All the union news that's fit to blog...
On the first day of Unite’s policy conference on Tuesday (July 11) Unite delegate Heather Gilfillan from Scotland highlighted the importance of public services as she moved a motion on a public services minimum wage of £15 an hour. Heather told conference of media reports every day showing public services on its knees, facing massive […]
The post Public services minimum wage call appeared first on Unite Live.
The new chair of Unite’s Executive Council (EC) Andy Green opened Unite’s Policy Conference on Tuesday (July 11). Andy paid tribute to the outgoing EC chair Tony Woodhouse, as he highlighted the major issues facing Unite members now, including the cost of living crisis, profiteering, and Tory anti-trade union laws hindering the fundamental right to […]
The post ‘Commitment, passion and respect’ appeared first on Unite Live.
After a passionate and good-tempered debate at Unite’s rules conference on Monday (July 10), Unite delegates overwhelmingly voted to reject proposals that would have resulted in the union disaffiliating from the Labour Party. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham spoke in support of an Executive Council (EC) statement, which called on Unite to maintain its affiliation, […]
The post ‘Now cannot be the time to walk away’ appeared first on Unite Live.
Unite Rules Conference 2023 opened its door to Unite reps in Brighton on Sunday, July 9. The conference lasted until the following day and covered a range of issues, including rule changes on health and safety, membership contributions and benefits, young members, election of EC members, funds, equalities issues, inclusivity issues and the accountable representation […]
The post Changing the rules… appeared first on Unite Live.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham met with various groups of delegates on the last day of the union’s rules conference in Brighton. See highlights in our photo gallery below.
Sharon with the South West region
Unite’s Unite for a Workers’ Economy campaign staged a protest for the NHS outside the exclusive Carlton Club – a private members’ club frequented by Tory MPs. The protest was held on the 75th anniversary of the founding of the NHS on Wednesday (July 5) to coincide with a party at the club hosted by […]
The post Protest the party! appeared first on Unite Live.
Unite has slammed South Gloucestershire council’s open letter to both the union and Suez as a ‘pretend intervention to cover its back’. The letter, regarding all out pay strikes by 150 Suez workers, demands to know “what actions have been taken to date to settle the industrial action and to set out how you will […]
The post Unite slams South Gloucestershire council’s ‘pretend intervention’ appeared first on Unite Live.
Food and drink producers across the UK face running out of packaging as workers at Cepac strike in a dispute over pay, Unite said on Wednesday (July 5). The 90 plus workers, who includes printers, engineers and conversion operatives, have overwhelmingly voted to take industrial action. The first strike will begin on Tuesday, July 18, […]
The post Cepac print workers to strike appeared first on Unite Live.
Unite is demanding that the NHS’ staff are valued and not undermined to ensure its long-term success. Latest figures show that there are 112,000 vacancies in the NHS and its recruitment crisis is worsening. The NHS’ own staff satisfaction survey shows that three quarters of respondents are unhappy with their level of pay. Meanwhile, 43 […]
The post NHS’ 75th birthday – ‘staff must be valued not undermined’ appeared first on Unite Live.
Around 360 bus drivers employed by First Manchester will begin strike action on Monday (July 3) after they voted against a new offer by the company that had ‘strings attached’. First Manchester’s current offer is split so the drivers would receive approximately half the pay rise in April and half in October. Unite said the […]
The post First Manchester strikes to go ahead appeared first on Unite Live.
The financial turmoil that has engulfed Thames Water demonstrates that the government has been found asleep at the wheel yet again and that the UK’s regulatory regime is not fit for purpose, Unite has warned. Unite, which represents hundreds of workers at Thames Water, is committed to ensuring that the workers, as well as the […]
The post Thames Water fiasco: gov’t asleep at the wheel appeared first on Unite Live.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham marched with Unite steel members this week (June 27) in Westminster to warn MPs and ministers that the time for talking is over and immediate action is required by the government to secure the long-term future of the UK’s steel industry. From hospitals to defence, Unite has said it is […]
The post ‘It’s time our politicians stepped up’ on steel appeared first on Unite Live.
Unite has raised the alarm over the looming closure of 40 mental health and wellbeing hubs that provide support for under pressure NHS staff. The warning comes as figures released on Thursday (June 29) show that NHS sickness absences have reached record highs, with mental health problems accounting for the biggest proportion of causes at […]
The post Record rise in NHS mental health sickness appeared first on Unite Live.
Construction workers operating under the Construction Industry Joint Council (CIJC) agreement will receive a substantial increase in pay rates next month following negotiations led by Unite. The workers will immediately receive a six per cent increase and then a further 1.5 per cent increase from 1 January 2024, a compound increase of 7.59 per cent. […]
The post Construction workers in pay win appeared first on Unite Live.
More than 200 refuse workers employed by Bristol Waste will strike in July, Unite said on Thursday (June 29). The workers, who collect bins, clean the streets and operate household waste and recycling centres, are angry at a 17 month pay offer of seven per cent or £2,000, whichever is greater for their salary. With […]
The post Bristol summer bin chaos appeared first on Unite Live.
Newbury and District Bus Company has been branded the “UK’s meanest’ bus operator after a group of drivers were forced to announce strike action after not receiving a pay rise for four years. The affected drivers, who are members of Unite were TUPE transferred to their present employer from Reading Buses in 2020 and operate […]
The post Newbury and District Bus Company branded “UK’s meanest” appeared first on Unite Live.
From Tuesday (June 27) workers at St Mungo’s will stage an unprecedented indefinite strike accusing management of a shocking dereliction of duty towards the homeless and the charity’s own staff. This momentous decision has been provoked by the ongoing indifference of management who callously refuse to acknowledge the struggle front-line workers face to pay the […]
The post St Mungo’s workers to begin indefinite strike appeared first on Unite Live.
This week marks the 75th anniversary of the arrival of the Empire Windrush, the first ship to arrive in Tilbury Docks after the Second World War. The original ship belonged to Germany and was used in the war where it was captured, refurbished and renamed Empire Windrush. Between 10,000 to 20,000 people from the Caribbean […]
The post ‘The legacy of the Windrush generation lives on’ appeared first on Unite Live.
London and the South East England are facing a beer drought this summer as delivery drivers, draymen and warehouse operatives employed by GXO ballot for strike action over draconian disciplinary matters. Unite is balloting 120 members at GXO’s Croydon depot over the excessive disciplinary issues and the company’s failure to follow the existing agreement on […]
The post London and South East in beer drought threat appeared first on Unite Live.
Strike action affecting Welwyn and Hatfield council’s refuse collection service has been resolved following several days of strike action. The 90 plus members of Unite and employed by waste company Urbaser on Welwyn and Hatfield council’s outsourced refuse collection service, began strike action on Monday (June 19) in a dispute over pay. However, following talks […]
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