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NSSN 775: Lobby TUC Congress in September for Action Programme to defend workers from cost of living crisis

  • NSSN lobby of the TUC Congress in Brighton from 1pm on Sunday 13th September, in the Holiday Inn Hotel – register here

The NSSN Conference on 27th June was once again a platform for workers from the increasing number of disputes to use to spread the word about their action. Coming just as Starmer resigned and as Andy Burnham looks certain to be the next Labour Prime Minister, the conference debated the strategy and programme needed to defend workers from the cost of living crisis, and unanimously passed an action programme (below) which we appeal to union members to take into their union branches and committees, shop stewards committees and trades councils, and raise on picket lines, protests and demonstrations.

We also encourage everyone to attend and build the NSSN Lobby & Rally at TUC Congress in Brighton on Sunday 13th September – 1pm at the Holiday Inn Hotel, where we will be mobilising behind our Action Programme.

Watch videos from NSSN conference, including the platform speakers here.

The NSSN conference NSSN proposed an ‘Action Programme’, to be taken out to the wider trade union movement to take on the cost-of-living crisis (download here). That Action Programme is carried below:

NSSN Conference 2026 Action Programme to defend workers from the cost of living squeeze: ‘We’re not paying for the bosses’ crisis’

  • Above inflation pay rises for workers – automatic rises in pay as inflation increase. In the public sector, for these to be fully funded by central government.
  • Scrap all age exemptions on pay, including the national minimum wage. For the immediate implementation of the TUC demand of a £15-an-hour minimum wage for all as a step towards a real living wage, without exemptions.
  • Stop the profiteering: nationalise the energy & water companies.
  • Freeze rents and energy & utility bills.
  • Demand that councils refuse to implement cuts, and instead pass no-cuts needs budgets.
  • Oppose disability benefit cuts and attacks on pensions and campaign for a fully resourced, supportive social security system to meet needs of working class people.
  • Demand that the TUC enact Congress 2025 policy by calling an Autumn national demo against Labour austerity. If not, for a trade union ‘coalition of the willing’ to step in to organise such a demonstration.
  • Support the NSSN lobby of the TUC Congress in Brighton from 1pm on Sunday 13th September, in the Holiday Inn Hotel.
  • Strike together: co-ordinate the fight on national public sector pay – unite workers across the public and private sectors.
  • Repeal all the Tory anti-union laws – immediate scrapping of the undemocratic 50% strike ballot threshold.
  • Restore the right to strike to the POA.
  • Workers unity to face down Reform and the far-right: for the unions to implement 2018 TUC Congress policy ‘to launch a campaign of Jobs and homes not racism’.
  • Launch the discussion for a Workers Charter, and how we can fight for it, against the attack on our living standards.

Highlights include news, protests, strikes, and international reports  

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The NSSN sends solidarity greetings to everyone attending the Durham Miners Gala this weekend and the Tolpuddle Martyrs’ Festival next weekend

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 then Labour Council, shamefully on the watch of a Labour government.

We demand that the new council honour this agreement.

Senior figures in Birmingham bin talks confirm Unite deal (5 June) – Unite, the UK’s leading union, has welcomed the statements by former Acas chair Lord Brendan Barber and Mayor of the West Midlands Richard Parker. Both statements from two senior figures in the room over the months of negotiations with Unite and the leader of the council, are clear and unambiguous. The negotiations between Barber, Parker, former leader of Birmingham council John Cotton and Unite general secretary Sharon Graham began in December 2025 and the deal was concluded in March 2026. As Lord Barber has said, Unelected officers and commissioners of the council attempting to cause delay is unacceptable.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “As Lord Barber and Mayor Parker have both said, the deal to end this dispute has been negotiated and agreed. The continued attempts by unelected council officers and commissioners to block, delay and throw into doubt this deal is unacceptable and will simply not work. We look forward to the elected members of the council agreeing the process for the implementation of the deal, so the usual ballot of members can take place. Workers and residents have put up with enough of the constant dither and delay. This is a good deal for workers and residents and it needs to be swiftly finalised.” Read more

Details of the proposed deal read more

   

Union News     

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RMT     

RMT National Dispute Fund      

RMT marks 21st anniversary of the 7/7 London bombings (7 July) – Tube union RMT is today marking the 21st anniversary of the 7 July 2005 London bombings by remembering the 52 people who lost their lives, the hundreds who were injured and all those affected by the attacks. The union also paid tribute to the courage and professionalism of London Underground workers, emergency service personnel and other public service workers who responded to the terrorist attacks and helped protect passengers in the immediate aftermath. RMT General Secretary Eddie Dempsey said: “Twenty-one years on, we remember the 52 people who were killed, the hundreds injured and everyone whose lives were changed forever by the events of 7 July 2005…” read more

Passengers back rail insourcing as support grows for more staff to improve safety and accessibility (6 July) – Nearly 70 per cent of rail passengers believe Great British Railways should deliver services such as cleaning, catering, and security in-house with directly employed staff rather than outsourcing them to private contractors, according to new independent polling commissioned by RMT. The polling also found overwhelming support for increasing frontline staffing on stations and trains to improve passenger safety, security and accessibility as Great British Railways (GBR) is established. The findings come as official figures show a 15.4 per cent increase in violent offences on Britain’s railways compared with the previous year and a 17 per cent rise in passenger assist requests, driven largely by disabled and older passengers, with demand now at record levels. Against this backdrop, passengers are strongly backing greater staffing across the railway. Nearly two-thirds said more staff at stations would improve their sense of personal safety, while 70 per cent said increased staffing on trains would do the same. The polling also found that 85 per cent of passengers believe a guaranteed staff presence at stations and on trains would make rail travel more accessible for people requiring assistance. 79 per cent of those polled said insourced railway workers should be trained to support passenger safety and accessibility. Unlike directly employed staff, the vast majority of outsourced rail workers receive little or no training in passenger support. The findings strengthen the case for the government to use the creation of Great British Railways to reverse outsourcing and expand the number of frontline staff available to support passengers read more

RMT marks 38 years since Piper Alpha disaster with renewed call for offshore safety (6 July) – Offshore union RMT has marked the 38th anniversary of the Piper Alpha disaster, in which 165 offshore workers and two seafarers lost their lives. The tragedy, which remains the world’s deadliest offshore oil disaster, transformed the UK’s offshore safety regime and led to the landmark Cullen Inquiry. Its recommendations fundamentally reshaped health and safety regulation across the North Sea, placing greater emphasis on workforce involvement and independent safety oversight. Nearly four decades on, RMT said the lessons of Piper Alpha must never be forgotten and warned that strong regulation, effective safety representatives and a workforce able to raise concerns without fear remain essential to preventing future tragedies read more

RMT confirms further strike action in Carlisle Support Services pay dispute (18 June) – RMT members employed by Carlisle Support Services, working on the Northern rail contract will continue their long-running dispute over pay by taking 48 hours strike action from Saturday. The action follows Carlisle Support Services’ continued refusal to negotiate a proper pay settlement through collective bargaining, despite increasing demands being placed on frontline staff including gate line operatives and revenue officers…Carlisle Support Services has recently claimed that it has “honoured our agreement to implement an annual pay uplift in line with the Living Wage increase”. RMT has rejected that claim, making clear that the increase is not the result of any negotiated agreement with the union but stems from the company’s commitment as an accredited Living Wage employer read more

RMT members at Heavy Haul Rail to take 48-hour strike action (16 June) – Rail union RMT, will take strike action at Heavy Haul Rail Ltd on Thursday 25 June for 48 hours, after the company refused to rule out compulsory redundancies as part of a major restructuring programme. Despite ongoing discussions and some mitigation measures being secured through negotiations, the employer continues to refuse to provide assurances that jobs will be protected. The dispute centres on proposals affecting Control, Rosters, TOPS, Train Planning, Administration and Management grades, with the company seeking to restructure operations, merge roles, revise job descriptions, and relocate some roles around 200 miles away for no operational or cost benefit. The major rail freight and bulk haulage operator, which supports critical infrastructure projects as well as Network Rail renewal and maintenance work, has rejected the union’s demand for a no compulsory redundancy agreement read more

RMT drivers to strike as management continue to ignore demands or provide reasonable assurances (29 May) – 4-DAY WORKING WEEK & TRAINS FUNCTIONAL COUNCIL REPRESENTATION – LONDON UNDERGROUND. As you know, the strike action which had been scheduled for last week was suspended to allow further negotiations in obtaining clarity on what management’s position is on protecting those drivers who do not wish to accept new terms and conditions to enter into the compressed four-day week arrangements. Your Regional Organiser, accompanied by the functional negotiating team, have met twice with management where the employer summarised its position that has since been formally received in correspondence, and LUL has failed to adequately address the points raised by RMT 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 – Farage by-election move is ‘end of the pier posturing’ (7 July) – Rail union TSSA has branded Nigel Farage’s decision to trigger a by-election in his Clacton constituency as ‘end of the pier posturing’, with the union urging voters to reject the leader of Reform UK. Farage – who will stand in the contest – has been facing intense scrutiny over his financial affairs in recent days, while Parliament’s Standards Commissioner is also investigating a gift of £5 million, received before he was an MP read more

Forthcoming strike action at West Midlands Trains (6 July) – Rail union TSSA has said strikes planned for later this week at West Midlands Trains (WMT) over rest day working payments are set to go ahead and will have a significant impact. The walkouts are a result of WMT and the Department for Transport repeatedly failing to fulfil their assurance that an improved rest day working agreement – giving TSSA members parity with other unions – would be secured.

  • Roster Clerks will be on strike on Thursday 9 July 2026 at 00:01hrs until Friday 10 July 2026 at 00:01hrs. 
  • Duty Train Crew Managers and Control grades will not book on for duty between the hours of 12:00 noon on Friday 10 July 2026, until 12:00 noon on Saturday 11 July 2026.  

This is the second round of strikes in the dispute after similar action was taken in May this year. TSSA balloted over 100 members across these roles for the relevant industrial action read more

Unite     

Neo Next offshore workers back strike action (8 July) – Elgin Franklin and North Alwyn platforms involved in pay dispute. Offshore workers on the Elgin Franklin and North Alwyn platforms operated by Neo Next + Energy have emphatically backed strike action. A series of 24-hour stoppages involving members of Unite will take place starting from 06:00 on 22 and 29 July followed by further disruption on 5, 12 and 19 August commencing at the same time. The dispute involves around 50 Unite members after pay offers of below three per cent were overwhelmingly rejected by the workers. The workers involved in the pay dispute include control room, production and senior operators alongside operations and production technicians read more

Farage by-election – Unite reaction (7 July) – In response to Nigel Farage’s announcement that he will resign his seat and fight a by-election, Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “This latest distraction from the everyday issues real people are facing will have workers and communities holding their head in their hands. Everyday people are hurting and this latest pantomime does nothing to ease their pain. Nigel Farage is certainly no friend of the working class. A privately educated former banker who moved from trading in the City to trading in fear. The rise of Reform and Restore is down to the non-delivery of Labour. It is now time for Labour to deliver. This latest diversion must not distract from that.” Read more

Local government workers to protest at LGA national conference (7 July) – Striking local government workers will protest at the Local Government Association national conference tomorrow (Wednesday 8 July) as part of a dispute around pay and conditions.

  • When: July 8, from 12.30 to 13.30
  • Where: Outside the Bournemouth International Centre (BIC)

Over a thousand craftworkers employed at Bristol, Stoke-on-Trent, Newham, Leeds and Babergh and Mid Suffolk councils are on strike today (8 July) and they also took industrial action on Monday (6 July) as well as for four days last month read more

Strike action by council workers over pay and conditions to escalate (3 July) – Strike action by over a thousand local government craftworkers is escalating, amid a dispute around pay and attacks on conditions. The Unite members undertake council housing repair and maintenance work and are employed at Bristol, Southwark, Stoke-on-Trent, Newham, Leeds and Babergh and Mid Suffolk councils. The strike action is of a targeted nature and more local authorities could join the dispute in the future. Workers involved in the dispute have rejected the 2025 local government pay offer to Red Book workers (local government craftworkers) from the national employers of a 3.2 per cent increase, which they do not believe goes far enough to address over a decade of below inflation pay rises and pay freezes. This was imposed without any negotiations. Craftworkers will now walk out on Monday (6 July) and Wednesday (8 July)…Unite has now launched an action calling on supporters to email prominent members of the LGA negotiation team to meet with Unite and its sister unions in order to resolve the dispute read more

Grangemouth based Veolia workers secure new pay deal (7 July) – Inflation beating wage rise worth up to nine per cent. Unite the union has secured an improved pay deal for Veolia workers based in Grangemouth. The workers are responsible for waste management at the plant. The one-year deal backdated to January 2026 will see an increase in members’ pay of around £1.20 per hour which equates to pay rises worth up to nine per cent. A previous pay offer of three per cent had been overwhelmingly rejected by the Veolia workers leading to the enhanced pay deal read more

Unite secures recognition at North Tyneside Citizens Advice Bureau (6 July) – Unite, the UK’s leading union, has secured recognition for workers at North Tyneside Citizens Advice Bureau. Approximately 85 employees at the organisation will be covered by the new agreement, which has come after 14 months of constructive negotiations between the union and Citizens Advice. Workers will now have formal representation, allowing them to negotiate on pay, conditions and workplace changes read more

Oxalis tanker driver strikes suspended after new pay offer (6 July) – Improved offer comes after threat of strike action that could have seen pumps run dry in the south west. Industrial action by tanker drivers based in Bristol has been averted at the last minute after workers received an improved pay offer. Tanker drivers at Oxalis will now be balloted on the offer and have suspended their planned continuous strikes that were due to begin today (6 July)…The ballot closes on Friday 10th July. Should it be successful all strike action will be cancelled and tanker drivers will continue to work as usual. If unsuccessful strike action could quickly resume read more

Unite: Tanker drivers strike could see South West pumps run dry (5 July)

Government gives green light for bosses to control workers tips (6 July) – Unite, the UK’s leading union, which represents thousands of hospitality workers, is demanding that a flawed draft code of practice concerning tipping policy, is withdrawn to allow for proper consultation. The government has reneged on its promise to give workers full control on the allocation of tips. Instead, the government is requiring employers to merely consult on how tips will be allocated. The code confirms, following such a “consultation” employers will have carte blanche to decide which workers will receive tips. Unite believes that the failure to give workers control over their tips will disadvantage the lowest paid, who are often on precarious contracts. Instead, tips can be used to offset the underpayment of other workers such as kitchen staff, alternatively managers will be able to keep some of the tips for themselves…To add insult to injury the government has failed to consult on the detail of the code on tipping unlike other parts of the Employment Rights Act read more

AQA workers vote to strike in dispute over pay (6 July) – There is set to be strike action by over 100 workers at exam board AQA in an ongoing dispute over pay. Staff have rejected a pay offer from AQA, as they say this doesn’t go far enough to address years of real terms pay cuts. They are calling for pay restoration as their pay is now worth over 10 per cent less than it was in 2021. While AQA has a huge cash reserve of £164 million, the situation has left staff struggling to cope with the increased cost of living. Half of workers say their level of debt has increased over the last year and over 10 per cent said they regularly use or are considering using food banks to make ends meet…AQA has offices in Guildford, London, Harrogate, Manchester and Milton Keynes. Workers involved in the dispute do various jobs, including in communications and marketing, data analysis and typesetting. Unite members at AQA will strike on 16 and 17 July. They will also be visiting Parliament on 17 July to lobby MPs on the issue of low pay at AQA read more

Aberdeen airport workers strike suspended (4 July) – ICTS make last-minute new pay offer. Unite can confirm that strike action at Aberdeen airport involving ICTS security staff has been suspended following a last-minute enhanced pay offer to the workers. Following the announcement yesterday confirming fourteen days of strike action throughout July and into August, ICTS HBS Security made a new offer which will now be voted on by the workforce to either accept or reject. As a gesture of goodwill Unite has suspended all industrial action until the vote is complete. The Unite members make up the majority of the baggage screening team at Aberdeen airport read more

Unite: Aberdeen airport security workers to strike (3 July)

DIP blackhole: Government shouldn’t be “pitting worker against worker” to pay for defence spending, Unite (4 July) – Unite made its call, after it emerged that there is a black hole of billions in funding for the DIP, which was announced on Tuesday. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Everyday people have paid for too long, we need properly funded public services and British built defence. We cannot keep robbing Peter to pay Paul and pit worker against worker. We must bite the bullet on a wealth tax to ensure our public services are protected and strengthened and loosen the fiscal rules so we can invest in British industry. This will produce the well-paid jobs and quality apprentices which generate the growth we need…” read more

Hundreds of Thales defence workers set to strike (3 July) – Unite members at Govan and Reading plants back action after rejecting pay offer. Unite has confirmed that 300 workers employed by defence manufacturer Thales have overwhelmingly backed industrial action in an escalating pay dispute. Hundreds of Unite members based at the Thales’ sites in Govan, Glasgow and dozens in the company’s Reading headquarters overwhelmingly supported strike action after rejecting a pay offer below the current rate of inflation. Forthcoming talks with the company are scheduled in a final attempt to reach a resolution before strike action is announced. Thales remains the sole supplier of periscopes and optronics masts to the Royal Navy. The company has record levels of orders with the Ministry of Defence recently announcing export deals for Thales worth £1.1 billion sustaining hundreds of jobs in Glasgow. The workers involved in the ballot include electronics, software and systems engineers along with manufacturing and mechanical technicians read more

Great Yarmouth stinky summer as bin and street cleaning workers strike over poverty pay (2 July) – Workers, including tree surgeons, gardeners and grave diggers, furious at intimidation and interference tactics during strike ballot. Great Yarmouth bin and street cleaning workers have voted overwhelmingly for strike action over poverty pay, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today. Around 100 workers, will strike over a 3.3 per cent pay offer from council-owned Great Yarmouth Services. For the majority of workers this would not even take them to the minimum wage, which increased by 4.1 per cent in April, meaning they have been given a pay rise of nothing at all read more

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

Disruption in North London as Arriva bus drivers ballot for strikes over hot working conditions (30 June) – There is set to be major disruption to bus services in North London, as over 1,900 drivers across 10 garages are balloting for strike action. The bus drivers work for Arriva North London. They are preparing to take action as their employer has failed to act on complaints about working conditions on buses during hot weather. Most Arriva North London buses have air cooling systems rather than air conditioning. These take in air from outside and circulate it around and can reduce the ambient temperature by a maximum of 10 degrees Celsius – however bus drivers have said in the latest heatwave temperatures have only reduced by around two or three degrees. This has left drivers working in conditions they have deemed unbearable (with temperatures regularly in the high 30’s) as well as suffering from fatigue that has worsened in the recent heatwave. This issue has been raised to Arriva North London in previous years, but action has not been taken. Drivers are calling for improvements to buses, including installing air conditioning read more

Manchester Kimpton Clocktower staff to strike over union busting (29 June) – Workers at Manchester’s Kimpton Clocktower hotel will walk out from tomorrow in a dispute around union busting activity. Members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, who work at the hotel and its restaurant The Refuge will strike from 5pm tomorrow (30 June), as well as on 4, 5, 11 and 12 July. It comes as despite weeks of negotiations with hotel owners InterContinental Hotels Group UK (IHG), has failed to give Unite official recognition. At the last minute IHG cancelled meetings with Unite aimed at finding an agreement to the dispute. Workers now say they have no choice but to proceed with the first ever hospitality sector strike in the North West…Recently, Kimpton Clocktower workers joined Unite and have been attempting to move towards formal union recognition to improve their conditions after raising several issues with management. As well as refusing to offer formal union recognition, IHG UK also sacked two senior Unite representatives on trumped up charges. The union believes they were targeted for undertaking union activities, something which is illegal under UK employment law read more

Further strike action at GKN in Bristol to cause chaos for customers (25 June) – Airbus orders to go unfulfilled as major supplier hit by further industrial action over pay. Major aerospace supply contracts will go unfulfilled as workers at GKN are set to take further strike action this summer over pay. Workers at the Filton site make parts and are the biggest supplier to Airbus who currently have a huge order book for civilian aircraft. With supplies from GKN endangered, orders will cease to be fulfilled leaving major airlines without expected new planes. 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 Unite members 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. Many employees leave in search of better pay. GKN initially offered just a three per cent increase over one year, which was rejected by workers and later improved to just 3.3 per cent. This was also overwhelmingly rejected by the workforce demonstrating the strength of feeling that the offer falls far short of what is required…Unite members have already taken significant strike action and are now ramping up strikes with specific workers and grades across the engineering and maintenance departments that will bring the factory to a standstill. New strikes will take place on 29, 30 June and 1 July as well as on 6, 7 and 8 July. In addition, a blanket overtime ban has also been put in place read more

Further London strikes at world-leading Institute of Cancer Research (24 June) – Unite ramps up industrial action after no improved pay offer from management. Hundreds of workers at a world-leading scientific institute are to take further strike action over a lack of a decent pay offer. Unite members at the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) who work at their two London sites (In Sutton and Chelsea) are taking action due to the low pay offer from the ICR while they sit on large cash reserves and pay whopping six-figure salaries to their managers. Staff at the ICR will now head to the picket line from 29 June until the 10 July. Their walkout will cause huge problems at the ICR with laboratories unable to function effectively read more

Scarborough Alexander Dennis bus makers to strike over pay (23 June) – Spending power of striking workers’ wages have fallen by 20 per cent since 2020. Around 400 Scarborough workers employed by bus maker Alexander Dennis will strike over pay, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today. The workers have rejected a four per cent offer from the company after the cost-of-living crisis was compounded by years of sub-par pay increases. Between August 2021 and May 2026, the Retail Prices Index (RPI) rose by approximately 35.1 per cent, meaning prices increased by about a third over that period. During the same period, wages at Alexander Dennis increased by only 15.3 per cent, meaning the wages have fallen 19.8 per cent behind the cost of living…The workers voted by 81 per cent in favour of strike action. They will strike from 25 June to 1 July read more

U

South London & Maudsley NHS estates workers ballot for strikes over equal pay (23 June) – Hospital joiners, electricians, plumbers and painter and decorators angry at creation of two-tier workforce. South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust estates staff are being balloted for strike action over unequal pay, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today. The workers, including joiners, electricians, plumbers and painter and decorators, are on different pay grades – ranging from band three to band five. Some workers are on band three despite doing exactly the same job as colleagues on band five and having worked in those roles for up to 25 years…The workers are being balloted until 6 July. Industrial action will result in disruption to estates and maintenance services at Bethlam Royal, Lambeth, Lewisham and Maudsley hospitals read more

Brake Brothers workers in strike ballot over pay dispute (23 June) – Motherwell based firm delivers meals to restaurants, prisons and schools. Unite can confirm that over 350 workers employed by Brake Brothers based in Newhouse, Motherwell, are being ballot on industrial action in a pay dispute. The strike ballot involving warehouse workers, hygiene and distribution drivers opens today (Tuesday 23 June) and closes on 14 July read more

Disruption to frontline social care services as Change Grow Live staff ballot for strikes (22 June) – There is set to be disruption to frontline social care services run by charity Change Grow Live (CGL) as over 1,200 workers at almost 150 sites across England and Scotland are being balloted for strike action over pay. Change Grow Live (CGL) is one of the UK’s largest health and social care charities, providing vital support for people facing issues with drugs, alcohol, homelessness, mental health, justice, and employment. Its funding is sourced from the UK government… The ballot opens on 26 June and closes on 10 August. Any strike action would cause disruption to the vital services offered by CGL read more

Haldane Fisher strike causing construction sector disruption across Ireland (18 June) – Approximately 40 members of Unite have entered the eighth day of strike action at Haldane-Fisher in Newry. The strike is a result of the workers rejecting a below-inflation, 2.5 per cent pay increase imposed by management. Haldane-Fisher has its own network of shops but its Newry supply store is central to its supply trade to builders’ merchants across the Republic of Ireland. The strike has severely impacted deliveries and raises the prospect of significant disruption to the construction sector – coming at a time when contractors traditionally seek to finish work before the holiday period. Haldane-Fisher group’s latest accounts [year to end 2024] show after-tax profits of £1.9 million and a dividend paid to the company’s shareholders of £3.5 million. In the four years of published accounts since 2021 the pay of the highest paid director increased 27 per cent to £154k while average (inflation adjusted) pay for workers fell by four per cent in real terms read more

MoD drivers to strike as management accused of “letting wheels fall off” (18 June) – A group of civil servants within the Ministry of Defence (MoD) are taking strike action following years of unresolved concerns regarding workplace treatment, management practices, and failures in leadership accountability. Members of the Unite union have, for years, raised serious and ongoing concerns about the conduct, capability, and decision-making of immediate line management. The specialised civilian service VIP chauffeur drivers operate nationwide, providing discreet, secure, and highly professional transport for senior government personnel. Drawn from highly skilled backgrounds, including former military personnel and ex-police officers, they possess advanced driving qualifications and a deep understanding of security protocols. Beyond the safe and efficient movement of individuals, they are also entrusted with the secure handling and transportation of sensitive and classified documents, delivering a trusted. For over five years, staff have raised serious and ongoing concerns about the conduct, capability, and decision-making of their immediate line management. Despite repeated efforts to resolve these issues through both informal discussions and formal union channels, meaningful progress has not been achieved. Concerns raised have consistently been acknowledged but not acted upon, with agreed actions frequently ignored and established MoD policies not followed…Strike will take place across five days on 16-17 July and 20-22 July read more

Isle of Wight RNLI Inshore Lifeboat Centre workers to ballot for strike action (16 June) – Approximately 50 workers at the Royal National Lifeboat Institution’s (RNLI) Inshore Lifeboat Centre are currently balloting for strike action after the employer refused to recognise Unite. Staff have been calling for Unite to be recognised since last year. In January, Unite started the formal legal process to recognise the union, going through the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) to ask for statutory recognition. The CAC have just completed its membership checks which demonstrates a clear desire by the majority of workers to have the union negotiate on their behalf, however the RNLI is still refusing to allow Unite recognition read more

Striking Walsall Village Hotel workers protest during England’s opening World Cup game (16 June) – Demonstration outside busy big screen venue to show poverty pay and union-busting the red card. Walsall Village Hotel staff striking over poverty pay will demonstrate outside their workplace while it is packed with football fans watching England’s opening World Cup game. The hospitality, gym, events, reception and housekeeping workers are taking strike action over Village’s failure to pay the Living Wage rate of £13.45 an hour and its refusal to pay young workers’ wages equal to their older colleagues doing the same jobs. They are also striking over the company’s failure to recognise their union, Unite, for collective bargaining…Strike action will take place on 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 26, 27, 28 and 30 June and 2, 4, 7 and 10 July. The strikes will severely impact Village Hotel bar and grill services during the extremely busy World Cup period when fans will be watching matches on the venue’s big screens read more

Northern Ireland: First one day strike set to shutdown Balcas sawmill (11 June) – Low-paid workforce at highly profitable Enniskillen sawmill vote overwhelmingly to reject insulting pay offer. Unite members at Enniskillen-based sawmill Balcas are to commence the first of three 24-hour strike actions on Thursday (June 18). In the absence of an improved offer from management, the strike will be followed by two further one-day strikes on June 25 and July 2 when the workforce is prepared to escalate the action further. The industrial action is a result of the workers rejecting the three per cent pay increase offered by management. The strike will shut down all production of timber at the site. Balcas is owned by Longford-based Glennon Brothers – a highly successful timber company which recently acquired the Pontrilas group which operates wood processing sites in Wales. In the latest accounts submitted for Balcas in Northern Ireland [end 2024] show the company had pre-tax profits of £18.7 million on turnover of £130.8 million – a profit margin of almost 15 per cent. Meanwhile workers at the Enniskillen plant are paid barely above the minimum wage with new entrants being paid at the minimum wage itself…In 2019, Balcas workers took strike action for a week to end a situation where below minimum wage pay had to be topped up by production bonuses. They won a significant uplift at that time but in the intervening period pay increases have failed to keep pace with inflation or the minimum wage read more

Further strikes at Sellafield as management fail to negotiate (9 June) – Nearly two thousand workers to walk out over special site pay. Further strikes are to take place at the Sellafield nuclear site in Cumbria following the failure of the employer group to engage in discussions. Construction workers at the site are seeking a site-specific allowance due to the specialist skills needed to work at a nuclear site and the hazardous nature of that site. Construction workers at Sellafield undertake highly skilled work in one of the most complex and heavily regulated nuclear environments in Europe. They contribute directly to hazard reduction, major project delivery, and the long-term mission of the site. Other groups of nuclear workers across the Sellafield site are recognised and rewarded for the unique environment in which they work and the contribution they make. Construction workers rightly ask why their contribution continues to be treated differently. Unite continues to make efforts to avert industrial action and remains committed to securing a negotiated settlement. This latest industrial action will begin on Monday 15 June 2026 and conclude on Sunday 21 June 2026 read more

Tower Hamlets Be Well leisure centre staff to strike over zero-hour contracts (8 June) – Workers also angry over unequal pay, bullying, last minute rota changes, overwork and job roles. Tower Hamlets Bell Well leisure centre staff will begin strike action this week over insecure contracts and mismanagement, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today. Managerial staff, lifeguards, fitness instructors, customer service workers and swimming teachers at the John Orwell, Mile End, Poplar, Whitechapel, York Hall and Tiller leisure centres will start striking from tomorrow. The council has allowed an indefensible two-tier workforce to develop inside its own in-house leisure service. Some workers remain on zero-hour contracts, some have no formal written contract at all, others are guaranteed as little as five hours a week, while some are on full council contracts. This has resulted in workers doing the same role being treated differently on pay, job security and terms and conditions. Workers also report unsafe levels of understaffing, particularly in swimming pools, overwork and the denial of rest breaks. In addition, staff have also been forced to carry out duties that have nothing to do with their job roles, such as swimming teachers being expected to clean toilets. The dispute is also over mistreatment by managers, including the arbitrary changing of rotas, as well as attempts to identify union members who will be taking strike action. Tower Hamlets’ leisure services were operated by Greenwich Leisure Ltd until May 2024, when they were brought back under council control. The workers will strike on 9, 12, 14, 15, 17, 20, 23, 25 and 28 June severely impacting services across all Be Well sites. Industrial action will intensify if the dispute is not resolved read more

Staff at Lancashire hospitals to strike over holiday pay refusal (8 June) – Biomedical staff at Blackburn and Burnley hospitals to walk out this summer. Scientists at two teaching hospitals in Lancashire are being forced to take strike action over the NHS trust’s refusal to pay holiday pay that they are entitled to. Management at the trust have a long history of poor employee relations and this is continuing despite an employment tribunal finding against them. The employer lost at tribunal over this issue several years ago for one employee, but they have refused to settle it for the rest of the employees who are now owed thousands of pounds. This is despite senior management stating that they would always be open to negotiations following previous strikes over safe staffing levels…Affected employees work in the biomedical sciences department dealing with urgent and routine blood tests as well as wider diagnostic work for patients. Strike action will see significant delays to tests and procedures across the trust as workers take to the picket line on 15-19 and 22-26 June, 29 June – 3 July and 6-10 July read more

Irish Ambulance dispute: Labour Court proposals offer pathway forward (5 June) – Unite, which represents ambulance workers throughout Ireland, has said that proposals issued yesterday (Thursday) by the Labour Court offer a pathway towards resolving the long-running dispute which saw workers take industrial action last month. The dispute had centred on the failure to fully implement the 2020 ‘Roles and Responsibilities Review’ which recommended enhanced pay scales to reflect the fact that the qualifications, clinical responsibilities and operational duties of ambulance personnel have expanded significantly in recent years. The new Labour Court proposals recommend significant pay increases while largely protecting ambulance workers’ terms and conditions read more

Bilfinger offshore workers strike suspended (5 June) – Alba FSU and FPF1 assets involved in dispute. Industrial action by 20 offshore Bilfinger workers has been suspended following discussions between Unite and Bilfinger aimed at resolving issues raised by the workforce. Bilfinger workers on the Alba Floating Storage Unit (FSU) and its Floating Production Facility (FPF1) were due to undertake eight days of rolling industrial action. However, following progress in talks between the parties, strike action has been suspended while the agreed process is concluded. The Bilfinger employees involved include scaffolders, engineers, deck crew and rope access workers read more

Neo Next offshore workers to be balloted on strike action (1 June) – Elgin Franklin and North Alwyn platforms involved in pay dispute. Unite the union can confirm an industrial action ballot for offshore workers on the Elgin Franklin and North Alwyn platforms operated by Neo Next + Energy opens today (1 June). The pay dispute involving approximately 50 Unite members is a result of an unacceptable pay offer of below three per cent which was overwhelmingly rejected by the workers. Neo Next + Energy E&P Limited is the largest independent oil and gas producer in the North Sea and is the product of a merger between NEO NEXT and TotalEnergies’ UK Upstream oil and gas operations. The workers involved in the ballot include control room, production and senior operators alongside operations and production technicians. The ballot opens today and closes on 6 July read more

Fresh disruption to London buses as Bow drivers continue strikes (27 May) – There is further strike action ongoing at Bow bus garage in East London as a dispute around scheduling and driver fatigue continues. Over 300 drivers at the East London Bus & Coach Company (part of Stagecoach) are striking from today (27 May) to Friday (29 May) and then from 11 to 14 June. It comes after the employer has failed to listen to their concerns about scheduling and rota issues, which workers say is leading to severe fatigue issues. These include bus drivers completing multiple hour and a half long journeys without adequate breaks, having just 10 hours of rest times between shifts and Stagecoach refusing to schedule meal relief breaks at the depot, leaving drivers without a suitable area to recover as well as expecting them to refuel vehicles using remote electric charge points, which increases work demands read more

Staff at Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge to rally over pay (26 May) – Unite members at Addenbrookes Hospital will hold a rally tomorrow (27 May) in their fight for fairer pay. The medical workers will be calling for an NHS high cost area supplement (HCAS) as part of a wider fight for fairer pay among Unite members in Cambridge. Workers at the university of Cambridge are also calling for a ‘Cambridge weighting’ supplement. Like their university counterparts, medical staff at Addenbrookes, the primary teaching hospital for the university’s medical students, receive no extra pay for working in Cambridge. A recent travel survey commissioned by the hospital trust showed that over 50 per cent of staff are travelling over 10 miles from outside the city to work. High costs are driving workers away from the hospital where they are employed and this means they are far away from the patients that rely on their support. Unite believes they need to be given the NHS HCAS payment now to enable them afford to live in Cambridge – this payment is given to NHS workers in London and Oxford. Unite has been carrying out a HCAS campaign and petition, which already has over 1,600 signatures demanding this supplement payment. The Addenbrookes staff involved in the dispute include those who work as porters, clinical engineering technicians and genomics scientists 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 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

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

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]     

No time to wait for insourcing, Capita rally hears (7 July) – Dozens of protesters took to the streets of Westminster today to voice their anger over Capita’s failed administration of the civil service pension scheme. Thousands of retired and partially retired civil servants have experienced late or missing pension payments as a result of Capita’s maladministration of the scheme, plunging many into financial crises. Ahead of an anticipated parliamentary select committee evidence hearing tomorrow, a special demonstration took place at 1pm outside Old Palace Yard, where PCS members, pensioners and campaign supporters gathered to tell the government: “Bring civil service pensions back in-house and create a compensation scheme for those affected.” Read more

Minister says Capita was “completely unprepared” for civil service pensions contract (7 July) – The paymaster general, Nick Thomas-Symonds, has issued a highly critical update to parliament on Capita’s handling of the Civil Service Pension Scheme read more

Government admits Capita is a ‘prime candidate’ for insourcing (3 July) – During a House of Lords debate this week, there were repeated calls for outsourcing giant Capita to be held accountable for the current pensions chaos. Thousands of retiring and partially-retiring members of the civil service pension scheme are yet to receive their pension because of Capita’s mishandling of the contract read more

Members made by Capita to suffer in silence tell their stories (2 July) – Dedicated workers abandoned in retirement to cope without pensions and with difficult circumstances share their experiences read more

HMRC Pay 2026 (6 July) – HMRC and unions begin formal pay negotiations. Just over a week ago the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury approved the HMRC Departmental Pay Remit for 2026/27. HMRC require this approval before it can invite the trade unions into formal pay negotiations. Those negotiations have now begun. As usual, these negotiations are conducted on a without prejudice and confidential basis. Following the integration of the Valuation Office Agency into HMRC there will be three unions taking part in the pay negotiations, PCS, ARC and Prospect. PCS is the only union which has recognition for every pay grade covered by the Civil Service Pay Remit Guidance.

Civil Service Pay Remit fails to meet PCS pay aspirations. At PCS Revenue & Customs group conference in May motion A6 (below) was agreed, which sets out the union’s pay demands. The Civil Service Pay Remit for 2026/27 provides for a headline increase of 3.5%. There is also provision for departments to make a pay flexibility business case to HM Treasury to apply a differential of 5% between the pay rate at bands AA and AO as well as bands AO and O. Departments must show that they can fund such differentials from within their budgets. The group executive committee agreed that PCS should join the pay negotiations with HMRC. However it also agreed that as the Civil Service Pay Remit Guidance falls far short of the union’s pay demands there is no possibility of the union recommending to members acceptance of any pay offer based upon it read more

DfE Ballot – Have you voted? (30 June) – The ballot closes on 21 July and the deadline for requesting a replacement ballot paper is 10am on Wednesday, 1 July. The Department for Education plans to close offices in Croydon, Exeter, Leeds, Newcastle, Peterborough and Watford, impacting over 350 staff. It is refusing to consider proposals for increased homeworking or hybrid flexibility measures that could help avoid compulsory redundancies and reduce the impact on staff. We are therefore balloting DfE members for industrial action. The ballot opened on 26 May and closes on 21 July. If you have not yet received a ballot paper or have lost it, you have until 10am on Wednesday 1 July to request a replacement read more

DWP announces mass office closure programme (25 June) – DWP has announced today Service and Support Centre (SSC) closures in Motherwell, Glasgow, Derby, Hyde, Halifax, Torquay, Liverpool, Sunderland and Blackpool impacting thousands of staff. DWP has announced the closure of the following Service and Support Centres (SSCs) by September 2027. These office closures will impact many hundreds of members read more

FCDO members deliver strong mandate for industrial action over FCDO2030 restructure (23 June) – PCS members in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) have voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action in response to the department’s controversial FCDO2030 restructuring programme. The ballot, which closed on 22 June 2026, achieved a 52.77% turnout, comfortably clearing the legal threshold for industrial action. An emphatic 77.95% of members voted for strike action, while an overwhelming 96.95% backed action short of a strike, giving PCS a powerful mandate to escalate its campaign against job cuts, concerns over the implementation of the restructure and the absence of guarantees against compulsory redundancies. The ballot result means PCS is now legally able to call industrial action across the FCDO read more

Low paid Belfast members launch petition following strike action (23 June) – The petition calls on outsourcing giant Sodexo to reverse planned cuts to jobs and working hours. The Megaphone petition calls on Sodexo to immediately withdraw proposals to cut workers’ hours, remove all threats of redundancy, and abandon plans to merge roles into multi-functional positions. Please sign and share the petition; it only takes a couple of minutes. The petition, addressed to Paul Anstey, CEO for Government and Energy UK & Ireland at Sodexo, urges the company to withdraw proposals that would make members poorer and threaten jobs. Supporters are also being asked to donate to the PCS strike fund to help members sustain strike action without falling into financial difficulty read more

National Library of Wales members ballot on industrial action (19 June) – The ballot is in response to proposed detrimental pension changes. An industrial action ballot of PCS members at the National Library of Wales opened on 15 June in response to proposed pension changes put forward by Library management and approved by the Library Board. The ballot closes on 9 July. The proposed changes to the pension scheme include increasing employee contributions by between 3-6%, depending on pay level; increasing the retirement age to the State Pension Age; and significantly reducing the employer’s contribution to the scheme. These changes will further increase the disparity between National Library terms and conditions and those of PCS members elsewhere in the Welsh devolved sector. The attack on our members’ pensions follows over a decade and a half of austerity and cuts to the National Library and the culture sector in Wales. Wales is one from the bottom of a league table of European nations in terms of spending on cultural services per person and since 2008 the National Library’s budget has been reduced or frozen. 104 permanent posts were lost between 2010-2024. In 2020, PCS members at the library led a successful campaign in conjunction with the library’s other main trade union that stopped a £2 million cut to the Library’s budget. And in 2023, alongside PCS members from Amgueddfa Cymru, they launched a campaign against cuts. Members at the National Library are now balloting to fight the attack on their pensions. PCS is demanding the withdrawal of the proposed changes to the Library pension scheme and for an agreement to transfer scheme members to the Civil Service Pension Scheme, so that they receive the same pension rights as their colleagues elsewhere in the Welsh devolved sector read more

Ask your MP to help protect outsourced workers at the National Crime Agency (19 June) – A planned restructure threatens the jobs, terms and conditions of PCS members employed by OCS as security guards. The National Crime Agency (NCA) plays a vital role in protecting the UK from serious and organised crime 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

Government must end Capita’s civil service pensions contract (7 July) – Responding to a statement to Parliament by Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office Nick Thomas-Symonds on the Civil Service Pension Scheme, in which he announced sanctions against Capita and said the government was considering bringing the service back in-house, Prospect Deputy General Secretary Steve Thomas said: “This shambolic transfer has let down hard working civil servants who have faced real hardship as a result of a series of failings by Capita and others…” read more

Prospect writes to BAE Systems over fair work, British jobs and defence supply chains (29 June) – Prospect has written to BAE Systems Naval Ships following an address at the Scottish Defence Procurement and Supply Chain Summit in Glasgow, calling for stronger standards across the defence supply chain, including fair employment practices, respect for trade unions and greater support for British industry read more

Royal Museums Greenwich staff reject pay offer (3 June) – Prospect members at Royal Museums Greenwich (RMG) have overwhelmingly rejected the employer’s latest pay offer, with 92% voting to reject with a turnout of 96%. The offer was for a cash increase of £1,668 for all staff. The result comes after a year in which most staff received no pay increase, except for those on or immediately above the London Living Wage. The dispute at RMG covers a wider range of issues. A major concern for staff is the museum’s refusal to accredit to the London Living Wage. Members are also opposing changes to custom and practice arrangements that would require front-of-house staff to use annual leave to cover museum closure days over Christmas. Additional issues raised by staff include paid breaks for security workers, additional pay for bank holiday working, concerns around the use and renewal of fixed-term contracts, an inconsistent and opaque approach to pay progression, and the absence of a dedicated training and development budget for teams. 90% of members who voted to reject the offer said they would be prepared to take industrial action if the dispute is not resolved. The ballot result reflects concerns among staff about how workplace issues have been handled at the museum. Prospect is calling on RMG to engage constructively with staff and listen to concerns that have been raised in order to improve industrial relations and reach a resolution read more

GMB  

Almost half coastguards forced to reduce hours over cuts (7 July) – Almost half of Coastguards in UK would be forced to reduce their hours or stop volunteering altogether if ‘cruel’ pay cuts are carried out, the MCA’s own survey data shows. Coastguard Rescue Officers (CROs) are volunteers who carry out rescues and search for missing people around the UK’s coast. They have always been given hourly remuneration for attending incidents and training exercises – but the MCA has now removed the payments. Thousands of coastguards responded to a survey carried out by the MCA, the results of which have been leaked to GMB. They show 44 per cent of Coastguards would be forced to reduce their hours or be unable to continue if the cuts went ahead read more

Calls to buy British pottery as Parliament debates ceramics (6 July) – The debate comes after 100,000 signatures added to a petition in support of British pottery. GMB Union, representing workers in the ceramics industry, has today issued a fresh call to support the UK ceramics sector. The news comes as MPs prepare to debate the future of the industry in Parliament today. The debate has been triggered after 100,000 signatures were added to a petition to support the industry in the face of spiraling energy costs read more

Wheel manufacturer Moveero collapses, GMB response (3 July – GMB Union, representing workers at Talford based manufacturer Moveero (formally GKN Sankey), has today responded to the news that company administrators have failed to find a buyer. The news means the end of trading for the company and comes after administrators were appointed in March this year read more

1,000s of Evri drivers reject pay deal (15 June) – Thousands of Evri drivers have rejected a pay deal from bosses with a massive majority. More than 6,000 couriers voted on the offer– which dates back to 2025 – with almost 97 per cent voting to turn it down. GMB Union, which has had a recognition deal with Evri since 2019, recommended drivers reject the deal for the first time. GMB will meet with couriers to discuss next steps read more

Doncaster pension ‘rip-off’ sees 100s overpaying (15 June) – GMB Union has today [Monday] demanded as end to the Doncaster pension ‘rip-off’ which sees hundreds of workers pay over pay each month. Since 2019, staff across the local authority including street cleaners, gritters, adult and child social carers have had their pensionable overtime payments calculated monthly rather than annually. Council workers are part of the Local Government Pay Scheme – yet Doncaster is thought to be the only council in the country to funnel the cash in toe general pension fund, rather than workers’ own individual pots. GMB has launched a campaign calling for a refund of workers’ overpayments and potentially compensation read more

Strike action at rail manufacturing giant Vossloh (15 June) – Workers at Vossloh in Scunthorpe will down tools this week. GMB Union has today announced that workers at Vossloh will begin industrial action this week. The news comes after pay talks between the company and GMB failed to reach agreement. Workers are furious after company managers offered a below inflation pay rise, despite staff in other parts of the company abroad being offered packages worth over 5.5% and company Directors pocketing 10% bonuses. The company manufactures rails and connector components, currently planned for Sheffield’s tram network. Workers will down tools from 6AM from today, Monday 15 until June read more

Chase Farm Hospital staff at ISS to take strike action (4 June) – Dozens of staff at Chase Farm Hospital have voted overwhelmingly to take strike action following allegations of bullying, overwork, and a toxic workplace culture. The staff, who are represented by GMB Union, are employed by outsourcing giant ISS in a variety of roles including catering, cleaning, and security. They voted 95 per cent in favour of industrial action, which is set to begin on Wednesday 15 July. Serious allegations made by staff include bullying from managers – including racist comments – failure to properly pay overtime for bank holidays, changes to working patterns causing unmanageable workloads, and workplace grievances taking months to be resolved. Despite repeated attempts by GMB and its members to resolve these concerns with ISS, ISS has yet to make any formal counteroffer to attempt to avert industrial action read more

Strike threat as ‘unacceptable’ delays to equal pay (3 June) – Workers have today written to the City’s lead Commissioner demanding action, says GMB. GMB Union members have today written to Birmingham City Council Lead Commissioner, Tony McArdle, calling on the authority to do more to end delays to equal pay settlement. The open letter, co-signed by hundreds of GMB members, calls on Tony McArdle and the city’s Commissioner team to intervene to end the deadlock in settling outstanding claims. Hundreds of equal pay claimants still await settlement details from the authority, despite commitments from the council bosses to speed up the process read more

Sandwell school workers strike (1 June) – Workers from The Orchard School have been pushed to the edge, says GMB. Teachers, Teaching Assistants and Midday Supervisors will begin strike action in Sandwell next week as part of the ongoing dispute at The Orchard School. The strike is joint action between GMB, the union for school support staff, and NASUWT, Britain’s teachers union. Ninety workers at the school are anticipated to join the strike action which comes weeks after overwhelming support for industrial action in a recent ballot of staff at the school. Workers are furious after school bosses failed to respond to grievances and concern raised about student and staff safety at the facility 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

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

   

Unison     

Donate to support striking workers – As UNISON members continue to take strike action, the union is asking for donations to its strike fund   

Patients and staff at risk as another heatwave approaches, warns UNISON (2 July) – Health and social care employers across the South East must do more to protect staff and patients as another heatwave approaches, says UNISON today (Thursday). Reports collated by the union during last month’s hot spell include room temperatures of 40°C for residents with dementia and a lack of air conditioning in hospitals. The union found repeated requests for air conditioning units and fans for staff and patients at a Surrey hospital went unanswered, with equipment not arriving as ordered too late. The union says NHS trusts and care providers must prepare better for periods of extreme heat. Measures such as fans, lighter uniforms, regular cooling breaks should be in place before temperatures rise, so staff can work safely and the public receive proper care read more

Bedfordshire hospital staff to strike next week in overtime pay row (22 June) – NHS operating theatre staff in Bedfordshire will strike next week in a dispute about overtime pay, says UNISON today. Hospital workers say they will walk out on Thursday and Friday (25 and 26 June) unless managers reverse plans to cut pay for staff working extra hours. Workers employed by Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Bedford and Luton & Dunstable hospitals, are upset bosses have scrapped a payment worth up to £120 a shift for staff who work beyond their contracted weekly hours. The union says the payment is urging the trust to reverse its decision to bring overtime payments back in line with national agreements paying time and half for the extra shifts. In February, hospital bosses said they were switching to a system where staff doing extra hours had to take shifts paid at a flat rate. UNISON fears the change will lead to staff shortages and more cancelled operations read more

Sacked mining museum worker submits unfair dismissal claim (18 June) – Neil Williams was removed from his position as health and safety manager at the National Coal Mining Museum last Decemberread more

Hospital staff in Leeds to begin two-week walkout next week (18 June) – Theatre assistants are due to strike as part of the union’s Pay Fair for Patient Care campaign. Low-paid NHS staff working in operating theatres across Leeds are set to strike for two weeks in an ongoing dispute over back pay and fair grading. The theatre assistants employed by Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust will walk out from 8am on Monday (22 June) and remain on strike for 14 days. The workers say they have been carrying out duties that should be paid at a higher rate. This includes reducing the risk of infection for patients, handling clinical samples, supporting surgical teams and assisting with specialist equipment. They are currently employed at band 2, the lowest NHS pay grade, despite carrying out a range of clinical duties which should be paid at the higher band 3. Theatre assistants earn less than £13 per hour. It would cost little more than £1 an hour extra for them to be at the top of band 3, the union adds. UNISON says no progress has been made in resolving the dispute despite a productive meeting with hospital bosses earlier this month. Staff have now been left with no option but to strike. The trust’s position is increasingly out of step with NHS organisations across the region and country. Many others have agreed regrading and back pay settlements for healthcare support workers carrying out higher-level duties. Since the launch of the union’s Pay Fair for Patient Care campaign, tens of thousands of healthcare support staff in England and Wales have secured regrading and back pay settlements. This follows acknowledgement by employers that support staff had been undertaking work above their pay grade read more

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

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

Sign petition to: Paul Stone, CEO, Discovery Schools Academy Trust

Stop union-busting: protect union reps! Reinstate Tom Barker!

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’

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

NIPSA Secures More Than £3 Million for Members Through Legal Services (2 July) – NIPSA has announced that it has secured an unprecedented £3,047,868 in compensation for members so far this year, more than three times the amount typically recovered during a full year through the union’s legal services. The compensation has been awarded in cases involving workplace accidents, assaults at work, road traffic accidents, medical negligence and accidents outside the workplace. The achievement highlights the significant value of NIPSA’s legal support provision, which provides members with access to expert legal representation and assistance when pursuing claims. Commenting on the milestone, NIPSA General Secretary Carmel Gates said: “Securing more than £3 million in compensation for our members in just six months is a remarkable achievement and demonstrates the real benefits of NIPSA membership. Behind this figure are individual members and families who have received justice and financial support after experiencing difficult and often traumatic circumstances…” read more

NIPSA Warns Of “Systemic Failure” In DAERA As Vets’ Dispute Escalates (15 June) – NIPSA has warned Stormont’s Agriculture Committee that failures in DAERA’s Veterinary Service have triggered a workforce crisis now affecting key public protections. In evidence to the Committee on 11 June, union officials said the dispute was “entirely avoidable”, accusing management of years of inaction and poor governance. They said two groups of vets were allowed to carry out identical work on different pay scales, despite clear internal policy requiring early review. NIPSA said DAERA ignored repeated warnings from 2019 and failed to carry out a mandatory grading review within required timelines, allowing a known equal pay risk to persist. A long-delayed grading review in 2024 confirmed both roles should be paid the same. While some staff were upgraded last year, NIPSA said DAERA has refused to address years of lost earnings, pension impacts and ongoing financial disadvantage. After “years of being ignored”, members backed industrial action with near-unanimous support. Action is now impacting TB control, export certification and wider veterinary services read more

NIPSA Annual Report 2025 ‘For Working Class Unity and a Socialist Economy’ is now available to download here

   

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

South Tyneside and Sunderland midwives vote overwhelmingly for strike action (19 June) – Midwives in South Tyneside and Sunderland have voted overwhelmingly for strike action to prevent being rostered on-call on their days off. In a ballot of impacted members that closed this week, 92 per cent of RCM members voted yes to strike action. The RCM has been in negotiations with South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Trust for more than three years, seeking a solution that keeps maternity services safely staffed, without forcing midwives onto on-call shifts at busy times. The union has warned that the proposed on-call system is unsafe and unsustainable, risking increased burnout and damage to the recruitment and retention of midwives read more

BMA

Consultants demand talks following mandate to strike (7 July) – SAS doctors fall short of turnout threshold but vow to continue struggle for better remuneration read more

Northern Ireland Resident Doctors strike for better pay (29 June) – Primary and secondary care in Northern Ireland in dispute with government simultaneously. Resident doctor leaders accused Northern Ireland’s health minister of ‘burying his head in the sand’ as they prepared to go out on strike owing to pay erosion. A 24-hour walk-out began today at 7am today as resident doctors continue their battle for pay restoration. It follows a 24-hour strike (in the form of Christmas Day cover) by consultants and specialist, associate specialist and specialty doctors in Northern Ireland on Thursday read more

Consultants and SAS doctors begin strike (24 June) – Senior doctors in Northern Ireland announce 24-hour strike owing to failure to meet agreement on better pay.  For the first time, consultants and specialist, associate specialist and specialty doctors in Northern Ireland will go on strike today because of pay. The 24-hour strike takes the form of Christmas Day cover, which means most routine or elective work will be cancelled but emergencies will be treated and runs from 7am today until 6.59am tomorrow. Representatives of the Northern Ireland BMA consultants and SAS doctors’ committees will go to Stormont around lunchtime to meet the chair and deputy chair of the health committee to discuss the dispute read more

NEU

Save education: fully-fund teacher pay rises (1 July) – Commenting on the government announcing a 3.5 per cent pay award for the coming school year, 3 per cent the next, and with schools expected to make savings to cover some of the cost, Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National Education Union, said: “Pressure from the NEU has forced the government beyond its original pay and funding offer. But let us be clear: a partially funded settlement still means cuts to education, and the NEU will never accept that. Schools are being asked to find £460 million from budgets already at breaking point. This is the equivalent of 8,300 school staff: 3,900 teachers and 4,400 support staff. Ministers cannot claim to want more teachers while overseeing such a drastic reduction in numbers next year. In Makerfield, in Andy Burnham’s constituency, that means 40 schools being forced to find £866,842 collectively from their own budgets simply to meet the government’s requirement to fund part of this pay award…” read more

NEU Cymru members at Darland High School strike over cuts to teaching staff, behaviour, and workload (23 June) – NEU and NASUWT members at Darland High School are today (23/06/2026) taking their first day of strike action, with two days of action planned for next week. Members voted overwhelmingly in favour of action due to the detrimental changes the employer has made to staffing levels. The cuts in staffing will further exacerbate the already serious challenges around behaviour, with little to no support from Senior Leaders. Meetings have taken place between the unions and the employer, and there has been recognition that the issues raised are fair and reasonable.  The school leadership need to convince and reassure members that urgent action is being taken to address the long-standing concerns of members to avoid further action. Staff will need reassurances about class sizes, timetables, genuine and visible SLT support for behaviour and action on workload read more

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

Support the strikes:-

  • Baxter College / Worcestershire (Restructure/Redundancies) 8-10 July; NEU contact: Sean Mccauley [email protected]
  • Stourport High School & Sixth Form / Worcestershire (Redundancies) 8-10 July; NEU contact: Sean Mccauley [email protected]   
  • Castle School Education Trust / South Gloucestershire (Conditions of Service) 6-7 July; NEU contact: Elly Owen [email protected]
  • Cardinal Griffin Catholic College / Staffordshire (Workload) 8-10 July; NEU contact: Rebecca Cann [email protected]
  • Charter School Bermondsey / Southwark (Conditions of Service) 6-7 July; NEU contact: Jack Ward [email protected]
  • Chiltern Wood School / Buckinghamshire (Support staff conditions of service / pay) 9 July; NEU contact: Robert Tucker [email protected]
  • Codsall Academy Trust / Staffordshire (Changes to teaching assistant contracts / pay) 6-9 July Rebecca Cann [email protected]
  • Connaught School for Girls / Waltham Forest (Trade Union victimisation / redundancies) 6-10 July; NEU contact: Mallainee Martin and Pablo Phillips [email protected] & [email protected]
  • Our Place / Worcester (Conditions of Service) 9-10 July; NEU contact: Sean Mccauley [email protected]
  • Early Years Send Team / Leicestershire (Restructuring/Redundancies) 7 July; NEU contact: Shahida Parveen [email protected]
  • Forest Fields Primary & Nursey School / Nottingham (Conditions of Service) 7-8 July, 10 July; NEU contact: Sheena Wheatley [email protected]
  • Hampstead School / Camden (Restructure) 7-8 July; NEU contact:  Megan Quinn [email protected]  
  • Hanham Woods Academy / Bristol (Student behaviour) 6-8 July; NEU contact: Micheala Wilde [email protected]
  • Highgate Wood School / Haringey (Redundancies) 8 July; NEU contact: Efe Kurtluoglu [email protected]
  • Homewood School & Sixth Form / Kent (Restructuring/Redundancies) 7-9 July; NEU contact: Paige Horsford [email protected]
  • Woodfield School / Brent (Reduction to teaching assistant hours) 6-9 July; NEU contact: Jennifer Cooper [email protected]
  • Learning Partnership West / Bristol (Conditions of Service) 7-9 July; NEU contact: Tom Bolton [email protected]
  • Grays Convent High School / Thurrock (Redundancies) 7-9 July; NEU contact: Paul Robinson [email protected]
  • Grimley & Holt CofE Primary / Worcs (Redundancies, Restructure, Workload) 7-8 July; NEU contact: Sean McCauley [email protected]
  • Dixons Allerton Academy / Liverpool (Conditions of Service) 6, 7,10 July; NEU contact: Graham Copsey [email protected]
  • Ark Priory Academy / Ealing (Workload) 7-10 July; NEU contact: Aisha Abbasi [email protected] & Mat Milovanovic [email protected]
  • Rushey Green Primary Lewisham (Conditions of Service) 6-8 July; NEU contact: Karina Maloney [email protected]
  • Princess Frederica Primary School / Brent (Conditions of service / pay policy) 7 July; NEU contact: Lucy Cox [email protected]
  • Tewkesbury Academy / Gloucs (Conditions of Service) 7-9 July; NEU contact: Michaela Wilde [email protected]
  • Treehouse / Haringey (Workload, pay, TU recognition) 8 July; NEU contact: Efe Kurtluoglu [email protected]
  • Parkside School / Bradford (Conditions of Service) 8 July; NEU contact: Lisa Foley [email protected]
  • St Augustine’s RC High School / Lancashire (Extension of school day on Fridays) 6-7 July; NEU contact: James Watson [email protected]
  • Springwater Academy / Harrogate (Health & Safety) 7-9 July; NEU contact: Gary McVeigh-Kaye [email protected]
  • St Ignatius College / Enfield (Academisation) 7-9 July; NEU contact: Claire Docherty [email protected]
  • Martins Wood Primary / Herts (Sick Leave Policy) 7-8 July; NEU contact: Lizzie Newman [email protected] & Nyree O’Brien [email protected]
  • Nishkam High School / Birmingham (Conditions of Service) 6-10 July; NEU contact: David Room [email protected]
  • Oxford Spires Academy / Oxfordshire (Redundancies & Restructure) 7-9 July; NEU contact: Stuart Robinson [email protected]
  • Great Ormond Street & UCH Children’s Hospital / Camden (Conditions of Service) 10 July; NEU contact: Megan Quinn [email protected]
  • Woodlands School / Middlesex (Support Staff pay, Workload) 8-9 July; NEU contact: Alex Davies [email protected]
  • Bowes Primary / Enfield (Sickness absence and wellbeing policies) 8 July; NEU contact: Claire Docherty [email protected]
  • Capel Manor Primary School / Enfield (Sickness absence and wellbeing policies) 8 July; NEU contact: Claire Docherty [email protected]
  • Carterhatch Infant & Junior Schools / Enfield (Sickness absence and wellbeing policies) 8 July; NEU contact: Claire Docherty [email protected]
  • Chace Community School / Enfield (Sickness absence and wellbeing policies) 8 July; NEU contact: Claire Docherty [email protected]
  • Eldon Primary / Enfield (Sickness absence and wellbeing policies) 8 July; NEU contact: Claire Docherty [email protected]
  • Enfield County School for Girls (Upper and Lower – split site) / Enfield (Sickness absence and wellbeing policies) 8 July; NEU contact: Claire Docherty [email protected]
  • Eversley Primary / Enfield (Sickness absence and wellbeing policies) 8 July; NEU contact: Claire Docherty [email protected]
  • Galliard Primary School / Enfield (Sickness absence and wellbeing policies) 8 July; NEU contact: Claire Docherty [email protected]
  • Hazelbury Primary / Enfield (Sickness absence and wellbeing policies) 8 July; NEU contact: Claire Docherty [email protected]
  • Laurel Park / Enfield (Sickness absence and wellbeing policies) 8 July; NEU contact: Claire Docherty [email protected]
  • Raynham Primary / Enfield (Sickness absence and wellbeing policies) 8 July; NEU contact: Claire Docherty [email protected]
  • West Grove Primary School / Enfield (Sickness absence and wellbeing policies) 8 July; NEU contact: Claire Docherty [email protected]
  • Wilbury primary / Enfield (Sickness absence and wellbeing policies) 8 July; NEU contact: Claire Docherty [email protected]
  • E-Act Academies(Ex Venturers Trust) / Bristol (Sickness absence and wellbeing policies) 9-10 July; NEU contact: Tom Bolton [email protected]
  • Raynham Primary / Enfield (Sickness absence and wellbeing policies) 8 July; NEU contact: Claire Docherty [email protected]

NASUWT   

Hastings teachers strike for professional dignity (7 July) – Teachers from NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union at Ark Alexandra Academy in Hastings are starting three days of strike action today (Tuesday) in protest at restructuring plans. Restructuring plans are due to come into effect from September. The employer has failed to engage meaningfully and constructively with staff and union representatives and NASUWT believes the plans will have a significantly detrimental impact on teachers’ workloads. Furthermore, staff have been subjected to harassment and victimisation for raising concerns about the impact of the restructuring. NASUWT teachers will also take strike action tomorrow (Wednesday) and Thursday read more

Durham High School staff and parents stage emergency demo (3 July) – Teachers, school staff and parents will stage an emergency demo outside Durham High School on 3rd July at 12:45pm to protest the school’s sudden closure read more

Yorkshire teachers strike to reinstate essential pupil support (2 July) – Teachers at three schools across Yorkshire will take strike action next week after being forced out of their pastoral roles. Strikes will take place at Graham School in Scarborough on 7th July, and at Vale of York Academy and Manor Church of England Academy in York on 8th July. All schools are part of the Heartwood Learning Trust read more

Teacher pay proposals will exacerbate schools funding crisis (1 July) – Commenting on the publication of the STRB report and announcements by the Government on teacher and CEO pay, Matt Wrack, General Secretary of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union, said: “The proposals on teacher pay fall well short of what is required to support the continued delivery of a world class education service. NASUWT argued for a fully funded, restorative pay award that would begin to reverse years of real-terms pay erosion and help tackle the recruitment and retention crisis affecting schools across England. The Government has failed to deliver that ambition. Instead, schools will once again be expected to fund the first 1% of the pay award from existing budgets, which are already at breaking point. At a time when many schools are reducing staffing, cutting educational provision and making redundancies to balance their budgets, this will place even greater pressure on school finances. Teachers should not have to foot the bill for their own pay award through cuts to the education service. Cutting jobs in schools will exacerbate the excessive hours and workload already forcing too many out of the teaching profession…” read more

Industrial action ballot over toxic teacher workload in Northern Ireland (2 June) – NASUWT, the largest teachers’ union in Northern Ireland, has today served formal notice of an official industrial action ballot across all state-funded schools, following the Department of Education’s sustained failure to deliver a credible implementation plan for the 27 recommendations of the Independent Review of Workload. The ballot will open on Wednesday 10 June and will close on Tuesday 1 September read more

Teachers at SEND school strike against overcrowding (1 June) – Teachers at The Orchard School in Oldbury will begin the first of four days of strike action tomorrow. The Orchard School is a SEND school run by Sandwell Local Authority. Teachers at The Orchard have serious concerns about the numbers of pupils on roll and the impact overcrowding has on their workload, and the safety of both staff and pupils 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

    

EIS   

EIS Lodges New Dispute with City of Glasgow College over Management and Culture (30 June) – The EIS has lodged a new dispute with City of Glasgow College (CoGC) over the management style and institutional culture within the college. The EIS believes that the culture and ethos of CoGC is having a detrimental impact on the health, wellbeing, professionalism, operational effectiveness and morale of lecturing staff read more

EIS Strike Commences at Glasgow Caledonian University over Threat to 100 Jobs (29 June) – Members of the EIS ULA at Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) will be on strike this week in an escalation of a dispute over job cuts and redundancies at the university. The EIS has given notice to the university on the planned strike action and has again urged GCU management to return to the negotiating table with a promise to rule out compulsory redundancies. EIS members at GCU are greatly concerned over their future at the university, the negative impact the planned job cuts will have on the workload of those who will remain and the detrimental repercussions to academic provision and the educational experience for students read more

INTO

INTO objects to timing of communication regarding special classes (7 July) – In the last week since the INTO became aware of the intention of the Department of Education and Youth (DEY) to issue Circular 63/2026, the union has objected to its timing and some of its content read more

Public service unions to prepare strike ballots as no basis for pay talks is established (3 July) – The INTO’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) will meet next week to discuss a decision taken by the ICTU Public Services Committee on 3 July. The Public Services Committee (PSC) of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) today confirmed that its 19 affiliated unions – including the INTO – will convene their national executive bodies to prepare for potential industrial action ballots, following the failure to establish a basis for talks on a new public service pay agreement 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  

Politicians alert Office for Students over cuts at London uni as staff vote no confidence in vice-chancellor (7 July) – Parliamentarians have written to university regulator the Office for Students (OfS) over the unprecedented scale of cuts being forced through by London South Bank University (LSBU). The letter comes as staff unanimously backed a motion of no confidence in the vice-chancellor after management refused to return to the negotiating table despite an 89% strike vote and two days of action read more

Lincoln Uni strike ballot looms as over 140 staff put at risk (3 July) – The University of Lincoln has put more than 140 staff at risk of redundancy and could axe them as soon as next month. The union said it will be forced to launch a strike ballot if management continues with the plans, which would see more than 34 staff go across the schools of humanities and heritage, engineering and physical sciences, social and political sciences, chemistry, geography, and design and architecture, as well as the Lincoln international business school. Management says the cuts are needed to match student demand, but they come after staff overwhelmingly backed a no confidence vote against the vice-chancellor and senior leadership team over their poor leadership of the university, including more than one in three staff leaving over recent redundancy rounds and damaging the quality of teaching and research read more

Fall in rate means universities must stop blocking access to Teachers’ Pension Scheme (2 July) – After years of campaigning and lobbying, the University and College Union (UCU) today welcomed the fall in employer contributions to the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS). Now rates will fall, the union is calling on post-92 universities to protect access to the scheme read more

Much bigger cash injection needed to match Andy Burnham’s vision for further education, says UCU (1 July) – In response to the additional college funding the Department for Education announced today University and College Union (UCU) general secretary Jo Grady said: ‘We welcome this additional funding for further education, which comes after we wrote to the Secretary of State for Education urging her to provide more money for college pay. It is clear that the impact of UCU’s New Deal for FE campaign has moved politicians to a place where more funding, more stability, and improved pay is key to delivering the government’s industrial strategy. The truth is, however, that this increase is not enough and we need more if we are to deliver pay parity for college workers. Colleges will need a serious injection of cash if they are to provide every young person with a brighter future. Over the next few weeks, we will directly engage with Andy Burnham to press our case for a further funding injection…” read more

University of Sussex strike ballot opens over threat to axe hundreds of staff (1 July) – Staff at the University of Sussex are being asked to vote yes for strike action in a ballot that opened today and will run until Thursday 13 August. The ballot is over plans to cut 200 jobs and comes after more than 600 staff were put at risk of redundancy across academic, technical and professional services departments. Management says it needs to save £35m in annual costs due to a fall in student numbers and has refused to rule out compulsory redundancies despite more than 500 staff having already left Sussex over the past two years. Sussex UCU is putting forward proposals that would avoid the need for compulsory redundancies, protect jobs and support student learning. These include allowing staff to volunteer to move part-time and working to bring down the amount spent on the pay of senior management. Senior management’s pay bill is over £3m a year, and over the last few years new senior managerial roles have been created while staff have been taken out of frontline teaching read more

Strike ballot looms at Macclesfield College as staff reject lowball pay offer (30 June) – Macclesfield College staff have overwhelmingly voted to reject a pay offer worth just 1.5% in year and backed strike action in a fight for fair wages. In an online ballot, UCU members at the college overwhelmingly voted by 95% to reject the low-ball award and indicated they are prepared to strike if the college does not come back with a decent offer. Macclesfield initially made an offer of just 2%, lower than any other college in the region, well below inflation and the 4% recommended by the college’s employer body, the Association of Colleges. Management belatedly made a further offer of 3%, but refuse to backdate it to August, meaning it is only worth 1.5% in year. Despite offering staff a real term pay cut the college has a forecasted surplus of over £650,000, generated through the hard work of UCU members. The college is due to be taken over by Cheshire College South and West on Saturday 1 August (2026) meaning staff could be striking within weeks of the college’s takeover read more

Exeter University staff vow to fight ‘vicious’ job cuts (29 June) – Staff at Exeter University have overwhelmingly supported a no confidence vote in the university’s vice-chancellor as they prepare to fight a wave of vicious cuts to the humanities department, announced the University and College Union (UCU) today. Over 500 research and teaching staff, including more than eight in 10 academics in the faculty of humanities, arts and social sciences are at risk of redundancy in plans to axe over 200 staff. UCU fears that courses including history, English, modern languages and politics will suffer irreparable damage if the cuts go through, with the cuts on the Falmouth campus also putting languages and environmental sciences provision at serious risk. A petition against the cuts has already gained over 10,000 signatures. Management says the cuts are needed to reduce financial pressures, but UCU argues there is no financial need to force through cuts of this scale. According to the university’s own accounts, since 2023 it has increased its reserves by over £188m (from £432m to £621m). And since 2021, the number of staff earning over £100k has jumped by more than double (from 157 to 404), despite the university’s claim that it has “taken steps to manage staffing costs”. Last Thursday, at a packed emergency meeting, UCU members overwhelmingly voted no confidence in the vice-chancellor and, later this week, will meet again to vote for industrial action read more

University of Nottingham condemned after latest attempt to end industrial action (19 June) – University and College Union (UCU) has today (Friday 19 June) condemned University of Nottingham management for their lack of willingness to help resolve the current dispute. UCU officials met with University of Nottingham management yesterday in a bid to end the ongoing dispute over large-scale job cuts, course closures and workload concerns. UCU had earlier this week provided potential further savings and a more detailed financial counterproposal to the employer’s plans and on top of the number of staff who may leave voluntarily. With graduations in just a few weeks, this was the ideal time to seek a resolution read more

Staff at Northumbria University to be balloted for strike action in job cuts row (18 June) – UCU has today formally declared a dispute with Northumbria University and will ballot members over potential strike action. The dispute is in response to management plans to slash around 1 in 10 jobs before Christmas, across Geography and Natural Sciences; Engineering, Physics & Maths; Humanities; Theatre & Performance; and Design departments.  Management has refused to rule out compulsory redundancies. The £5 million cuts follow an already damaging restructure, plans to push staff out of pension schemes and the folly of expensive building projects, including a £2.5m Centre for Writing which would house some of those staff who survive the cull. The move to a dispute and potential strike action follows votes of no confidence in both the senior executives and the Board of Governors read more

LSBU staff to strike next week in fight against vicious assault on academics’ terms and conditions (16 June) – UCU has today announced that staff at London South Bank University (LSBU) will take two days of strike action next week in a row over proposed sham redundancies and contract changes. Staff will down tools on Monday 22 June and Thursday 25 June, with pickets at the main entrance on Borough Road, SE1 0AA and the Keyworth Building entrance on Keyworth Street, SE1 6NG from 9am to 12pm on both days. Staff will also hold a rally on Monday 22 June from 12pm until 1pm outside the LSBU Hub on 100-116 London Road, SE1 6LN. The dispute is over LSBU’s decision to terminate the contract of all academic members of staff and pit them against each other in a redundancy selection process determined by the Research Excellence Framework read more

University of Dundee staff vote for strike action in re-ballot (9 June) – Staff at the University of Dundee have again backed strike action in the long running dispute over jobs cuts and management’s refusal to rule out compulsory redundancies. In a ballot that ended at 12noon today, UCU Scotland members voted by 79% to back strike action. The turnout was 58%. Action short of strike, including working to contract, not covering for absent colleagues, not taking on voluntary activities and a possible marking and assessment boycott was also backed by 89% of members. The branch’s members will now decide what action to take. The re-ballot was required as mandates for strike action are time limited under employment law. Recent changes to the law mean that this new mandate will last for a full calendar year read more

Global academic boycott imposed on University of Sheffield over job cuts & pay docking (4 June) – The University of Sheffield has just been hit with the ultimate sanction of a global academic boycott by the biggest higher education union in the UK read more

Glasgow Caledonian University strike starts today (3 June) – Members of UCU at Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) today begin three days of strike action in a dispute over job cuts and possible compulsory redundancies. Staff are taking strike action today and tomorrow, and on Tuesday 4 August.  In the vote authorising the strike members supported the action by 79% with a 69% turnout.  Staff are also taking part in action short of strike including working to contract, not undertaking voluntary duties or covering for absent colleagues. The strike is over proposals by senior managers to cut up to 100 posts even though the university is not currently in deficit read more

UCU responds to threat of over 100 job cuts at Aberdeen University (29 May) – Speaking following the announcement from the University of Aberdeen that it plans to make over 100 job cuts, UCU Aberdeen co-chair Dan Cutts said: ‘This is absolutely devastating for the workforce. There is a lot of anger, distress and worry amongst our members who have been working tirelessly to support their students. Our members are baffled as to why senior management are choosing to make these drastic job cuts when the university’s financial situation has improved and they report we are in surplus. Management plans are illogical and will be damaging to the student experience here at Aberdeen University. UCU will be gauging the feelings of our membership over the next few days and there is no doubt that our union will be fighting back against these devastating cuts.’ Read more

Ten-day strike at Aberdeen University starts today (13 Apr)

Indefinite strike action to begin Monday 8 June over Goldsmiths lockout (29 May) – Staff will commence an indefinite strike on Monday 8 June at Goldsmiths, University of London. The union said the imposition of 100% pay deductions for participation in action short of strike is an effective lockout, and staff will refuse to work because management refuses to pay them. UCU began a marking boycott, as part of its action short of strike, on Monday 27 April, refusing to mark all work and assessments in a fight to protect jobs. Management responded by threatening to dock 100% of pay even if staff continue to complete all their other duties, including teaching, research and recruitment. The employer confirmed its intention to dock pay from Friday 22 May, ahead of a bank holiday weekend, and UCU has now responded by giving notice for indefinite strike action beginning Monday 8 June. Worryingly, university management has also reportedly issued an ultimatum to students, threatening to ban them from campus for protesting in solidarity with staff. Currently 269 professional services staff and academics are in scope of redundancy, more than one in five of the 1,230 strong workforce. Further academic staff cuts are also slated to start from September. This is the third round of redundancies at Goldsmiths in the last five years, and these cuts are going ahead despite close to £24m being saved in the two previous rounds read more

Union condemns University of Sussex threat of compulsory redundancies (29 May) – UCU has condemned the University of Sussex management’s threat to cut 200 jobs, with around 600 staff placed at risk of redundancy. The threatened job losses form part of a £35m cuts programme following a fall in student recruitment. UCU Sussex, along with sister branches UNISON and UNITE, has written to vice-chancellor Sasha Roseneil demanding that compulsory redundancies be ruled out until Saturday 31 July 2027. UCU said it would fight any threat of compulsory redundancies 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

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

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     

General Secretary update read more

National Chair update June 2026 read here  

NEC minutes June 2026 read more

Front line staff need action – not another review (2 July) – Responding to the Lord Chancellor David Lammy’s announcement of an independent review of Prisons, to be chaired by former Home Secretary Amber Rudd, the POA leadership have reacted with bewilderment. There have been dozens of so-called independent reports dating back 30 years and more into Prisons yet after each report which identifies the problems political parties when in Government do very little to make things better read more

We need urgent action and investment not more warm words says prison officers’ leader (2 July) – The Leader of the Union representing the UK’s 35,000 Prison Officers has called for “urgent action and investment” to address the crisis in the UK’s Prisons and stem the rising tide of violence faced by his members. The call comes in response to the Government’s announcement that former Tory Home Secretary, Amber Rudd will lead a review of the Prison System in England and Wales read more

Right to strike campaign – further action (5 June) – POA Circular 033/2026 asked members to contact their local MP and request their support for the POA’s Right to Strike Campaign. If you have received a response from your MP, whether positive or negative, please forward it to [email protected]. This is part of a simple but powerful campaign that will send a clear message that Prison Officers must have their right to strike restored read more

Right to strike campaign – postcard action (28 Mar) – POA Circular 23/2026 was promulgated on 23rd March 2026 and POA Circular 34/2026 was promulgated on the 2nd April 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

NAPO

Detailed Probation Pay Claim Submitted (26 Jan) – The Probation Trade Unions have now formally submitted the detailed 2026–27 pay claim to senior HMPPS management, marking the next stage in our campaign to secure the pay, recognition and respect that probation staff deserve. This follows the opening of ‘without prejudice’ discussions earlier this month. Further talks will take place throughout July and August and Napo remains absolutely clear: members must have a pay offer to consider before 1 September read more

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     

BALPA

BALPA’s Realtime reporting week: fighting fatigue together (26 June) – It’s midway through our first Realtime reporting week and the team are reporting an impressive response from BALPA pilots with a surge in the rate of submissions. Thanks to all our members supporting this important campaign on pilot fatigue. This is the crucial information we need to make the case for change, including improved FTL regulations and more effective fatigue risk management read more

Nautilus International

Members at AW Crewing accept 2026 pay package (2 July) – Nautilus International members employed by AW Crewing (Guernsey) Limited serving on RV CEFAS Endeavour have voted to accept the company’s 2026 pay and conditions offer read more

NUJ   

NUJ welcomes release of Klaus Thymann after arrest in Uganda (8 July) – The NUJ has welcomed the freeing of photographer Klaus Thymann after a five-day detention in Uganda read more

Canary debanking sets ‘disturbing precedent for press freedom’, says NUJ (7 July) – The NUJ is seeking an explanation in response to reports that Lloyds Bank has suspended access to The Canary’s funds without giving a reason read more

NUJ responds to Sky deal for ITV (6 July) – The NUJ has responded to the announcement that Sky, owned by US company Comcast, has agreed a £1.6 billion deal to take over ITV’s Media & Entertainment division read more

NUJ statement on Lyra McKee murder verdict (3 July) – The NUJ has responded after three men were found not guilty of the murder of journalist and union member Lyra McKee in a verdict delivered at Belfast Crown Court today (3 July). In her closing remarks, Mrs Justice Smyth described McKee’s murder as “an act of senseless violence” and expressed regret that the protracted trial had brought little if any comfort to McKee’s family and friends. “The gunman has never been brought to the court and the evidence against those accused of assisting or encouraging has fallen short of that required for conviction,” said Smyth. The NUJ was represented at the hearing by Séamus Dooley, assistant general secretary, and Kevin Cooper, Belfast & District branch acting chair, who has been a union observer at a number of hearings read more

Cutting foreign correspondents risks BBC’s global reputation, says NUJ (2 July) – The NUJ is calling on the BBC to reconsider its decision to cut dedicated foreign stringers (correspondents). Reporters covering 13 capitals and the United Nations (UN) have been told that they are no longer required read more

NUJ and sister unions launch public petition to protect BBC and its workers (1 July) – The NUJ has joined forces with sister unions to launch a new petition calling on Matt Brittin, BBC director general, and the UK prime minister to back the BBC and its workers. The petition responds to BBC plans to slash between 1,800-2,000 jobs as part of a 10% reduction to its total costs by the end of 2028-29. The first wave of proposed cuts will lead to a reduction of 550 roles across the BBC’s news, nations, and content teams and the loss of valued programming, including within Radio 4 and the World Service read more

Equity

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

Sign the Petition to Protect the BBC’s Future (3 July) – A collective of arts, entertainment and broadcast unions, including the Musicians’ Union, have launched a joint petition to protect the future of the BBC read more

MU Highlights Challenges Facing Freelance Musicians in Parliament (1 July) – Musicians’ Union General Secretary Naomi Pohl tells MPs that, despite improvements in workers’ rights, freelance musicians are still facing significant challenges read more

Community

Teacher Pay Announcement for England (2 July) – Community welcomes the Government announcement of a 6.5% pay award for teachers and leaders over the next two school years read more

USDAW

Usdaw warns the Government that breaking its manifesto commitment could make workers worse off (1 July) – Retail trade union leader Joanne Thomas, Usdaw general secretary, has given evidence to the House of Commons Business and Trade Select Committee about the impact of the Government consultation on the details of the right to a guaranteed hours contract, as part of the Employment Rights Act. The union says that narrowing the right to workers contracted for less than 20 hours does not meet Labour’s 2024 manifesto commitment to “everyone” read more

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 cleaners at South London school Ark Globe Academy vote for strike action (30 June) – Outsourced migrant cleaners, members of United Voices of the World (UVW), at Ark Globe Academy in South London have voted unanimously to take strike action after months of campaigning to restore the full London Living Wage and address persistent payroll issues. Every worker who participated in the ballot voted YES for industrial action, giving a 100% mandate to strike. The cleaners, employed by subcontractor Atlas Cleaning Limited, won the London Living Wage in 2020 and have consistently received it over the past five years. However, from 1 April 2026 they were given only a partial uplift to £14.27 per hour, marking the first time the full annual increase has not been implemented.  Months of payroll errors and delayed wage corrections have also left many workers struggling to pay rent, bills and other essential living costs. Atlas Cleaning Limited has told UVW that it cannot fully implement the 2026 London Living Wage increase because of contractual arrangements with Ark Globe Academy. The school told UVW that it decided “to pause alignment to the Real Living Wage for this financial year” due to wider financial pressures across the organisation and education sector…The cleaners’ campaign has attracted growing support from the local community, including National Education Union (NEU) members, teachers across Southwark, and residents; Green Party councillors have also backed the workers’ call for fair pay and treatment read more

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

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

Driver union protest over driverless cars disrupts City Hall transport meeting (26 June) – Private hire drivers working on platforms including Uber and Bolt disrupted a London Assembly Transport Committee meeting yesterday to protest the planned rollout of driverless cars on London’s streets. The meeting at City Hall included a discussion on the future of autonomous vehicle technology, with industry stakeholders invited to give evidence to members of the London Assembly and TfL officials. Speakers included a representative from Waymo, the leading commercial robotaxi operator worldwide, and Wayve, a UK based autonomous vehicle technology company that secured more than a billion pounds in funding from Uber. Drivers belonging to the IWGB Union stood and interrupted the meeting to raise concerns directly with London’s transport decision-makers. Protesters highlighted concerns around passenger safety, the impact of additional vehicles on already congested roads, and the threat posed to more than 100,000 private hire driver jobs read more

Rockstar suffers legal setback as judge rules against studio in union-busting dispute (17 June) – An employment tribunal has ruled against Rockstar Games in the latest stage of a legal dispute over alleged union-busting at the studio. The ruling allows the IWGB Union to continue bringing blacklisting claims against the company at the final trial set to take place over September and October this year. Following the sudden dismissals of 31 of its members in October last year, the IWGB Union has been preparing to take Rockstar to court over allegations including blacklisting – the practice of compiling information about workers involved in union activity in order to discriminate against them.At the latest preliminary hearing, Rockstar sought to strike blacklisting claims from the case being brought against it, but the ruling, published yesterday, rejects this attempt to narrow the scope of the case, and confirms that every one of the union’s allegations relating to union-busting can proceed to trial. The dates for the final hearing have now been shared, with the trial set to begin on the 10th of September and run to the 15th of October this year. The court case will conclude just over a month before the planned release of Grand Theft Auto VI on the 19th of November, expected to be one of the biggest video game launches in history read more

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

SIPTU (Ireland)   

SIPTU to ballot public service members on strike action over Government inaction on pay talks (6 July) – SIPTU has today (Monday, 6th July) launched nationwide workplace consultations in preparation for strike ballots involving tens of thousands of members across the public service over the coming weeks, following the Government’s failure to begin meaningful negotiations on a successor public service agreement. The previous agreement, which expired on 30th June, covered more than 80,000 SIPTU members across the public service. SIPTU said the lack of meaningful engagement is not tenable given the enduring cost-of-living crisis experienced by workers, and that the absence of an agreement is creating unnecessary uncertainty for workers and services read more

Public service unions to prepare ballots as pay talks process stalls (5 July) – The Public Services Committee (PSC) of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) confirmed that its 19 affiliated unions will convene their national executive bodies to prepare for potential industrial action ballots, following the failure to establish a basis for talks on a new public service pay agreement read more

9% cut to VAT rate for hospitality businesses fails workers (1 July) – SIPTU representatives have criticised the reinstatement of the 9% VAT rate for employers in the hospitality sector, warning that the measure represents a costly subsidy to business with no guaranteed benefit for workers or consumers read more

Castolin workers win dispute on redundancy terms (29 June) – SIPTU has received confirmation from management in Castolin Eutectic Ireland, Citywest, Dublin 24, that the company will implement a Labour Court Recommendation on redundancy terms, bringing to a successful conclusion a campaign of industrial action by our members. The Labour Court Recommendation provides for an increase in redundancy terms of 1.5 weeks per year of service over statutory entitlements. SIPTU members at Castolin had taken industrial action and placed pickets on the facility for three days over the past week and had served notice for a further five days of stoppages next week. Following confirmation by management that the terms of the recommendation will be implemented, this further action will not take place read more

Ambulance dispute update: Labour Court recommend pay rises (5 Jan) – SIPTU representatives have described a Labour Court recommendation of pay rises for ambulance workers as “a major breakthrough” in a long-running dispute over the failure of the National Ambulance Service (NAS) to implement the McHugh/Crabtree report. The recommendation includes pay increases for Emergency Medical Technicians, Paramedics, Specialist Paramedics, and Paramedic Supervisors. It also protects the majority of the existing terms and conditions of ambulance personnel. SIPTU represents around 90% of the NAS personnel affected by the ongoing dispute. It follows the HSE’s failure to implement the recommendations of the independent McHugh/Crabtree report on updating ambulance personnel’s pay scales to reflect changes in their responsibilities and workloads over the last 20 years. SIPTU spent four days in the Labour Court arguing the Union’s case for recognition of changes and upskilling involving the NAS operational grades, which were the subject of the recommendations of the McHugh/Crabtree report read more

SIPTU members in RTÉ vote for industrial action to prevent further outsourcing (3 June) – SIPTU members employed in RTÉ have voted overwhelmingly in favour of taking industrial action if there is any further outsourcing of production or roles at the national broadcaster. In a ballot, the results of which were released today (Tuesday, 2nd June), the vote was 85% to 15% in favour of proposals for industrial action if management attempts to implement any further outsourcing of roles and production responsibilities. SIPTU organises approximately 600 RTÉ staff carrying out a wide variety of roles read more

SIPTU receives proposal from Dublin home care provider in pay dispute (29 May) – SIPTU received a revised pay proposal from the Dublin-based home care provider, Trinity Home Care following intensive engagement with the organisation’s management. The proposal represents progress in the ongoing discussions to resolve the current pay dispute. The proposal has the potential to deliver substantial financial gains for members of over 10%. It also includes increases to the Night Allowance for those who provide this service between 5.00pm and 10.00pm. Change in the workers’ pay scales will result in members in their first five years of service benefiting from an annual increase. In line with established procedures, SIPTU will now be putting this proposal to members for their consideration through a formal ballot. To facilitate this democratic process, the planned industrial action has been placed on hold pending the outcome of the ballot 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

  

Other news     

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     

Germany: International solidarity against union busting – CWI member under attack for his defence of workers’ rights (19 June) – Cologne’s swimming pool operator, Köln-Bäder GmbH, a subsidiary of Cologne’s council’s municipal services provider, Stadtwerke-Köln GmbH, has filed a motion for the extraordinary termination of employment of works council member, Martin Löber. The reason given for this termination is alleged working-hour fraud. Experts from ver.di (the public sector union) who have reviewed the case have stated that this incident does not even warrant a discussion. Various claims made in the justification for the termination have been proven false, as evidence has already shown. There is a strong suspicion that the grounds for the termination have been fabricated. For Martin, the termination is yet another attempt by his employer to get rid of him. He has already been suspended twice during previous conflicts…Send letters of protest to Köln-Bäder GmbH at [email protected] with copies sent to [email protected]  read more

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]

Workers unity against 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

   

   

Diary      

  

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