Union solidarity round-up: 20 to 26 July

PCS members at the National Library of Wales have secured a significant win. Following a resounding ‘yes’ in the statutory ballot for industrial action, managers at the National Library of Wales have immediately backed down on proposed detriments to workers’ pensions.

And as the new prime minister settles in, possible plans of his to press ahead with North Sea gas extraction on the Jackdaw site have been questioned by a report that suggests fewer than thirty jobs would be created. Instead, PCS and other unions call for a Just Transition away from carbon and towards a green economy with green jobs.

UK activity

PCS members in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office will escalate their dispute over a controversial restructuring programme. They took their first day of strike action on 16 July and will continue on 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).

Unite members working as health visitors at Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board in south Wales have voted to continue strike action by 12 months after thousands signed a petition for director Hywel Daniel to resign in the face of his recent £30k pay rise.  And about 400 Unite members at bus maker Alexander Dennis in Scarborough will strike again today (20) over their 20% real-terms pay decrease over five years.

Unite members at the luxury Kimpton Clocktower Hotel in Manchester walked out for a third weekend (25 and 26) in the fight for union recognition and reinstatement of a sacked rep. 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.  

Unison members who work as theatre assistants at three Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust sites, at Bedford Hospital, Luton & Dunstable University Hospital, and at Tameside Hospital and Northern Care Alliance, remain on strike over pay. And members working as teaching assistants from 38 schools on the 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. Members at University of Nottingham continue their strike (begun 1 June, (until 31 July) over reorganisation and redundancies. And members at London South Bank University to take strike action all week (20 to 24) over management plans to cut one in five jobs.

Finally, GMB members working for outsourcer ISS at Chase Farm Hospital in Enfield will strike again, this week from Wednesday (22), Thursday (23) and Friday (24) over bullying, racism and unresolved formal grievances. 

International

The International Labour Organisation is now investigating the government of Nigeria for anti-union activity after the unlawful arrest in 2024 of the president of the Nigerian Labour Congress on his way to the UK. 

In Laos, some progress looks to be made for garment workers as joint training was undertaken by representatives of government, employers and labour organisations. The three-day event will make for better awareness and accountability around labour standards and legal frameworks.

And in Greece, following the sad death of a colleague in Athens last week, food delivery workers went on a five-hour strike yesterday. Low pay and high workloads actively encourage fast driving and unsafe practices.