Union solidarity round-up: 24 to 30 November

In the fight for Just Transition away from the reliance on fossil fuels and towards green skill, jobs and economies, unions are celebrating the landmark Belém Action Mechanism (BAM). The BAM was agreed at the last minute at COP30 in Brazil this year. Although major demands which could guarantee the protection of people and planet were unmet, the BAM gives unions a recognised voice for global Just Transition plans, through the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

With all eyes looking to the UK Government’s budget on Wednesday (26), it would be easy to have missed Saturday (22) as the Fawcett Society’s Equal Pay Day. The day highlights the systemic gender pay gap and marks the point from which women effectively work for free for the rest of the year. This comes in the wake of the government statistical bulletin in October which shows that 2025 civil service median earnings have a built-in ethnicity pay gap of 4.5% for most Black workers, a gender pay gap of 6.4% and a disability pay gap of 8%.

UK activity

More than 300 PCS members working at the Palace of Westminster in the Parliamentary Security Department will strike on Wednesday (26), the latest action in their dispute over the loss of six days of paid annual leave/rest days, and the imposition of an extended shift pattern. Over 150 PCS members working at Tate Britain, Tate Modern, Tate Liverpool and Tate St Ives will strike from Wednesday (26) until 2 December over pay and benefits.

Members at MyCSP begin their 20th week of strike action (until 28 November) in their campaign for union recognition. Members at the Office for National Statistics, the Civil Aviation Authority (with Prospect), and the Ministry of Housing all continue action short of a strike. And thousands of members at DWP will move to a statutory ballot in January with a view to striking over pay compression and real-terms losses amongst the lowest-paid grades.

Unite members at Newham Centre for Mental Health, employed by profit-making outsourcing firm Grosvenor Facilities Management, continue their strike over pay; the action began last week (17) and lasts until Sunday (30), with a further four weeks from 8 December to 5 January. About 1,000 members in Liverpool, Glasgow, Reading, Edinburgh and Stirling, employed by finance sector outsourcer Diligenta will strike again over pay on Friday (28). And members at Village Hotel Glasgow will begin five weeks of strike action over pay and conditions, starting on Friday (28) and lasting until 2 January.

Over 350 Unite workers at London Transit (First Bus) in West London who rejected their pay offer and will continue their strike action (previously 14, 17 and 18), this week from Wednesday to Friday (26 to 28). And bus workers at First Cymru remain on strike (since 20 November) until 21 January 2026 over stalled pay talks.

About 40 members at The Bank of England, working for Amulet Security, resume their action of 13 November over a zero percent pay rise, now striking all week (24 to 28). 250 members at Cockermouth manufacturer James Walker and Co continue their dispute begun in September, striking this week on 26 and 27.  Strikes continue for bin workers in Birmingham. Members at BAE at two sites in Lancashire remain on strike (since 5 November) until 17 December. Defence sector colleagues employed by Leonardo continue their dispute over pay with strikes this week at Edinburg and Basildon (24 and 25) and Yeovil (25 to 28).

More Unite members, working as phlebotomists for Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Trust, continue their indefinite strike. Members at the National Coal Mining Museum in Wakefield remain on strike (since August) until 28 January 2026. And members continue their disputes at Mitie in East Lancashire, at North West Ambulance Service and at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

UCU members at University of Sheffield will strike from Monday until Thursday (24 to 27) over staffing cuts, with further dates next month. Staff at Imperial College London continue their dispute with strike action this week from 25 to 28 November. Members at Lancaster University will strike on Thursday and Friday (27 and 28) over job cuts. And members at Brunel University continue their academic boycott. Over at the TEFL Workers’ Union (IWW), teachers at Malvern House London are striking again (24 to 28) after the employer threatened to sack large numbers of striking staff: the dispute involves a sacked colleague, denial of union recognition, refusal to negotiate and fairer contracts to include preparation time undertaken by staff.

International

In India, new labour codes which make it easier to sack workers have met with widespread opposition from union. With marches having taken place at the weekend, ten of the most significant unions are calling for protests across the whole country on Wednesday (26).

In Georgia, four foreign nationals have tragically died in a road construction project in the Kvesheti-Kobi region. There is continued concern in the country about workers’ safety, corruption and environmental risks where contracts, such as this one, have been handed out to Chinese companies.

And in Nigeria, government is holding urgent talks with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to prevent strikes. However, there are fears that this is a delaying tactic in the face of the union’s mobilisation for updated agreements, funding and payment of outstanding wages and benefits.