Strike!

[hitmouse]

Watch as angry delivery drivers blockade McDonald's drive-through over Just Eat pay dispute

This is the moment angry Just Eat delivery drivers blockaded a McDonald’s drive-through in Sheffield as a pay dispute escalated.

www.thestar.co.uk

 

[hitmouse]

Email tool in support of the scaffolders:

Megaphone UK

SUPPORTING UNIONS TO WIN Supporting workers and their union with digital campaigns. Megaphone UK is a project of the TUC, in collaboration with our 48 member unions and the nearly 5.5 million...

www.megaphone.org.uk

 

[Lord Camomile]

Based on a huge phone banking effort by members of the branch committee and reps (plus I sent a handful of emails ), going off of self-reporting we're quietly hopeful we got over the line.

How that translates in terms of the actual result, of course...

Not sure whether to post here, the UCU thread or the (vaguely) UNISON one, but we are one of five in London to make it across the 50% And a big majority for the Yes column.

Going to have a look to see if I can get a sense of the national picture.

 

[hitmouse]

Not sure whether to post here, the UCU thread or the (vaguely) UNISON one, but we are one of five in London to make it across the 50% And a big majority for the Yes column.

Going to have a look to see if I can get a sense of the national picture.

Nice one, congratulations! The number I've heard is nine nationally, so getting over the line is definitely not an easy achievement!

 

[Lord Camomile]

Nice one, congratulations! The number I've heard is nine nationally, so getting over the line is definitely not an easy achievement!

Bloody hell, really??! Caught on Twitter that Brighton and Leeds had crossed 50% too, so figured there were a good number more.

That's over half only in London!

 

[hitmouse]

Bloody hell, really??! Caught on Twitter that Brighton and Leeds had crossed 50% too, so figured there were a good number more.

That's over half only in London!

That's the number I've heard but not seen formal confirmation yet. Think the Service Group Exec is meant to be meeting either tomorrow or Thursday so we should know more after then, and think there's probably still enough time to get action co-ordinated with the next round of UCU strikes.

 

[hitmouse]

More action coming up at Goldsmiths:

Statement for Students about Industrial Action, Spring 2022 | Goldsmiths University and College Union

Statement and FAQ to students from the staff union (GUCU) about industrial action in Spring 2022: Dear students, As many of you already know, the staff union (GUCU) had a branch meeting on Monday 6 De

goldsmithsucu.org

 

[hitmouse]

IWGB JustEat strike fundraiser happening tomorrow night:


Latest video from the dispute:

 

[hitmouse]

Upcoming tube strikes at the start of March:

London Transport union RMT announces strike action

London Transport union RMT announces strike action as LU refuses to give assurances on jobs, pensions and working conditions

www.rmt.org.uk

 

[hitmouse]

UVW/GOSH stuff:

Security Guards launch a six-week strike with a huge rally and peaceful occupation

UVW

www.uvwunion.org.uk

 

[hitmouse]

Good to see scaffolding firms pulling out of the British Steel job:

 

[hitmouse]

Train cleaners striking on various lines in the southeast tomorrow:

Rail cleaners call strike action

Hundreds of heroic rail cleaners employed by Churchill on four contracts in the South East will take strike action on Wednesday 23rd February as part of their fight for pay justice.

www.rmt.org.uk

 

[hitmouse]

Scunthorpe scaffolders stuff:

#PayTheRate Actavo

We call on Actavo CEO Brian Kelly to respect national agreements & pay his scaffolders the agreed job rate. Support the strike

www.unitetheunion.org

In HE news, Unison have announced what the uni branches who got over the 50% threshold will be doing, which is good, but it also seems like... they've not even properly fully co-ordinated the strike dates?

University members to take action on pay and pensions | Article | News | UNISON National

Dates announced as ballots at 10 institutions pass the legal threshold for turnout

www.unison.org.uk

 

[hitmouse]

RMT out on TransPennine Express these next few Sundays over pay:

TransPennine Express Conductors to begin strike action this Sunday

RAIL UNION RMT confirmed today that Conductors employed by TransPennine Express will be taking the first in a series of weekly strike actions this Sunday 13th February over pay discrimination.

www.rmt.org.uk

 

[Lord Camomile]

Scunthorpe scaffolders stuff:

#PayTheRate Actavo

We call on Actavo CEO Brian Kelly to respect national agreements & pay his scaffolders the agreed job rate. Support the strike

www.unitetheunion.org

In HE news, Unison have announced what the uni branches who got over the 50% threshold will be doing, which is good, but it also seems like... they've not even properly fully co-ordinated the strike dates?

University members to take action on pay and pensions | Article | News | UNISON National

Dates announced as ballots at 10 institutions pass the legal threshold for turnout

www.unison.org.uk

There's definitely been some coordination, but I'm not clear how much and at what level.

Looks like 01/02 March might be the real "all out" days?

 

[hitmouse]

Yeah, and the 2nd is the date that the NUS have called for a student strike as well so makes sense to make that one the biggest, but I still don't see why, in a national dispute, they couldn't just get all participating branches to go out on the same dates. UCU seem to be able to manage it.

 

[moochedit]

Coventry council (labour controlled) now saying they will use scab labour to cover the bin strike. (I didn't think that was legal but i may be wrong/out of date?).....

Council launches new plan to collect city’s waste – Coventry City Council

Coventry City Council is set to bring in a private contractor to help collect waste over the coming weeks as strike action by bin lorry drivers continues.

www.coventry.gov.uk

Unite response...(they say it's illegal)

Agency worker recruitment by Coventry council exposed in bin dispute

…

www.unitetheunion.org

The cov bin strike keeps escalating. Unite saying they will pull labour funding now. (Whether a serious threat i don't know)

Labour facing bankruptcy as union donor Unite says it could pull remaining support

Sir Keir says Labour will not be ‘influenced by threats’

www.independent.co.uk

 

[hitmouse]

Not great news:

Great Ormond Street Hospital threatens to seek injunction to silence security guards on strike for sick pay

UVW

www.uvwunion.org.uk

 

[hitmouse]

Happening on Wednesday morning in London:


And in Manchester:

 

[Lord Camomile]

Yeah, and the 2nd is the date that the NUS have called for a student strike as well so makes sense to make that one the biggest, but I still don't see why, in a national dispute, they couldn't just get all participating branches to go out on the same dates. UCU seem to be able to manage it.

Maybe because the vote was disaggregated?

I know our many on our committee were concerned about asking our members, many of whom are obviously on the lower grades, to go out for a full five days.

It certainly does seem like it's not always super easy to co-ordinate across branches/regions in UNISON, though again locally I think we're lucky in that respect, so maybe a bit more gets done/planned.

 

[killer b]

Not sure if this is the best thread for this, but has everyone seen the CWU valentines advert? It's brilliant.

 

[hitmouse]

Yeah, whoever the CWU have in charge of their branding/advertising side of things is definitely very good at it - posted this elsewhere but I still think their cheeky Sports Direct knock-off mugs are inspired:

Direct Action Pint Mug | CWU Merchandise Store

Direct Action Campaign Pint Mug. £2 from every sale goes towards Direct Action funds.

www.cwu-shop.org

 

[hitmouse]

Scaffolders still keeping the pressure up:

 

[hitmouse]

From Strike Map:

Tell us your thoughts

Strike MapUK are proposing a reps and stewards summit to discuss strategy, tactics and learn from those taking strike action. Tell them what you think about their joint proposal with @NurseSayNO using this form.

actionnetwork.org

Alongside NHS Workers Say NO! we are jointly proposing a reps and stewards summit to discuss strategy, tactics and learn from those taking strike action.

 

[William of Walworth]

Belated thanks from me as well, hitmouse , for all these updates ....

(I'd been guilty of neglecting this thread for a while )

 

[Serge Forward]

JustEat strike spreads to Leicester

 

[hitmouse]

I don’t know if all admin staff are UCU members; some will be, some not.

Management’s plan to ‘evolve’ the university through cuts and centralisation of services, plus its secretive deals with banks, has been presented as a done deal and has disastrous consequences for teaching and research. Staff are at breaking point and have been for some time. Seventy per cent turned out for the strike and 86% voted to strike. UCU could hardly be described as a union that’s “doing fuck all”.

Well, it's been a few months, but Unison have now got around to also striking at Goldsmiths:

Confirmation of Ballot Result / Strike Dates | UNISON Goldsmiths

unisongoldsmiths.org.uk

 

[hitmouse]

Maybe because the vote was disaggregated?

I know our many on our committee were concerned about asking our members, many of whom are obviously on the lower grades, to go out for a full five days.

Is strike pay available, by the way?

 

[Lord Camomile]

Is strike pay available, by the way?

Yeah, and it'll be £50 per day, rather than £25 (I think it also used to be only after the fourth day of action, too, but this'll now be from the first day).

My understanding is it was a very recent decision; don't know if the committee would have made a different decision on strike days if we'd been aware of that earlier.

 

[hitmouse]

Yeah, and it'll be £50 per day, rather than £25 (I think it also used to be only after the fourth day of action, too, but this'll now be from the first day).

My understanding is it was a very recent decision; don't know if the committee would have made a different decision on strike days if we'd been aware of that earlier.

Oh yeah, I've just looked over on the Unison election thread, it does sound like it must be something that the new NEC had brought in. So nice to see that stuff having a practical impact, I suppose?