UNISON

The National Education Union (NEU) is balloting its support staff members in state schools (whose pay is either determined or indirectly influenced by local government pay negotiations) for strikes over pay and increased funding for schools. Shamefully, Unison’s bureaucracy has reacted by declaring that it is suspending cooperation with the NEU, accusing it of breaching an agreement which prevents the NEU negotiating for support staff in state-funded schools. However, rank-and-file activists in Unison, GMB and Unite who want to see an effective fightback over pay in 2023 will welcome the NEU’s...

Local government members of the GMB union have voted by 67% to accept the local government pay offer in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland (£1,925). Unison (the largest local government union) voted 63% to accept in September, and Unite (smaller in local government) 75% to reject. Unite’s calling for a reject vote made the difference. In the Local Government Joint Council the three recognised unions have a custom of going by majority vote and it appears that Unite has conceded. The three unions must start next year’s pay negotiations immediately with a bold claim that fights to win a £15 per...

For health workers in Scotland, a bit as with Scottish local government workers in September, the mere threat of action has led to the Scottish government increasing its initial offer of 5% to £2,205 flat rate per worker, an average of perhaps 7% across the workforce. That is slightly better than the Scottish local government offer accepted by the three main local government unions (Unison, GMB and Unite). Calling off the live strike ballot which was due to close only days later was still an expensive mistake by the Scotland Unison health committee. It weakens health workers’ hand in future...

With a series of disaggregated ballots being conducted by a variety of health unions, we could end up with a complex picture of mandates for strike action across different Trusts and sectors. It could still be used to launch an effective campaign of strike action in defence of national pay, if co-ordinated. It is vital in this situation that the health unions communicate and plan together effectively. With the leaderships nationally and at branch level of all the health unions having more experience of competing, pitting union against union, than of acting in solidarity, members will need to...

Health workers were eagerly awaiting September’s pay day, as the backdated pay increase was due to be paid. The NHS Pay Review Body recommendation was for a full-time-equivalent £1,400 rise, effective from 1 April 2022, for staff in Agenda for Change [the main NHS pay system], increased to 4% for staff at the top of band 6 or in band 7. The increase also included the National Living wage adjustment made on 1 April 2022, which applied to Bands 1 and 2. However, what was seen in pay packets didn’t meet expectations. One work colleague whispered to me: “Can I have a word? Do the union know about...

Workers at the National Coal Mining Museum in Wakefield are due to strike on 26-30 October over pay. The museum has offered a pay rise of 4.2% plus 25p per hour. Workers have demanded a flat £2,000 increase for all workers. The ballot showed 94% for strikes on a turnout of 87%. Throughout the dispute management had refused to meet with members or their union, Unison, to negotiate on pay. After the strike ballot result they finally agreed to negotiations, but refused to increase the offer and refused even to discuss a flat rate claim. Under the museum’s proposals the average worker would...

Cleaners in GMB at University of Arts London (UAL) High Holborn campus struck 26-30 September, as part of a wider campaign against outsourcing across the university. At the High Holborn branch, the specific demand of the cleaning team was for an additional five members of staff, to make up for those who had been cut as the cleaning contract has been passed around different agencies in the last few years. The contractor offered an “independent investigator” to provide a staff number. But cleaners there know the reality, after one worker had to take a month off sick, whilst another had to have...

Unison members in local government and schools have voted 64% to 36% to accept the offer of £1,925 flat rate (based on a 37-hour week) for all members. The turnout was 34%, significantly higher than the turnout in the industrial action ballot in December 2021, when only 14% of members took part. Unison nationally made no recommendation. In both the North West and London a number of larger or more active branches called for rejection. Most branches and members in the North West rejected, and a majority of members in London rejected. There were some especially high rejections (over 80%) with...

Cleaners and other professional services staff struck on 26-27 Sep at SOAS University in London as part of Unison’s strike action across UK universities. The dispute is responding to a measly 3% pay offer, demanding an increase of 2% above inflation. Unison picket lines across London campuses were lively during the first week of term, setting the context for a year to come on campus during this historic upturn in workers’ action. Picket lines at SOAS and Kings College London were well sustained by workers and students in support. The solidarity groups set up to support last year’s strikes have...

Health Service workers were expecting an extra £700 in September pay packets this month after a much delayed £1,400 flat-rate uplift was added in. But many of us received less than we did in August, and many more got only a few pence more. What happened? In 2021 the government realised that they could significantly delay announcements on NHS pay without provoking any reaction from the health unions. Since then it has become custom to announce on pay several months after 1 April, when the new pay structure should be introduced. Although the unions are all in dispute about the miserly £1,400...