Huge strikes hit universities
University and College Unions have begun their second bout of industrial action this academic year with more universities joining the walkouts.
Pay and conditions
Pay and conditions
Welsh seafarers call for jobs, training and a future
10 January 2020
Maritime and transport union RMT demonstrated outside the Welsh Parliament this week on a dark, cold and wet evening as part of its campaign for the future of British seafaring.
Strong support in Glasgow for university pay and pensions fight
3 December 2019
Despite the rain, pickets were out in force yesterday for the Monday morning picket at the University of Glasgow.
University workers start strike action
25 November 2019
Classes at universities across Britain and Northern Ireland are being disrupted as staff begin an eight-day strike today. The action is due to last from 25 November until 4 December.
High Court overturns 97 per cent vote for postal workers' strike
18 November 2019
The High Court has handed down an injunction against the postal workers’ strike, due to begin in December after an overwhelming majority of members voted for it.
No good guarantees from the EU
We can sit back and trust any state dedicated to the pursuit of profit to guarantee our rights at work and in the environment – least of all the would-be superstate the EU.
Holiday pay: Never mind the guarantee
More than a million workers in Britain do not receive any of the holiday pay they are guaranteed by law
Top uni salaries soar while debts grow
With universities short of money, more than 4,400 senior staff were paid over £100,000 a year in 2017-8, up more than 10 per cent on the previous year’s tally.
Teachers strike against excessive workload
12 July 2019
On 10 July teaching staff at The Castle School academy in Gloucestershire went on strike in protest at excessive workload. Action is set to continue into next term.
Brexit leading to better pay and conditions, says survey
13 May 2019
New research from LinkedIn indicates that the prospect of Brexit is leading to a rise in wages – and that conditions of work may be improving too.
Outsourced hospital workers win rise after May Day strike
8 May 2019
Striking NHS catering workers at two Yorkshire hospitals won a victory on 3 May after a global outsourcing giant agreed a wage rise after walking out on 1 May.
Midlands council backs down in pay dispute
2 May 2019
Customer service assistants employed by Sandwell council have won a big pay rise after the council backed down in a grading dispute.
Sellafield strikers unite against harassment
2 May 2019
The Unite union says it will defend harassed members employed by troubled outsourcing giant Mitie on the Sellafield contract.
Asda workers oppose forced contract changes
2 May 2019
Staff at supermarket chain Asda are in revolt over the proposed imposition of a new “flexible” contract, and their union is calling for the company to ditch the plan.
Education: College pay strike
Wolverhampton College staff have been taking to the picket lines across three college sites in a dispute over pay.
Pay strike at Wolverhampton College
10 April 2019
Wolverhampton College staff have been taking to the picket lines across three college sites in a fight for a more money.
Services: Dunbarton strike
Pickets were out in force in East Dunbartonshire at the end of June after Unison members went on strike over cuts to terms and conditions including reductions to holidays.
Ballot on Total rigs
Unite is balloting workers at three of Total’s North Sea oil rigs for industrial action following the company’s refusal to reduce the number of unpaid working days.
Strike hits North Sea oil platform
16 April 2018
Workers on the Norwegian oil giant’s Mariner platform in the North Sea went on strike on Saturday 7 April, downing tools for four hours in the morning and a further four-hour sit-in in the evening.
Museum workers fight contract changes
11 January 2018
Over 25 workers at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich braved freezing weather on 1 January 2018 to picket in protest against proposed contractual changes.
No pay, no productivity
Stop all this talk about higher productivity being the route to higher pay. In fact, the reverse is true: only when pay rates rise will capitalists be forced to invest…
Guards battle still raging [shorter]
Disputes about staffing and pay are sweeping through the rail industry…
City University: improved leave
16 October 2017
Workers at City University in London have secured better terms and conditions. This came from the negotiating strategy entered into by the Unison branch over annual leave
Food: McDonald's strike ballot
Workers at two McDonald’s outlets in London are to be balloted over strike action later in the year.
Food: McDonald’s strike vote
24 August 2017
Workers at two McDonald’s outlet are to go on strike on 4 September in a dispute that centres around union recognition, cuts to hours and bullying linked to union membership.
The struggle for paid holidays
Until the latter part of the 19th century, paid holidays hardly existed for workers in Britain. So how and when were they won? (A clue: not by the EU)
The hidden price of online shopping
While the online shopping giants get spectacularly rich, the workers who deliver to your home face zero hours contracts and long hours for minimal pay. Workers has been investigating the hidden world of the couriers…
Worked to the bone
The failure to fight for wages has worked its way through to an ever-lengthening working day…
When the working never stops
A survey by one union branch shows a disturbing pattern of excess and unremunerated working, along with a lack of awareness about the law on working hours.
Work longer hours, retire later
The fight for lower hours didn’t begin with the EU. It certainly hasn’t ended with the Working Time Directive – the number of hours we are working is climbing steadily…