News
News
Maternity wards close in Wales
17 May 2022
Expectant mothers in South Wales face uncertainty about midwifery services. Fine words from the health board aren't going to help.
Energy – capitalist failures
16 May 2022
Private school pension action wins
16 May 2022
Teachers in independent schools have taken successful industrial action in thier fight to stay in the Teachers’ Pension Scheme. Employers argued they could no longer afford increased contributions.
Strike wave sweeps NW England colleges
16 May 2022
Lecturers at eight further education colleges in Lancashire and Cumbria are set to take action over pay as employers try for below-inflation settlements.
British military aid floods into Ukraine
3 May 2022
Arms continue to pour into Ukraine and bordering countries – and Britain is one of the biggest suppliers, though the government is evasive when challenged for details.
Strike ballot at Richmond college
2 May 2022
Lecturers at Richmond upon Thames College are balloting over strike action over the employer’s plan to fire them all and offer re-engagment on worse terms.
Energy for the future – maybe [print version]
Prime minster Boris Johnson announced the government’s new energy security strategy on 7 April. It drew immediate fire from self-professed “green” lobbyists...
Legal aid - Barristers vote for action [print version]
Barristers began industrial action on 11 April over criminal legal aid fees.
Ferry workers rally to fight [print version]
The RMT and Nautilus International, the trade unions representing workers sacked by P&O Ferries, continue to fight the sackings.
Civil service pay blow [print version]
Civil servants have strongly criticised the government, their employer, for setting a low cap on pay rises.
Migration: record inflow
More people are coming into Britain legally on work-related visas than before the Brexit agreements came into force.
Strikes and work to rule at Financial Conduct Authority
The ongoing pay dispute at City regulator the Financial Conduct Authority has entered a new stage, with action set to start in May.
Civil Service pay - little cheer
23 April 2022
Civil servants have strongly criticised the government for capping pay rises when the cost of living is rocketing. Trade unions are tacking stock on their response.
Energy for the future – maybe
23 April 2022
The government’s new energy includes a commitment to a mixture of energy sources. But the energy challenge for Britain will worsen unless the positive aspects of this policy are implemented.
P&O – ferry workers rally to the fight
21 April 2022
Trade unions representing workers sacked by P&O Ferries continue their fight the sackings with a series of rallies at ports around the country and outside the offices of P&O’s Dubai-owned parent company.
Greenwashing in Wales
Green initiatives are not always what they seem – as Welsh farmers, along with others across Britain, are finding out to their cost.
P&O Ferries – the fight continues
30 March 2022
Sacked seafarers are taking the fight to P&O Ferries with demonstrations around the country in response to the employer’s brazen actions.
Industrial action at the Bar [updated]
28 March 2022
Barristers began industrial action on 11 April over criminal legal aid fees after the government has delayed implementing the recommendations of an independent review.
Coventry bin drivers fight for pay
28 March 2022
Coventry Council bin workers are fighting back as a long running pay dispute escalated with the suspension of a shop steward.
Energy price rally forced to cancel
19 March 2022
A campaign set up to demand a referendum on the government’s rush to enforce net zero policies on Britain has had to cancel a planned rally in Bolton due to threats and intimidation.
P&O Ferries: stand and fight is the only option
19 March 2022
P&O Ferries sacked 800 British crew from its ferries on Wednesday 17 March. The response from workers was immediate and clear. Demonstrations are happening around British ports. Unions are taking the fight to the company.
Biodiversity Net Gain – beware false promises
Biodiversity policy creates risks for our food security. It sounds good but is not really about protecting the environment. By putting a market value on nature, it will take land out of production.
Barts NHS victory reverses outsourcing
7 March 2022
London health workers have won a significant victory against outsourcing. Facilities management workers at Barts Health NHS Trust, but employed by Serco, will re-join the NHS.
Independent school teachers’ strikes win early gains
5 March 2022
After six days of strike action, teachers at the Girls’ Day School Trust have won a number of concessions from management about the future of their pension rights. But the fight is not over yet.
RMT fights government assault on London Transport
5 March 2022
With staff facing the prospect of job cuts along with a degraded pension provision as part of a wider attack on working conditions, over 10,000 RMT London Underground members in all grades took strike action on 1 and 3 March.
University employers reject UCU pension proposals
28 February 2022
Universities have rejected out of hand union proposals to secure the future of their pension scheme. This has angered the union and raises the stakes in the ongoing wider dispute about university pay and conditions.
Independent school strikes [print version]
Teachers in 23 independent schools run by the Girls’ Day School Trust voted overwhelmingly to strike after their employer said it would withdraw from the Teachers’ Pension Scheme
Farmland power grab [print version]
A plan to build a huge solar farm on prime agricultural land on the border of Lincolnshire and Rutland is being challenged by an impressive local campaign group determined to fight it all the way.
More universities join pensions and pay strikes
Staff at a total of 68 universities were on strike in February after university employers refused to withdraw cuts to pensions or accept compromise proposals from the UCU union.