Union solidarity round-up: 13 to 19 July

Last week, BMA members working as NHS consultants won a mandate for strike action in a successful ballot, although union representatives hope that proper negotiations can avert disruptions to patients. And negotiations between governors and staff at a school in Essex are now underway after a series of strikes over nine weeks by NEU members.

Following the UK’s record-breaking heatwaves, Unison and the TUC have renewed calls for a maximum working temperature, varied according to whether work is indoors or strenuous. Green MP Hannah Spencer will introduce a bill to parliament this week for research and legislation on recommendations.

UK activity

PCS members in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office will escalate their dispute over a controversial restructuring programme, striking on 16, 22, 23 (half day), 29 and 30 July, with action short of strike from 17 to 30 July. Action short of a strike continues at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government where there is a mandate for further strike action. And members are still balloting at the Department for Education over office closures (until 21 July).

More than 100 Unite members at working for exam board AQA will strike this week over a 10% rea-terms wage decrease since 2021; those in Guildford, London, Harrogate and Milton Keynes will take strike action on Thursday (16) and Saturday (18), joined on those days by members in Manchester who are also striking today (13) and Friday (17).

Unite members at the luxury Kimpton Clocktower Hotel in Manchester walked out this weekend (11 and 12) and will strike again this weekend (18 and 19) and next (25 and 26); the hotel owner - InterContinental Hotels Group - refuses formal recognition and has sacked two reps on false premises. And about 300 Unite members working as HGV drivers employed by DHL for Jaguar Land Rover in Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Solihull and Widnes remain on strike indefinitely over real-terms pay cuts.  

Unite members working as health visitors at Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board in south Wales remain on strike until Friday (17). And Unison members who work as theatre assistants at three Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust sites, Bedford Hospital, Luton and Dunstable University Hospital, Tameside Hospital and Northern Care Alliance remain on strike over pay. 

NEU members working as support staff at six schools in Bristol run by E-ACT multi-academy trust strike again this week, following three strike days last week, over backpay owed to long-standing staff. NEU members at Woodfield School are striking over employer Compass Learning Trust’s attack on the pay of junior teaching staff: all days this week except Wednesday (15). And Unison members working as teaching assistants from 38 schools on Wirral continue strike action over the borough council’s refusal to recognise that they routinely work beyond their job scope and above their pay grade.

UCU members at Durham University and University of Leicester continue action short of a strike. Members at Goldsmiths, University of London continue indefinite strike action (begun 8 June) over redundancies and union busting. And members at University of Nottingham continue their strike (begun 1 June, (until 31 July) over reorganisation and redundancies.

RMT members working for CAF Rail on Transport for Wales maintenance have rejected another low pay offer and will confront management retaliation, continuing action short of a strike and walking out yesterday evening (12) to this morning (13) and then this evening until tomorrow morning. And GMB members working for outsourcer ISS at Chase Farm Hospital in Enfield will strike on Wednesday (15) over bullying, racism and unresolved formal grievances.

International

In South Africa, the Congress of South African Trade Unions has made a submission to the United States’ trade representative over forced labour. The country has seen a worrying rise in workers cruelly trafficked from South Africa, while the US concern is merely concerned over the competitiveness of its own businesses.

In Israel, after masked attacks on workplaces belonging to two media agencies critical of the current government, the International Federation of Journalists has called for a proper investigation and for an end to the open hostility from the government, along with its attempts to take over the television regulator.

And in Uzbekistan, national unions have received support from international labour organisations for stronger work to campaign for improved workers’ rights. A conference stressed that domestic economic development should be accompanied by international standards and social partnerships.