Critical period for UCU members
24 September 2023
Members of the Universities and Colleges Union face difficult choices in continuing their action on pay and conditions in the face of employer resistance.
Pay and conditions
Pay and conditions
Doctors continue pay strike
20 September 2023
Junior doctors struck from 20 to 22 September, with more strikes planned for 2 to 4 October, and a national rally outside the Conservative party conference in Manchester on 3 October. Hospital consultants will also strike on 20 September and on the October dates.
Universities: Strikes to resume [print version]
The University and College Union (UCU) is to take more strike action before the end of September unless the employers agree to return to negotiations.
What’s next for workers?
No worker really thinks that one year’s success ends the necessity for future defence of pay. Yet perpetual, unending strikes are not the answer either…
Mixed progress for doctors
Junior doctors in Scotland have voted overwhelmingly to accept a pay offer. In a ballot nearly 82 per cent voted for the deal on a 71 per cent turn-out.
University strikes resume
24 August 2023
University academic staff will resume strike action in their pay and conditions disputes before the end of September unless employers agree to return to negotiations.
Teachers’ resounding victory
21 August 2023
The conclusion of the current teachers’ pay dispute has seen a resounding victory for schools in England and the unions involved, and has secured their biggest single pay rise in 30 years.
Packaging workers fight for pay and conditions
21 August 2023
Doncaster packaging workers began a 4-week strike on 14 August. They have rejected the employer's 8 per cent offer, tied to longer hours and worse conditions.
Rail - a crisis created by government
Rail workers should ensure that the strong workplace organisation that has been developed when they built support for their campaigns of industrial action is not dissipated...
Heathrow security staff win offer
Heathrow security officers have won an improved pay offer from Heathrow Airports Ltd (HAL) after voting by a majority of 85 per cent for strike action.
Rolls-Royce pay and hours claim stalled
9 June 2023
Workers at Rolls-Royce plc have rejected the company’s pay offer. They are considering their next step in the face of obstructive tactics by the company.
Rail pay struggle continues
7 June 2023
RMT members working on trains and in stations across the country held another strike on Friday 2 June, the latest in their long-running pay dispute.
University pay fight resumes
On 17 April University and College Union declared that university members have won a “historic victory” in achieving restoration of their pension.
Teachers reject pay offer in fight for education
The well crafted and deliberate attacks on education by government are now being resisted by workers, who believe this is a critical point in the struggle to arrest decline…
Royal Mail dispute settled [print version]
Royal Mail postal delivery workers have settled their complex pay struggle after 11 months of well supported industrial action.
Royal Mail pay settled
25 April 2023
Postal delivery workers have settled their lengthy pay struggle. Their union, CWU, will put the agreement to members. Separately, Post Office counter workers have settled their own dispute.
Woolwich Ferry workers steam to big victory
30 March 2023
Workers on the Woolwich ferry services across the River Thames have won a hard-fought victory in a struggle which started with the now discredited Briggs Marine, and continued with Transport for London when it took over in January 2021.
RMT train operating members still in dispute
14 March 2023
RMT members employed by the 14 train operating companies are continuing their long running dispute over pay and conditions.
RMT ballots on new Network Rail offer [updated]
14 March 2023
RMT is conducting a referendum ballot of its Network Rail members after an improved offer from the employer. They have now voted to accept.
The fight for rail continues [updated]
27 February 2023
The government’s attempts to end railway pay disputes are meeting continued resistance.
1942: Betteshanger Colliery
Employers have always tried to make strikes illegal and ineffective. One group of workers stood up to intimidation in the middle of war…
No answers on govt rail failure [print version]
Mark Harper, prime minister Rishi Sunak’s new Secretary of State for Transport, failed to give any real indication to those working in rail or to passengers that he will in any way adequately address the industry’s current problems.
Universities - UCU pay progress [print version]
Following significant progress in negotiations with university employers on pay, working conditions and pensions, the university staff’s union, the UCU, is suspending for two weeks the remaining seven days of its planned 18 days of strike action.
Royal Mail: Postal workers fight on
After court challenges from the employer, Communication Workers’ Union members at Royal Mail have voted overwhelmingly to continue taking industrial action
Universities: UCU pay and pensions progress
22 February 2023
University staff look to have made progress in their struggle on pay and conditions. This shows the power of a united workforce.
London bus drivers settle for big pay rise
14 February 2023
London Abellio bus drivers have won a big pay increase after a long-running dispute. They accepted a greatly increased offer of an18 per cent pay rise.
Big wins at Luton airport
28 January 2023
Luton airport staff have won a 28 per cent pay rise as union activity in the private sector accelerates.
School strikes ahead after big vote for action
20 January 2023
School teachers in England and Wales, members of the National Education Union (NEU), have voted to take industrial action over pay. Strikes, both national and regional, are set to affect 23,000 schools.
On the right track
The railway industry and its workforce enter 2023 with uncertain futures. So far rail workers have shown they are prepared to stand and fight for their interests, together with those of the industry…
Amazon faces first strike
For the first time in Britain, Amazon workers are exerting their trade union organisation in pursuit of higher pay. GMB members at the company’s Coventry site have voted to back strike action for an increase to £15 an hour.