Care UK strikers 'deserve all our support'

Today’s Observer editorial gives backing to striking UNISON members at Care UK: ‘The Doncaster workers merit, at the very least, a living wage, as do all care workers. Government is initially the prime mover in ensuring sufficient funds; shareholders may have to see their dividends reduced. But in a fair society, that is surely is as it should be.’ Elsewhere in the same paper economist Will Hutton identifies ‘privatisation by stealth’ as the root cause of the exploitation of former NHS care workers and endorses the long running strike which will be escalated next week: ‘Good on them, and these are words you don't read often, good on the union. They deserve all our support’

A poke in the eye for lazy leadership

In an excellent blog John Tizard articulates why real change takes guts and hard work, which is a poke in the eye for public sector leaders who bolt towards cutting terms and conditions rather than tackling longer term problems within services.
   Cuts to council funding has in many cases translated into new service delivery models, which are often Trojan Horses to remove terms and conditions and take staff away from the local government pension scheme. It is a short term fix putting a sticking plaster over the gaping wounds of public finance. The long term cost is a demoralised public sector workforce, worse services and a devastating impact on families, local economies and future pensions.
http://m.huffpost.com/uk/entry/5467955?utm_hp_ref=tw

Care UK strikers pledge to keep up pay fight

Hundreds of striking Care UK UNISON members and supporters marched and rallied in Doncaster on Saturday. The mental health care workers have taken a remarkable 34 days strike action in opposition to cuts in pay and conditions following a TUPE transfer from the NHS to the for profit care company. A video of the rally can viewed via the link below. Donations to the branch hardship fund can be sent to: Doncaster District and Bassetlaw Health Branch, UNISON Office, Jenkinson House, White Rose Way, Doncaster DN4 5GJ.
http://www.southyorkshiretimes.co.uk/news/video-unison-march-through-town-in-support-of-care-uk-strikers-1-6622861

The more you attack us, the stronger we become says Lenin of UNISON

UNISON members employed as cleaners at London's School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) are mounting a long running dispute to secure the same terms and conditions as other staff working at the University. They were outsourced to ISS and under the terms of their contracts they receive statutory sick pay instead of the occupational sick pay offered to SOAS employees. They also receive only minimum annual leave entitlement and do not have access to the university pension scheme. A video of the third period of strike action can be viewed here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgXQlGSjF_Y&feature=youtu.be&app=desktop
http://www.unison.org.uk/news/soas-cleaners-strike-3

UNISON members fight pay cuts at Care UK

On Thursday UNISON members employed by Care UK in Doncaster Yorkshire, commenced seven days strike action in protest at pay cuts. The 150 learning disabilities workers are facing up to 50% loss of earnings following transfer from NHS employment to the private sector care provider. Agenda for Change conditions of service including annual leave entitlement and weekend enhancements are being attacked:
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/care-uk-doncaster-strike-taking-3190492
http://www.southyorkshiretimes.co.uk/news/doncaster-care-workers-begin-strike-action-1-6468718

Stronger organisation only solution to watering down of TUPE

The TUC has warned that the Con Dem Government's changes to the Transfer of Undertakings and Protection of Employment (TUPE) will 'drive down pay and conditions for hundreds of thousands of workers and make privatisation cheaper and quicker'. Which is precisely the point of the reforms at a time when the marketization of public services is being intensified and the number of TUPE transfers in the UK is likely to rocket past 50,000 in the next 12 months. Job security and contractual conditions of transferring workers will now come under serious threat. UNISON's priority must be to strengthen workplace organisation to resist privatisation and, when transfers take place, challenge employers who seek to maximise profit by imposing inferior terms and conditions on union members:
http://www.tuc.org.uk/workplace-issues/basic-rights-work/employment-rights/your-rights-work/weakening-tupe-law-will-put

Liverpool University support staff strike against cuts to T’s & C’s

Hard on the heels of yesterday’s higher education national pay strike, support staff members of UNISON and Unite at Liverpool University are today taking a second day of strike action in opposition to imposed cuts in rates of pay for working weekends, nights, open days etc. Services affected include services such as catering, cleaning and building management:
http://www.unisonnw.org/supportlivustaff

Cameron's war against workers

Recent anti union media hysteria distracts public attention from the relentless attack on workers' rights in the UK. The Institute of Employment Rights has reported that a recent Con Dem Business Taskforce report "Cutting Red Tape" is proposing the 'removal or diminution of rights affecting agency workers; working time; maternity pay; posted workers; information and consultation; and workers transferred under TUPE'.

UNISON members strike to defend pay in South Gloucestershire

Pickets at South Gloucestershire today

UNISON members working at South Gloucestershire Council are embarking on an industrial action campaign following an overwhelming vote for industrial action in response to employer attacks on their pay allowances. 24 hour strike action today will involve library assistants, care assistants, traffic wardens and social workers.

Zero Hours Contracts - are Labour's pledges workable?

In his TUC speech on Tuesday Ed Miliband committed a future Labour Government to end the abuse of zero hours contracts rather than an outright ban on this worst form of casualised working. Lawyer Darren Newman examines the practicalities of proposals to ban these contracts in certain circumstances only and concludes it will be the legal equivalent of nailing a jelly to the wall:
http://darrennewman.wordpress.com/2013/09/11/eds-pledge-on-zero-hours-contracts/

New phase of strike action launched in Rochdale

This week more than 100 UNISON members in Rochdale are stepping up their fight against pay cuts. The adult social care workers have already taken 15 days strike action and on Sunday they launched a further five days all out strike action in an attempt to secure concessions from their employer - the Future Directions community interest company.
   Anne Marie Hetherington a Personal Assistant said 'we want to negotiate a fair deal but Future Directions will not budge. We would rather not take strike action, but we care and need to provide for our families, our community and our service users and that is why we will take more strike action if that’s what it takes.'
   A march and rally is taking place in support of the strikers at 12 noon this Thursday 29 August. Asembly point is the Butts in Rochdale Town centre and speakers include Maureen Le Marinel UNISON President and Heather Wakefield national secretary for local government:
http://www.unisonnw.org/rochdale-future-direction-workers-announce-further-5-days-of-strike-action/

Stirling strikers say 'not a minute on the day not a penny off the pay'

UNISON Stirling Branch is reporting huge support for its strike today against a 4.5% pay cut. "With council pay already falling 13% behind, means a whopping 17.5% hit on Stirling Council workers", said branch treasurer Andy Douglas reporting from the picket line earlier.

Happy at work? You must be joking!

The LSE’s Centre for Economic Performance has published the results of a survey using smartphone technology to map real time responses on well being of workers while at work. The data contains more than a million observations on tens of thousands of individuals in the UK, collected on a ‘Mappiness App’ since August 2010. The research finds that paid work is ranked 'lower than any of the other 39 activities people engage in, with the exception of being sick in bed' and, unsurprisingly to trade unionists, ‘precisely how unhappy or anxious someone is while working depends on the circumstances’ such as working hours, location, lone working and so on:
http://cep.lse.ac.uk/pubs/download/cp390.pdf

NHS Employers urged to attack Terms and Conditions

Even before the ink has dried on the National Staff Council’s agreement to amend parts of Agenda for Change, some employers’ organisations are urging NHS Trusts to look for more ways to undermine the pay and conditions of their workforce. The Foundation Trust Network has published its interim draft report on a survey of Trusts into optimising NHS Pay, Terms and Conditions:

Paul Routledge on health workers striking a blow for the soul of the NHS - Paul Routledge - Mirror Online

They’re not just fighting for their pay. They’re fighting for a ­properly-fund, decently-run NHS, for the patients, not the privatisers http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/paul-routledge-on-health-workers-striking-1567738

Yorkshire NHS strike off to a solid start

500 UNISON members are taking strike action across 3 hospital sites in West Yorkshire in response to imposed pay cuts. UNISON medical records member Dave Byrom, said that a vindictive management decision to issue new contracts with inferior terms and conditions had strengthened the resolve of the workforce: "Their behaviour is a continuation of the bullying tactics management has used throughout. We expected it, but it is out and out bullying. It is desperation on their part as well. It's made people more determined to stick it out. They hoped it would make people cave in. It's had the opposite effect to the one they were hoping for."
http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/news/layout/set/print/content/view/full/128781

The public sector pay premium – something worth defending

Unions have long advanced the concept, based on sound evidence, of a Union Advantage - foremost of which is the union wage premium. According to the TUC, on average union members earn 12.5% more per hour than non-members. Given that union membership density in the public sector is 56% compared to 14% in the private sector it is perhaps self evident that a wage premium should exist in the public sector.

Unions call on police chiefs to arrest employment rights slide - UnionNews

UNISON, Unite and GMB are calling on newly-elected police and crime commissioners and chief constables to sign up to a new ‘Police Staff Employment Charter’. In signing up to the charter, police and crime commissioners and chief constables would agree to prevent a two-tier workforce, by ensuring the same terms and conditions for staff, regardless of where they are employed.
http://union-news.co.uk/2012/11/unions-call-on-police-chiefs-to-arrest-employment-rights-slide/?doing_wp_cron=1353660992.8601770401000976562500

UNISON members escalate strike action in Mid Yorkshire NHS

Hundreds of clerical and administrative workers employed by Mid Yorkshire NHS Trust in Dewsbury, Pontefract and Wakefield hospitals are today completing a three day strike in opposition to 70 job losses and the threat of pay cuts to many more staff. This follows an initial day of industrial action three weeks ago. Messages of support can be sent to midyorksunison@aol.co.uk.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-20397248

North Tees NHS workers say hands off our terms & conditions!

Health workers in Northern Region rallied in defence of their national conditions of service on Thursday. A well attended protest outside the University Hospital of North Tees in Stockton heard local and national speakers condemn the Trust - for imposing worse terms and conditions on new starters from 1 November and for issuing a Section 188 statutory notice to dismiss and re-engage over 5500 staff on new contracts inferior to the national agreement (Agenda for Change), including removal of unsocial hours enhancements from sick pay:  http://www.shakewellbeforeopening.org.uk/home/?p=1558.