UNISON

The public services union

The longest strike in NHS history

In August 2023 over 400 health staff at Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (WUTH) began strikes in a dispute over pay. They have now had 50 days of strikes. Clinical support workers (CSWs) assist nursing staff on the wards. They’re employed across the trust’s sites at Arrowe Park and Clatterbridge hospitals on the Wirral. CSWs on the band 2 pay scale had routinely been undertaking clinical tasks like taking and monitoring blood, electrocardiogram (ECG) tests, and inserting cannulas. They should be on at least a band 3 salary, which is nearly £2,000 a year more than they...

Regrouping on council pay

The April 2023 pay round in England and Wales local government is not yet settled. No increase has been paid, but the three unions are failing to coordinate. This makes the case for one workplace one union, as Workers’ Liberty has fought for. Immediately we need to build unity on the ground across all three unions. After a ballot between 23 May and 4 July, Unison, the largest of the three unions, decided to take no action. 75% voted for industrial action to improve an offer of £1,925 (£2,352 for London members), but the ballot fell short of the Tory 50% turnout threshold in the overwhelming...

Camden traffic wardens win

Camden’s outsourced traffic wardens have won a decisive pay rise after 59 consecutive days on strike. They voted overwhelmingly to accept a deal netting them £15 per hour backdated to April 2023, £15.90 next year, and the year after either £16.50 or RPI, whichever is highest. £15 falls short of their original demand of £15.90 this year, but is a genuinely inflation-busting 18.1% increase on their previous wage of £12.70. The deal also looks likely to track or outstrip inflation in years two and three. It puts them at least among the best-paid outsourced traffic wardens in the country. In this...

UCU re-ballots amidst ferment

After a summer of confusion over strategy and unacceptable delays to a national re-ballot of members in the long-running University and College Union (UCU) dispute over pay and conditions, 42 branches struck in the week from 25 September. The week was originally planned to be a national strike. An emergency meeting of the union’s Higher Education Committee decided to allow branches to opt out. That left 42 to fight on, many in pursuit of local fights against punitive deductions of pay for the Marking and Assessment Boycott (MAB). The MAB ended in September when the industrial action mandate...

Unison schools strike in Scotland 26-28 September

Unison members in Scottish schools will strike 26-28 September, despite the GMB and Unite pulling out of what was to be a joint strike by the three unions. 21,000 Unison members working in 24 of Scotland 32 local authorities will strike. GMB members in ten local authorities and Unite members in eleven local authorities had been due to strike. Although the strike is for a pay rise for all council staff, it specifically targets schools and early years centres. Unison members on strike are school cleaners, kitchen staff, admin. workers and support staff. All three unions had rejected an offer by...

Camden strikers: victory!

Update 21/09/2023: The traffic wardens have voted to end their strike after 59 consecutive days, accepting a deal which nets them £15 per hour backdated to April 2023 (an 18.1% raise from the previous wage £12.70), £15.90 next year, and the year after either £16.50 or RPI, whichever is highest. The deal falls short of their original demand of £15.90 this year, but it substantially outstrips inflation this year and is likely to at least track inflation for the duration of the deal. It puts them at least among the best-paid outsourced traffic wardens in the country. So they are right to...

Camden strikers are steadfast

Camden traffic wardens’ indefinite strike, now six weeks old, demands a pay rise from £12.70 per hour to £15.90

Regrouping in local government

Unison union representatives on the local government National Joint Council (through which, with other unions, they negotiate on pay) met on 11 July following the 23 May-4 July industrial action ballot on pay, which fell foul of the Tories’ 2016 legal requirement for a 50% turnout. Only a small number of branches hit the 50% threshold, many schools got over the threshold and some other councils got over 40%. The Unison NJC reps discussed continuing the dispute, but only representatives from the north west supported the idea. Unite is still consulting members, but action over this year’s pay...

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