Strikes and lock-outs

Unite the working class against the Tories

On 1 February half a million UK workers will strike, the largest number so far in the wave growing since last summer. To win, we must make that day is a launchpad for much more widespread, coordinated and sustained action — and organise so it contributes to building up a bigger, more united, more conscious and dynamic working-class movement, longer-term . Sadly, two unions whose strikes helped launch the wave, RMT (rail workers) and CWU (postal workers), are sitting out 1 February. RMT in particular is in danger of running its key disputes into the ground. The RCN (nurses) and other health...

Strike together on 15-16 March

Firefighters in the UK have voted for the first nationwide strike on pay since 2003. The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) says it will not start walk-outs until 9 February at the earliest, to “allow employers further time to make any new offer”. 88% of members voted for industrial action, with an impressive 73% turnout. Wednesday 1 February sees the biggest single day of strikes for more than a decade. Schools, rail, universities, and the civil service are all coordinating action. On 6 February nurses and ambulance workers strike simultaneously for the first time. CWU members in Royal Mail close...

Strikes and strike ballots (published 31 January)

Strikes 2-3 February: Abellio bus workers in South West London (Unite) strike 3 February: Train drivers at multiple Train Operating Companies (Aslef and RMT) strike 4 and 11 February: Drivers on the Bakerloo Tube line (Aslef) strike 9-10, 14-16, 21-23, February, 27 February-2 March, 16-17 and 20-22 March: Higher Education workers at 150 universities (UCU) strike. Unison HE members at 12 universities will strike on various days in February. 6 February: Ambulance workers (GMB) strike 6-7 February: Nurses (RCN) strike 9 February: NHS physiotherapists (CSP) strike 14 February: Teachers in Wales...

NHS: reballot, unite, organise

To win, NHS workers need escalation, and that also means pushing for re-ballots, especially in trusts where Unison missed the thresholds. Currently RCN strikes are being undermined where Unison members have been instructed by their branches to cross picket lines. We have advocated support for Unison members who decide not to cross RCN picket lines. Thousands of Unison members have left their union and joined the RCN because they want to strike. Beyond that, the best way to achieve solid action in a workplace is for all the unions to win legal mandates and strike together. Winning second...

Escalation in universities

University and College Union (UCU) members will strike on 18 days during February and March in disputes over pay, pensions and working conditions. After 1 February, action will escalate to two days a week (9-10 February), then three (14-16, 21-23) and four (27 February to 2 March) and five (16-23 March). Management’s latest pay offer varies from 8% for the lowest paid (a rise that would be necessary in any case to meet living wage expectations), to 5% for those at the top of the scale. The latest round of pay talks saw a cynical increase in the offer for this top grade — mainly UCU members —...

More after 1 February (John Moloney's column)

By the time you read this, PCS, along with other unions, will be on our one-day strike on 1 February, or will have been. As I write on 31 January, for the PCS the indications are that the strike will be well supported. We are aware of at least 350 pickets being planned; over a thousand members attended a digital meeting with our General Secretary last week; and in a meeting of branches who are on strike, over 140 delegates attended. These numbers are unprecedented. In conjunction with Trade Councils and other unions or on our own, we have set up rallies across the country. Following 1 February...

NHS: escalate and unite after 6-7 February

The next NHS strikes are on 6-7 February, when members of the RCN from acute, specialist and ambulance trusts across England and Wales will come out. This will be the biggest action in the health dispute so far. GMB ambulance members will be striking along RCN members on the 6th. The physiotherapy union, CSP, will strike on 7 and 9 February, and Unison ambulance workers again on 10 February. We need to ensure the picket lines in this next round of action are full of talk about a strategy that can win. That means escalating strikes and co-ordination between the unions. The leaderships of all...

List of rallies on 1 February strike day

If you have information that's missing here, or a correction, email us: awl@workersliberty.org ENGLAND Birmingham : Centenary Square B1 2ND, 12 noon AND Conference and Events Centre, Hill Street, Birmingham, B5 4EW, 6pm Bournemouth : rally in town square, BH2 6ED, 12 noon Brighton : assemble at The Level, Brighton, 11am Bristol : assemble outside Defra Horizon House, BS1 5AH, at 10.45 am to march to College Green, BS1 5TJ. Rally there at 12 noon Canterbury : assemble Westgate Hall, Westgate Hall Road, Canterbury CT1 2BT, move off at 11.45 for march around city centre and then back to Westgate...

Strikes and strike ballots (published 24 January)

Strikes Since 20 October: Quorn factory workers in Billingham (Unite) on indefinite strike 16 January-6 February: Teachers in Scotland (EIS) strike on a region-by-region basis (see schedule here) 18-31 January: Parking wardens in Brent, north west London (Unite) strike 25 January: Workers at Amazon’s BHX4 facility in Coventry (GMB) strike 25 and 26 January: Abellio bus drivers in west and southwest London (Unite) strike 26 January: NHS physiotherapists (CSP) strike 26, 28, and 31 January: Rathlin Island (County Antrim) ferry workers (Unite) strike 1 February: Civil servants (PCS); teachers in...

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