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NSSN 771: 5 weeks to #NSSN2026 Conference – Register today!

     

20th annual National Shop Stewards Network NSSN conference: Saturday 27 June 11am-4.30pm in Conway Hall 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL

Be there on 27 June! This conference is for you, come and take part. Let’s get organised and fight back.

Confirmed speakers so far: Steve Gillan POA General Secretary, Sarah Woolley BFAWU General Secretary, Steve Wright FBU General Secretary, Dave Semple PCS Deputy President (personal capacity), Rob Williams NSSN Chair, Unite Birmingham binworkers, RMT London Region, Ben Golightly DPAC

Prices are going through the roof while oil companies profiteer. It’s workers who suffer for capitalist crises. Never has it been more vital that workers and our unions lead the fightback.

This year is 100 years since the 1926 General Strike, when millions of workers went on strike together to support the miners, whose slogan of defiance was “Not a penny off the pay, not a minute on the day.” And we don’t need to go back a century – the 2022-23 strike wave saw the highest level of strikes for three decades during the post-Covid hyper-inflation.

We’re still waiting for the 50% strike ballot threshold brought in by the Tories to be repealed, two years after his government was elected with a 170+ majority. Prison officers in the POA still don’t have the right to strike.

And how do we face down Reform’s poison of division? Farage has looked to dishonestly exploit the political vacuum created by Starmer’s pro-big business agenda. The unions must put themselves at the leadership of the movement against Reform and the far-right, and combat their politics of hate with a proworker political programme, starting with the slogans adopted by the TUC in 2018 – ‘Jobs, homes not racism.’

This bosses’ system increasingly means continuing wars, climate change and further austerity alongside wider division based on race, gender, sexual orientation and ability.

That’s the future that faces workers, our families and our communities. The NSSN Conference will be a forum for union reps and activists to share experiences of fighting in the workplace, for our rights and to defend our living standards, and plan how to fight against the bosses’ offensive.

The May elections were a referendum on Starmer’s Labour Government, with workers giving the verdict that they don’t stand for us.

The Unite Birmingham binworkers have fought for well over a year, against a Labour council firing and rehiring them to the tune of £8,000 a year. But heroic strike action, mostly indefinite, has finally forced an offer from the council. But what now for the hundreds of thousands of workers employed in the councils and devolved governments and the millions who depend on their services who also face attacks from those councils? What is the industrial and political strategy needed by workers and their unions?

Conference agenda:-

  • 10am-11am: Registration
  • 11am-1pm: We won’t pay for the bosses’ crisis! Discussion on how we fight for our rights and to defend our living standards
  • 1pm-2pm: Lunch
  • 2pm-4:30pm: Forum: the fightback in local government after May’s elections

The NSSN was initiated 20 years ago by the RMT rail and transport union under the leadership of the late, great Bob Crow. We have a proud history of supporting striking workers, and organising for the action that’s needed against the bosses and their political representatives.

Download and distribute our NSSN Workplace Report - ‘We’re Struggling Down Here’    

Affiliate your union branch/trades council to NSSN (£50).    

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Contact us: email – [email protected].    

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.

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

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.

We also support the call of the POA union for the restoration of the right to strike for prison officers.

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.

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, as well as last Saturday on the ‘Nakba 78: March for Palestine – United against Tommy Robinson & 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

Stop library closures in Caerphilly

The Libraries Campaign is taking Caerphilly Council to the High Court – as part of our efforts to keep the ten threatened libraries open and council run. This is your invite to come show your support – please be outside the Civil and Family Justice Centre, 2 Park Street, Cardiff CF10 1ET at 9:15am on Thursday, 4 June. It’s 2 minutes’ walk from Cardiff Central Station

   

Union News     

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RMT     

RMT National Dispute Fund      

RMT sends condolences to family of murdered London bus driver (22 May) – Transport union, RMT has expressed its condolences and solidarity with murdered bus driver Sergei Krajev, his family and work colleagues. Mr Krajev was assaulted on Sunday May 17 while working a late shift on the Battersea Bridge section of the route and tragically died in hospital on Wednesday. General Secretary Eddie Dempsey said: “The thoughts of our union are with Sergei  and his family at this tragic time. This appalling attack is what transport and other public facing workers are facing all too often read more

RMT suspends planned Tube driver strike this week (18 May) – A union spokesperson said: “At the 11th hour the employer has shifted its position allowing us to further explore our members concerns around the imposition of new rosters, fatigue and safety issues. The dispute is not over and more strike action will follow if we fail to make sufficient progress.” Read more on RMT Facebook page

RMT to ballot Heavy Haul Rail members over job cuts and restructuring (14 May) – Rail union, RMT will ballot members at Heavy Haul Rail Ltd for industrial action after the company refused to rule out compulsory redundancies and pressed ahead with sweeping restructuring plans. The union says the employer is seeking to cut jobs, merge grades and impose revised job descriptions across Control, Rosters, TOPS, Train Planning, Administration and Management grades. RMT has warned that members are being asked to take on extra duties and flexibility without any guarantee of additional pay and being asked to relocate hundreds of miles away. The major Rail Freight Bulk Haulage company which supports critical infrastructure building programmes, as well as renewal and maintenance work on Network Rail, has rejected the union’s call for a no compulsory redundancy agreement. They have also dismissed proposals to protect existing Roster Clerk jobs and mitigate further redundancies in the crucial function of controller grades. Bosses are trying to load extra duties onto staff, including control and delay attribution work, while refusing to guarantee they will be properly paid for it read more

RFA strike Friday 8 and Wednesday 13 May over pay (7 May) – RMT members at the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) will strike on Friday 8 May and Wednesday 13 May in a dispute over pay, transparency and concerns around compliance with National Minimum Wage legislation. 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. The union says that despite ongoing talks and some progress in negotiations, no acceptable proposal has been tabled by RFA management to address members’ concerns. The union argues that RFA seafarers can routinely work up to 12 hours a day and more when operational duties demand, often spending months at sea, while there remains no clear or transparent formula explaining how pay is calculated against hours worked. RMT has also warned that years of below average pay settlements, combined with poor transparency and growing dissatisfaction over conditions, are contributing to retention problems across the service read more

TSSA

TSSA comment on violent death of London bus driver (21 May) – Transport union TSSA has described as ‘tragic’ the death of a London bus driver as police begin a murder investigation after a man was arrested. Sergei Krajev, who was 64, died on Tuesday after being found critically injured near his bus on Battersea Bridge on Monday evening. He was taken to hospital by air ambulance. TSSA has been at the forefront of a campaign to protect transport workers in the face of escalating threats, abuse and violence read more

Statement on forthcoming strike action at West Midlands Trains (18 May) – Rail union TSSA has said strikes planned for later this week at West Midlands Trains over rest day working payments are still due to take place. TSSA is seeking parity with other unions on rest day pay – but talks today between the union and the arbitration service ACAS produced no breakthrough. Therefore, walkouts remain in place for this coming Thursday, Friday and Saturday across the WMT network with the strong likelihood of services being cancelled under a much-reduced timetable. The action involves Roster Clerks who are due to walk out on Thursday (21st May) from midnight (00:01) for 24 hours, and also Duty Train Crew Managers and Control Staff who have planned strike action from noon on Friday (22nd May) until midday Saturday (23rd) May.  TSSA balloted over 100 members across these roles for the relevant industrial action read more

Unite     

Sign this petition: Tell East London NHS Foundation Trust (ELFT): Hands off Mark Dunne! Stop trade union victimisation! Mark Dunne, ELFT’s most senior trade union representative, is facing redundancy. This redundancy and other processes related to it, have been handled with unprecedented hostility indicating a clear act of trade union victimisation

Unite gives cautious welcome to Government support for chemical industry (22 May) – Unite, the UK’s leading union, which represents thousands of members in the UK’s chemical industry, has cautiously welcomed the government’s announcement that it will provide £350 million of support to the industry. While the support for the sector is to be welcomed, Unite is keen to see the detail of how it will be implemented and to ensure that it is used to preserve jobs especially in areas where there are large number of chemical workers, such as the North East. However, the union is disappointed that the government has failed to take the opportunity to reform the packaging Extended Produced Responsibility (pEPR), which is having a dramatically negative impact on the glass industry read more

Ambulance dispute: Industrial action stood down following progress at Labour Court (22 May) – Following significant progress in Labour Court discussions, the ongoing work-to-rule by Unite and Siptu members in the National Ambulance Service (NAS), and the 72-hour stoppage scheduled for next week, have been stood down to allow the Labour Court process to conclude. The dispute centres on the ongoing failure to fully implement the recommendations of the McHugh/Crabtree report regarding pay and grading arrangements for frontline ambulance personnel. Those involved work as emergency medical technicians, paramedics, advanced paramedics, specialist paramedics and paramedic supervisors across the NAS read more

Ambulance dispute: Unite warns workers will return to picket lines in absence of meaningful progress (17 May)

Staff at world-leading Institute of Cancer Research to strike over pay (21 May) – Scientific institute paying poverty wages to hundreds while CEO makes over £400k. Hundreds of staff at the world-renowned Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) in London will take strike action following an unacceptable pay offer. Unite members based at the ICR in Sutton and in Chelsea are furious over the lack of an improved pay offer when the organisation has hundreds of millions in cash reserves and pays its CEO over £400,000 per year…For the first time in their history staff will now head to the picket line in industrial action that will see the Institute’s work severely affected and many laboratories and facilities shuttered. Staff will walk out on 3 and 4, 9, 10, 11, and 15, 16, 17, and 18 June read more

Hundreds of Scottish airport workers back summer strikes (21 May) – Unite has confirmed that nearly 700 workers are set for summer strike action in pay disputes with companies based at Edinburgh, and Glasgow airports. Around 370 workers employed by Edinburgh Airport Limited at the capital’s airport backed strike action over a pay dispute. In Glasgow around 320 workers employed by ICTS and Menzies Aviation are also set to strike after a majority of workers in ballots backed industrial action after the rejection of unacceptable pay offers…Unite will announce strike dates in the coming days with industrial action expected to occur during the peak of the summer holiday rush coinciding with the World Cup, and the Commonwealth Games being held in Glasgow. A ballot involving approximately 70 ICTS members based at Aberdeen airport in a dispute over a further unacceptable pay offer will close on 28 May read more

Striking Cambridge Uni workers joined on picket line by Unite leader (21 May) – Unite general secretary Sharon Graham will join nearly 600 striking Cambridge University workers on the picket line tomorrow. 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 University of Oxford has a pensionable Oxford University Weighting of £1,730 per year. 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. Cambridge, like Oxford, is one of the most expensive cities in the UK – with rental costs 30 per cent above the national average. At the same time, Cambridge University has multiple billions in assets read more

Unite: Expresses condolences after London bus driver dies following attack and calls for urgent action to tackle violence (21 May) – Unite the union has today (21 May) sent it condolences after a London bus driver was killed while at work. Late at night on Sunday 17 May Sergei Krajev, a driver in his 60s working for First Bus on the 49 from Shepherd’s Bush bus garage to Clapham, was attacked on the Battersea Bridge section of the route. The driver was assaulted by a man in his 30s, who remains in police custody. Mr Krajev spent two days in intensive care at St George’s Hospital, but it was confirmed yesterday that he had passed away. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Our thoughts go out to Sergei Krajev’s family. A father, husband and grandfather, who went out to work and did not come home. TFL needs to take immediate action to ensure the safety of all bus workers. No bus worker should be subjected to violence whilst carrying out their duties. TFL and the bus companies must now swiftly introduce training for drivers on how to respond and deal with violent confrontations.” Read more

Grangemouth tanker drivers secure significant pay win after dispute (20 May) – Four-year pay agreement delivered for Oxalis drivers. Unite can confirm that Grangemouth based tanker drivers working for Oxalis have secured a significant pay win after a long-running dispute. The drivers previously took strike action when employed by Turners (Soham) Limited before the contract transferred to Oxalis.  The drivers deliver fuel supplies to major airlines operating at Edinburgh and Glasgow airports. The new pay agreement with Oxalis will be backdated from 2025 when the drivers were employed at Turners. The four-year pay agreement consists of a four per cent rise in 2025 alongside an increase in the annual bonus to £1500, and improvements to shift rates. In 2026, an increase of 5.4 per cent will be applied with pay increases matching the inflation rate or three per cent, whichever is the higher, for 2027 and 2028. In the last year of the deal, the employer pension contributions will also go up from six to eight per cent in addition to enhancements to sick pay and rest day allowances read more

Northern Ireland health department flip-flopping on childminding ratios risks child safety, Unite (20 May) – 97 percent of registered child minders say change of date for new ratios will place more children in an unsafe, unregulated and illegal environments. After years of campaigning, Registered Child Minders (RCMs) in Unite have won an increase to childminding ratios but they are now calling on health minister Mike Nesbitt to intervene to ensure children are full protected during their introduction. Earlier this month, the department announced the results of a consultation on new childminding ratios and that they would increase from 1 June. RCMs immediately started to take additional bookings from parents. However, following an unhelpful intervention by the Northern Ireland Childminders Association (NICMA), the department flip-flopped and changed the date for implementation to the 9 November meaning RCMs had to cancel child places. A Unite survey of RCMs confirmed hundreds of children would be displaced by the decision read more

Unite reaction to latest inflation figures (20 May) – Responding to the latest inflation figures, Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Today’s drop in inflation is the calm before the storm. Workers and communities are still suffering from paying the price for crisis after crisis. We are now braced for more price rises in the coming months. The government cannot keep crossing its fingers behind its back and urgently needs to change direction to ensure it backs everyday people.” Read more

Unite general secretary joins Cwm Taf health visitors picket line to demand that new government resolves dispute (18 May) – Striking health visitors in Wales are demanding the enforcement of government policy to ensure they receive fair pay. General secretary of Unite, Sharon Graham, will be visiting striking health visitors tomorrow (19 May) to hear their concerns and call on the new Plaid Cymru first minister and health minister to resolve the dispute. Unite members at the Cwm Taf Health Board (CTMUHB) have been on strike since February demanding they are paid at the correct grade that recognises their qualifications and skills. The refusal by the health board to do so is currently seeing them lose out on up to £9000 per year. The former Labour Welsh government had asked the health board to honour the job evaluation process and the previous health & social care Jermey Miles wrote to the health board urging an early resolution to the dispute. However, CTMUHB is still refusing to do this. In opposition Plaid Cymru, had also been supportive of the health visitors campaign and called on the health board to pay the workers the correct pay read more

British Army facing vehicle crisis as Babcock workers consider strikes over pay (18 May) – Members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, employed by Babcock Defence Support Group (DSG) on the British army engineering and maintenance contract, are considering strike action, following a derisory pay offer. The approximately 1,400 workers on the contract have rejected a derisory pay increase which is worth on average 2.20 per cent per worker. This is a substantial real terms pay cut as the RPI inflation rate is 4.1 per cent and is set to rise further read more

GKN aerospace workers in Filton strike over pay (18 May) – Unite members to walk out over below inflation pay offer while CEO makes millions. Workers at world-leading aerospace supplier GKN Aerospace are to take strike action over pay 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 900 workers at the Filton site in Gloucestershire make wings for the Airbus A320. For years workers at GKN have seen their pay fall 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 striking as a last resort. Workers will head to the picket line from Tuesday 26 May until Monday 1 June read more

TfL bus controllers strike to escalate this week (18 May) – There will be further strike action by Transport for London bus workers this week due to an ongoing dispute about rota changes. Over 150 workers, who are bus controllers and network traffic controllers, will walk out on Thursday and Friday (21 and 22 May), coinciding with strike action taken by London Underground drivers who are members of the RMT. Bus controllers and network traffic controllers do safety critical roles for TfL, which include dealing with incidents and accidents, managing bus stations and putting in place bus stop closures and diversions due to traffic or emergencies such as accidents read more

Morrisons customers facing empty shelves as HGV drivers ballot for strike (18 May) – Eddie Stobart drivers in Wakefield, Stockton-on-Tees and Cheshire supplying supermarkets across North angry over union-busting. Nearly 500 HGV drivers employed by Eddie Stobart supplying Morrison’s supermarkets across the north of England are being balloted for strike action over union-busting. The workers, based at Morrison’s three distribution depots in Wakefield, Stockton-on-Tees and Northwich in Cheshire, are angry over Eddie Stobart’s increasing use of agency drivers to undermine terms and conditions. Around 40 per cent of drivers in Stockton and Northwich are now agency. Instead of hiring new drivers directly when people leave, Eddie Stobart is gradually replacing its unionised workforce with individuals on insecure contracts and significantly diminished terms and conditions…As well as excluding temporary workers from the collective bargaining rights permanent staff are entitled to, the company has confirmed if it does hire any new directly employed drivers in the future that they will also be on inferior terms and conditions. The workers are being balloted until 4 June. They are responsible for delivering every type of grocery to Morrison’s supermarkets and strike action would result in empty shelves across the north of England read more

PTSB: Retention of branch network and workers’ terms and conditions critical to bank future (15 May) – In their opinion on the proposed sale of PTSB to BAWAG submitted pursuant to Irish Takeover Panel rules, the PTSB Group of Unions (Unite, FSU and Mandate) have stressed that the bank’s viability as a strong competitor to the other two pillar banks depends on utilising the knowledge and professionalism  of its employees and retaining the existing branch network. The Group of Unions also stressed that existing collectively negotiated terms and conditions must be protected going forward, pointing out that this is critical to ensuring that the bank retains vital skills and expertise and avoids destabilising staff turnover read more

Unite leader responds to ‘rampant profiteering’ by the National Grid (14 May) – Responding to today’s National Grid full year results, which showed that its pre-tax profits have increased to £4.2bn, Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “National Grid is raking in huge profits while workers and communities struggle to pay ever-rising bills and manufacturing is made uncompetitive. Our broken energy system needs urgent reform, and that means renationalising the grid…” read more

Unite secures new recognition with North Sea operator EnQuest (14 May) – Dozens of workers set to benefit on Magnus offshore asset. Unite, the UK’s largest offshore union, has hailed its latest union recognition agreement in the offshore sector this time with North Sea operator EnQuest. Around 70 workers on the operator’s Magnus asset will now be represented by Unite in negotiations over enhancing jobs, pay and conditions through collective bargaining. The workforce overwhelmingly backed Unite recognition on the Magnus asset. The Magnus is wholly owned by EnQuest and retains significant reserves which can sustain employment for the long-term. The workers set to benefit, perform various roles including: electrical, instrument, mechanical and operations technicians alongside control room operators read more

Hundreds of Greater Manchester bus drivers ballot for strikes over pay (13 May) – Go North West drivers in Bolton, Denton, Heywood and Wigan angry over huge pay disparities with Bee Network colleagues. Nearly 600 Bee Network drivers employed by Go North West in Bolton, Denton, Heywood and Wigan are to be balloted for strike action over pay, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today. The workers are angry that their pay is significantly below that of Bee Network drivers employed by other operators and have rejected a 3.8 per cent pay offer. Bee Network drivers employed by Metroline and Stagecoach earn £19.06 per hour compared to just £15.51 per hour for Go North West drivers read more

Delays to medicine packaging as Amcor workers strike (7 May) – There will be delays to medical packaging supplies as around 30 workers at Amcor’s plant in Cramlington, Northumberland will walk out in a dispute over pay. The Unite members, who make packaging for several major pharmaceutical companies in the UK and worldwide, have turned down a pay rise of 4.1 per cent, as they believe this does not address the cost of living crisis and previous years of low pay offers. Strikes will take place every Monday from 18 May until 6 April 2027, with the potential for further escalation. When there is a bank holiday, the action will take place on a Tuesday instead 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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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]     

Publication of the civil service pay remit guidance: General Secretary statement to PCS members (21 May) – The 2026/27 civil service pay remit guidance has been published today. No doubt members will be keen to understand what progress has been secured in national talks read more

Capita protesters sound strong message over pensions crisis (18 May) – “Stop the Capita pensions chaos,” was the chant from dozens of protesters affected by the civil service pensions crisis, who greeted shareholders arriving at the company’s annual general meeting in London this morning. PCS members and supporters protested outside Capita’s AGM to demand action over the ongoing civil service pension scheme crisis. Capita’s failures have left thousands of retired civil servants without their pensions, causing serious financial hardship read more

FCDO – industrial action re-ballot starts Monday 18 May (12 May) – Everyone must vote to make sure we achieve the 50% legal minimum threshold, FCDO2030 re-ballot – post your ballot paper as soon as you get it. We came so close to winning our industrial action ballot opposing job cuts that we are re-balloting members. The voting turnout was 48.76%, so we were literally a handful of votes short of getting over the 50% minimum threshold required under UK employment law. The votes showed strong support for action, with 93.8% voting for action short of strike and 76.9% voting for strike action. The re-ballot opens Monday 18 May and closes at noon on Monday 22 June 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

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  

Govt support for ceramics ‘hugely welcome’ (21 May) – GMB Union, representing workers across the ceramics and chemicals industries, has welcomed the Government’s announcement today [Thursday] of new package of support for the sectors read more

East London primary school staff to strike over proposed pay cuts (22 May) – Teaching assistants at Sir William Burrough Primary School in Tower Hamlets will take strike action over a restructure that could see their pay slashed by thousands of pounds. The workers were balloted by their union, GMB Union, and voted 88 per cent in favour of strike action on a 100 per cent turnout. The school, which is part of the University Schools Trust, has paused the restructure, but declined to scrap it entirely, meaning staff are living with the threat of having their jobs downgraded. If it went ahead, it would see some support staff moved from grade 5 to grade 3, which could represent a loss of up to £7,500 per year for nursery nurses and up to £2,500 a year for learning support assistants. Any staff member who opposes the changes will have no choice but to resign, as the Trust has refused to offer redundancy pay. GMB is also supporting its members in another school in the Trust, St Paul’s Way, which is consulting on a restructure that would affect the jobs and salaries of both teachers and support staff read more

Govt support for ceramics ‘hugely welcome’ (21 May) – GMB Union, representing workers across the ceramics and chemicals industries, has welcomed the Government’s announcement today [Thursday] of new package of support for the sectors read more

Asda shift changes will create two tier workforce (14 May) – Shift changes at Asda stores across the North West risk a creating two‑tier workforce, GMB Union has warned. Bosses have forced some hourly paid staff to work both Saturday and Sunday, changing long‑standing weekend arrangements. Asda workers have always been expected to work one day over the weekend – but forcing them to do both is a huge change, the union has said. GMB warns the move risks creating a two‑tier workforce, as salaried colleagues are not routinely required to work both weekend days and receive additional pay when they do read more

Net-A-Porter deliveries to be ‘savaged’ as 100 strike at warehouse

GMB Union (19 May) – Luxury fashion merchant Net-a-Porter is set to have its distribution centre savaged by industrial action tomorrow and Thursday. 100 distribution workers will walk out for two days after the company failed to honour its commitment to pay the London Living Wage to its lowest‑paid staff. Net-a-Porter offers high-end fashion deliveries, and its website includes items for sale which cost more than £150,000. In the run up to this action, GMB members have complained of being made to feel under pressure for taking part in lawful and visible union activity read more

Strike action begins at Crane Building Services and Utilities (11 May) – More than 100 workers at Crane Building Services and Utilities (BS&U) in Hitchin have started two weeks of strike action in a row over pay. Strikes will continue until Friday 22 May inclusive and stop manufacturing on the site. The workers, who are represented by GMB Union, voted 84 per cent in favour of strike action following frustrations around an unsatisfactory pay offer that has left them feeling undervalued. This vote marks the second time in two years that Crane BS&U workers have had to take industrial action to secure a decent pay award that matches their skills and experience read more

More than two hundred South London hospital staff to strike over cuts (5 May) – ‘Wards in disarray’ and ‘bad food’ facing three mental health sites for three days

GMB members working for OCS across three hospital sites within South London & Maudsley NHS Trust will take strike action between Wednesday 6 and Friday 8 May. More than 200 workers are expected to take action, who work in cleaning and catering at Maudsley Hospital, Bethlem Royal Hospital and the Ladywell Unit, Lewisham. Having been outsourced to OCS, the contract is now facing a proposed 2000 hours of cuts, which represents a drop in service provision of twenty per cent read more

Thousands of Evri drivers to be balloted over pay (5 May) – Thousands of Evri drivers will be balloted over pay – with GMB recommending they reject the deal. More than 6,000 couriers will vote on the offer– which dates back to 2025 – which could represent a pay cut for many workers. GMB Union, which has had a recognition deal with Evri since 2019, is recommending drivers reject the deal for the first time. The ballot opens on tomorrow [6 May] and closes on June 9. If the offer is rejected, GMB will meet with couriers to discuss next steps read more

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

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

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

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   

Children’s social care managers in Bath escalate strike action over pay and grading (14 May) – Workers will walk out from Wednesday 20 to Friday 22 May. Bath and North East Somerset Council workers protesting in Bath. They’re holding placards. Children’s social care managers at Bath and North East Somerset Council are to strike for a further three days in an escalating dispute over pay and grading, says UNISON today (Thursday). Team managers and deputy team managers will walk out from Wednesday 20 to Friday 22 May. Workers at the local authority unanimously backed strike action following concerns about the council’s job regrading programme, says UNISON. Those affected by the scheme say it was imposed without proper consultation, and has left many on the wrong grade and underpaid. The union says the dispute comes at a time of wider upheaval in children’s services. In March, the council announced a restructure of which UNISON says has left staff facing further uncertainty 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

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’

  • Lobby Salford Council: Unite Against the Far Right – 8am, Wednesday 27th May, Salford Civic Centre, Swinton, M27 5AD

Defend Ameen Hadi & Salford City UNISON against the Far Right Campaign is asking you to attend this Lobby to demand Ameen’s reinstatement

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

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

BMA

Call to confront deteriorating pay and conditions (20 May) – Ballot of SAS doctors comes after rejection of DDRB settlement offer read more

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

NEU to launch a formal ballot for strike action (9 May) – The national executive of the NEU has today (Saturday) taken the decision to move to formal ballots for strike action over pay and funding. The formal ballots of teachers and support staff in state-maintained schools in England will open on 3 October and close on 15 December. Early reports indicate that the recommendations of the School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB) report and the decisions of the Chancellor and Education Secretary will not result in a fully-funded pay offer for teachers that exceeds inflation, nor in sufficient funding for schools to prevent redundancies and rises in workload. The NEU is today signalling that we will move to formally ballot our members for strike action in October if the government does not take urgent action to address these issues. This is part of the NEU’s campaign to save education. The formal ballot follows NEU indicative ballots of teachers and support staff in England, carried out between February and April. Members voted overwhelmingly in support of strike action over the issue of pay, funding and workload 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

NASUWT   

Lack of progress to tackle violence and abuse (20 May) – Teachers continue to be left vulnerable to violence and abuse from pupils due to the failure to put in place an agreed national system for reporting incidents, NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union is warning. In addition, two years on from the publication of a National Action Plan by the Scottish Government, which was supposed to help local authorities and schools drive down levels of disruption, evidence suggests that many teachers remain unaware of the plan, report no change in school practice, and continue to experience unacceptable levels of violence, aggression, and abuse in the workplace read more

Premature announcement of Education for All bill undermines democracy (14 May) – Commenting on the announcement of the Education for All Bill, Matt Wrack, General Secretary of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union, said: “The government appears to be making announcements on SEND reform before the consultation on reforms has even closed. Teachers, parents and pupils will be confused and concerned over this development as they have been promised a voice in these plans…” read more

Haberdashers staff strike over pensions raid (11 May) – Teachers at Haberdashers Boys and Girls Schools in Elstree are to start five days of strike action on Wednesday over attempts to impose detrimental changes to their pensions. Employers are trying to cap their future contributions to the Teachers’ Pension Scheme, meaning that teachers would have to foot the bill for any future increases in the employer contribution rate, rather than the employer meeting the additional costs. The employer has used fire and rehire tactics to try to force through these changes, with large numbers of teachers receiving letters of dismissal and reengagement on amended contracts. Teachers from NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union at both schools are due to take strike action on 13th, 14th, 19th, 20th and 21st May. Teachers will be picketing outside the school between approximately 7.15am and 9.30am read more

Workload threats prompt strike action at two Lincolnshire schools (10 May) – Teachers from NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union at Banovallum School and Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School, both in Horncastle, are due to begin four days of strike action tomorrow (Monday) over the detrimental impact of job cuts and changes to working conditions on teacher workload. The Horncastle Education Trust, which runs both schools, is making seven voluntary staff redundancies and is proposing to cut the time allocated to teachers for planning, preparation and assessment from 15% of timetabled teaching time to 10%. Strike action is planned for 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th May. NASUWT teachers will be picketing outside the school on each strike day between approximately 8am and 9am read more

Strike action begins at St Helens college (7 May) – Teachers from NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union at Cowley International College in St Helens began the first of four days of strike action today as a result of adverse management practices, escalating workload pressures, and a breakdown of trust caused by the school’s leadership. Teachers have been subjected to unprofessional treatment by the employer and a persistent failure by senior leadership to address workload and safety concerns. By the time the employer began to acknowledge the seriousness of the concerns raised, trust had already collapsed. Teachers now have no confidence that commitments made by management will be honoured. Despite this, they have agreed to attend work to ensure exam classes are taught, demonstrating their continued commitment to their pupils read more

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

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

    

EIS   

EIS Members at GCU vote overwhelmingly for strike action over redundancy plans (22 May) – Members of the Educational Institute of Scotland University Lecturers Association have delivered a powerful mandate for strike action at Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) in response to the university’s proposed redundancies. Over 95% of members who participated in the ballot supported taking industrial action, a clear indication of their inherent opposition to the university’s proposals read more

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

INTO

INTO delivers on a number of allowances after determined campaign (21 May) – The publication of Circular 54/2026 follows protracted engagement between the INTO and the Department of Education (DEY) on the union’s absolute determination to restore the attractiveness of teaching and principalship in primary and special schools. From the outset of the local bargaining process two years ago, the INTO signalled its intent to deliver measures designed to address the recruitment and retention crisis in primary and special education read more

NITC Lodges Dispute with Department of Education over Teacher Workload Response (12 May) – On 28 April the Minister published his response to the report from the Independent Panel on Teacher Workload. NITC met with the Minister and a range of representatives to discuss the response. The five teaching unions then met with their executive bodies and took comment from members regarding the report. Subsequently, the concerns which were expressed from members right across the system were compiled into a document for consideration by the Minister and the Department. The plan as it currently stands is simply not acceptable to the NITC. Members were informed on Tuesday 5 May that NITC submitted the letter detailing the concerns and requested a reply by Monday 11 May. No reply was received with DE indicating that we may receive a response next week. NITC as a whole, and each constituent union, took the decision in the absence of a response on the date requested, to lodge a dispute with the Department of Education. These actions were taken today. The dispute relates to the failure of the Department of Education to publish a plan which is capable of fully implementing the recommendations from the Independent Review of Teacher Workload read more

UCU     

UCU Stop the Cuts campaign  

Sign petition against the education cuts  

Overwhelming strike vote at London South Bank University in cuts fightback (22 May) – Staff at London South Bank University (LSBU) have voted in favour of industrial action. An overwhelming 89% of UCU members on a turnout of 61% voted to strike and 97% also backed action short of strike, which could include a marking boycott. A boycott would see staff refuse all marking duties and block student graduations. The vote 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 Excellence Framework. The university intends to tear up local and national agreements and divide the workforce in two separate tracks, ‘teaching and research’ (‘T&R’) and ‘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 industry standard Teachers’ Pension Scheme by employing them through a sham company and leave them outside the national pay framework. UCU believes the cuts threaten the union’s recognition agreement and raises serious equality issues, including proposed changes to the school of nursing and midwifery which has a largely female workforce.  This proposal would put most of the school’s workforce on the inferior T&S contracts whilst the male dominated school of engineering and design staff are more likely to transfer to the superior T&R contract.  Alarmingly, across the university overall, women are projected to make up a lower proportion of T&R roles and a higher proportion of roles at risk of redundancy read more

Government must stop generational crisis in post-16 education, UCU & Unison tell PM (22 May) – UCU and Unison general secretaries Jo Grady and Andrea Egan today wrote to prime minister Keir Starmer demanding the government intervenes to stop the generational crisis affecting post-16 education read more

We will continue to stand with trans community, UCU says in response to EHRC Code of Practice (22 May) – The EHRC Code of Practice has now been published following the Supreme Court judgment, and UCU is examining it urgently and in detail. This is a significant and unsettling moment for our members across higher and further education, and we do not underestimate the anxiety, concern and determination it is generating in workplaces across the country read more

Staff at Queen Margaret University vote for strike action (22 May) – Staff at Queen Margaret University (QMU) have voted for strike action in a dispute over jobs cuts, compulsory redundancies and changes to working practices. University and College Union (UCU) Scotland members at the university voted by 92% to back strike action on a turnout of 67%.  Action short of strike, which could involve working to contract, not covering for absent colleagues or voluntary activities, was also backed by 96% of members voting.  Members of the branch will now decide their next steps in the dispute. Senior managers at QMU are looking to make savings of £4million in staffing costs this academic year and in 2027/28 and have refused to rule out the possibility of compulsory redundancies.  On top of the job cuts, management also proposed cutting research and scholarship time for academic staff.  Research-led teaching is recognised universally as the benchmark across higher education and the union argues that any step backwards on this would harm the university read more

62 strike days confirmed at Notts Uni as marking boycott begins over ‘destructive’ cuts (20 May) – Staff at the University of Nottingham will strike for 61 days from Monday 1 June to Friday 31 July (2026) in addition to the day of strike action set for Friday (22 May 2026), the University and College Union (UCU) announced today. The announcement comes as staff began a marking boycott this morning in response to the brutal cuts management is forcing through. The boycott will see staff refuse all assessment duties and block student graduations until management works to resolve the dispute. The boycott and strikes are over management’s plans to cut more than 700 jobs and shut down over 40 degree programmes including modern languages and music. Earlier this month 2,697 staff were told they are at risk of redundancy. The cuts would also see research time slashed and result in far fewer staff supporting students, harming student provision and raising workloads read more

First day of summer of strikes begins at Heriot-Watt University (14 May) – University and College Union Scotland members at Heriot-Watt University will today begin the first of six strike days across May and June. Today’s strike takes place as the university court, the university’s highest decision-making body, meets to consider future strategy.  UCU members will also take strike action in June unless management take steps to resolve the dispute before then.  Staff are striking over plans to cut jobs in the university’s Department of Languages and Intercultural Studies and the potential closure, including possible compulsory redundancies, of the successful Scholar programme which delivers online learning in schools.  Members backed strike action by 74% on a 70% turnout and took nine days of strike action strike action earlier in the Spring read more

Four strike days begin tomorrow at Capital City College Group over workload issues (11 May) – Staff at Capital City College Group (CCCG) begin four consecutive days of strike action tomorrow after the employer failed to meaningfully negotiate over workload concerns. UCU members will be on picket lines each strike day (Tuesday 12, Wednesday 13, Thursday 14, and Friday 15 May) from 8am across the eight college sites. The dispute is over excessive workloads, and the action comes after CCCG failed to meaningfully progress workload issues after belatedly meeting with the union last week, in response to the strike threat (Wednesday 6 May). Prior to that meeting, management had failed to meet with the union over workload concerns since January (when inadequate notice was given to UCU reps of the meeting date), despite committing to two further meetings before the Easter break. UCU demands include increased tutorial time, more support for students with special educational needs, and additional student wellbeing staff read more

Outrage as DfE hire refuses national recommendation to raise pay (5 May) – Staff at Windsor Forest Colleges Group (WFCG) will strike tomorrow (Wednesday 6 May) as they continue to fight for fair pay. College principal Gillian May is now set to leave at the end of the month to take up a senior post, as deputy commissioner for further education, at the Department for Education. Despite holding down her own staff’s pay, she has accepted a 7.8% increase to her own salary of over £10,000. The group runs four colleges across Berkshire and Surrey: Slough and Langley College, Windsor College, Strode’s College, and the Berkshire College of Agriculture. Staff have already taken five days of action and are asking for a fair pay award. WFCG has refused to even meet the 4% pay award recommended by the Association of Colleges, unlike every other college in the region 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 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. Next strike days: May 26-27; June 3, 4, 5, 11, 12, 15,  

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   

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

POA     

NEC minutes April 2026 read more

General Secretary update read more

National Chair update April 2026 read here  

POA General Secretary Steve Gillan challenges the Labour government to show they are on the side of workers (14 May) – In his closing address to the POA Conference, General Secretary Steve Gillan has challenged the Labour Government, whoever is in charge, to demonstrate once and for all that they are on the side of Prison Officers and working class communities. He paid tribute to the selfless dedication of Prison Officers, with special thanks to the courage and bravery of staff at HMP Frankland who faced up to the horrific terror attack at the jail a year ago read more

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)

NAPO

End IPP – march on 15 July 2026 – Join the march calling for an end to IPP sentences taking place on 15 July at 11am, starting at the MoJ and ending at Parliament. Any members wishing to attend must do so in their own time 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   

BBC and NUJ end dispute on rota changes at Newshour and The World Tonight (22 May) – Today (22 May) NUJ members have agreed to accept a revised rota proposal to end their dispute with the BBC read more

Live coverage from BBC Newshour/World Tonight strike (19 May)

Iconic Media: NUJ calls on Malcolm Denmark to address poverty wages (22 May) – The NUJ has submitted a pay claim to Malcolm Denmark, Iconic Media chief executive, calling for urgent negotiations over staff’s poor pay read more

Financial Times workers stand together in the United Kingdom and United States (21 May) – The following statement was released jointly by the NUJ and News Media Guild. Both unions represent workers at the Financial Times in the United Kingdom and United States, respectively read more

NUJ responds after Nigel Farage shares journalist’s Press Card on social media (15 May) – The NUJ has responded to Reform UK leader Nigel Farage posting a photo of a journalist’s NUJ Press Card across social media read more

Surveillance: journalists worldwide call for stronger action on spyware abuse (15 May) – International Federation of Journalists to lead lobbying. Hundreds of journalists from across the globe have endorsed a call for the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) to lead lobbying efforts to tackle the abuse of spyware and unlawful surveillance  in order to defend media freedom read more

Live coverage from STV strike (8 May) – Around 100 STV staff members are out on strike today (8 May) over pay, leading to coverage of the Scottish election results being cancelled and replaced by an episode of The Chase. Our members at STV are joined in the picket lines outside the Glasgow and Aberdeen offices by members of Bectu, which represents technical staff. Members of both unions voted overwhelmingly for strike action in March following management’s decision to offer a 0% pay award read more

NUJ members at STV to strike on election results day (7 May)

Equity

Performers should share in Summer Savings boost (21 May) – Equity welcomes government help for family days out over the summer school holidays and wants increased sales to be passed to performers and creatives read more

West End workers vote YES for strike action in Equity indicative ballot (19 May) – Performers and stage management across the West End have voted overwhelmingly in favour of taking strike action and to back Equity’s claim in negotiations, in an indicative ballot aimed at moving talks forwards. The union says producers “must wake up to the real possibility of a summer of strikes unless offers are improved.” Indicative ballot results:-

  • 98% of current West End workers voted YES to supporting strike action on an 89% turnout
  • 99% of all West End workers from the past three years voted YES to back Equity’s claim on a 78% turnout
  • Equity will move to a statutory ballot for strike action if an improved offer is not made read more

Musicians Union

MU Stands with Staff and Students Fighting Nottingham University Cuts (7 May) – MU officials joined staff and students at the University of Nottingham yesterday to protest proposed job and course cuts, including the suspension of music courses for new entrants, as concerns grow over the wider threat facing arts subjects in higher education 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

Community

Statement – Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Bill (21 May) – Steel union Community has welcomed the passing of the Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Bill through its second reading stage in the House of Commons 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

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

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

RCA cleaners fired after protesting sexual harassment and workplace abuse (13 May) – Two cleaners at the Royal College of Art have been dismissed after taking part in a letter hand-in protest over alleged workplace abuse and sexual harassment, involving supervisors employed by the university’s cleaning subcontractor, PfP Students. The workers, who are members of the IWGB Union, say they are being victimised for speaking out about harassment and safety concerns in the workplace read more

MPs accuse Rockstar of obstructing legal process over alleged union-busting with ‘silence and closed doors’ (12 May) – Scottish Labour MPs Chris Murray, Dr. Scott Arthur and Tracy Gilbert have called for transparency and cooperation from Rockstar Games in the legal battle over alleged union-busting at the studio. In public statements shared today they urged the company behind Grand Theft Auto to comply with requests for the evidence and investigation reports that led to the mass firings of 34 workers last October. The 31 UK-based developers Rockstar dismissed without warning belonged to the IWGB Game Workers Union. The other three developers sacked were based in Rockstar’s Toronto studio, and therefore were not eligible for membership, but supported the unionisation effort read more

SIPTU (Ireland)   

SIPTU frontline ambulance workers’ 72-hour strike stood down following progress in talks (22 May) – SIPTU has agreed to stand down a planned strike by members of the National Ambulance Service next week following constructive discussions with the HSE at the Labour Court. The talks concern the HSE’s failure to implement the recommendations of an independent report on updating ambulance workers’ pay scales to reflect changes in their responsibilities and workloads over the last 20 years. SIPTU represents around 90% of NAS personnel affected by the ongoing dispute. Following four days of talks, the Labour Court requested that the industrial action next week and the work-to-rule be stood down to allow the process to conclude. The work-to-rule has been stood down from noon today (Friday, 22nd May). SIPTU members engaged in a 24-hour work stoppage on 12th May and have implemented a work-to-rule since 11th May. The dispute involves SIPTU members working as emergency medical technicians, paramedics, advanced paramedics, specialist paramedics and paramedic supervisors read more

Nursing Home Quality undermined by Staffing Crisis – SIPTU (20 May) – The quality of care for nursing home residents is being undermined by a staffing crisis, which is directly resulting in them being left unattended for extended periods and missing care interventions, according to an extensive survey of staff in the sector published by SIPTU. The warning from the frontline staff is contained in the SIPTU Nursing Home Workers Survey 2026, a report based on the views of over 700 nursing home staff in both the public and private sector facilities read more

SIPTU members discuss Israel match action amid mounting safety and moral concerns (13 May) – SIPTU members in areas impacted by the scheduled international football match against Israel on 4th October in Dublin have begun a consultation process amid growing safety and moral concerns about the fixture read more

SIPTU healthcare workers to begin strike action over pay failure (11 May) – SIPTU members of Blanchardstown and Inner-City Home Care will commence strike action on Tuesday (12th May) for failure by management to fully implement the 2023 Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) Agreement. Within the agreement, SIPTU members were to receive an 8% pay increase backdated to 1st April 2023. However, Blanchardstown and Inner City Home Care have failed to fully implement these increases or provide any of the outstanding money owed read more

Strike action set at STERIS Tullamore in union recognition dispute (10 May) – SIPTU members employed by STERIS AST in Tullamore, County Offaly have served notice of strike action on their employer, in a dispute resulting from management at the contract sterilisation and lab testing facility’s refusal to engage with their Union on issues including sick leave and pay. SIPTU members will conduct work stoppages commencing at 8.00am on Friday, 15th May, and concluding at 8.00am on Saturday, 16th May 2026. During this time, pickets will be placed at the entrance to the plant 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

  

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

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.”

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    

STAMMA website    

Sign this petition: To the Right Honourable Steve Barclay, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and The Right Honourable Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister – Make toxic landfills safe – Support ‘Zane’s Law’!  Find out more about this campaign here   

From Strike Map – Our final instalment of the ‘Industrial Unionism’ series with Manifesto Press is here. Building on this success of our other pamphlets- which has sold over 2,000 copies, our next pamphlet in our series is the infamous ‘A Manual of Industrial Unionism’ by William Z Foster. Click the button here to pre-order your copy for you and your organisation   

     

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: Mehmet Türkmen released but the fight for workers’ rights in Turkey continues – The release of Turkish trade union leader Mehmet Türkmen after 57 days in prison is a victory for workers, trade unionists, and all those who stood in solidarity against repression in Turkey. But his case has exposed something far deeper than the unjust imprisonment of one union organiser: it has shone an international spotlight on the deadly working conditions faced by textile workers in Gaziantep and the growing criminalisation of labour activism 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]

   

   

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

  

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