus and the ferry sector will take part in a day of action against assaults across the country on Tuesday. RMT activists will leaflet train stations, bus depots and ports highlighting the union’s national campaign demands to curb the rise in assaults and abuse and to make public transport a safer place read more
Compressed Working Strike Action Bulletin (19 Apr) – Please download and distribute the attached bulletins which explains the reason Tube drivers are striking read more
RMT accuse TfL of U-turn in negotiations ahead of tube strike (18 Apr) – RMT has accused TfL bosses of reneging on promises to negotiate in good faith, making tube driver strike action next week inevitable. During the dispute over a fake four day week imposition, TfL wrote to the union, offering to negotiate on all elements of the proposals. However, this week they informed RMT that their proposals to condense the working week into 4 days against the expressed wishes of most drivers in two separate referendums, will now be imposed. As a result strike action will take place as scheduled and further action is planned for the coming months read more
RMT members in Royal Fleet Auxiliary to go on strike (15 Apr) – Maritime union RMT, will take strike action at the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) tomorrow (Thursday 16 April) after the employer failed to table a new offer. Despite repeated attempts by the union to reach a negotiated settlement, no improved offer has been made by RFA management. During the 24 hour strike action, members will continue to ensure the safety of vessels is maintained at all times, including the management of moorings and gangways. Seafarers can routinely work up to 12 hours a day and there remains no clear or transparent formula setting out how pay is calculated against those hours read more Write to your MP today to intervene over this national disgrace
Unite
Bank holiday strikes at Stansted Airport suspended as ABM workers vote on pay (1 May) – Strikes due to start this Sunday (03 May) by ABM workers at London Stansted Airport have been suspended. The 100 Unite members, who look after passengers with disabilities, were set to walk out until 6 May in a dispute around pay and increasing workloads. This would have caused delays to flights, as it would take longer to board travellers who use the service. However, following negotiations this has been called off to allow the workers to be consulted on a pay deal read more
Doncaster bus strike next week suspended after pay talks (1 May) – Industrial action by around 230 bus drivers at First South Yorkshire has been suspended, following negotiations between Unite, conciliatory service Acas and the company. Doncaster drivers were set to walk out next week, from Wednesday (6 May) in an ongoing pay dispute where they were seeking pay parity with Sheffield-based workers at the same bus company. However, all further strike action now been halted to allow the drivers to vote on a new offer read more
Bilfinger offshore workers to strike over jobs, pay, and conditions (1 May) – Ithaca operated Alba FSU and FPF1 assets set for disruption. Unite workers employed by Bilfinger on North Sea assets operated by Ithaca Energy will strike in a dispute over jobs, pay, and conditions. Around 20 workers are involved in a dispute over the refusal by Ithaca Energy to extend a retention bonus worth up to £14,500 to Bilfinger workers on the Alba Floating Storage Unit (FSU) and its floating production facility (FPF)1. Unite members involved in the ballot unanimously voted for industrial action with a series of 24-hour stoppages set to take place on 8, 15, 22 and 29 May read more
Unite secures wage win for Motherwell based Resideo workers (1 May) – Strike action called off with 13 per cent uplift over two years. Unite, Scotland’s leading union, confirmed today (1 May) strike action has been called off at Motherwell based Resideo, after workers secured a significant wage increase over two years. Unite secured an increase of eight per cent this year with a further increase of a minimum of five per cent in 2027. Around 70 operators had unanimously backed strike action with action set for next week, until Resideo made an improved pay offer. Resideo has further agreed to match any inflation increase if the cost of living surpasses five per cent. The wage increase is equivalent to over £3,500 for some operators read more
May Day warning: Workers won’t be shortchanged (1 May) – Speaking ahead of International Workers’ Day (May Day – Friday 1 May), Unite’s Irish secretary Susan Fitzgerald warned both public and private sector employers that workers will not tolerate being shortchanged and said that Unite members across Ireland are determined to defend their living standards in the face of the latest cost-of-living crisis read more
May Day warning (Northern Ireland): Workers will not pay for the latest crisis of capitalism (30 Apr) – To mark International Workers’ Day (Friday 1 May), Unite warned employers that workers will not tolerate the current global supply crisis being used as the latest excuse to threaten jobs or for opportunist attacks on pay and conditions read more
Northern Ireland: Smart meters no substitute for direct support to working households for surging electricity costs, Unite (30 Apr) – Assurances needed for meter readers and that smart meter work will be done by NIE professionals. Unite is seeking immediate assurances from Northern Ireland Electricity (NIE) over concerns for the future employment of electricity meter readers. Assurances are being demanded following the announcement by the economy minister of plans to bring forward installation of smart electricity meters across Northern Ireland read more
Unite demands consultations on Whitbread redundancies (30 Apr) – Unite, the UK’s hospitality union, has demanded consultations with Premier Inn-owner Whitbread over the proposed redundancies of 3,800 workers. Unite, which has hundreds of members at Whitbread, has long campaigned against the notoriously anti-union company’s use of low pay, poor contracts and rock bottom working conditions. Whitbread announced the planned redundancies after reporting pre-tax profits of nearly £300 million for the year to February 2026 – a drop of 19 per cent on the year before. In May 2024, Whitbread also announced 1,500 redundancies on the same day as celebrating profits of more than £550 million…Whitbread refuses to recognise trade unions and has long resisted Unite’s efforts to secure better jobs, terms and conditions for its workers read more
Northern Ireland childminding in crisis as department of health dithers (30 Apr) – Ninety five per cent of registered childminders tell Unite that the viability of their businesses is uncertain following onerous tax changes. Trade union Unite, which represents the majority of self-employed registered childminders (RCMs) in Northern Ireland, has called on health minister Mike Nesbitt to intervene to ensure the release of findings of his department’s consultation on minimal standards in childminding read more
Glasgow airport summer strike action on horizon as security staff balloted over pay (30 Apr) – Disruption by 170 ICTS central search workers to hit World Cup and Commonwealth Games. Unite, Scotland’s leading aviation trade union, confirmed today (30 April) that ICTS central search members based at Glasgow airport are being balloted for strike action in a pay dispute. Around 170 ICTS workers have emphatically rejected an unacceptable pay offer from the company. The ballot will open on 1 May and will close on 21 May. If the ballot is successful, then strike action could start at the peak of the summer holiday rush coinciding with the World Cup, and the Commonwealth Games being held in Glasgow read more
Second Unite rep sacked at Manchester’s Kimpton Clocktower amid union dispute (29 Apr) – A second Unite representative has been sacked at Manchester’s Kimpton Clocktower hotel after workers began organising for better conditions. The worker was suspended for over 35 days before being dismissed. Kimpton Clocktower owner InterContinental Hotels Group had previously been accused of union busting by Unite, after it also sacked another rep on unfair charges following workers’ attempts to unionise and fight for recognition. Unite believes the two members of staff were targeted for undertaking trade union activities, something that is illegal under UK employment law read more
Workers to protest Queens University Belfast café closures by Clements (28 Apr) – Clements is proposing closing its four café outlets at Queens University Belfast with the loss of over 30 jobs. Unite which represents the majority of workers is challenging management on the way workers are already being directed towards the Redundancy Payments Service, raising the prospect of taxpayers picking up the bill for redundancies. Management is refusing to engage in meaningful collective consultation with the union. The union met with Queens University to raise the workers’ concerns last Friday [24 April] read more
Public sector: Local bargaining claims must be addressed before talks on new deal (28 Apr) – Inflation-busting increases vital to combat price pressures. Public sector workers will not tolerate being leapfrogged by other interests. At a meeting to decide Unite’s priorities ahead of talks on a new public sector pay deal, Unite shop stewards were adamant that outstanding issues, including local bargaining claims, must be addressed before starting negotiations on a successor to the Public Service Agreement due to expire at the end of June. At a time when a third of Unite members in the sector have had to borrow just to make ends meet, delegates were also adamant that any new deal must deliver inflation-busting pay increases as well as addressing ongoing impositions such as the Additional Superannuation Contribution read more
Stormont Executive must put protections for workers during extreme weather events in law (27 Apr) – Workplace safety protections must catch up with a transformed world of work and climate science. Ahead of International Workers’ Memorial Day (IWMD) [Tuesday 28 April], Unite has called on the Stormont Executive to introduce legislation to protect workers from health and safety threats resulting severe extreme weather events, which are becoming increasingly common. Last year, Unite launched the findings of a survey of its members conducted in the aftermath of storm Eowyn. This highlighted widespread unsafe practices by employers and many workers being forced to choose between losing pay or even their jobs and travelling in dangerous conditions to work during a red weather alert read more
Barking, Havering and Redbridge NHS pathology privatisation concerns mount as outsourcing scandal grows (22 Apr) – Strikes increase as answers demanded over outsourcer Siemen’s funding of chief executive trip to Munich conference and £1.3m reimbursement for failure to service MRI machines. Strikes at Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust will increase, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today. The industrial action, which began in January, involves both pathology and clinical engineering staff based at Queen’s Hospital in Romford over outsourcing and pay protection…The workers will strike outside of Queen’s Hospital from 27 April to 1 May after having taken eight days of strike action in March and February. Industrial action will intensify if the dispute is not resolved read more
Over 500 Cambridge University staff strike over pay (20 Apr) – Unite members demand ‘Cambridge weighting’ supplement to match Oxford, as staff wages fall behind soaring cost of living. More than 500 Cambridge University workers will strike over pay from tomorrow, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today. The workers, including library, museum, estates management, finance, student services and IT staff amongst others, are demanding the introduction of ‘Cambridge weighting’. This is a pensionable local pay supplement for all staff to address the exceptionally high cost of living in the city. The workers are also seeking a full pay review to tackle severe compression at lower grades which has resulted in a lack of fair wage progression. Cambridge University has imposed a 1.4 per cent pay increase for 2025/2026, which is a significant real terms pay cut…In 2024, the University of Oxford introduced a pensionable Oxford University Weighting of £1,500 per year. In August 2025, Oxford increased the payment by 15 per cent to £1,730 and extended it to all non-clinical staff. Cambridge staff receive no equivalent, apart from a 2.5 per cent interim payment, which does not address the cost of living for those on a low salary. This interim payment can be removed at any time, due to no firm commitments to retain it permanently. Cambridge, like Oxford, is one of the most expensive cities in the UK – with rental costs 30 per cent above the national average – and Cambridge University can more than afford to introduce weighting. The university had net assets of £8.26 billion at July 2025 and its endowment fund manages assets in excess of £4.5 billion and generated a net return of 9.1 per cent in 2024. The workers will strike on 21 and 22 April, followed by further action on 30 April and 1 May. Picket lines will run from 08:30 to 12:30 at various locations across the university read more
Luton Arriva bus engineers strike over serious sexual harassment and assault issues (20 Apr) – Unite shop steward fired after he demanded issues be taken seriously. Arriva bus engineers in Luton will strike in April and May over the company’s despicable response to matters of incredibly serious sexual harassment and assault within the workplace. The workers are also striking in defence of a Unite shop steward fired on supposedly unrelated matters after he refused to allow the company to ignore the sexual harassment and assault issue. They believe he was suspended and then dismissed in retaliation for holding the company to account. The individual at the centre of the allegations, who was in a managerial role, is no longer employed after the police were called. The workers, however, are angry that Arriva previously dismissed the allegations as “banter” and “horseplay” and completely failed to offer adequate support to those impacted. Multiple workers, including young apprentices, reported being subjected to unwanted touching, squeezing and striking, including kicking and striking in sensitive areas. They also reported being exposed to simulated sexual acts and gestures as well as offensive and sexually explicit remarks about close family members. In addition, repeated intimidation, mocking and humiliation of staff was also reported. The workers will strike from 27 April to 1 May, from 11 May to 15 May and 25 May to 29 May. Strike action will intensify if the dispute is not resolved. Strikes will severely impact Arriva’s bus operations in Luton and the surrounding area read more
1,100 Unite members set to strike at five Scottish universities (20 Apr) – Latest 24-hour action due to successive real terms pay cuts. Over 1,100 Unite members at five Scottish universities are set to take part in the latest round of 24-hour strike action on Friday (24 April) in an escalating dispute over an imposed real-terms pay cut. The strike action at Glasgow, Strathclyde, Glasgow School of Art, Edinburgh Napier and Heriot Watt universities follows successive poor pay awards and years of industrial unrest in the higher education sector. On 10 April, members at Glasgow, Strathclyde and Napier universities took 24-hour action as part of the same pay dispute. The dispute is based on UK universities imposing a 1.4 per cent pay offer for 2025/26 on the Scottish university workforce. With RPI inflation currently running at 3.6 per cent – and significant increases in inflation expected due to the war in Iran – this represents a massive real terms pay cut. Pay talks involving the joint trade unions and the Universities & Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) impacting 138 higher education institutions across the UK have already taken place for 2026/27 with a further meeting scheduled for 13 May. The joint trade unions in higher education are demanding an increase of at least RPI plus three per cent or £3,000, whichever is the greater to be paid in full in August 2026. Unions are also demanding a minimum hourly rate of pay of £15. Over a decade and a half of below inflation pay rises has led to higher education wages falling by around 30 per cent in real terms since 2010. The union’s members work primarily in non-academic roles within the higher education institutions including estates and security staff alongside cleaners, technicians, libraries and administrative roles.
Hundreds of Filton aerospace workers could strike at GKN over pay (16 Apr) – Unite members being balloted over below inflation pay offer while CEO makes millions. Workers at world-leading aerospace supplier GKN Aerospace are set to take strike action over pay as they are balloted following below-inflation pay offers from the company. GKN is a supplier of airframe and engine structures, electrical wiring and landing gear, with a presence on 90 per cent of today’s aircraft. Around 700 workers at the Filton site in Gloucestershire make wings for the Airbus A320. For years workers at GKN have seen their pay slip behind that of other nearby aerospace firms like Airbus and Rolls Royce that has seen many employees leave in search of better pay. GKN has offered just a 3.3 per cent increase.
Unite members have exhausted all avenues of negotiation and are now balloting as a last resort. The ballot for industrial action opens today (16 April) and closes on 7 May. If the ballot is positive for industrial action dates could take place across the spring and summer read more
JLR Solihull DHL logistics workers to take indefinite strike action over pay (16 Apr) – DHL JLR HGV drivers also voted for strike action with dates to be announced if talks fail. Around 300 DHL logistics workers based at JLR in Solihull will begin indefinite strike action over pay in early May, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today. More than 300 DHL HGV drivers working on the JLR contract in Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Solihull and Widnes have also voted in favour of strike action, with dates yet to be announced. The logistics workers and HGV drivers, involved in delivering parts and cars to and from JLR’s West Midlands and North West operations, are angry at an unacceptable three per cent pay offer for 2026…DHL’s offer is a real terms wage cut with the RPI rate of inflation standing at 3.6 per cent. DHL recently announced operating profits of 6.1 billion euros for 2025. DHL JLR Solihull workers will begin indefinite strike action at 00:01 hours on 7 May. DHL JLR drivers have agreed to meet with the company for further talks under the auspices of the conciliation service Acas. If an acceptable offer is not put forward, strike action will be scheduled read more
London bus turmoil as TfL workers vote to strike over rota changes (16 Apr) – London bus services will see disruption this month as over 150 Unite members at Transport for London will strike over roster changes. Workers, who are bus station and network traffic controllers, will walk out from 23 to 25 April, to coincide with RMT workers taking action on the London Underground. The dispute is around changes to rosters with increased weekend working and further travel to sites across London that teams haven’t previously covered. Unite members say this will leave them fatigued and also put them at risk of disciplinary action as they are unlikely to be able to travel to every site in time read more
National Ambulance Service: Unite members vote overwhelmingly for action (10 Apr) – Union slams six-year wait for implementation of review recommendations. Management must stop foot-dragging on outstanding issues. Trade union Unite, which represents members working for the National Ambulance Service (NAS), said today (Friday) that members have voted overwhelmingly to take industrial action, up to and including strike action, due to management’s ongoing failure to implement the 2020 ‘Roles and Responsibilities Review’ read more
Fresh East London bus disruption as Bow bus garage strikes escalate (10 Apr) – There will be further disruption to bus services going across east to central London beginning from next week, as over 300 drivers at the East London Bus & Coach Company have escalated industrial action. The dispute concerns bus driver fatigue. Drivers at the East London Bus & Coach Company (part of Stagecoach) are driving long distances without adequate breaks, have had increased weekend working and are not given sufficient time between shifts to recuperate. Meanwhile, meal breaks are not being scheduled at the depot with many workers taking these on the side of the road instead of in an adequate rest area. This situation is leaving drivers concerned about their own health and safety as well as that of passengers and pedestrians. Drivers at Bow bus garage have reported having ‘near misses’ while driving due to the fact they are driving while fatigued…Strikes will take place on 17 and 24 April and 15 May. Industrial action last month caused cancellations of bus services as well as delays. Industrial action will impact services that operate from Bow bus garage and go to central London and Westfield Stratford City shopping centre. These are the 8, N8, 25, N25, 45, 205 and N205 read more
UK bottle crisis looms as workers at Encirc Elton announce further strikes (1 Apr) – Industrial action at glass manufacturing and logistics firm Encirc over health and safety concerns has escalated. Over 100 Unite members at Encirc’s Elton site had already walked out after the company announced plans to reduce headcount by almost 30 people. Workers at Encirc said losing this number of staff will lead to issues around health and safety. Redundancies have now taken place, but workers believe the health, safety and wellbeing concerns of fewer members of staff have not been adequately considered by Encirc. Unite members have said they leave shifts physically fatigued and mentally drained and they fear this could lead to accidents at work. As well as the planned strikes from 3 to 7 April, workers at Encirc will also walk out on their night shifts from 16 to 28 April, then from 9 to 15 May read more
Unite rally at Village Hotel as workers enter fourth month of strike action (27 Mar) – Long-running dispute over poverty pay and working conditions. Workers at the Village Hotel Glasgow are holding a rally tomorrow (Saturday 28 March) to coincide with strike action entering its fourth month in a long-running dispute over jobs, pay and conditions. Village Hotel workers including staff in the Pub & Grill and the franchised Starbucks have been on all-out strike action since 28 November 2025 fighting for the real living wage for all workers, union recognition, and safe working conditions including taxi fares for late and unsociable hours worked read more
Jones Engineering in Belgium: MEPs support Unite campaign against union-busting (26 Mar) – Unions and parliamentarians raise ‘social dumping’ concerns. Jones warned not to export shoddy labour practices. Belgian trade unionists and MEPs joined Unite this week in Charleroi to send a clear message to Irish company Jones Engineering: Union-busting will not be tolerated. As part of the General Labour Federation of Belgium – FGTB’s day of action against social dumping, a protest was held at the Google site in Farciennes, just east of Charleroi, where Jones Engineering is a sub-contractor read more
Disruption to student buses as workers at Universitybus, University of Hertfordshire ballot for strikes (25 Mar) – There is set to be disruption to bus services to and from the University of Hertfordshire, as almost 200 workers including drivers at Universitybus Limited are balloting for industrial action. The dispute centres around union victimisation. In November, Unite’s lead representative at the Hatfield depot, who had worked for the firm for over 15 years, was unfairly suspended, pending disciplinary investigation. Workers at Universitybus, which trades as Uno, want the rep reinstated and believe they were targeted for trade union activity. This is illegal under UK employment law. Meanwhile, there is a dispute with the company on behalf of members regarding the inconsistent and unfair way the company deal with disciplinary procedures, with junior staff believing they are treated more harshly by management than more senior workers…The ballot is ongoing and closes on 14 April. Strikes could coincide with the busy exams period in late spring read more
Unite responds to this year’s local council pay offer (25 Mar) – Unite has today (25 March) responded with dismay to this year’s local government pay offer. The offer of 3.3 per cent from 1 April has been presented as “full and final” by the national employers without any meaningful negotiation with Unite or its sister unions. Unite believes this offer represents a real terms pay cut and does not address historic problems with low pay for the local authorities sector…Unite is set to meet with its members in the coming weeks to obtain their views and discuss next steps read more
Northern Ireland pubs could run dry in Drinks Inc pay dispute (13 Mar) – Strike at Northern Ireland’s largest drinks distributor will halt all deliveries to bars, restaurants and off licenses. Unite is opening a strike ballot of its members working in for Drinks Inc (Musgrave Distribution Ltd). The strike ballot opens Tuesday, 17 March and closes Tuesday, 31 March with industrial action possible by mid-April. The pay dispute has erupted over the interpretation of a three-year pay deal which included an inflation escalator clause for the third year [2026]. Unite highlights that cumulative inflation has risen above the threshold which means that the pay deal for the third year has to be revisited. Management is disputing this read more
Dale Farm farmers warned of risks from milk outsourcing plans (12 Mar) – Any move to de-recognise Unite will result in strike ballot of drivers at outsourced companies. Unite has warned Dale Farm of potential industrial action should plans to outsource milk collection threaten union rights. Unite represents around 60 farm collection tanker drivers at the company. Dale Farm management intends to expand outsourcing of milk collection from 40 per cent to 75 per cent. Wauchope is to take on collection at Omagh with Pennybridge-based collection going to Milk Trans and Woodside. Unite warns any move to derecognise the union by the new operators will be met with a strike ballot read more
Health visitors crank up pressure on Cwm Taf health board with eight more weeks of strikes (11 Mar) – Children in South Wales will have development checks cancelled or delayed as a health board refuses to pay health visitors the correct salary. Health visitors at the Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board have announced they are taking a further eight weeks of strike action over pay. The industrial action will see essential, mandatory appointments go unfulfilled due to the stubbornness of their employer who is refusing to pay them the correct salary based on their qualifications which is costing them between £8000 to £9000 per year…Following yesterday’s march to the Senedd in Cardiff where health visitors loudly made their anger plain, they will now take further industrial action that will last until at least 15 May read more
Unite to ballot Nelipak workers for strikes in real living wage dispute (9 Mar) – Dismissal of workforce rep during pay negotiations will be fought for Unite by all means available. Unite is balloting its members at Nelipak, a manufacturer of sterile barrier systems for medical devices and pharmaceuticals, based in Derry/L’Derry, in a dispute over pay. The low-paid workforce voted overwhelmingly to reject Nelipak’s inadequate pay offer. They are demanding the company become an accredited Living Wage employer, with workers being paid at least £13.45 an hour. During the current pay dispute one of Unite’s workforce reps was dismissed and this has further damaged industrial relations at the site. The ballot opens on Monday 16 March and closes on Thursday 2 April. If workers vote for industrial action, strikes could begin in the middle of next month read more
CWU
CWU/RMG Agreement 2026 – FAQs read more
VMO2 members set to vote on inflation-busting wage rises (4 Mar) – CWU members at VMO2 are voting on a deal that will see the company’s lowest paid workers achieve a significant wage rise. After negotiations which started at the beginning of the new year and finished on 19th February, the union’s national negotiation team have agreed a final offer with the company read more
BT Group members to vote on pay deal starting Thursday (3 Mar) – BT workers in the CWU are being urged to “have your say” on an inflation-busting pay deal. Union members at BT are to be sent a consultative ballot on whether to accept or reject a pay offer for the coming financial year. The offer, which was reached after an intense bout of recent negotiations, is against the backdrop of a fall in the rate of inflation, with CPI inflation being reduced to 3% in January, and being forecast to drop over the coming months. The ballot will open this Thursday (5th March) and will close on Wednesday 18th March read more
PCS
You can show your support to the strikes by PCS members by:
- Making donations to the PCS Fighting Fund Levy account, sort code: 60-83-01, account no. 20331490
- Sending solidarity messages to [email protected]
Civil Service Pensions Update 1 May – Unions have been told that Capita will start a bulk issue of delayed pension quotes next week. Unions were told today (1) that Capita will finally start a bulk issue of delayed pension quotes next week. Receiving a quote is only one part of the process so reaction to this news is likely to be muted. It means that those who notified their retirement date in the first months of 2026 are unlikely to have pension finalisation and payment until July, a wait of over six months. Thousands of scheme members have been left without their expected income. More than 1500 transition loans have now been made by employers to retiring scheme members. The duration of the loan scheme will be extended to offer some protection to those retiring during 2026 with many expected to reach the current limit of £10,000 read more
PCS to re-ballot FCDO members on restructure (1 May) – We are re-balloting for industrial action and the new ballot opens 18 May. PCS is holding a second ballot because there remains huge uncertainty for staff, processes are unclear, and we were just 19 votes short of the ballot turnout threshold of 50% required before a union can take lawful action. This result shows strong support for PCS demands and industrial action, with 76.9 % voting for strike action and 93.8% voting for action short of a strike. For the re-ballot, the branch has strengthened our methods and approach and is confident we can achieve over the 50% turnout threshold this time. The second ballot opens on Monday 18 May and closes at noon on Monday, 22 June. As with the first ballot this is a statutory ballot, and members will be posted a ballot paper by 1st class post on Monday, 18 May read more
Marking Nakba 78: March for Palestine (1 May) – PCS marks the 78th commemoration of the Nakba and supports the national demonstration on Saturday 16 May, calling on members to stand for unity and to reject the division and hate promoted by the far right read more
NATS Update May 2026 – We are currently in negotiations on pay, pensions and involved in discussions on Operational Design, as we approach the busiest time of year for air traffic. We are currently in negotiations on pay for 2026. This comes off the back of a three-year deal that saw members’ pay keep up with inflation, but there was very little progress on sectional pay items. To try to remedy this PCS included sectional items in the main core claim as a way of ensuring the key demands were met. We are currently balloting members to reject the latest offer as while the new two-year deal fulfils some sectional items PCS believe an additional 0.1% consolidated pay on core pay, offered to a different trade group, fails to support our strong equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) commitments read more
Parliament security officers accept deal to end dispute (30 Apr) – The improved deal, which 84% of members have voted to accept, follows four days of industrial action. PCS members working in the Parliamentary Security Department (PSD) at the Palace of Westminster have voted to accept an agreement, bringing a long‑running dispute to an end. 84% of members voted to accept the deal read more
Ofgem staff to be balloted to renew strike mandate (3 Mar) – Members working for Ofgem are involved in a long-running dispute over pay, jobs and industrial relations. Nearly 1000 PCS members employed by the energy regulator Ofgem in Glasgow, London and Cardiff are to be balloted for further strike action. The ballot opens on 4 March and closes at noon on 10 April 2026. PCS has been in dispute with Ofgem since March 2025 and took well-supported strike action last year in August, September and October. The strike action led to significant progress on key issues such as office attendance, but there has been a lack of progress on a number of other issues, which has led to the decision to reballot. Ofgem members are still awaiting a satisfactory pay offer, proper assurances on jobs including a commitment to no redundancies or compulsory relocations, and better agreements on how the decisions about these are made read more
PCS members at MHCLG ballot for strike action (27 Feb) – The members are in dispute over office closures, mandatory office attendance and changes to recruitment opportunities. PCS members at the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government will be balloted for industrial action from 2 March to 15 April in a dispute centred on three key issues: office closures, the imposition of a mandatory 60% office attendance policy, and changes to recruitment opportunities. The department’s plans affect 367 staff across six regional offices. By 2 March 2026, four of those offices will have closed, with three already shut leaving employees facing uncertainty, significantly longer commutes and restricted career progression read more
Get the PCS Samba Band to your protests and demonstrations – go to their Facebook page and on X/Twitter @PCS_Samba_Band
Prospect
Prospect statement on the attacks in Golders Green (30 Apr) – Prospect is appalled by the disgusting anti-Semitic attack in Golders Green, and our thoughts are with those affected and their family and friends. Our union stands in solidarity with the Jewish community in Britain against hatred and intolerance read more
AWE members turn out for strike action over shambolic restructure (12 Mar) – Prospect members working at the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) went on strike today, Thursday 12 March, over a shambolic and botched restructure programme, where the senior management have failed to consult properly with staff. There was a strong and highly visible union presence at several of the entrance gates at the main AWE site at Aldermaston and there was also a vibrant picket line at the Burghfield site read more
GMB
Cumbria packaging workers to strike (30 Apr) – Cumbria packaging workers to strike. Almost 100 workers at a Cumbria packaging firm will strike in a dispute over pay. Staff at Futamura will walk out after a majority of almost 90 per cent voted for industrial action. The site in Wigton makes cellulose film for packaging. GMB members turned down an offer of 1.2 per cent, which represents a real terms pay cut read more
Sheffield Council begins forking out millions in equal pay claims (28 Apr) – School workers across Sheffield who have launched equal pay claims will begin receiving settlement agreements this week. The pay outs – which could total millions of pounds – are being paid by the council to address years of pay injustice. They recognise that hundreds of predominantly female workers were systematically underpaid for work of equal value to men. This milestone follows sustained pressure and collective action by GMB members and represents a significant moment in the ongoing process to put right historic inequalities at Sheffield City Council read more
Brighton Pavilion to be rocked by second day of strike action (14 Apr) – Buildings and collections may face closure as staff walk out over terms and conditions proposal. GMB members within the Brighton Pavilion and Museums Trust will tomorrow take their second day of strike action against a proposal to remove them from National Joint Council (NJC) contracts. The members were outsourced from Brighton & Hove City Council in 2020 but retained their local government contracts, including access to pay, annual leave and other contractual rights. Trust management have this year instructed staff to sign new contracts which will pull them out from the NJC terms package and leave them vulnerable to contractual changes. This second day of action follows a successful strike day on Saturday 4 April read more
Thurrock Council caretakers protest over ‘disrespectful’ downgrading plans (9 Apr) – Thurrock Council caretakers are today [Thursday 9 April] staging a protest over a proposal by the council to downgrade their roles. The workers, who are represented by GMB Union, are furious about the council’s plans to downgrade around 50 caretaker roles by one band, which could result in average salary reductions of around £2,000. The caretakers involved clean and maintain properties across the council’s housing estate, including removing graffiti, clearing litter, and ensuring fire, health, and safety measures are in place. The council is under intense financial pressure after a series of failed solar farm investments, with estimated debts of £1.4 billon read more
Strike ballot opens at Crane Building Services and Utilities (8 Apr) – More than a hundred workers at Hitchin-based Crane Building Services and Utilities (BS&U) will today [8 April] begin voting in a formal industrial action ballot in an ongoing dispute over pay. The ballot, which is organised by GMB Union and closes on Wednesday 22 April, will determine whether members take strike action after months of pay negotiations failed to secure a fair offer. Workers have raised serious concerns that the company is refusing to recognise the skill involved in their roles and maintain appropriate pay differentials, with the latest offer rejected by 81 per cent of members. Angry workers have accused Crane BS&U of ‘flushing their core values down the drain.’ Any strike action would effectively shut down the company’s operations in Hitchin read more
GMB responds to council workers (24 Mar) – GMB Union has responded to the pay offer of 3.3 per cent for more than one million council employees and school support staff read more
Cadent gas workers announce strike days (24 Mar) – GMB members at Cadent Gas will walk out for six days as a dispute over excessive weekend working intensifies. Dozens of staff in the North West will strike on the following dates:-
Saturday 4 April, Sunday 5 April, Monday 6 April, Friday 10 April, Friday 17 April, Friday 24 April. Frontline staff say they are regularly required to work more than half of all weekends, leaving little opportunity for proper family time, rest days or holidays. Despite repeated warnings from workers Cadent management, who do not work weekends, continue to insist the current rota is ‘reasonable’. Workers are calling for a modest improvement: reducing their weekend commitments by just one weekend a year read more
Shell Bacton Gas Terminal workers vote to renew strike action (20 Mar) – Altrad employees at the Shell Bacton Gas Terminal in Norfolk have voted overwhelmingly to continue their pay-related strike action, which entered its sixth month today [20 March]. GMB Union, which is representing the members, recorded 100 per cent vote in favour on a 96 per cent turnout. Altrad employees are currently paid around £1.20 per hour less than workers doing the same jobs at neighbouring terminals. The vote to continue strike action comes after the workers rejected a pay offer from Altrad, which would have seen them enjoy two weeks of pay parity before being paid on average 71p less an hour than their colleagues from April read more
Almost 1,500 cash protection officers ready to strike (19 Mar) – Almost 1,500 cash handlers working for G4S and Loomis are ready to strike over pay. In separate consultative ballots across both companies, more than 90 per cent said they were ready to walk out after bosses announced pay freezes. Almost 95 per cent also rejected the offer, which represents a massive real terms pay cut in the face of rising inflation. GMB Members working for G4S Cash and Loomis deliver millions of pounds each week across the country to banks and businesses – a dangerous job which leaves them open to attack. If the workers went on strike, ATMs might be left without cash, while airports may run out of foreign currency read more
‘Defiant’ hospital workers plan further protests over pay and sick pay (18 Mar) – Outsourced Lewisham Hospital workers determined to win adequate sick pay and the London Living Wage, says GMB. As part of an ongoing campaign, GMB members at Lewisham Hospital will stage two demonstrations tomorrow [Thursday 19 March]. Domestic, portering and catering staff who have been outsourced to transnational company ISS will protest outside the hospital main entrance at 12noon and then again at 2pm. They are demanding the London Living Wage as well as an adequate sick pay scheme in a GMB campaign, which has already seen them hold three lunchtime demos read more
Net-A-Porter workers in strike vote (6 Mar) – More than 100 workers at the luxury retailer’s Charlton warehouse will vote on whether to walk out over the broken promise. Net-A-Porter – which sells high end goods including a £9,000 bag, £14,000 dress and a £158,000 necklace – promised to pay the London Living Wage in 2021 but has now offered workers significantly less. Under current proposals the lowest paid staff will receive £14.41 per hour. Meanwhile the designer store just completed a redundancy process in which many workers who volunteered to leave were refused because they were considered ‘too valuable’ to the business read more
Docker strike hits petroleum giant (6 Mar) – GMB union has today announced that workers at Immingham based petroleum contractor Briggs Marine will take strike action next week. The industrial action will begin on Monday 9 March with nearly fifty workers expected to take part. The dispute comes after company bosses were accused of dismissing employees outside of due process, with the union labelling the process ‘a disgrace.’ Workers at the Briggs Marine site at Immingham Docks operate one of the UK’s largest petroleum product terminals, handling imports and exports of vital fuels from across the world 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
Mining museum strike ends as workers vote to accept pay offer (27 Apr) – A long-running strike at the National Coal Mining Museum near Wakefield has ended after staff voted to accept a significantly improved pay offer. The decision brings to an end a continuous strike by more than 40 workers which began on 20 August 2025. Employees voted in favour of accepting the pay deal so they can return to work and ensure proper upkeep of the historic mine so it remains open to the public. Striking staff repeatedly raised concerns about the maintenance of the mine during the walkout. The improved pay deal for workers will see wages increase by 10.5%. This means mine guides will see their pay increase by £1.35 an hour, from £12.86 to £14.21. All disciplinary clauses previously included in pay offers have also been removed read more
Opinion: Yes, the government should freeze rents – and develop a plan for long-term rent controls (1 May) – If this government is serious about fairness between generations, about tackling inequality and about improving living standards, then the Renters’ Rights Act must only be the start read more
Trust plans will divert money from pupils and lead to more complicated system, say unions (29 Apr) – UNISON is among seven education unions voicing concerns. Government plans for every state school to join an academy trust will increase fragmentation of the education system and divert money away from pupils, says school unions today (Wednesday). UNISON is among seven unions representing teachers, leaders and school support staff who have voiced concerns about some of the measures in the schools white paper published in February. In a joint statement, the unions point out that more than two decades after academies were first introduced the education system has become increasingly complex. That has led to variable transparency, weak local accountability and decision‑making processes that are often remote from parents, staff and communities, the unions say. There are also serious concerns about excessive chief executive pay and insufficient financial oversight remain unresolved, the statement says read more
University of Gloucestershire workers to walk out in pay dispute (16 Apr) – “Universities can’t hide behind national bargaining when staff are struggling. They should be using their voice to push for a fair deal”. Support staff at the University of Gloucestershire will take strike action today (Thursday) after rejecting a below-inflation pay offer of just 1.4%, says UNISON. Library assistants, administrators, IT workers and other support staff are taking action because the proposed increase fails to reflect the rising cost of living and follows years of pay deals that have lagged behind inflation, says the union read more
University of Bristol staff begin three-day strike over pay (14 Apr) – “A pay rise of 1.4% is nowhere near enough when rents, food and energy bills continue to soar” read more
Further strike at Leeds Conservatoire this week (25 Mar) – Support staff at a leading music education institute in Leeds are set to walk out on Friday (27 March) in an ongoing dispute over pay and conditions. Workers at Leeds Conservatoire, including performance assistants and studio technicians, staged a two-day walkout last month unhappy at what they say are broken promises over pay and holidays. Following a restructure three years ago, many employees were transferred out of direct employment by the conservatoire to provider Luminate Education Group. UNISON says this resulted in some staff receiving lower pay and fewer holidays. Those remaining on Leeds Conservatoire contracts were told their pay would match that of staff transferred to Luminate. However, they’ve received worse pay offers and have less annual leave read more
School support workers vote overwhelmingly to strike in support of victimised trade union rep (20 Mar) – UNISON members at Ash Field Academy, a SEND school in Evington, Leicester, have voted overwhelmingly to take strike action to demand the reinstatement of their elected representative. In a formal industrial action ballot which closed on 18th March, 87% of voting members supported strike action over the suspension of their workplace steward, Tom Barker – who has been suspended since October 2025 – and the attack this represents on their trade union rights. The turnout easily cleared the legal 50% participation threshold. For more than four months, UNISON’s Leicester City branch has been campaigning for Tom’s reinstatement. Discovery Schools Academy Trust (“DSAT”), the multi-academy trust which runs the school, claims that they are still investigating his case – though they have changed the allegations they claim to be investigating since the initial suspension. More than 400 trade unionists, including the UNISON’s new General Secretary Andrea Egan and prominent MP Zarah Sultana, have signed an open letter demanding Tom’s reinstatement read more
KCL: Strike action: 25 & 26 March 2026 – This year’s pay offer of just 1.4% is the lowest offer of all public sector areas. We balloted our members on this offer, and 89% of participating members voted to strike. We are now calling for further strike action for the pay deal KCL workers deserve read more
NHS pay rise improvement talks are vital, say unions (17 Mar) – Staff crisis will continue to grow without restructure progress. The government must improve on its inadequate 3.3% pay rise for NHS staff by putting significant extra funding into long-delayed pay restructure talks or the workforce crisis will continue to grow, health unions say today (Tuesday). In a joint letter to health secretary Wes Streeting, they warn the pay award fails to keep pace with the cost of living, won’t repair years of lost pay and doesn’t address lower rises for those on Agenda for Change contracts than other groups. Staff are angry and feel deeply let down after years of falling wages and relentless pressure, say the 14 unions representing more than a million health workers. They point out that by relying on the discredited NHS Pay Review Body process rather than negotiating directly with unions, ministers have wasted an opportunity to deal with headline pay awards and much-needed reform of the pay structure at the same time through comprehensive talks. The 2026/27 headline rise will be imposed in a fortnight (on 1 April), with negotiations to follow on structural fixes, which would mean additional rises for some staff if a deal is reached. But unions say those talks were promised more than 18 months ago and the ongoing delay has wrecked trust read more
Sign this petition: To: Northern Care Alliance – Our Skills Don’t Pay The Bills!
Critical Care NHS workers striking after Greater Manchester’s Northern Care Alliance cuts pay. NHS staff working at Salford Royal, Royal Oldham and Fairfield Hospital, Bury are in dispute with Northern Care Alliance Foundation Trust after the trust decided to cut their pay when they undertake overtime to cover staff shortages. The Trust fails to pay overtime in line with their terms and conditions of employment, NHS Agenda for Change. NCA have engaged an alternative private employer, ’NHS Professionals’, to cover shifts which means staff that assist the Trust in covering staff shortages are now seeing a significant drop in pay as well as being able to avoid employer pension contributions. NHS Professionals last year posted pre tax profits of a staggering £11.4M. Critical Care units across the Trust which cover Salford, Oldham, Rochdale and Bury are heavily reliant on covering shifts to meet safe staffing requirements or critically ill patients. The specialist nature of the care required in critical care means most shifts are picked up by staff already working on the unit. UNISON members are calling on the Trust to be given the right to choose whether to work the shift as Overtime or NHSP Bank rates. This choice would allow staff to be paid the correct pay for the crucial duties they are undertaking and no less for additional work they carry out whilst also being able to contribute to their pension. The worrying reliance on a private entity in the NHS is forcing UNISON members into financial hardship. A UNISON member said “I’m a highly trained and skilled clinical professional and I literally keep people alive. NCA has reduced my pay by £10 an hour for our extra hours rates that we rely on and I’m now struggling to make ends meet at home”. After over a year of trying to resolve this issue with the Trust UNISON members have now voted 98% in favour of strike action support striking workers
Defend Ameen Hadi and Salford City UNISON against the Far Right sign petition – ‘We, the undersigned, stand in solidarity with trade unionist and lifelong anti racist campaigner Ameen Hadi. He has been placed under investigation by Salford City Council, following a malicious allegation, driven by far right YouTubers and Fascist Tommy Robinson, after a TOGETHER unity rally in Manchester on International Women’s Day’
Reinstate Connor UNISON Newham libraries rep! Connor is a UNISON Steward at Newham Council, East London. He works in libraries, and was suspended from work on 18 Feb 2026 following his participation in the ‘Save Newham Libraries’ public campaign. Save Newham Libraries is a community campaign setup to stop the Council slashing the libraries budget by 50%, with closures, staff cuts, and service reductions for residents threatened Sign this open letter
Mining museum bosses’ refusal to come clean over finances is prolonging strikes (19 Feb) – Managers’ failure to come clean over finances at the National Coal Mining Museum in Wakefield is prolonging a long-running pay dispute. The union says it has repeatedly asked for clarity on the museum’s financial position in an effort to find a solution that suits all parties. Staff, who’ve been on strike since mid-August, submitted six questions to the museum last month, following a pledge from bosses that these would be answered. However, no response has been provided and UNISON says it hasn’t received any correspondence from the museum since then. The refusal to answer questions after encouraging workers to submit them is another bizarre move from chief executive Lynn Dunning. Dunning has previously called the police to a picket line, spent tens of thousands of pounds on private security and attempted to include a clause in a pay offer which would’ve seen staff disciplined when they returned to work read more
Branches or individual members can donate using the details below:-
Cheque payment – Please make cheques payable to ‘UNISON Wakefield’, mark payment as ‘MINING STRIKE on reverse of cheque and send to: Wakefield District UNSION, 18 Gills Yard, Wakefield WF1 3BZ.
BACS transfers –
Account Name: UNISON WAKEFIELD M.D 13351 BRANCH
Account number: 20320236
Sort Code: 608301
Please mark your payment as ‘MINING STRIKE’ read more
Sign this petition calling for the resignation of the board of trustees and chief executive Lynn Dunning
Andrea Egan speaks at rally against university cuts in Southend: The job cuts in Southend are symptomatic of a “growing financial crisis across universities” (6 Feb) – General secretary Andrea Egan (pictured above) joined the crowds of union members at the University of Essex yesterday at a protest against job cuts and the closure of the university’s Southend campus. UNISON is one of three unions fighting back against the university’s plans to cut 400 jobs and close the Southend campus over the summer. It represents the cleaners, student support workers and other non-academic staff affected by the cuts and is in a formal dispute with the university read more
Stop the Council Cuts – Sign the petition: Save our Services – Nottingham City Unison
Support Camden Unison school support staff members at Richard Cobden school for fair pay and safe staffing levels Camden New Journal: School strike over cuts to support staff
NIPSA
Group Of DAERA Vets To Begin Industrial Action From 1 May In Long Running Pay Dispute (1 May) – A group of Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) veterinarians represented by Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance (NIPSA) will begin industrial action from 1 May following an overwhelming vote in favour of action in a statutory ballot. The dispute involves over 30 vets across all areas of Northern Ireland and relates to a long standing pay and grading issue that has remained unresolved for more than ten years. In the ballot, 92% of members voted in favour of action short of strike action, with 88% also backing strike action if required, highlighting the depth of frustration among staff. As part of the first phase of industrial action from 1 May, Veterinary Inspectors will withdraw from all on call rotas, cease participation in online training systems and stop providing training or informal support to new and agency staff. Action will also include the withdrawal of supervision and approval processes linked to on-farm TB testing of cattle. NIPSA has warned that if the dispute continues, the action will escalate on a phased basis read more
NIPSA Annual Report 2025 ‘For Working Class Unity and a Socialist Economy’ is now available to download here
NIPSA Demands Immediate Payment of Overdue Civil Service Pay Awards (23 Apr) – Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance (NIPSA), which represents over 80% of the Northern Ireland Civil Service workforce, is demanding urgent political action to deliver overdue pay awards for civil servants who are being pushed to breaking point by the continuing cost of living crisis. With inflation now at 3.3%, the cost of fuel, energy, food and other essentials continues to rise, placing further pressure on workers whose pay has already failed to keep pace with living costs. Despite this, more than 25,000 civil servants across Northern Ireland have still not received the pay uplift due from 1 April 2026, leaving thousands of households falling further behind each month read more
Royal College of Nursing
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
Isle of Man RCM members urged to have their say on three-year pay offer (29 Mar) – Royal College of Midwives (RCM) members working in the Isle of Man are being urged to have their say as a consultation opens today on a three-year pay offer from Manx Care. The RCM, alongside other staff side unions, has been in collective negotiations with Manx Care, facilitated by the Manx Industrial Relations Service (MIRS), and is now asking members to vote on the offer read more
RCM to ballot Barnsley members on industrial action over ‘fire and rehire’ threat (24 Apr) – The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) has announced its intention to move to a formal industrial action ballot of members at Barnsley NHS Foundation Trust, following escalating concerns over the use of “fire and rehire” following changes to breaks. The decision comes after months of engagement with the trust regarding proposed changes to staff breaks, which would see midwives and maternity support workers working an additional seven hours a month due to longer unpaid breaks. RCM members in Barnsley have made clear that these proposals are neither safe nor workable. Staff report they are already unable to take their existing breaks due to clinical pressures, raising serious concerns about the impact on both staff wellbeing and the safety of care provided to women and families. Despite constructive efforts by trade unions to reach a compromise, including a negotiated proposal with mitigations, RCM members overwhelmingly rejected the deal in consultation. The trust has now moved to a formal dismissal and re-engagement process, placing hundreds of staff at risk, including more than 100 working in maternity services. A consultative ballot of RCM members showed strong support for escalation, with a clear majority backing a move to formal industrial action. The RCM says the use of “fire and rehire” in the NHS is unacceptable and risks damaging trust, morale and ultimately patient care read more
CSP
CSP condemns antisemitic attack and stands in solidarity with the Jewish community (30 Apr) – The CSP is appalled at the attack on two British Jews in Golders Green yesterday read more
NHS pay structure negotiations begin (28 Apr) – The CSP is among the union delegations beginning talks this week over improvements to the NHS pay structure read more
BMA
Doctors in Northern Ireland to vote on strike action (21 Apr) – Doctors in Northern Ireland will vote on whether to take strike action in response to an unacceptable offer on pay, in a ballot opening next month read more
GPs vote to reject contract changes (1 Apr) – GPC England considers next steps after referendum result reveals overwhelming opposition to Government proposed contract changes read more
Secondary care doctors prepare for strike ballot (31 Mar) – Consultants and SAS doctors in England respond to ‘inadequate’ pay award read more
GPs vote to reject contract changes (26 Mar) – GPC England considers next steps after ballot result reveals overwhelming opposition to Government proposed contract changes. GPs across England have roundly rejected contract changes set to be imposed from next month, with the BMA calling on the Government to return to negotiations. More than 16,000 GPs and GP registrars voted to oppose the planned changes to the GMS and PMS GP practice contracts for 2026-27, following the outcome of a ballot released today [26 March]. The ballot, which was launched last month following the abrupt release of contract reform proposals by the Government, saw 98.9 per cent of those participating vote against the changes, with the vote having a turnout of 55 per cent. Under the terms of the contract, which is set to be imposed from 1 April, the BMA has warned that GPs would effectively be required to ‘more with less’ by having to provide a range of enhanced services read more
New resident doctor strike dates announced (25 Mar) – Resident doctors in England are set to strike from next month following the BMA’s rejection of an offer on jobs and pay put forward by the Government. Resident doctors in England are set to strike from next month following the BMA’s rejection of an offer on jobs and pay put forward by the Government. The association’s resident doctors committee voted to reject the offer yesterday [24 March], accusing the Government of ‘moving the goalposts’ on the pay element of the deal. The offer had included commitments to reforming the structure of pay scale nodal points and pay uplifts for doctors successful completing their ARCP (annual review of competence progression). However, RDC negotiators said that, at the last moment, the Government had opted to reduce the value of the original investment on the pay element of the offer and stretch this over a period of three years. In response, the RDC has today [25 March] confirmed that doctors will stage a six-day walkout from 7 April until 13 April. This announcement comes as the DDRB (Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration) 2026/27 pay recommendations have proposed a 3.5 per cent increase for all doctors, below the RPI (retail price index) measure of inflation which stands at 3.6 per cent read more
Government offers doctors in England below-inflation pay award (25 Mar) – The Government has announced a pay award of 3.5 per cent for doctors in England, below RPI inflation levels, following a recommendation from the doctors’ and dentists’ pay review body (DDRB). The BMA says this will be a ‘crushing blow’ to doctors in England and will ‘dash any hope’ that the Government is prepared to properly recognise a profession that is ‘burning out’ read more
NEU
Joint Union Statement on the Government plans for every state school to join an academy trust (29 Apr) – Education unions representing teachers and school staff note the government’s recognition that the current school system has become increasingly fragmented and that stronger collaboration between schools is needed. This acknowledgement reflects concerns that have been raised for many years by teachers and support staff about the consequences of repeated structural reforms that have divided the system and weakened local accountability read more
NEU members at Llantwit Major High School are today taking their third day of strike action (23 Apr) – NEU Cymru members at Llantwit Major High School strike over consequences of attack on members terms and conditions. NEU members at Llantwit Major High School are today taking their third day of strike action. Members voted overwhelming to take this action after the school and governors confirmed a decision to cut our members Planning Preparation and Assessment time to the absolute minimum allowed under current rules. Our members are clear that by taking this action, longstanding behavioural issues at the school will get worse as sufficient PPA time is essential for dealing with these issues. While meetings have taken place between the unions, the employer and ACAS as yet it has not been possible to reach agreement so therefore the NEU is taking strike action to highlight the situation and the seriousness with which our members take this issue. Some of the communications around this issue from the school have not helped the situation and have made resolution more difficult. We call on the employer to get back around the table with the unions and find a resolution to this issue read more
Results of NEU indicative ballots on pay, funding and workload (17 Apr) – Two indicative ballots of NEU members have now closed. Teacher and support staff members working in state schools in England were consulted online in separate ballots between 28 February and 17 April 2026. Teacher and leader members of the National Education Union (NEU) have voted to reject the government’s proposed unfunded pay offer of 6.5 per cent over three years. Teachers, leaders and support staff in England all indicated their willingness to take strike action not only over pay, but also funding and workload…The national executive will meet next month to determine the next stepsread more
Support the strikes:-
- Avenue Primary / Newham (Comp redundancies) 5-6 May; NEU Contact: Louise Cuffaro [email protected]
- Children’s Hospital School at Great Ormond Street and UCH / Camden (Conditions of service) 6-7 May; NEU Contact: Megan Quinn [email protected]
- Chingford Foundation School / Waltham Forest (Redundancies) 5-8 May; NEU Contacts: Pablo Phillips [email protected] and Mallainee Martin [email protected]
- South Chingford Foundation School / Waltham Forest (Redundancies) 5-8 May; NEU Contacts: Pablo Phillips [email protected] and Mallainee Martin [email protected]
- Cowley International College / St Helens (Conditions of service) 6-7 May; NEU Contact: Stephen Addison [email protected]
- Corfe Hills / Dorset (Conditions of service) 6 May; NEU Contact: Rebecca Pearce [email protected]
- Kent College / Canterbury (TPS) 5-6 May Paul Odle; NEU Contact: [email protected]
- Queen Elizabeth’s / Dorset (Redundancies) 6 May; NEU Contact: Rebecca Pearce [email protected]
- St Ralph Sherwin Catholic Mat Schools / City of Derby Holy Rosary, The Priory, St Benedict, St Joseph’s Derby, St Elizabeth’s, St Thomas More, St Alban’s (Redundancies) 5-7 May; NEU Contact: David Boulter [email protected]
- Samworth Church Academy / Notts (Conditions of service) 5-6 May; NEU Contact: Rob Illingworth [email protected] and Sarah Brown [email protected]
- Whiteley Abbey Primary / Coventry (Unacceptable management practises) 5-6 May; NEU Contact: Nicky Downes [email protected]
- Woodlands School / Harrow (Conditions of service) 6-8 May; NEU Contact: Alex Davies [email protected]
- Bransford, Malvern, Worcs 7 May; NEU Contact: Sean McCauley [email protected]
- Highgate Wood School / Haringey 7 May
NASUWT
Trust failings prompt further action at Rochdale school (30 Apr) – Teachers from NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union at St Cuthbert’s RC High School in Rochdale are beginning a further four days of strike action today (Thursday 30th April) as a result of the continued failure of Trust leadership to address serious concerns around behaviour, health and safety, staffing and resourcing. St Teresa of Calcutta Academy Trust, which runs the school, has confirmed they intend to progress with a planned restructure which the Union believes will worsen staffing, the ability of teachers to provide a safe and calm learning environment for students and the safety of the workplace. NASUWT believes that the Trust has failed to invest in and maintain the school, resulting in an unsafe and chaotic working environment for staff. This has led to volatile and violent behaviour from some pupils, which is not adequately addressed, and unacceptable levels of workload, high levels of staff absence and working conditions that are impeding teachers’ ability to deliver for pupils. Teachers believe that the school has been stripped of staff and resources since it became part of St Theresa of Calcutta Academy Trust. It is of profound concern to the Union that Salford Diocese continues to force catholic schools in the area to join the Trust in light of the problems which have developed at St Cuthbert’s since St Theresa of Calcutta trust took over its running. NASUWT teachers have already taken nine days of strike action since February and further strike action is planned for 30th April and 5th, 6th and 7th May. NASUWT will be picketing outside the school on each strike day between 8am and 8.45am. NASUWT teachers will continue to teach their year 11 pupils on the strike days to ensure they receive continuity of support in the run up to their GCSE exams read more
Academy plan will deepen fragmentation and divert money from pupils (29 Apr) – Unions representing teachers and school staff have today warned that government plans for every state school to join an academy trust will reinforce and exacerbate fragmentation of schools and divert money away from pupils. After more than two decades of academisation, the education system has become increasingly complex and atomised, with inconsistent transparency, weak local accountability and decision‑making often remote from parents, staff and communities. Serious concerns about excessive chief executive pay and insufficient financial oversight remain unresolved. With schools facing severe funding pressures, the unions believe it is unjustifiable to divert scarce public resources into further structural reorganisation. The White Paper provides no costings for converting every school, raising major questions about value for money. They also warn that the upheaval will divert leadership time away from delivering the significant SEND reforms set out in the White Paper read more
Teachers could strike unless urgent improvements are made to education (3 Apr) – Members of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union have passed a motion at their 2026 Annual Conference to allow a ballot for national strike action if their calls for change are not met by the government. Teachers report a, “vicious cycle of decline” in education funding and teachers’ working conditions, leading to overstretched schools, overworked staff, and a recruitment and retention crisis that sees half of all teachers leave the profession within ten years of qualifying read more
Job cuts threat prompts strike action at Nottingham and Lincolnshire schools (23 Mar) – Members of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union at Our Lady of Perpetual Succour Catholic Primary Academy in Nottingham and Our Lady of Good Counsel Primary School in Sleaford are due to begin two days of strike action tomorrow (24th March) over proposed job cuts which they believe would seriously affect the quality of education and support provided to pupils. The Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Multi Academy Trust, which runs both schools, is planning to reduce the number of teaching jobs across the Trust. The proposed staffing cuts equate to 2.5 members of staff at Our Lady of Good Counsel and 1.03 at Our Lady of Perpetual Succour. This is on top of planned cuts to teaching assistant posts and some voluntary staff redundancies. The Trust has cited financial pressures as the reason for proposing these staffing cuts, however financial data shows that in August 2025 the Trust had reserves of £5.69 million. Strike action is planned for the 24th and 25th March. NASUWT will be picketing outside the school on each strike day between approximately 8am and 9am read more
Further strike action at Stockport school over continued threat to jobs (23 Mar) – Members of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union at St Mary’s Catholic Voluntary Academy in Stockport are taking two further days of strike action tomorrow (Tuesday) and Thursday as a result of the failure of the employer to engage meaningfully over planned job cuts. NASUWT teachers have already taken three days of strike action over the last two weeks over plans by the St Ralph Sherwin Multi-Academy Trust, which runs the school, to cut one full-time equivalent teaching post, reduce six hours from the admin assistant role and cut ten Kids Club administration hours. The Trust has not responded to NASUWT requests for further negotiations since before the start of strike action on 12th March. The Trust’s failure to engage with us has made further strike action necessary. The Trust has cited financial pressures as the reason for proposing staffing cuts, however the Union does not believe that these planned reductions in staffing will solve the significant financial issues being experienced by the Trust and believes that stronger financial management and accountability are needed. NASUWT will be picketing outside the school on each strike day between approximately 7.45am and 9am read more
Further strike action at Hexham school over continuing failure to address behaviour management (23 Mar) – Members of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union at Haydon Bridge High School in Hexham will be taking the first of 12 planned days of strike action tomorrow (Tuesday) over the continuing failure of school management to put in place an effective pupil behaviour management system. NASUWT teachers at Haydon Bridge took strike action in December over a lack of action to deal with poor pupil behaviour. Further action was suspended to allow school management to implement a new behaviour policy and measures to tackle disruptive behaviour. However, several months on and there has been no improvement, leaving NASUWT with no choice than to take further strike action. NASUWT teachers will take strike action on 24th, 25th, 26th and 31st March and 1st, 2nd, 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 28th, 29th and 30th April. NASUWT will be picketing outside the school tomorrow (Tuesday 24th) and on April 1st between approximately 8am and 8.45am. This action excludes year 10, 11 and 13 examination classes. NASUWT members will attend work and teach these lessons only read more
Fire and rehire threat prompts strike action at Westminster school (23 Mar) – Members of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union at Arnold House School in St John’s Wood are due to take strike action tomorrow (24th March) over attempts to make teachers choose between their pension and their pay. Teachers being threatened with fire and rehire if they do not agree to either withdraw from the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS) and be enrolled in an inferior pension scheme, or to give up some of their pay through salary sacrifice in order to remain in the TPS. The school is already in phased withdrawal from the TPS, but existing members of the scheme had been assured by school management at the time that decision was taken that they could remain in the TPS. There was no suggestion at that time that they would have to sacrifice any of their pay in order to do so. NASUWT will be picketing outside the school between approximately 7.45am and 9am read more
Abergele teachers strike over culture of bullying and intimidation (6 Mar) – On Monday 9th March, teachers from NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union at Ysgol Emrys Ap Iwan will take a day of strike action in protest of the continuous bullying and intimidation they face from the school’s leadership team. NASUWT Cymru has had concerns about the wellbeing of members at the school for a long time. Following a rushed restructure where management positions were removed but management work was not, teachers experienced increased workloads and problems with school systems and policies. When they raised concerns, they were penalised by senior leaders. The union has tried to work with leaders to resolve these issues but does not believe that the restructuring consultation was meaningful. Progress made at meetings does not seem to be translated to the workplace read more
Job changes prompt strike action by Kent teachers (4 Mar) – Members of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union working for Specialist Teaching and Learning Services (STLS) at Kent County Council began five days of strike action today over fundamental changes to their job roles which are undermining their ability to provide high-quality support for schools and pupils with disabilities and special needs. Teachers working for STLS work with schools to provide education support services for children and young people across Kent with disabilities or complex needs. Last September the council took control of STLS and made significant changes to job roles, effectively removing STLS teachers from working directly within schools. Strike action is planned for 4th, 5th, 10th, 11th and 12th March read more
Tewkesbury teachers taking further strike action over behaviour management (19 Feb) – Members of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union at Tewkesbury Academy in Gloucestershire will take further strike action from next Monday (23rd February) over the continued failure of school management to address abusive and disruptive behaviour from a minority of students. Despite two meetings since strike action started on 4th February with representatives from the Cabot Learning Federation, which runs the school, no significant progress has been made towards addressing the concerns of teachers. Therefore the NASUWT has had no choice but to notify the employer of nine further days of strike action. Strike action is scheduled for 23rd, 24th and 25th February, 4th, 5th, 6th, 11th, 12th and 13th March. NASUWT will be picketing outside the school between approximately 7am and 9.30am on each day of strike action read more
EIS
EIS to open Statutory Industrial Action Ballot at GCU over Redundancy Threat (27 Apr) – The EIS ULA Branch at Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) has announced it will be opening a statutory ballot for strike action this coming Friday. This significant step comes as the union seeks a firm guarantee from GCU management that there will be no compulsory redundancies as a result of the University seeking to cut up to 100 jobs at the institution. The ballot opens on Friday, 1st May 2026, and will close on Friday, 22nd May, 2026. The decision to move to a statutory ballot follows a period of unproductive discussions with university management regarding the announcement that the institution is looking to cut 100 jobs to address an anticipated £10M deficit this academic year read more
UCU
UCU Stop the Cuts campaign
Sign petition against the education cuts
Marking boycott set to stop University of Nottingham students graduating (1 May) – Staff at the University of Nottingham will boycott all marking and assessments from Wednesday 20 May in a fight to protect more than 600 jobs. The boycott comes after an overwhelming 87% of UCU members voted yes to the action on a turnout of 64%. It would mean staff boycott all marking and assessment duties for the rest of this academic year, if management refuses to resolve the dispute, this will effectively prevent students from graduating. Staff will also strike on Friday 22 May and be on picket lines from 8am across the campus. The dispute is over concerns the university is set to announce a swathe of cuts next week as part of phase two of its restructuring programme, including plans, reported in the media, to axe more than 600 jobs read more
Strike ballot opens over unprecedented attack on all academic staff at LSBU (1 May) – A strike ballot at London South Bank University opened today over plans to tear up the contracts of all academics. The ballot runs until Friday 22 May and a successful result could pave the way for industrial action to begin this academic year. The ballot is over LSBU’s decision to terminate the contract of every single academic member of staff and pit them against each other in a “redundancy” selection process determined by the flawed Research Excellency Framework. The university has announced its intention to tear up local and national agreements and divide the workforce into two (‘teaching and research’ (T&R) or ‘teaching and scholarship’ (T&S)). The new contracts also increase working time without any corresponding increase in pay. In addition, the university will deny all new T&S starters access to the current industry standard pension scheme by employing them through a subsidiary company. UCU members at the university have, for years, refused to bargain away their rights. Faced with this nuclear option instigated by the new vice-chancellor, they have asked management to halt the proposals and properly engage with the union read more
Sussex ruling shows why Office for Students has lost sector’s trust (29 Apr) – UCU welcomed a high court ruling that overturns the Office for Students’ (OfS) £585k fine imposed on Sussex University for breaching free speech regulations. The union said the judgment raises serious questions about the role of the OfS and the way it has intervened in institutional decision-making on contested issues in higher education read more
Chichester University creates two-tier workforce by shutting down pension access (23 Apr) – All new Chichester University workers are no longer allowed onto the industry standard pension schemes, and instead solely have access to an inferior scheme, leaving them much poorer in retirement. Without any meaningful consultation, from Wednesday 15 April, Chichester University stopped employing all new staff directly. Instead, it has created a company to employ them through, which prevents access to the industry standard Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) and Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS). LGPS and TPS are defined benefit schemes; the new scheme is drastically inferior, providing no guaranteed income in retirement. UCU believes it will leave Chichester workers many thousands of pounds per year worse off once they retire. The union’s members will meet shortly to decide how to fight back against the changes, and it is unable to rule out a strike ballot and potential action read more
University of Essex strike, rally & call for vice-chancellor to resign (22 Apr) – Staff at the University of Essex will strike again tomorrow (Thursday 23 April), having already taken 16 days of action in a fight to save jobs, protect course provision and keep the university’s Southend campus open. UCU members will be on picket lines tomorrow morning from 8am. Staff, students and community members will also be demonstrating on Saturday 25 April Staff, students and local community members will hold a rally to save Southend campus meeting at 1pm at the top of Pier Hill and marching to Broadway. The strike and protest come after more than 400 staff overwhelmingly passed a motion of no confidence in the vice-chancellor and university’s senior leadership team. Over 96% of staff voted in favour of the motion, which was tabled last week by UCU, Unison and Unite. The motion calls for the resignation of vice-chancellor Frances Bowen and an apology from the senior management team, as well as the re-opening of the cuts consultation process, including the threatened closure of Southend campus. The dispute is over the wave of cuts management is forcing through. The university originally said it intended to axe 200 academic and 200 professional staff and close Southend campus before the start of the next academic year. It has now confirmed it has made over £10m in savings – more than half of its target – after staff worked together to reduce their hours and many made the tough decision to take voluntary redundancy. UCU is also pressing the university to confirm how many staff remain at risk, as numbers set out vary by more than 700 people. Last month, more than a dozen staff were incorrectly told their jobs were safe before management confirmed they were still at risk read more
Solent University staff to strike for 5 days in fight to save pension (22 Apr) – Southampton Solent University staff will begin five days of strike action next week after management began forcing them out of their pension scheme by threatening them with the sack. The full strike dates are:-
- Week one: Thursday 30 April
- Week two: Tuesday 5, Wednesday 6, Thursday 7 and Friday 8 May
Staff will be on picket lines from 8am to 12pm every strike day at the Spark Building and Michael Andrews Building (both at East Park Terrace, Southampton, SO14 0YN).
The strike comes after management emailed 357 academic staff who are on the Teacher’s Pension Scheme (TPS) during the Easter break (Tuesday 31 March) to tell them it wants to employ them through a subsidiary company from Wednesday 1 July. This means they would be forced out of the scheme, leaving them poorer in retirement. The university says it needs to slash pension benefits to achieve financial savings, but its own analysis shows that the proposed cuts are less than a quarter of the outstanding deficit for the current financial year. However, the challenges faced by Southampton Solent University are not caused by the industry standard pension benefits, but by management failure to grow the university, despite it receivingTEF Gold in 2023, the highest rating in the UK’s Teaching Excellence Framework, and toppingthe Hampshire rankings of the National Student Survey last year. Last December, management forced all 286 professional support staff onto the inferior pension scheme by threatening to cease their employment “immediately” and without compensation if they refused to transfer over. UCU estimates the pension cut would reduce pension benefits by a third, leaving Southampton Solent University’s academic staff up to £10,000 worse off per year in retirement read more
Statement on Ulster University job cuts (16 Apr) – The shocking announcement to cut 450 jobs at Ulster University is unprecedented and represents a direct threat to the quality of education, respect for staff, desires and ambitions of students and the long-term future of our institution. Staff already work under sustained pressure, with rising workloads and impossible demands. Imposing redundancies on this scale is deeply alarming and unsustainable. Removing hundreds of staff will fundamentally damage the student experience and weaken academic provision. Our members deserve full transparency, genuine consultation, in line with legal obligations, as well as the opportunity to challenge the assumptions underpinning these decisions. Any process that falls short of this will be robustly contested and our members will not be afraid to take action to challenge these decisions. We are also clear: compulsory redundancies will be strongly resisted. This is not just about jobs; it is about protecting the integrity of higher education in Northern Ireland. Ulster University plays a critical civic role, and decisions of this magnitude if forced through would have far-reaching detrimental consequences for students, local communities, and the wider regional economy read more
Sheffield University censured by UK academic community as it continues attacking staff (15 Apr) – The University and College Union (UCU) today announced the formal censure of the University of Sheffield by the UK academic community. The union’s move comes in response to Sheffield management’s unnecessary and damaging series of ‘restructures’, their cynical punishment of striking staff, and a refusal to meaningfully negotiate with union representatives read more
Marking boycott looms at Goldsmiths over £20m of cuts to staff (14 Apr) – Staff at Goldsmiths, University of London, have overwhelmingly voted for industrial action in a fight to protect jobs, UCU announced today. In a ballot that closed on Friday 10 April, 92% of UCU members who voted backed taking industrial action, including a potential marking and assessment boycott, on a turnout of 63%. Following the ballot result, at a branch meeting this week, UCU members voted to launch a marking and assessment boycott as soon as legally possible, meaning it could potentially begin later this month. The boycott would see staff stop all summative marking and associated assessment activities and would effectively block students from progressing and graduating until the dispute is settled. The dispute is over plans by the university to make £22m worth of cuts by the end of the next academic year (2026/27). £20m of the cuts would come from staffing, including mass compulsory redundancies. According to its latest accounts, the university spends around £83m on staffing, so the cuts represent almost 25% of its staffing costs, and if split proportionately across the workforce would mean around a quarter of the 1,230 staff facing the axe read more
Ten-day strike at Aberdeen university starts today (13 Apr) – Members of the University and College Union at Aberdeen university begin the first of ten days strike action today in a dispute over job cuts and the threat of compulsory redundancies. The strike comes after staff at the university also walked out for four days last month. Staff are striking today, tomorrow and for another eight days through to May. In total the university will have been disrupted for 14 days this term. The dispute is over plans by managers to cut jobs. The union says that management are also holding back on academic promotions and refusing to rule out using compulsory redundancies despite being repeatedly asked. In the vote authorising the strike members backed strike action by 83% with a 60% turnout. Staff are also taking part in action short of strike including working to contract, not undertaking voluntary duties or covering for absent colleagues read more
Staff back further industrial action at Edinburgh University (1 Apr) – Staff at the University of Edinburgh have backed strike action in the coming year in a ballot over £140million cuts, up to 1,800 job losses, hidden redundancies and meaningful consultation with trade unions. In the ballot of UCU Scotland members at the university, 88% voted to back strike action with a turnout of 55%. 94% of those voting also voted to back action short of strike which could include working to contract, not covering for absent colleagues and the possibility of a marking and assessment boycott read more
8 days of strikes to hit London Met this month over jobs cull (26 Mar) – Staff at London Metropolitan University will begin eight days of strike action on Wednesday 15 April over plans to sack up to 120 staff, including more than one in five academics. The dispute is over London Met’s plan to restructure every academic school, delete 295 jobs and to axe up to 120 staff through compulsory redundancy by the end of the academic year (Friday 31 July). The cuts primarily impact academics and UCU believes over a fifth would go under the plans read more
Strike vote at Sheffield Hallam over plan to axe pensions (26 Mar) – Staff at Sheffield Hallam will begin voting to take strike action from Tuesday 31 March in a fight to protect their pensions. The ballot will run until Tuesday 5 May read more
Ballot for strike action opens at Glasgow Caledonian University (25 Mar) – A ballot for industrial action opens today at Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) in a dispute over job cuts and the possible use of compulsory redundancies. UCU members at GCU are being balloted on whether they are willing to take strike action and action short of strike against job losses and the threat of compulsory redundancies. Action short of strike could include working to contract and not covering for absent colleagues. The ballot runs from today until Thursday 23 April. The ballot is being held in response to plans announced by university management to cut up to 100 posts through a targeted voluntary redundancy scheme in response to a predicted deficit of £10million. The university is not currently in deficit. The union says that it wants to work with management to save jobs and find alternative savings but called on senior management at the university to rule out the use of compulsory redundancies. A joint union rally at the university last week saw staff from across the institution and students join together to voice their opposition to the cuts and oppose compulsory redundancies. NUS Scotland also issued a statement of support with university staff across Scotland taking industrial action to oppose cuts and save jobs read more
Strikes escalate at University of Sheffield International College over pay freeze (24 Mar) – Staff are on strike today and Thursday at University of Sheffield International College (USIC) as action escalates in a fight against a pay freeze. UCU’s members have already been on picket lines for five days (Monday 16 February, and Tuesday 10, Thursday 12, Monday 16 and Wednesday 18 March) and will also strike on Monday 30 March, and Wednesday 1 April. A meeting took place yesterday with management representatives from USIC’s owner Study Group and UCU. The union made it clear that members are open to meaningful negotiation to resolve the dispute and end the strike action but no offer was made. An agreement was reached at the end of the meeting to bring in ACAS to try and break the stalemate. Staff are on picket lines each day of strike action [NOTE 1]. The strikes come as management told staff their cost of living pay increase, which had already been delayed by six months, would by 0% for the second year in a row. Despite freezing staff pay CEO Ian Chrichton took home over £600k in 2024, including a bonus of over £195k read more
Strike rally at Northumbria University over “pension theft” & pay freeze as management wastes millions on capital spend (24 Mar) – Northumbria University staff will rally on Wednesday 25 March as they protest management’s attempt to rob them of their pension. The rally takes place on the first of three strike days this week (Wednesday 25, Thursday 26 and Friday 27 March). Staff will be on picket lines from 9am Wednesday morning before the rally starts . They have already taken twelve days of action since February and will strike for five more in April if management refuses to enter meaningful negotiations to help resolve the dispute. The rally will begin at Newcastle Civic Centre at 12.30pm and attendees will march to Grey’s Monument. Speakers include UCU general secretary Jo Grady, president-elect Dyfrig Jones, as well as reps from Northumbria UCU, sister UCU branches also under attack and sister unions. The dispute is over management’s decision to force staff out of the post-92 university standard pension, the Teacher’s Pension Scheme, by freezing the pay of any staff member who tries to stay in it. The university has now told staff it needs to cut £25 million from university expenditure by the end of the year (December 2026) read more
Windsor Forest Colleges staff begin two-day strike tomorrow over low pay (16 Mar) – Staff at Windsor Forest Colleges Group will down tools tomorrow and Wednesday after management refused to make a fair pay award. Four colleges across Berkshire and Surrey will be hit by the action: Slough and Langley College, Windsor College, Strode’s College, and the Berkshire College of Agriculture. Staff will be on picket lines each strike day. The strike comes after management refused to make an improved offer at a meeting with UCU on Thursday 5 March and the board of governors refused to meet with the union. Staff had already voted to reject an improved offer of just £500 after they had also rejected an offer of 1.7%. Even with the additional £500, all staff would be paid below the rate recommended by employer body the Association of Colleges (4%) read more
UCU fighting fund: the link is here and donations to the fund are spent on supporting members involved in important disputes.
FBU
Firefighters defeat “dangerous” cuts to Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service (14 Apr) – Firefighters in Oxfordshire have successfully forced the withdrawal of plans to cut the county’s fire and rescue service, following months of campaigning by the Fire Brigades Union. The proposals would have seen three fire stations close, six fire engines removed, and at least 42 firefighter jobs cut. The FBU warned that the plans would put public safety at risk. After a sustained campaign involving rallies, public meetings and a consultative ballot for industrial action, the proposals have now been dropped read more Oxfordshire FBU Facebook page
FBU launches national ‘Cuts Kill’ campaign – Our fire and rescue service is stretched to breaking point. The demands on firefighters are rising fast, with climate change creating more extreme wildfires, flooding and severe weather. Yet the service responsible for protecting us is being asked to do more with less. For over a decade, deep cuts have hollowed out the service. Across the country, fire engines are arriving at emergencies without enough crew on board to respond and save lives. Some engines aren’t leaving the fire station at all because there simply aren’t enough firefighters to staff them. Response times are getting longer every year. And in an emergency, every second counts. Cuts kill. Firefighters and communities have raised the alarm repeatedly, but those warnings have been brushed aside while politicians made decisions that stripped vital resources from the frontline. After 14 years of cuts and austerity, it’s time to draw a line in the sand… Join the fight
This fight is for every job, every station and every community. Wherever they try to force through more cuts, we must stand together and push back. Write to your MP and call on them to sign the Early Day Motion demanding investment in the fire and rescue service
To find out more about the campaign go to: https://www.fbu.org.uk/campaigns/cuts-kill
POA
NEC minutes April 2026 read more
General Secretary update read more
National Chair update April 2026 read here
Towards a 2nd Employment Rights Bill (17 Apr) – The Employment Rights Act, which received Royal Assent in 2025, was one of the headline policies of the incoming Labour government. Years in the making, the genesis of the act came from work done by former shadow cabinet member and employment lawyer, Andy McDonald, the MP for Middlesbrough and Thornaby East. McDonald worked closely with trade unions, carefully building a programme of legislative change that unions would not only support but had been central to creating. However, by the time of the Labour conference of 2021, McDonald resigned, frustrated and angry at Keir Starmer’s refusal to commit to a £15 per hour National Minimum Wage read more
POA Circular 23/2026 Right to Strike campaign – postcard action (2 Apr) – POA Circular 23/2026 was promulgated on 23rd March 2026 as part of our ongoing Campaign to have our Right to Strike Reinstated and explained that the POA would be distributing pre-printed postcards to all our members. The postcards contain a message to the Prime Minister urging him to Reinstate our Right to Strike. These postcards are addressed to the Prime Minister and will play a vital part in demonstrating our strength and unity on this issue read more
Right to Strike campaign – further action (2 Apr)
Annual Conference motion 86/2025 Simpson House – Following the adoption of Annual Conference Motion 86/2025. “That (POA North Regional Office) Linden House is renamed Simpson House in memory of Joe Simpson previous Deputy General Secretary.” I am delighted to inform you that the renaming to Simpson House is now complete at Land Registry and Title Deeds read more
Prison officers union accuses politicians of nauseating hypocrisy over pay award (26 Mar) – The Leaders of the Prison Officer’s Union have slammed UK Government Ministers accusing them of nauseating hypocrisy following the announcement by The Prison Service Pay Review Body that Prison staff will receive a 3.5% pay increase for the coming year. The increase comes at a time when inflation is sitting at 3% and millions of workers are facing a cost of living crisis fuelled by global conflict, soaring energy prices and an increase in everyday essentials such as food, housing, clothing etc. Anger has been stoked by the fact that the 3.5% award for Prison Officers is significantly below the 5% MPs will receive over the same period read more
BFAWU
Spring Foodworker 2025 read more
Support the campaign to unionise Samworth Brothers – get organised, sign the petition read more
Nautilus International
RFA officers to begin work-to-rule protest over unresolved pay and conditions dispute (30 Apr) – Ships’ officers in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) — the Ministry of Defence’s civilian maritime support service — will begin a work-to-rule on Sunday 10 May 2026. The officers, who are members of Nautilus International, will work strictly to their contracts and assignments. They will refuse additional duties and extended tours — as well as anything not written into their formal agreements. This is known as Industrial Action Short of a Strike (IASOS). RFA officers voted 95% in favour of industrial action short of a strike and 88% in favour of strike action in February 2026. This follows longstanding frustrations from long-running disputes over pay, working conditions, leave, and allowances. Talks with the Ministry of Defence and RFA management have continued since then, but the core concerns remain unaddressed read more
NUJ
A message from NUJ on World Press Freedom Day 2026 (3 May) – The theme of World Press Freedom Day 2026 is ‘Shaping a Future at Peace’. Strong and independent journalism helps to promote and uphold peace, human rights, and social and economic development through providing access to reliable information, scrutinising power, and fostering dialogue. However, according to analysis by UNESCO, press freedom around the world has experienced its steepest decline since 2012, with journalists facing increasing levels of attacks and restrictions in their work read more
Costs award would endanger journalism, NUJ warns (29 Apr) – Tim Dawson, NUJ freelance organiser, reports on the tribunal hearing into attempts to recover Freedom of Information (FOI) costs from journalist Barnie Choudhury read more
STV journalists to strike, affecting Scottish elections coverage (22 Apr) – Journalists and technical staff at STV have called a one-day strike on Friday 8 May in the latest stage of the long-running dispute at the Glasgow-based broadcaster. Members of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) and Bectu, which represents technical staff, are set to walk out over management’s refusal to put forward any pay award for 2026 or to agree principles of any compensatory pay award for 2027. The 0% pay offer follows STV launching a new radio station at the cost of £500,000 in 2025 read more
Journalists report physical attacks and death threats to safety tracker (28 Apr) – To mark Workers’ Memorial Day, the NUJ has published findings from the first year of its NUJ Safety Tracker read more
Equity
Dancers’ show of strength delivers win at Northern Ballet (5 May) – Equity members secure pay for mandatory recalls dancers previously made to work for free read more
Equity ballots West End workers in Pay Up! Campaign (27 Apr) – West End performers and stage management will vote in an indicative ballot on strike action, intending to move producers closer to a reasonable multi-year settlement on pay, terms, and conditions read more
Musicians Union
MU Condemns Golders Green Attack (1 May) – The MU stands in solidarity with Jewish communities following the recent attacks in Golder’s Green read more
Sign the Petition for Fair Work in Scotland’s Creative Industries (2 Apr) – With Scotland’s elections fast approaching, we’re calling on musicians to help secure real change by signing the petition for Fair Work across the nation’s creative industries read more
USDAW
Usdaw members vote overwhelmingly for strike action at the Morrisons Bridgwater distribution centre (4 Mar) – Retail distribution trade union Usdaw has balloted 100 drivers and transport clerical staff at Eddie Stobart Limited, who operate a Morrisons contract at the Bridgwater distribution centre in Somerset. Members voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action, in a dispute over the 2025 pay award, with an 83% yes vote. The ballot closed on 2 March and the turnout was 83% read more
Tetrosyl recognition dispute (6 Feb) – Usdaw applies for a statutory agreement after the Rochdale based company fails to enter into talks. Usdaw is the trade union for staff working at car care products manufacturer Tetrosyl and Tetrosyl Express based in Rochdale. The union has been seeking talks with the company about a recognition agreement since late last year. Management has failed to engage, which has forced Usdaw to use the statutory process by applying to the Central Arbitration Committee read more
UVW
Migrant cleaner takes Hackney council to court for discrimination and breach of contract (29 Apr) – “I have felt bullied despite giving 100 percent of myself at work. It is not fair that at the slightest issue, workers can be made to feel belittled and pushed out as though they are worth nothing” – Maryori Pacheco Masias, UVW member. “I have felt bullied despite giving 100 percent of myself at work. It is not fair that at the slightest issue, workers can be made to feel belittled and pushed out as though they are worth nothing” – Maryori Pacheco Masias, UVW member. A migrant cleaner is taking legal action against Hackney Council, alleging bullying, harassment, and discrimination after her working conditions were abruptly changed, leaving her in financial hardship read more
UVW and legal support centre defending pro-Palestine advocacy sign trade union recognition agreement (28 Apr) – “At the European Legal Support Centre, we see this recognition as a meaningful affirmation of what workers already know in practice, that only through organising can power be shifted” – Tasnima, UVW member and ELSC worker. United Voices of the World (UVW) union and the NGO European Legal Support Centre Ltd (ELSC) have signed a trade union recognition agreement in April, marking an important milestone for workers in the organisation. ELSC’s decision to voluntarily recognise UVW as their workers union of choice, as well as its unique role in providing legal support to those advocating for Palestinian rights across Europe reflect a strong alignment of values between both organisations. UVW has consistently supported and stood in solidarity with the peoples of Palestine read more
100% YES! Concierges and cleaners at London luxury apartments vote unanimously for fresh strikes (23 Apr) – “We all have a right to a decent life and to feel financially secure…We remain positive, which is why we have voted to strike again. We are not letting our guard down” – Karin, cleaner and UVW member. Cleaners and concierges at West End Quay in central London have once again voted to take strike action, delivering a unanimous result in the third ballot in just over a year. The dispute, now in its 19th month, has become the longest-running in UVW’s history — and workers say they are determined to see it through. The 100% YES vote reflects growing frustration among staff, who say they are still waiting for the 2025 pay rise and a 2025 bonus that was never paid. Many feel they have been left with no choice but to escalate read more
V&A and Science Museum Guards on brink of strike action over pay and ‘sham’ sackings—one year after walkouts (25 Mar) – “After a long struggle, we managed to secure a trade union recognition deal, signed between UVW and our management. It is unfortunate that after last year’s campaign and the new recognition agreement, we have to again ballot for strike – and we may have to go on strike again -because management decided they were not going to respect the new agreements” – Evariste, UVW member and museum security guard. Outsourced security guards working at the Victoria and Albert and Science museums are set to ballot for strike action after their employer, Wilson James, refused to negotiate on a series of demands relating to pay and working conditions, as well as anger over the “sham” sacking of a strike leader and two fellow union members. The ballot comes a year after major strikes in the institutions. The ballot organised by their union UVW comes amid growing frustration over contractor Wilson James’ refusal to negotiate a better deal, following years of low pay and poor conditions in the high-profile institutions they protect read more
Solidarity Financial Appeal: UVW’s office was targeted in a break-in! – in January 2025, 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
Workers at Build A Rocket Boy take action over data privacy violations from management (21 Apr) – Workers at games studio Build A Rocket Boy (BARB) have initiated legal proceedings against the company over concerns of data protection violations, after management installed invasive Teramind surveillance software onto their devices without their knowledge read more
Royal College of Art cleaners say abuse and sexual harassment allegations ignored for years (2 Apr) – Cleaners at the Royal College of Art (RCA) have launched a public campaign calling for protection from workplace abuse and sexual harassment, alleging that the institution has failed to act on serious complaints about a supervisor over several years. Through their union, the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB), the cleaners are urging staff, students, and alumni to call on the RCA to remove the supervisor in question, commission an independent investigation into how complaints have been handled, and provide meaningful support to affected workers read more
Mandate
Sub-minimum wage rates are in breach of employment equality legislation on age discrimination grounds (28 Apr) – Mandate Trade Union’s Greg Caffrey has today said that the sub-minimum wage rates for workers under 20 are in breach of Ireland’s employment equality legislation on age discrimination grounds. Mr Caffrey was speaking at the unions biennial delegate conference in the Midlands Park Hotel, Portlaoise read more
SIPTU (Ireland)
SIPTU’s Ethel Buckley welcomes ‘Good Jobs Bill’ at Belfast May Day Rally (4 May) – SIPTU Deputy General Secretary, Ethel Buckley, has told thousands of workers gathered in Belfast that the finalisation of the “Good Jobs Bill” marks a new era for workers’ rights, describing the large turnout as the embodiment of a “strong, visible, winning” movement read more
Every Brain Belongs: Neurodiversity, Your Rights, and the Role of Your Union (30 Apr) – In my work educating workers across Ireland, I hear the same stories time and again. The worker who has been quietly struggling for years: misreading a complex roster, finding the open-plan office unbearable, or freezing in an interview despite being brilliant at the job. Only now putting a name to it. Or perhaps not putting a name to it at all, and simply soldiering on read more
RTÉ workers to hold protective ballot to prevent further outsourcing (16 Apr) – More than 600 SIPTU members in RTÉ will vote in a protective ballot indicating their intent to take industrial action, up to and including strike action, if management at the broadcaster attempts to further outsource any of the station’s core programme productions or other roles read more
SIPTU serves notice of strike action on National Ambulance Service (13 Apr) – SIPTU has notified the National Ambulance Service (NAS) of its intention to conduct strike action next month as part of a long-standing dispute with the HSE regarding unimplemented recommendations from a 2020 independent report. Last week, approximately 2,000 SIPTU members in the NAS, from across the country, voted overwhelmingly for industrial action, up to and including strike action. The first date of action will be a 24-hour stoppage on 12th May, followed by a 48-hour stoppage beginning on 19th May and a 72-hour stoppage beginning on 26th May, with further strike action planned for June read more
SIPTU members in Dublin Home Care provider vote for strike action (9 Mar) – SIPTU members working in Blanchardstown and Inner City Home Care have voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action over pay inequality read more
Other news
The Employment Rights Act: shortcomings and opportunities – Join Troublemakers At Work for this public online discussion, jointly hosted by Troublemakers At Work and Free Our Unions, about the Employment Rights Act 2025: Tuesday 5th May 7pm details
This May Day, Strike Map launched the Solidarity Fund. A simple to use permanent place, you can contribute to support striking workers read more
Buy tickets to The Singing Strikers
Centenary of the 1926 General Strike – Monday May 4, marks the centenary of the 1926 General Strike and an event appropriately called Centenary will be held at Glasshouse Gateshead to commemorate that momentous occasion, which was the biggest rupture in British society since the English civil wars of the 1640s. Centenary will comprise songs, comedy sketches, stand-up comedy and recitations.
Producer Ed Waugh penned Carrying David, Wor Bella, Hadaway Harry and The Cramlington Train Wreckers which transfers to Newcastle Theatre Royal in July.
Ed explained: “Centenary is an appropriate name for the show because it’s amazing to think we’ll be performing the show exactly 100 years to the day that the General Strike actually started. “While Centenary will commemorate the UK’s only General Strike it will also celebrate other working class struggles from the Napoleonic Wars to the present time using popular culture.”
The one-off show will be compered by Micky Cochrane, who is the current Performer of the Year (North East Culture Awards) for his outstanding performances in the Cramlington Train Wreckers and Carrying David.
Ed continued: “Paul Weller and Tom Robinson have has given us personal permission to use their songs. Likewise the tremendous Paul Simmonds of The Men They Couldn’t Hang and the estate of the late-great Alan Hull of Lindisfarne.” He added: “Not only will it be first-class entertainment, we think people will come away inspired, having learnt about real, working class, history.”
- For further details about Centenary visit www.cramlingtontrainwreckers.co.uk
- There will be two performances of Centenary at 4pm and 8pm on Monday, May 4. For tickets visit: https://theglasshouseicm.org/whats-on/centenary-celebration-of-1926-general-strike
The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists – adapted by Neil Gore from the book by Robert Tressell, directed by Louise Townsend details
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
Affiliate with STAMMA – at this year’s NSSN Conference, Gary Clark retired CWU Royal Mail rep and a member of the NSSN Steering Committee spoke about STAMMA. STAMMA’s Employment Support Service helps people who stammer as well as those who don’t around issues related to stammering in the workplace. Union branches and regions can affiliate with STAMMA to access a range of services and support at a reduced rate.
- £75 for branches and regions
- £125 for national unions with under 400,000 members
- £200 for national unions with 400,000+ members
Sign this petition: To the Right Honourable Steve Barclay, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and The Right Honourable Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister – Make toxic landfills safe – Support ‘Zane’s Law’! Find out more about this campaign here
From Strike Map – Our final instalment of the ‘Industrial Unionism’ series with Manifesto Press is here. Building on this success of our other pamphlets- which has sold over 2,000 copies, our next pamphlet in our series is the infamous ‘A Manual of Industrial Unionism’ by William Z Foster. Click the button here to pre-order your copy for you and your organisation
Oppose Trump and Netanyahu’s attack on Iran
- TUC General Council interim statement on Iran (2 May)
- ‘Statement against the illegal war on Iran’ by trade union general secretaries and leading trade unionists (2 Mar) – from the following unions: TSSA, RMT, PCS, BFAWU, Equity, UCU, NEU, FBU, Aegis, SIF, POA, PCU, GFTU, AUE, Unison, Unite, CWU
- RMT condemns bombing of Iran (1 Mar)
- Prospect statement on the Middle East conflict (2 Mar)
- UNISON statement on conflict in Middle East (2 Mar)
- RCN ‘deeply concerned’ by escalating crisis in Middle East (2 Mar)
- Nautilus International calls for seafarer protections as Middle East conflict disrupts key shipping routes (2 Mar)
- BALPA Statement: Conflict in the Middle East (2 Mar)
- NUJ: Statement on US-Israel attacks against Iran (2 Mar)
- Usdaw responds to the Iran conflict (3 Mar)
- INTO Condemns Attacks on Schools in Iran (3 Mar)
- MU Statement on Conflict in Iran (18 Mar)
- TSSA: Union warns government over Iran conflict cost of living (13 Apr)
For details of protests, see the Stop the War Coalition website
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.
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)
Oppose Trump’s attack on Venezuela
We oppose Trump’s brutal imperialist assault on Venezuela. We send solidarity greetings to the Venezuelan people, and support the protests taking place.
- Read statements from the following unions – RMT, Unite, PCS, BFAWU, UNISON, GMB, NUJ, Nautilus International
- For info about protests, go to the website of the Venezuela Solidarity Campaign
Oppose blacklisting & union victimisation
Spycops inquiry condemned as “fundamentally flawed” in statement by blacklisted workers – The SpyCops public inquiry that restarts evidence hearings this week is described as “fundamentally flawed” by the Blacklist Support Group (BSG). The comments appear in an opening statement for the inquiry’s Tranche 3 hearings. The statement opens with a section stating:
“Undercover police officers infiltrated and spied on trade unions. SDS reported on union meetings, union activists, union campaigns, and industrial disputes. For decades, police and security service records were used to blacklist trade union and leftwing political activists from employment. Through official and unofficial routes, the police intelligence was disseminated to government departments, major private sector employers and the unlawful blacklisting bodies; the Economic League and the Consulting Association”. The statement goes onto catalogue 10 years of missed opportunities and broken promises in relation to blacklisting, including highlighting how intelligence gathered by undercover police is used to provide state organised vetting for employers known as ‘List X companies’. One section of the statement reads: “The failure to fully investigate blacklisting is either a remarkable lack of curiosity, or an intentional self-imposed restriction of the Inquiry’s terms of reference. Either way it is against the public interest and is a failure to fulfil the Inquiry’s terms of reference as laid out by Parliament”.
BSG’s opening statement is published on the inquiry’s website as part of the submission by Imran Khan KC, who also represents Baroness Doreen Lawrence OBE, Suresh Grover and the Monitoring Group. Full statement in link below – BSG section starts at page 35.
https://www.ucpi.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/T3P1-Opening-Statement-Imran-Khan-Partners.pdf
Opening statement to the Undercover Policing Inquiry on behalf of:
Lois Austin, Richard Chessum, ‘Mary’, Dave Nellist, Hannah Sell, Youth against Racism in Europe read here
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/blacklistSG/
blog: www.hazards.org/blacklistblog
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
Turkey: Türkmen Remanded in Custody – Mehmet Türkmen, the General President of BİRTEK-SEN, who was detained yesterday because of a speech he gave during the protest of Sırma Carpet workers who took action for their rights, has been remanded in custody read more on the website of Solidarity with the People of Turkey
Nigeria: A Call for Solidarity – Drop Trumped-Up Charges against Soweto and Dele Frank Now! On March 11, 2026, Hassan Taiwo Soweto, member of the Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM) and spokesperson of #EndBadGovernance Movement Lagos, and Dele Frank (Arole Fela) are expected to appear before a magistrate court in Yaba, Lagos for the commencement of a sham trial on the trumped-up charges preferred against them by the Lagos State Police Command over their participation in a peaceful protest read more, including model letter of protest. Send copies of letters of protest to the Youth Rights Campaign (YRC) is [email protected]
USA: NSSN stands with workers, their unions and communities against ICE
We send our solidarity to the family of nurse Alex Jeffrey Pretti who was killed in Minneapolis on 24th January. His union American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) has issued this statement.
We also send our support and solidarity to all those who took part in the mass strike and shutdown in Minneapolis last Friday and have protested there and across the USA.
NSSN Chair Rob Williams sent this message of support
USA: Support the Starbucks strike – read more on Starbucks Workers United website and follow @SBWorkersUnited on X/Twitter
Diary
- 2026 NSSN Conference will be on Saturday 27th June 11am-4.30pm
- NSSN lobby of TUC Congress will be from 1pm on Sunday 13th September in Brighton
