All the union news that's fit to blog...
Tower cranes across the UK could grind to a halt this winter as crane operators take strike action over pay and conditions. The strikes by workers from Wolffkran, one of the world’s largest rental companies of tower cranes, could see construction work at the UK building sites stop on days starting this January, and continuing […]
The post Crane drivers strike appeared first on Unite Live.
Unite members have sent a message of solidarity to the Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI), who this year has been celebrating its 20th-anniversary, marking two decades of unwavering dedication to workers’ rights and global solidarity. The BWI was founded on 9 December 2005 and has evolved into a global workers’ voice and united force, […]
The post BWI celebrates 20 years appeared first on Unite Live.
Unite delegate and construction worker Jimmy O’Malley, moved a motion on behalf of the Unite construction sector on better wages for apprentices, noting that “construction is in crisis”. He noted the scale of the challenges faced by government, which must address both the housing crisis and meet the country’s needs on infrastructure, flood defences and […]
The post ‘Construction in crisis’ appeared first on Unite Live.
Unite construction sector activists were busy on Friday (6 June) distributing the latest Building Worker journal to workers going to work at a central London site. The union activists were handing out copies near Oxford Circus, and Unite national officer Declan Murphy said, “We were out early in the West End this morning, with branch […]
The post Building the union appeared first on Unite Live.
Construction workers and activists gathered at the Building Worker statue at Tower Hill in central London this Monday (April 28) for an International Workers Memorial Day commemoration. The annual Unite event is sadly still as relevant this year as ever, with the latest statistics showing that construction is the most dangerous sector to have a […]
The post Solidarity at Tower Hill appeared first on Unite Live.
Unite members gathered outside the Unite office in Moreland Street yesterday (April 23) to show support and solidarity with the Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI) and its “Stop Deadly Dust” campaign against silica exposure. The construction sector members were all delegates attending the spring National Industrial Sector Committee (NISC) in London, where they heard […]
The post Solidarity against silica appeared first on Unite Live.
As record breaking winds from Storm Eowyn tore across Ireland, leaving 725,000 properties without power, construction employers were busy trying to cheat workers out of a day’s leave. On Friday (24 Jan) winds of 113 mph were recorded near Galway, and hundreds of buildings across the country were damaged. However the very workers who will […]
The post Storm Eowyn – employers try to cheat workers appeared first on Unite Live.
Today is often called “Blue Monday”, due to a perception that it is the most depressing day of the year. However any day can be difficult for people struggling with their mental health, and, as The Samaritans point out, “feeling low isn’t just something that happens on Mondays or a random day in January”. It […]
The post Samaritans reach out to building workers appeared first on Unite Live.
Unite was out in force on Friday morning (29th November), organising colourful and noisy protest in support of a member who has been removed from his workplace simply for highlighting the dangers of onsite asbestos. Danny Thomas is an electrician who had been working for Llorets at the large Victoria House refurbishment site on Southampton […]
The post Unite stands with whistleblower Danny appeared first on Unite Live.
Unite has been handing out the latest BuildingWorker to construction workers on their way to work in Islington. Activists were up early at Angel tube station to hand out the Autumn edition and talk to workers about the benefits of joining Unite. Darren Goldstone is a convenor at a construction site in London, and said; […]
The post Keep spreading the news appeared first on Unite Live.
Unite activists have been up early this morning (11 October), talking to members and handing out leaflets outside North Acton tube to raise awareness for the unions campaign to improve pay. Declan Murphy and Stuart Grice from Unite’s construction sector spoke to lots of workers on their way to work at building sites linked to […]
The post General Operatives called on to have their say appeared first on Unite Live.
Unite construction members protested on Monday (23 Sept) outside the London offices of Jones Engineering in solidarity with an ongoing campaign from comrades in Ireland, and against the firm’s union busting activity. Mechanical workers are taking strike action in Ireland to win back travel time payments that have been cut by the employer. Workers in […]
The post Unite protest outside engineering firms office appeared first on Unite Live.
Industry accreditation bodies have praised the work Unite and employers are doing at Canary Wharf to tackle fake cards. Unite organised an event at Canary Wharf last week (Tuesday 28 August) to show the process that Canary Wharf Contractors have put in place to ensure operatives attending the projects have the correct CSCS card for […]
The post Unite checking system “the Gold Standard” appeared first on Unite Live.
Young Unite members from the UK construction sector joined with thousands of colleagues from across the world as part of a campaign day from the BWI to tie in with International Youth Day 2024. On Monday (12 Aug) the Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI) called on its affiliates, partners, and young workers to take […]
The post Young workers raise a fist appeared first on Unite Live.
HSE report shows rise in workplace fatalities The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has published its latest set of statistics for workplace deaths, and 2023/24 makes grim reading with numbers once again rising, and construction and agricultural workers being most at risk. The report, Work-related fatal injuries in Great Britain, 2024, says that: “The construction and […]
The post Construction and Agriculture deaths top grim table appeared first on Unite Live.
Eleven dead and no word of comfort or sympathy from the IOC…Read more…