NSSN 568: Support the London Barts NHS strike!

Unite: Serco outsourced workers at Barts to take all-out strike action for first two weeks in February in battle against low pay (24 Jan)

Hundreds of key NHS workers, employed by the giant outsourcing company, Serco, will stage a two week strike across Barts Health NHS Trust in “a battle against low pay and exploitation”. Unite members who are cleaners, porters, security, catering and reception staff across St Barts, Royal London Hospital, and Whipps Cross will take strike action beginning on Monday 31 January and ending on Sunday 13 February. Unite has warned that further strike action will follow if the demands of the workers are not met. The workers roundly rejected Serco’s latest derisory pay offer of just 3 per cent. Especially when inflation (RPI) leapt to 7.5 per cent this week. Serco Group PLC had a turnover of £3.9 billion according to the latest figures available. The mainly Black, Asian and ethnic minority (BAEM) staff are paid up to 15 per cent less than directly employed NHS staff. Serco’s offer does nothing to close the pay gap between the outsourced workers and directly employed NHS workers. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “These workers face the same risks as NHS-employed staff but they are paid significantly worse and treated disgracefully. Barts Health NHS Trust have a golden opportunity to bring these workers, employed by Serco not the NHS, back into NHS employment. “It’s time to end the injustice of a two-tier workforce. Unite is 100 per cent behind our members’ battle against low pay and exploitation.” Read more

NSSN supporting striking Royal London workers
NSSN supporting striking Royal London workers

PICKET LINES INFORMATION

The picket lines will be each day at the Royal London (Whitechapel Road), Whipps Cross (Whipps Cross Road), and St Barts (Little Britain) Hospitals from 5:30am to 11am, Monday to Saturday. Meet at the main entrances of the hospitals 30 minutes before your shifts is due to begin. Nights and Twilights shifts attend from 7am.

RALLY/DEMOS

Important to attend ALL of the rallies! Monday will be the main rally. Leave your picket line early (or go directly to rally if not at picket line).

Monday, January 31st at the Royal London Hospital – Speakers Including John McDonnell and other big names. (Dental Hospital on Turner Street, E1 1FR, at 11am)

Wednesday, February 2nd at St Barts Hospital (Main entrance on Little Britain at 11am)

Friday, February 4th at Whipps Cross Hospital (Main entrance on Whipps Cross Road E11 1NR at 11am)

DONATIONS TO STRIKE FUND: Barts Heath NHS LE/7384L  – Unity trust 20344885 sort code 60-83-01. Pay online or post cheques to Len Hockey, 242 Willingale Road, Loughton IG10 2BX

SEND MESSAGES OF SUPPORT TO [email protected]

 

NSSN news

Get your trade union branch or trades council to affiliate to the NSSN – it only costs £50. Already affiliated? Please think about renewing it. Also, many of our supporters pay a few pounds a month. You can set up a similar standing order to ‘National Shop Stewards Network’, HSBC – sort code 40-06-41, account number 90143790. Our address is NSSN, PO Box 54498, London E10 9DE. Feel free to use this affiliation letter.

And if you can, come to one of our regional Conferences. If there is not one in your area, get in touch to either assist in organising or have a speaker at one of your meetings or events. Contact Rob or Linda on [email protected]

 

Union News

RMT

RMT warns of climate cost of latest Scottish rail fare hike (24 Jan) – New research reveals the price of using rail has risen more than four times quicker than the cost of petrol. Union also warns that rail service and ticket office cuts mean passengers will be paying “more for less”. As rail passengers in Scotland face a fares hike of 3.8%, analysis by rail union RMT reveals that since the start of 2012, regulated peak fares in Scotland have increased by a massive 38%, whilst the average cost of petrol has increased by just 8.6%. In light of this stark disparity between the rising cost of the sustainable rail network compared to fuel, RMT questions whether the Scottish Government is serious about meeting its climate change targets read more

Ahead of further strike action, RMT seeks urgent clarification on night shifts (21 Jan) – Ahead of further strike action, RMT seeks urgent clarification on Deputy Mayor’s claim that “It is not the case that drivers will have to work a night shift”. TUBE UNION RMT has today written to London Mayor Sadiq Khan seeking urgent clarification of comments made by Deputy Mayor Seb Dance on Monday in which he clearly stated that “It is not the case that drivers will have to work a night shift” and that “where a [Night Tube] driver wants to swap a night shift for a day shift that will be possible” read more

Heroic West Coast train cleaners strike for pay justice (19 Jan) – Atalian Servest cleaners strike action tomorrow in pursuit of fair pay. Heroic train cleaners working to keep Avanti West Coast trains clean and safe for passengers will begin strike action tomorrow in pursuit of fair pay. The cleaners, who have worked throughout the pandemic to keep essential transport services running, are employed by Atalian Servest Limited, a multi-national outsourcing company based in France. Like many outsourced cleaners, they are paid £9.68 per hour, less than the Real Living Wage and have no company sick pay, meaning that they frequently come into work when sick because they cannot make ends meet read more

Rail cleaner Covid heroes ballot begins (18 Jan) – Hundreds of Rail cleaner Covid heroes begin voting for strike action across the South East. RAIL UNION RMT will begin balloting cleaners today employed by outsourcing company Churchill on four separate contracts in the South East for strike action in pursuit of fair pay. The historic strike ballot is the latest phase of a long-running campaign for pay justice by cleaners who have been described as heroes for working throughout the pandemic to ensure that trains running on Thameslink, Southern, Great Northern, Southeastern, High Speed 1 and Eurostar trains are safe for the public to use read more

RMT Members vote yes for Tube strike – London Transport Union RMT confirms members vote yes for action as London Underground refuse to give assurances on jobs, pensions and working conditions. LONDON TRANSPORT UNION RMT confirmed that members voted yes for strike action and action short of a strike in a ballot of over ten thousand members across all grades of LU staff that closed today. 94% of members voted to strike. The ballot took place after LUL members were refused assurances on jobs, pensions and working conditions in the midst of an on-going financial crisis driven by central Government. The union’s LUL reps and executive committee are considering the result but says that it will take whatever action is necessary to prevent staff paying the price for a financial crisis that is not of their making read more

 

TSSA

TSSA backs face coverings call on public transport (19 Jan) – TSSA General Secretary, Manuel Cortes, has backed a call from London Mayor Sadiq Khan that face coverings should remain compulsory on Transport for London (TfL) services and the wider network, after restrictions end in England. This follows an announcement from the government that England’s Plan B measures are to end from next Thursday (27 January), with mandatory face coverings in public places and Covid passports both dropped read more

 

Unite

Unite vows to fight threat to axe 700 Royal Mail manager jobs (25 Jan) – Unite the union pledged today (Tuesday 25 January) to fight plans by the Royal Mail to axe 700 managerial jobs, after a £400 million giveaway to key shareholders. Unite said its members were being made the scapegoat for the bosses’ failure to maintain deliveries during the two-year old pandemic which has led to the possibility of fines from the regulator Ofcom. The union, which represents thousands of Royal Mail managers, said today’s restructuring announcement could impact up to 900 of its members overall in the delivery division and the threat of an industrial action ballot was now on the cards read more

Takeover of London GP practices by private US healthcare company set for landmark judicial review on 1 February (25 Jan) – The takeover of GP practices in London by US health insurance giant Centene Corporation will be subject of a landmark judicial review on 1 and 2 February after tens of thousands of pounds was raised by the public to fund the case, Unite the union said today (Tuesday 25 January). Campaigners say that the review will focus on the lack of consultation with patients, following the takeover early in 2021 by Centene’s UK subsidiary Operose Health of the privately-owned AT Medics set up in 2004 by six NHS GPs and which runs 37 GP practices across London. Campaign organisations, including Unite, Keep Our NHS Public, 999 Call for the NHS and We Own It, spearheaded the campaign which saw the public donate generously so that the judicial review got the go-ahead last October. The High Court will hear the case on Tuesday 1 February and Wednesday 2 February when it will consider whether the North Central London Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) acted unlawfully read more

Airbus workers to ballot for strike action over pay (25 Jan) – Workers at Airbus’ factories in Broughton in North Wales and Filton in South West England have begun balloting for industrial action in a dispute over pay. The dispute is a result of the company making an unacceptably low pay offer to the workers for 2021, following a pay freeze in 2020. Despite extensive negotiations, Airbus has failed to increase its offer to a level that workers are able to support read more

Unite Wales statement on Airbus Broughton (21 Jan) – Speaking in relation to the current wage negotiations and the impending industrial action at the site, Tony Brady Unite Regional Co-ordinating Officer commented: “The world class workforce at Airbus Broughton expect and deserve a fair pay increase. Any pay award must reflect the current rate of inflation and the impending cost of living crisis. Airbus can afford to offer its workers a decent pay rise. It has enjoyed healthy financial results for 2021 and passed its delivery targets. The fact that the company wants to recruit 600 additional agency workers also points to the fact that the order book is in good health. Our members at Airbus have always been open to change and innovation. Their hard work has driven the business forward through the pandemic and it is important that this is recognised through a fair and equitable pay award.” Read more

FCA staff ballot for industrial action (24 Jan) – Unite, the union representing staff at the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has today (Monday 24 January) launched an indicative ballot of its members for industrial action at the regulator. Unite members will today began voting in a ballot called by the union as management has refused to negotiate with the workforce on a programme of severe cost-cutting, which is set to turn the FCA into “a bargain basement” regulator. The programme includes slashing staff pay and imposing an appraisal system which punishes strong performers. Staff were left further enraged last month as the FCA’s inexperienced CEO, Nikhil Rathi, dismissed employees’ concerns as “noise”. Only last week, he made the bizarre claim that cutting their pay would improve the performance of staff read more

OVO must account for £40m transferred to owner Stephen Fitzpatrick’s other firms (24 Jan) – OVO Energy must ‘open the books’ and explain why £40m in loans and payments have been made to other companies owned by Stephen Fitzpatrick before it makes 2,000 staff redundant, Unite said today (Monday 24 January 2022). Unite research shows nearly £20 million from OVO has been loaned to a number of companies owned by Stephen Fitzpatrick, while £21 million has been paid out to Imagination Industries, OVO’s parent company for ‘brand royalty fees’ read more

Unite Wales statement on Airbus Broughton (21 Jan) – Speaking in relation to the current wage negotiations and the impending industrial action at the site, Tony Brady Unite Regional Co-ordinating Officer commented: “The world class workforce at Airbus Broughton expect and deserve a fair pay increase. Any pay award must reflect the current rate of inflation and the impending cost of living crisis. Airbus can afford to offer its workers a decent pay rise. It has enjoyed healthy financial results for 2021 and passed its delivery targets. The fact that the company wants to recruit 600 additional agency workers also points to the fact that the order book is in good health. Our members at Airbus have always been open to change and innovation. Their hard work has driven the business forward through the pandemic and it is important that this is recognised through a fair and equitable pay award.” Read more

Supporters demand action as Scunthorpe scaffolders prepare to strike (21 Jan) – Campaigners will stage protests at four Actavo sites across England, Scotland and Ireland to demand that Actavo pays scaffolders the rate for the job. The scaffolders employed by Actavo at British Steel in Scunthorpe will begin continuous strike action this Wednesday (26 January 2022). The workers are being paid up to 15 per cent below the agreed rate for the job under the National Agreement for the Engineering Construction Industry (NAECI). Unite is calling on both British Steel and Actavo to enter into tripartite negotiations with Unite. The union and thousands of supporters are calling on Actavo and British Steel to take responsibility for the ‘mess’ they have created by refusing to apply the national agreement and pay workers the rate for the job read more

Donate to strike fund:-

Either via bank transfer – sort code: 60-83-01 account number: 20173962, account name: Unite North East Region 1% Fund, reference: Actavo Limited and your branch number

Or by cheque made payable to ‘Unite the Union’ and forwarded to the Leeds Regional Office, Unite the Union, 55 Call Lane, Leeds LS1 7BW marked for the attention of the Regional Secretary (Actavo Limited Dispute). Letters of support can be sent to the Regional Office

As restrictions are lifted in Ireland, hospitality workers’ concerns remain (23 Jan) – Long-term sustainability of hospitality sector depends on improving working conditions. Trade union Unite, which represents hospitality workers throughout Ireland, today (Sunday) extended a cautious welcome to the Government’s decision to lift many Covid-19 restrictions on hospitality, but warned that the sector’s long-term sustainability depends on improving conditions for hospitality workers read more

Unite Ireland Hospitality Branch position on proposed ‘Tips’ legislation (20 Jan) – Unite met with the Tanaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Leo Varadkar TD, on Monday 17 January. Click here to read the position of the Hospitality Branch, here to read our statement issued following the meeting, and here to listen to an interview with Unite Hospitality Coordinator Julia Marciniak on Newstalk read more

Management serve notice to residents at Regina Coeli House terminating their license to occupy rooms (19 Jan) – Workers enter ninth day of work-in to keep doors open on Northern Ireland’s sole women-only hostel. Online petition backing campaign to save women’s hostel surges past 10,000 signature mark. Workers at Regina Coeli House entered their ninth day of maintaining a service for residents despite a threat by management to close the facility. The women residents remaining in the building have refused to leave as they face a choice between entering mixed sex accommodation, which is inappropriate to their needs, or single unit temporary accommodation where they will be left without any support or access to onsite counselling services. Regina Coeli House has 21 beds and is Northern Ireland’s only women’s-only hostel. It provides support to homeless women, women who have been trafficked, the sexually abused, those suffering from addictions as well as survivors of domestic abuse. In previous days, management at the Legion of Mary-owned facility have responded to the ‘work-in’ by suspending the workers. Today they delivered a written notice to the remaining residents terminating their license to occupy any room in the building. The letter claims that the ‘management committee can no longer provide the services for which they have been contracted by Northern Ireland Housing Executive’. Unite Regional Secretary Jackie Pollock reiterated his union’s continued support for the campaign to defend what is a vital service for the most vulnerable women in Northern Ireland read more   sign petition

Mercedes Benz Retail Group workers accelerate to a 13 per cent pay rise for 2022 (19 Jan) – The vehicle technician workforce at Mercedes Benz Retail Group (MBRG) were today (Wednesday 19 January) celebrating a pay package that sees a 13 per cent pay hike for 2022, after the management had originally offered no pay rise. Unite the union said the 185 workers at the MBRG sites – Brentford, Brooklands, Colindale, Croydon, Heathrow, Loughton, Temple Fortune, Stratford and Watford – have accepted the offer. The four days of strike action due to be held next week have been called off and the technicians are working normally read more

First Manchester bus drivers announce fresh strikes in pay dispute (19 Jan) – Bus drivers employed by First Manchester, have announced fresh strike action in the dispute over pay. The new dates for industrial action are a direct consequence of the company’s failure to make an improved offer to resolve the dispute. The new days for strike action are Monday 31 January and then the following dates in February 1, 4, 7, 8, 9, 15, 17, 18, 21, 23 and 25.. In effect the 300 plus drivers, who are members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, will be striking for three days a week next month. There have already been three days of strike action in the dispute and further strikes dates have already been announced for 20, 24 and 26 of January read more

Strike fund details – Unity Bank, AC: 33204828, Sort Code: 60-83-01, A/C Name: UNITE 6/235 BRANCH FUND.

Striking Sheerness dock workers hit by GB Terminals’ fire and rehire ‘disgrace’ (19 Jan) – Sheerness dock workers striking over job cuts and changes to minimum overtime hours have been served with fire and rehire notices, Unite said today (Wednesday 19 January 2022). The fire and rehire notices will affect more than 30 GB Terminals staff, who process Volkswagen Group vehicles, including Audi, Porsche and Skoda models, for dispatch that arrive in Sheerness by car transporter ferries. If the workers do not sign the new contracts, which force through the changes the workers are striking over, they will lose their jobs when their current contracts end read more

Stagecoach bus drivers in Bristol and Gloucestershire ballot for industrial action over low pay (19 Jan) – Bus passengers in Gloucestershire and the South West face substantial disruption to their journeys from next month if bus drivers employed by Stagecoach vote for strike action in a dispute over pay. The dispute involves around 360 bus drivers based at depots in Bristol, Cheltenham, Gloucester, Stroud, Coalway, and Ross-on-Wye. The drivers are taking action to combat low rates of pay. Many of them are paid under £11 an hour, for what is a highly skilled, responsible and demanding role read more

As CPI climbs to 5.4%, Unite chief demands significant wage rises to combat ‘cost of living catastrophe’ (19 Jan) – Unite says real scale of crisis is revealed in RPI rise to 7.5 per cent – a more accurate figure of rising costs. Unite believes today’s inflation figures are a stark warning of the scale of the cost of living crisis that is confronting workers. The likely 50 per cent hike in the energy cap in April will make matters even worse. Neither government nor employers can stand by and do nothing read more

Moy Park must put workers’ pay and terms and conditions before profits to end concerns for thousands of jobs (18 Jan) – Decision to shutdown kill line at Ballymena reflects failure of management to meet post-Brexit labour market challenges. Union questions logic of suspension as business will face even greater problems recruiting to reopen in September. For the second time in three years, Moy Park has suspended the operation of its chicken kill line at Ballymena citing difficulties with raw materials, high energy costs and the loss of a recent contract. Unite challenged the explanation offered by the company and stated that the overriding reason for the closure was the chronic labour shortages that the company was experiencing. Union workforce reps are reporting a complete stalling of inductions as recruitment has stalled across the company. Moy Park is Northern Ireland’s biggest employer and a hugely profitable company read more

Coventry bin strikes stepped up to ‘all-out strike’ as council fails to make an offer to meet union demands for a decent pay rise (17 Jan) – The failure of Coventry council to tackle low pay rates for its refuse collection drivers has resulted in an escalation in strike action. It has been announced today (Monday 17 January) that strikes will intensify from Monday 31 January, with workers taking ‘all-out’ strike action from  Monday to Friday each week. The strikes are scheduled to continue until Wednesday 23 March. An overtime ban is already in place read more

Coventry bin worker’s strike fund – Unity Trust Bank; Name of Account: Unite WM/7116 Branch Coventry Local Government; Account number: 20302665 Sort code: 60-83-01; send messages of solidarity to [email protected]

Economic forecasters to strike in a row over inflation – Economists and researchers at the world famous NIESR (National Institute of Economic and Social Research) will stage a two week strike in a row over two years of below inflation pay offers. The strike begins on Friday 21st January and ends on Friday 4 February. The action means that there is a very real possibility that the forthcoming forecasts for the UK and global economies, which have been published quarterly since the 1980s, will not go ahead. NIESR staff will be unable to deliver on project work for external partners and funders, and will be unable to participate in events and other dissemination activities. The RPI reached 7.1 per cent at the end of 2021 but NIESR bosses are sticking to their decision to give staff 0% for 2020-21 and just 2% for 2021-22. The pay offer fails to keep up with the rising cost of living and represents a significant pay cut in real terms read more

Bumper profits B&Q’s supply chain hit by all out pay strikes and spreading industrial unrest – More than 450 Wincanton workers at B&Q’s national distribution warehouse in Worksop have escalated previous industrial action over poverty pay to an all-out strike, severely impacting store deliveries across the country. Unite, the UK’s leading union, warned further disruption is looming at a second national B&Q distribution centre in Cambuslang, Scotland, after GXO lorry drivers voted to take strike action in response to a below inflation pay offer. HGV drivers employed on behalf of B&Q by GXO in England are also considering pay strikes, which would impact the DIY giant’s nationwide distribution centre in Doncaster as well as further disrupt the Worksop site read more

Strike action set to hit Dalkeith based FLB print firm (10 Jan) – Unite the union has today (10 January) confirmed that around 110 workers at print and publishing firm FLB Group in Dalkeith, which owns the Filofax and Letts brands, will take strike action this week in a dispute over pay. The strike action will take place on Wednesday (12 January) at 6am and conclude at 05:59am on Thursday. It is the first of a series of 24 hour stoppages commencing every Wednesday into Thursday until 31 March. Some 95.7 per cent of the eligible workforce previously voted in support of strike action in late November on an 84.4 per cent turnout. The pay dispute originates from early 2021 when Unite’s members were informed by FLB that there would be no pay rise. Due to pressure from Unite, the company made several unsatisfactory offers that ended with a below inflation two-year offer of 2.75 per cent. Unite is demanding a six per cent pay increase at a time when the cost of living is at a ten-year high. The Retail Prices Index stood at 7.1 per cent in November 2021 read more

Strike action by Turners of Soham logistic drivers set to impact major aviation companies – Logistic drivers working for Turners of Soham based out of Grangemouth are set to begin strike action tomorrow (6 January) in a dispute over pay. The logistic drivers work on the Q8 Aviation Deliveries contract which provides fuel services for a number of major aviation companies. The strike action follows 100% of Unite members voting to take strike action, on a turnout of 100% at the end of December 2021, following a lack of progress after months of negotiations with the company. The current wave of strike action ends on 14 January at 24:00 hours with further dates to be planned in the coming weeks. Unite’s members based at Grangemouth have been offered an 8.7% increase, despite the same company awarding its drivers in the North West of England 17.5% in October of last year read more

Transport for London bosses ‘declare war’ as seven workers suspended at crisis-hit Woolwich Ferry – Transport for London (TfL) bosses were today (Tuesday 21 December) accused of ‘declaring war’ on the Woolwich Ferry’s workforce by Unite the union, as seven workers were suspended with no reason given. Unite also said that there needs to be an urgent investigation into so-called ‘technical issues’ that mean the troubled ferry operation will be out of action until the New Year. The union has, therefore, called off planned strike action in the first fortnight of January, due to start on Monday 3 January. Unite regional officer Onay Kasab said: “We are also demanding an investigation into the on-going technical difficulties with the ferry which means there will be no ferry service until sometime in the New Year. As a result, we will be suspending at least the first two weeks of our industrial action in January. The strikes, once they commence, are due to run until the end of March…” read more

10 days of January strikes at Cambus over pay set to cause travel chaos in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Unite warns – About 400 workers at Cambus, who have not had a pay rise since April 2019, have voted to hold 10 days of strike action next month, starting on Tuesday 4 January, Unite the union said today (Tuesday 21 December). Unite said its members –  drivers, engineers, cleaners and shunters –  based at Cambridge, Fenstanton and Peterborough had voted by 96 per cent to hold the strike days which will run from 4 January through to Thursday 20 January. The workers employed by Cambus Ltd, part of the highly profitable Stagecoach bus ‘empire’, have rejected a 1.5 per cent pay offer from April 2021 with a further 1.5 per cent this month for the pay year 2021/22 – at a time when the RPI rate of inflation has soared to 7.1 per cent read more

Chep workers in Manchester to extend strikes as pallet shortage deepens – Workers employed by pallet makers Chep UK Limited, are set to embark on all out continuous strike action from this Friday (17 December) in a dispute over pay. The workers, who belong to Unite, the UK’s leading union, have already taken four days of strike action since the strike began earlier this month. They are stepping up their action as there has been no engagement or negotiations with the company since the dispute began read more

East Lancashire NHS Trust intransigence forces new period of strike action by biomedical scientists – East Lancashire NHS Trust intransigence forces new period of strike action by biomedical scientists. Bosses at East Lancashire NHS Trust must shoulder the blame for a new 12 week strike which starts today (15 December). Blackburn and Burnley biomedical scientists will re-start strike action today (Wednesday 15 December) in a dispute over unpaid wages. Union negotiators met with the Trust on Tuesday (7 December) last week in an attempt to identify a solution to the dispute. It was an opportunity to avoid further strike action and to re-establish union / Trust relations. On the eve of the strike, the Trust had still failed to take up the opportunity to end the dispute read more

RNAD Coulport nuclear naval base workers set to strike – Unite’s pay dispute with the ABL Alliance at the Royal Naval Armaments Depot (RNAD) Coulport is to escalate, with around 70 workers set to take strike action. Unite Scotland members, who provide specialist services for the UK’s nuclear deterrent submarines, will start 24-hour strike action on 16 and 20 December, in addition to an overtime which has been ongoing since 16 November. Further days of strike action are scheduled on 11 January, 25 January, 8 February, and 22 February 2022, if there is no progress in pay negotiations. To date, the ABL Alliance employers have refused to meet the RPI inflation pay claim (3.8% – July) made by Unite read more

Strike action by Ponticelli/Semco workers in North Sea ‘rock solid’  – Unite the union today (6 December) confirmed that strike action by around 300 members working for Ponticelli UK Ltd and Semco Maritime Ltd has been ‘rock solid’ in the North Sea. The strike action is over a pay dispute with an improved pay offer being recently rejected by Unite members by 85% on an 80% return. It is scheduled to take place over a series of days until late February 2022, including a permanent overtime ban, unless there is ‘significant movement’ by Ponticelli UK Ltd and Semco Maritime Ltd (Full List of dates below). Unite’s members involved in the strike action work on the Total Energies contract on the following assets; Alisa FSO, Culzean, Dunbar, Elgin Franklin, Gryphon FPSO, North Alwyn & Shetland Gas Plant. Unite’s Ponticelli UK Ltd members previously voted overwhelmingly to take strike action by 93.6% on a return of 64.8%, and Semco Maritime Ltd members voted to take strike action by 90.3% on a 61.4% return read more

Evonik workers at historic Manchester chemicals site strike over pay – Evonik workers at a 130-year-old Manchester chemicals site are to strike over pay, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today (Wednesday 13 October). Around 25 production and warehouse operatives at Evonik’s Clayton site, which has been a chemical plant since 1892, are taking industrial action after rejecting a 1.5 per cent pay offer read more

Online public meeting (hosted by Solidarity Shouts): Public Service Workers United 6.30pm Thursday 3rd February Facebook event

 

PCS

PCS 2022 pay claims in departments and national ballot – see here for HM Land Registry, DCMS, Cabinet Office, Scottish Sector, BEIS, Home Office, Department of Health and Social Care, DWP, MOJ, Attorney General’s Office, Department for Education, DfT, Welsh Government and Senedd Commission, Defra, Ministry of Defence

PCS lodges national pay claim ahead of national ballot 14 February to 21 March – Throughout the Covid crisis, the government has rightly heaped praise on workers in the civil service and its related areas as heroes in recognition of their delivery of essential public services in extremely difficult circumstances read more

Ballot over proposed deal on NATS redeployment and redundancy policies (24 Jan) – PCS members in NATS (Air Traffic Systems) are being balloted until 28 January over a proposed deal on redeployment redundancy policies. Negotiations on management proposals reopened in September following a PCS consultative ballot in which 84% who voted said they were in favour of strike action, with 94% supporting action short of strike, with a 73% turnout. PCS negotiators met with management demanding the removal of any threats against the existing redundancy agreement, and to seek improvements in industrial relations including assurances on pay increases read more

PCS to meet Cabinet Office over workplace return plans after media attacks on civil servants (24 Jan) – PCS condemns the disgraceful, manufactured political attack that has been launched on civil servants over the weekend. Several media outlets carried stories that minister for the Cabinet Office, Stephen Barclay, and prime minister, Boris Johnson, have declared that civil servants will now be forced to return to workplaces following the lifting of government instructions that people should work from home read more

Strike ballot opens at the British Council (21 Jan) – British Council employees in the UK and on UK contracts overseas will soon be receiving a ballot paper to ask if they are willing to take strike action over redundancies, restructuring and outsourcing. PCS wrote to the chair of the board of Trustees last week requesting talks over failure to properly consult. Specifically we highlighted problems with the consultation on changes to overseas allowances, and regarding the outsourcing of facilities management workers. Unfortunately the chair responded with management’s version of events, and did not agree to our request to meet read more

PCS responds to DWP forcing all staff back into unsafe workplaces (21 Jan) – Following the prime minister’s announcement to lift the Plan B Covid restrictions, the DWP has followed suit in effectively lifting Covid-related safety measures for staff and jobcentre claimants, increasing the risk to our members and the public read more

Valuation Vocational Forum (VVF) – This year the forum will be held on 15 and 16 February. Last year we were unable to host a VVF as Covid rules changed and PCS H&S reps were working at pace across the network to ensure offices were safe for those who needed to be in an office. This year we are in a better position so we are booking 15 and 16 February to host a virtual VVF read more

PCS demands departments consult health and safety reps over workplace return (20 Jan) – The UK government has scrapped Covid plan B restrictions in England. Mask wearing will no longer be mandatory in certain settings and the ‘work from home if you can’ message has been dropped. The civil service unions met the Cabinet Office today to discuss what the changes in government policy mean for members working for the UK civil service in England read more

PCS Scotland campaign for a 4-day week (19 Jan) – A 4-day, 28-hour week without loss of pay is a key component of the PCS pay claim for the Scottish sector which encompasses all organisations linked to the devolved administration in Scotland read more

Common Platform must be suspended in HMCTS (19 Jan) – PCS has joined other justice unions and legal organisations to write to HMCTS. In a letter to Kevin Sadler, acting chief executive officer at HMCTS, Mark Serwotka who was a signatory, highlighted severe problems with the digital case management system, Common Platform read more

 

GMB

‘Skyrocketing’ inflation will only get worse with predicted 70% energy price surge (19 Jan) – GMB Union says today’s ‘skyrocketing’ inflation figures will only get worse with a 70 per cent energy price hike predicted this year. The Consumer Prices Index measure of inflation rose by 5.4% in the 12 months to December – its highest rate of increase for 30 years. The union says ‘the chickens are coming home to roost’ after years without a proper energy strategy read more

Wiltshire bin strike looms as GMB launches ballot (19 Jan) – A major bin strike across Wiltshire could cause disruption for more than 250,000 homes. GMB Union is set to ballot 64 members across three sites run by Hills Waste Solutions in Trowbridge, Salisbury and Calne. The ballot opens on 21 January and closes on 4 February. Members are angry after Hills imposed a 2 per cent pay award – amounting to a massive real-terms pay cut – and failed to negotiate meaningfully with GMB read more

Adur & Worthing next in line for bin strike as members vote for action (19 Jan) – GMB is set to formally ballot refuse collector members for strike action in Adur and Worthing. A consultative ballot, which closed today [19 January 2022] saw 92.5% of members unanimously vote in favour of industrial action. GMB refuse collectors in nearby Brighton and Eastbourne have separately won above inflation pay rise after long-running strike action in recent weeks read more

Carmarthen gritters suspend action to discuss new deal (19 Jan) – GMB, Unison and Unite trade unions have been in dispute with the local authority over a collective agreement signed 2 years ago. Members have already taken 48 hours’ worth of strike action and had just begun a further nine days of planned action from 18 – 25th of January read more

GMB wins decision on South Bristol Rehab centre (19 Jan) – Last night, GMB union won it’s fight to have the decision on closing the Bristol City Council run rehabilitation centre deferred until later in the year. GMB had lobbied local Councillors, and worked with its members and staff from the centre, along with Cllr Chris Jackson, to halt the decision until questions have been answered read more

Eastbourne bin strike ends in ‘massive win for workers’ (18 Jan) – A long running Eastbourne bin strike has ended today in a ‘massive win for GMB members’. Refuse collectors in the town had already taken six days of strike action including today and were set for eight more walk outs in the coming weeks. But GMB members this morning formally accepted an improved, above inflation pay offer of almost 19 per cent from the council. The offer includes a minimum rise this year of 11 per cent and a guarantee their hourly rate will reach a minimum of £13.50 per hour in April 2023 – a 19 per cent rise in total read more

Croydon hospital workers stage protest to demand covid sick pay – Workers at Croydon Hospital are staging a protest to demanding covid sick pay. Porters and cleaners at the south London hospital are angry after their employer – private NHS contractor G4S – stopped paying covid positive hospital worker’s occupational sick pay. This means staff are forced to come into the hospital with symptoms of covid because they cannot afford to take time off to self-isolate

The protest will take place as follows: Monday 31 January 2022 at 12noon,

Croydon University Hospital, 530 London Rd CR7 7YE read more

Striking workers at Somers Forge turn up the heat – GMB members at Somers forge are set for strike action tomorrow (17th December). The union has also announced further strike dates on 21st December 2021, and the 5th,12th, 21st and 24th January 2022. The move comes after members rejected the latest pay deal of 4% over two years, but with the company refusing to backdate the award to the pay anniversary of April read more

 

Unison

Support Sandwell Leisure Trust strike – UNISON members at Sandwell Leisure Trust are taking further strike action on Friday 28 January. Picket lines will be on the afternoon shift from 12-30pm-2pm at Portway Lifestyle Centre(Newbury Ln, Oldbury B69 1HE) and Tipton Leisure Centre(Alexandra Rd, Tipton DY4 8TA) read more

It’s time to halt NHS staff exodus with game-changing pay rise, say health unions (24 Jan) – Many are actively seeking alternative employment and others are seriously considering a job move. The mounting NHS staffing crisis and long waiting times will become permanent unless the government brings in a game-changing retention package, with an inflation-busting pay rise at its heart, say health unions today (Monday). In evidence to the independent NHS pay review body (NHSPRB), the 14 unions – representing 1.2 million health staff in England – are calling on ministers to act urgently with a significant wage boost. They say this would help halt the growing exodus of exhausted staff from the NHS read more

Carmarthenshire Winter Gritters action suspended (21 Jan) – Winter Gritter’s action suspended as council concede to workers demands. Three nights of industrial action and nine picket lines later Plaid led Carmarthenshire County Council were forced to ask for talks and during those talks held earlier this week conceded to the main demands of UNISON, GMB, and Unite members. The harsh reality for the council was that they could not maintain a winter gritting service let alone a safe one without our members. The council has now agreed to pay Winter Gritters £25 per shift (an increase of £8.00) if they are retained for winter gritting on a weekday read more

Employers must not let their guard down, says UNISON (20 Jan) – Even as COVID restrictions loosen, health and safety legislation must still be followed and risks to employees minimised read more

NEC vows to continue campaigning on pay (18 Jan) – Pay and the pandemic continue to dominate UNISON’s work, the first NEC of the year heard today read more

 

NIPSA

Minister’s Announcement – Health Pay (20 Jan) – NIPSA has given a guarded response to Minister of Health Robin Swann’s announcement today of an extra £25 million to go with the 3% pay award – stressing that the additional money, while welcome, falls well short of what hard-pressed Health and Social Care staff deserve read more

NIPSA Supports the Call to Save Regina Coeli House (19 Jan) – NIPSA has written to the Minister for Communities in support of the campaign to save Regina Coeli House from closure. A copy of the letter is attached to this article. CLICK HERE to sign the petition read more

NIPSA Members employed as Education Welfare Officers announce 15 days of Strike Action – NIPSA, the largest union from the non-teaching workforce in Education, announces that members employed as Education Welfare Officers will embark on 15 days of strike action commencing on 29 November. This is part of their campaign for pay parity with Health and Social Care Trust colleagues read more

 

CWU

Post Office strike moves closer as bosses refuse to end pay freeze (24 Jan) – Dramatic day at the CWU industrial executive, as delegates unanimously approve a strike ballot. “It’s outrageous that Post Office senior directors can find millions to waste on defending themselves in court action over Horizon but refuse to even offer any pay rise at all to hard-working staff,” stormed CWU assistant secretary Andy Furey this afternoon. Speaking to CWU News just after the union’s postal executive committee meeting concluded, Andy revealed that the meeting had formally endorsed a plan to move towards a national industrial action ballot of all members read more

Royal Mail: Unofficial walkouts precede bigger battle to come on pay and workload – (from a CWU member) A number of Royal Mail delivery offices have taken unofficial industrial action since the New Year, all of which are linked to major national issues taking place within Royal Mail since the ‘Pathway to Change’ national agreement read more

Post Office Horizon scandal – was racism an issue? (19 Jan) – Bosses “must come clean” on ethnic background of prosecuted postmasters and Post Office’s power to prosecute “has had its day” says Andy Furey. “Horizon is already a by-word for one of the worst miscarriages of justice – but it’s even more shocking to think that there could have been an element of racism on the part of the Post Office’s investigators,” said CWU assistant secretary Andy, in response to an article recently published by Britain’s best-known Asian publication Eastern Eye read more

 

FBU

Grenfell Tower Inquiry must consider the political and economic context that led to the fire (24 Jan) – the Grenfell Tower disaster was caused by “individual private companies which were allowed to put profit before people” and the disaster “represented the culmination of a generation of Central Government policies including deregulation and the ‘war’ on the culture of health and safety, privatisation, fragmentation, austerity and the degradation of social housing”, according to oral evidence given to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry by lawyer for the Fire Brigades Union Martin Seaward. Elsewhere in his evidence he also emphasised that lessons must be learnt by London Fire Brigade read more

 

POA

POA urge members to contact MPs – Safe Inside Bill (20 Jan) – The POA urge members to write to their local MP and ask them to support Grahame Morris MP’s Prisons (Violence) Bill, aka the “Safe Inside Law” which returns to Parliament on 25th February 2022. The POA Union is backing this legislative proposal as “a crucial step in the right direction” to tackle the long-running health and safety crisis in prisons, General Secretary Steve Gillan explained, adding that this bill would “directly improve the lives of our members and other prison staff by reducing the risk of violence against them.” Attacks on prison staff have soared over the past decade after austerity cuts led to thousands of officers losing their jobs – with over 86,000 cumulative years of prison officer experience lost since 2010, according to Government figures, despite recent recruitment drives. Assaults almost quadrupled between 2014 and 2019 – and, while covid restrictions have since reduced violence to 2017-levels, this is still 180% higher than in 2010. The normalised workplace violence plus poor pay and an unrealistic pension age of 67 have triggered a prison officer retention crisis read more read more

Pension discrimination: members who have retired or are retiring soon (18 Jan) – You will recall that we have fought and won Tribunal cases for members who were members of the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme (PCSPS) and who were required to transfer to the Alpha Pension Scheme that was introduced in 2015. In some cases the Alpha Scheme provides better benefits for members than the Classic, Classic Plus, Premium or nuvos Sections of the PCSPS. In many cases it does not read more

 

NEU

Strike ballot in Girls’ Day School Trust’s schools – Strike ballot to go ahead in Girls’ Day School Trust’s 23 independent schools. An indicative ballot of National Education Union teacher members working in the Girls’ Day School Trust (GDST)’s independent schools has shown overwhelming opposition to the employer’s plan to withdraw from the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS). 93% of members voted in favour of moving to a strike ballot, on a turnout of 93%. The union will now move to a formal strike ballot to be conducted in January 2022. Potential dates for discontinuous strike action are still to be decided. These would constitute the first days of strike action in the Trust’s entire 149-year history read more

Watch Reel News video: Vote YES to strike action to stop GDST pulling out of the TPS

Gordano School (Portishead) Strike ballot result – Teacher members of the NEU (National Education Union) based at Gordano School in Portishead (part of the Lighthouse Schools Partnership) have overwhelmingly voted “Yes” for strike action. NEU Senior Regional Officer – Ian McCann explains “The reason our members at the school have voted “yes” for strike action is because of their unacceptable workload. It has increased over the recent months and years and has now come to such a level that it is having a detrimental effect on our members welfare. Members have simply had enough and want sustained change. They want the best for the pupils in their care and have recognised that constant tiredness and low morale amongst staff will not help to deliver this. Although negotiation meetings have taken place between the NEU and the employer’s representatives this week, it has not been possible for an agreement to be reached, it seems the employer has little interest in preventing strike action. This is disappointing as we believe that members issues are reasonable, genuine and easily resolved. NEU members have been left with no option and they will be taking strike action in February. The employer has been informed of 6 dates of action, the first being 3rd February

Support the following action:-

Action Date Contact
St Matthew’s C of E Primary School / Preston

(Transfer of employer)

25-27 January [email protected]

 

Abbot’s Hill School / Hertfordshire (TPS) 25-27 January [email protected]

[email protected]

Newham Sixth Form College/Newham

(Transfer of employer)

25-27 January [email protected]

 

EIS

EIS Criticises Plans to Increase Spending on SNSAs – The EIS has strongly criticised the move by the Scottish Government to significantly scale up its spending on Scottish National Standardised Assessment (SNSAs) despite the OECD’s very clear advice that the assessments are of limited value read more

EIS opens ballot & urges teachers to send a clear message by rejecting pay offer – The EIS will today (Thursday) open a consultative ballot of its members on the latest pay offer to teachers. The EIS is urging all of its members to use their vote in the ballot and to reject the offer on the table from local authorities and the Scottish Government. The pay settlement for teachers is now more than 9 months overdue, as a result of continuing procrastination by both COSLA (Convention of Scottish Local Authorities) and the Scottish Government read more

EIS Opens Industrial Action Ballot for Members in Higher Education – The EIS has opened a statutory industrial action ballot for its members in the Higher Education Sector. Members of the EIS University Lecturers’ Association (EIS-ULA) are being asked to support a programme of industrial action, up to and including strike action, in a long-running dispute over pay. The dispute follows protracted negotiations at New JNCHES, the UK-wide negotiating body for pay in the Higher Education sector. Following the breakdown of negotiations, the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) broke the principle of negotiating pay and imposed an offer that, for most EIS members (academic staff), amounts to a 1.5%. pay uplift. The imposition of a sub-inflation pay offer, a real-terms pay cut, is not a new action on the part of UCEA, as they previously followed a similar course of action in 2019 read more

 

UCU

Universities will see strike action next month unless employers meet pension and pay demands, union warns (21 Jan) – UCU has warned employers that university campuses will see further strike action in February unless its demands over pensions and pay & conditions are met. The union’s higher education committee (HEC), authorised sustained industrial action at a meeting on Wednesday 19 January, this includes coordinated UK wide and regional rolling strikes. Specific strike dates are to be confirmed shortly. HEC also agreed to begin preparations for a UK wide marking and assessment boycott, which would see staff refusing to undertake marking and assessment duties. Last December 58 universities across the UK saw three days of strike action. Staff at 68 universities now have a mandate to take industrial action after a successful reballot campaign concluded last week. UCU and employers have more meetings planned over USS pensions in the coming weeks. The union says ‘time is running out’ for employers to withdraw their cuts and avoid more strike action read more

Victory for staff as deal reached at West London College over pay & workloads (21 Jan) – Staff at West London College have won improved pay and conditions after successful negotiations between management and UCU and Unison. The deal includes a commitment by the college to becoming a London Living Wage employer, a pay rise, shorter working week, additional holiday, hybrid working and a commitment to deal with excessive workloads and work related stress. UCU has welcomed the deal and said it looked forward to meeting with management again in April to agree a further pay rise for 2022/23 read more

UCU response to Office for Students proposals on ‘poor quality courses’ (20 Jan) – The Office for Students has today set out proposals, endorsed by universities minister Michelle Donelan, for a ‘crack down on poor quality courses’. If implemented, the proposals would entail fines, investigations, and sanctions for universities failing to meet certain minimum ‘acceptable student outcomes’. The OfS is proposing thresholds, for instance, on qualification completion and proportion of students going into professional employment or further study read more

Union demands regulator step in and review e-book industry (19 Jan) – UCU has today called on the government to ask the Competitions and Market Authority to review the academic e-book market to ensure that research and information is more affordable for staff, students and institutions read more

More universities could face strike action following UCU reballot results (18 Jan) – 68 universities across the UK could face strike action this academic term after reballots saw staff at a further 12 universities vote in favour of joining industrial action over attacks on pay, pensions & working conditions. Of the 12 institutions that voted to join action, six now have a mandate over pay and conditions, five over pay, with one voting to join action over USS pensions only. Some branches already had a mandate for action in one of the two disputes. The two separate reballots mean 44 out of 68 USS pension branches now have a mandate for action whilst 64 have a mandate for action over pay. In total, 68 universities are expected to face strike action this academic term over pensions and pay & working conditions. The reballots came after a number of branches narrowly missed the Conservative’s anti-trade union turnout threshold, in some cases by only one or two votes read more

UCU fighting fund: the link is here and donations to the fund are spent on supporting members involved in important disputes.

 

NUJ

Julian Assange wins right to ask UK Supreme Court to consider his extradition case (24 Jan) – The judgement ‘certified’ the Wikileaks founder’s right to apply to the Supreme Court to rule on the late introduction of assurances by the United States government read more

Covid funding available for Welsh freelances (20 Jan) – Following talks between the government and trade unions, grants of up to £1,000 will be available. The NUJ, as part of the Wales TUC Cultural and Creative Sector Group, has been instrumental in persuading the Welsh government to increase the funding package to support the sector in Wales during Covid restrictions read more

Pronouncement on future of BBC is a “vindictive and desperate act of distraction” (17 Jan) – Michelle Stanistreet comments on the weekend newspaper briefing from an “ally” of Nadine Dorries, Culture Secretary, on the end of the TV licence and funding freeze read more

 

Prospect

Prospect member gets significant settlement on brink of tribunal (20 Jan) – A Prospect member who was dismissed on capability grounds settled his employment tribunal claim for a five-figure sum on the brink of his tribunal hearing read more

Members at Natural England to start industrial action in the new year over poverty pay – Prospect members at Natural England have voted overwhelmingly to take industrial action over poverty levels of pay. In the ballot, 76% voted in favour of a strike, with 84.7% voting in favour of action short of strike. Action short of a strike will commence on 4 January 2022 and if no further progress is made, then strike action will be taken. Our members at Natural England will maintain their right to take industrial action until the legal mandate ends on 21 May 2022 read more

 

Equity

Public Service Broadcasting is under attack. We must defend it (20 Jan) – The Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries recently indicated that the licence fee may be axed in 2028 and will be frozen for the next two years. By doing so, she called into question the very future existence of the BBC. This was the latest in a long line of measures and proposals that make clear that Public Service Broadcasting (PSB) is under attack by this Government. We must defend it. At a time when the Government should be tackling urgent issues, such as the cost of living crisis and climate change, it’s instead fixated on privatising Britain’s public services and bashing our cultural infrastructure. The freezing of the licence fee will result in an estimated £285 million gap in funding by 2027. The government is also proposing to privatise Channel 4, a hugely successful broadcaster that costs the taxpayer nothing while guaranteeing investment to the independent production sector read more

Equity calls for support as damage to entertainment industry will outlive Plan B (19 Jan) – Today we’re expecting an announcement from the Government about the lifting of Plan B restrictions in England. But while restrictions may go, the damage to the entertainment industry and workers remains. Equity General Secretary Paul W Fleming is calling for investment in entertainment workers through support from the government and for improvements in their terms from bosses. Equity General Secretary Paul W Fleming calls for support for workers as damage to entertainment industry will outlive Plan B read more

Sign the petition to save Stratford Circus! https://www.change.org/p/save-stratford-circus

 

USDAW

Usdaw members in Argos overwhelmingly vote for a pay deal of at least £10 per hour (21 Jan) – Retail trade union Usdaw has welcomed a 94% vote in favour a ground-breaking pay deal of at least £10 per hour basic rate negotiated by the union for Argos workers in stores and regional fulfilment centres read more

Usdaw supporting members through a Primark store management restructure (20 Jan) – Fashion retailer Primark has today announced a proposal to restructure management roles in stores, retail trade union Usdaw will support members affected through the process read more

Usdaw renews the call for a new deal for workers on Statutory Sick Pay (18 Jan) – Retail trade union Usdaw has renewed their call on the Government to reform Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) to support workers who need to take time off work, particularly during a pandemic read more

Victimised Tesco warehouse rep Max McGee fighting for reinstatement read more. There is now a GoFundMe to support the campaign (https://www.gofundme.com/f/reinstate-max-usdaw-rep-socialist) and Max can be invited to speak at Usdaw branches and trades councils ([email protected])

 

Community

Pay rise secured at Zurich (21 Jan) – We know that many of our members will be concerned about fuel costs, gas and electricity prices and inflation, and the impact this may have on their finances. We met with the company in November and commenced pay discussions. We felt that the offer must adequately reflect the current position of the members and the positive year the company has had so far. Following positive talks with Zurich, this year’s pay talks concluded with a final pay pot increase of 5% at levels G5 and under and 4% at levels G6 and above read more

 

UVW

Outsourced GOSH security guards strike postponed (19 Jan) – The security guards at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) have decided in good faith to postpone their planned strike, following last minute revelations that the board  of Trustees are considering a package of improvements to their terms and conditions. The strike action was due to start on January 18. A last minute meeting held by the guard unanimously decided to give GOSH bosses one last chance before resuming strike action in two weeks, in the hope that the dispute can be resolved in the interim. But if there are no concrete proposals from the hospital, they will go ahead with their six-week strike from Thursday 3 February 2022. As a result of the workers’ decision, the picket lines on January 19 and 20 this week, as well as the rally on Friday 21 January, have been cancelled read more  Strike fund

 

IWGB

UK’s longest gig economy pay strike resumes in Sheffield this week after Stuart’s secret pay talks exposed the UK’s longest ever gig-economy pay strike resumes today as Sheffield couriers from the the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) relaunch industrial action and will picket McDonalds branches every day this week. Last week Stuart invited selected riders to closed-door meetings on pay which excluded all unionised workers. When IWGB members staged a peaceful demonstration outside the Sheffield location, they were informed by venue security that the meeting had been cancelled and Stuart staff had left the building via a ground floor fire escape. Strike action began on 6 December when Stuart slashed its base rate of pay per delivery by 24 percent from £4.50 to £3.40, with protests spreading to Chesterfield and Sunderland. The majority Black and Minoritised workforce demands at least £6 per delivery plus mileage and paid waiting times after 10 minutes and their strike fund has raised almost £14,000. The IWGB is also bringing a claim against Stuart on behalf of over 150 couriers nationwide for unlawful denial of worker status and basic rights like holiday pay and a guaranteed minimum wage read more

Write to Stuart Delivery, JustEat: END THE STRIKE, PAY RISE NOW!

Dalston delivery drivers protest Hackney Mayor over lack of safe waiting areas (19 Jan) – Dalston couriers working for app-based firms Deliveroo, UberEats, and JustEat are protesting tomorrow 20 January from 4.15pm outside Hackney Town Hall after being forced to wait for orders in all weather at Bentley Road car park, a current COVID testing centre with no shelter or toilets. Riders will assemble on Ashwin Street at 4pm and then ride to Hackney Town Hall for the rally read more

 

SIPTU (Ireland)

SIPTU calls for a halt to sell-off of community based employment services (24 Jan) – SIPTU members have expressed concern and anger at news reports that the US headquartered corporate contract company, Maximus, has established an operation in Ireland with the expressed interest in taking over Local Employment Services currently provided successfully by community based enterprises read more

SIPTU members call for urgent recommencement of Security ERO process (21 Jan) – SIPTU members have called for the urgent recommencement of the process to establish an Employment Regulation Order (ERO) for the security industry, a sector in which most workers have not received a pay rise in nearly three years read more

 

 

Other news

Townsend Theatre Productions – Upper Clyde Shipbuilders a new play: Yes! Yes! U.C.S.! Townsend Theatre Productions in association with Manchester University present the story of the Upper Clyde Shipbuilders (UCS) using their trademark integration of live rock and folk inspired music, sound and visual effects  to enhance the powerful theatrical story-telling, to intensify the emotional engagement and audience enthusiasm for meaningful and important messages of hope, social justice and improvements in quality of life. Yes! Yes! U.C.S! is a celebration of the community solidarity, collective resistance and the vital support that made the ‘Work In’ such a massive success read more

Doctors in Unite have produced this model resolution for local union branches to discuss airborne spread and how important it is to put protections in place.  They’ve also produced a leaflet with info about this and a checklist for reps in the workplace; Unite’s health section has had some input too. They’d be happy to meet with interested local branches or regions to discuss the issues and the practicalities of the measures. Here’s a link for the materials on their website:  https://doctorsinunite.com/health-safety/

Save St Mary’s Leisure Centre: – petition to Southampton City Council

St Mary’s Leisure Centre in Southampton is used every week by hundreds of individuals, sports and leisure groups. It is facing council funding cuts and closure at a time when we need these vital facilities. There are no other local facilities available for community use. The centre is in need of maintenance but is safe and viable for current use. We call for Southampton Council to maintain the funding of the centre, to continue as a council run community facility in line with council’s statement of priorities. No council cuts, no to privatisation. Save St Mary’s Leisure Centre – follow campaign on Facebook

 

 

Fight blacklisting and victimisation of union reps

BREAKING NEWS!! Tracey Scholes is back in the driving seat

Donate to the reinstatement campaign of Declan Clune RMT bus driver in Southampton (on behalf of Declan Clune and all RMT Southampton District Bus and Coach Branch members). Email message of support: [email protected]

Support GARY CARNEY, TRAIN OPERATOR – LONDON UNDERGROUND

Defend Adrian Mitchell RMT driver on London Underground

Support Tim Breed RMT

Donate to solidarity campaign of Moe Muhsin Manir Unite bus rep   Email messages of support to Moe: [email protected]

Trade union rep victimisation at Woolwich Ferry reaches ‘obscene levels’, says Unite

Unite: Ealing’s Labour council ‘actively helping’ Serco ‘hound’ union rep from civil enforcement job

St Mungos management escalate dispute by suspending Unite repsign petition: End the culture of fear at St Mungo’smodel motion

St Mungo’s: Unite will not tolerate victimisation and bullying

Sign petition: Reinstate Gary Bolister sacked GMB rep at Islington Council

Sacked UCU member wins right to return to work (29 July)

Watch Reel News video: Victimised union reps: Act like it’s you and fight back

Reinstate John Boken Shropshire NEU rep – For more details and send solidarity messages, email [email protected]

Sign petition to support Redbridge NEU Rep Keiran Mahon

Watch Reel News video: Huddersfield teachers strike to defend Louise Lewis

Victimised Tesco warehouse rep Max McGee fighting for reinstatement read more. There is now a GoFundMe to support the campaign (https://www.gofundme.com/f/reinstate-max-usdaw-rep-socialist) and Max can be invited to speak at Usdaw and other union branches plus trades councils ([email protected])

Blacklisting Investigation – Unite the Union has commissioned an independent investigation into alleged involvement of any past of present union officers or officials in the operation of blacklists in the construction industry. The independent investigation will be conducted by Jane McNeill QC in accordance with the attached Terms of Reference. Evidence for the investigation is now being compiled by Thompsons Solicitors LLP. Any documentary evidence which any individual wishes to provide should be submitted to Thompsons either by email to [email protected] or by post to Unite Blacklisting Inquiry, Thompsons Solicitors LLP, Congress House, 23-28 Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3LW, reference L213003/RH.  All evidence to be considered for the purpose of the independent report must be received by Thompsons by 9 November 2021 read more

#SPYCops Inquiry exposes state surveillance of workers movement

Keep up with developments and read and watch campaigners’ statements on the Campaign Opposing Police Surveillance (COPS) and Undercover Policing Inquiry websites and spycops info Facebook group

Builders Crack: The Movie

In the current situation, this long lost film from the 1990s about rank and file union organising in the construction industry is intended to lift the spirits, but also to spark a debate in our movement. Hope the youngsters in this film put a smile on your face.

Watch – Share – Discuss https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VZ-QMA1FMg

Blacklist Support Group

Book: http://newint.org/books/politics/blacklisted-secret-war/

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNcgrNs6pB8

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/groups/blacklistSG/

Blog: www.hazards.org/blacklistblog

Blacklist Support Group financial appeal: the Blacklist support group is desperately short of funds, to continue the incredible work we need more finance, would you please consider making a donation, raise it at your branches and trade councils. Please make cheques payable to Joint sites committee and send to 70 Darnay Rise Chelmsford Essex CM1 4XA. Please forward onto your contacts many thanks Steve Kelly (JSC Treasurer)

Blacklisted t-shirts available at: https://shop.hopenothate.org.uk/component/hikashop/product/78-blacklisted-t-shirt

 

International news

NUJ calls for release of Alaraby journalists arrested by the Sudan government (13 Jan) read more

 

The NSSN is continuing to report on how workers are organising during the coronavirus pandemic

The NSSN is opening up our weekly email bulletin, website and social media platforms of Facebook and twitter to provide a public forum for workers during the Coronavirus/COVID-19 crisis. We want to be a place where we can all share queries and experiences that workers are facing in their workplaces. These include reports of action taken by workers to defend themselves from their employers.

You can read about many of these actions in our weekly bulletin and out social media groups, especially our Facebook group: NSSN – defend workers’ rights under Coronavirus.

You can also send the NSSN your reports and queries via our website, twitter – @NSSN_AntiCuts and email – [email protected]

We welcome the information being sent to union members concerning the spread of coronavirus, including the Accord, Advance, AEP, AFA-CWA, ASLEF, BDA, BECTU Sector of Prospect, BFAWU, BOS-TU, College of Podiatry, Community, CSP, EIS, Equity, FBU, FDA, GMB, HCSA, MU, NAHT, NASUWT, National Society for Education in Art and Design (NSEAD), Nautilus International, NEU, NGSU, NUJ, PFA, Prospect, RCM, SoR, TSSA, TUC, UCU, UNISON, Unite, URTU, USDAW, WGGB and the RCN

But it is absolutely vital that unions retain their ability to organise and act independently in defence of their members and workers generally. This includes the right of unions to take industrial action. We are already aware of workers being forced to take unofficial action on health and safety grounds. We also believe that unions should have oversight of any government bans on protests and picketing. This is the same Tory government that tabled more new anti-union laws in the Queens Speech in December 2019 and cannot be trusted and is now attacking the right to protest through its Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill.

We believe that it is essential that workers are protected during this worrying period and are not impacted, whether in terms of their safety as well as their pay and employment rights. The Tory government have announced measures that include some workers receiving 80% of their wages. This furlough scheme was due to finish but has now been extended because of the 2nd lockdown. But it’s clear that the Tories are looking to end it asap.

However, we believe that no worker should pay the price for any spread of the virus. We say: work or full pay. Any worker who is required not to attend work or is unable to do so because of COVID, childcare or transport closures should receive full pay and not be forced to take annual leave. But unions have to remain vigilant that any government payments actually happen and also covers all workers, including those in precarious employment such as zero-hour contracts and in the gig economy.

We have drafted this model motion which we’ve made into a bulletin that can be downloaded and printed off to be distributed. Feel free to use in your union and trades council, in totality or partially to highlight the issues that need to be addressed.

Keep an eye out for other Facebook and social media groups and pages that are being created. The Coronavirus Support Group for Workers has been set up on Facebook and is a useful forum and you can catch up on disputes at Strike Map UK

 

Diary

 

 

CONTACT US

PHONE 07952 283 558

EMAIL mailto:[email protected]

 

TWITTER – https://twitter.com/NSSN_AntiCuts

FACEBOOK NSSN GROUP   or STOP The CUTS  Likes page

ADDRESS NSSN, PO Box 54498, London E10 9DE