Unions negotiate deal on rest breaks for ambulance workers
25 January 2012
The GMB, Unite and UNISON trade unions representing ambulance staff in Scotland have negotiated a new deal that protects workers’ meal breaks while compensating them for occasions when they do have to deal with call-outs during their breaks.
Read more at > GMB (EN)
Unions continue to protest over pay cuts
25 January 2012
Over one year after their dispute began, the Unite and UNISON trade unions are maintaining their industrial action campaign in protest at pay cuts imposed by Southampton City Council. At a recent meeting the unions agreed to continue action short of a strike, to organise a lobby of the council on 15 February and to plan for a major demonstration and strike action in April.
Read more at > UNISON (EN)
And at > Unite (EN)
Unions signs agreement with local council to tackle pay inequality
25 January 2012
The GMB general union has signed a collective agreement with Dudley Council in the West Midlands region of England that addresses previous problems of gender pay inequality in the pay structure.
Read more at > GMB (EN)
Unions agree to further talks on local government pensions
6 January 2012
The main municipal unions, UNISON and GMB, have agreed to undertake negotiations on changes to the local government pension scheme following commitments from the local government employers and the government. This follows the public sector-wide strike action on pensions on 30 November last year and confusion over the government position just before Christmas. The unions now think there is a reasonable framework for negotiations and that the feared significant short-term increase in employee contribution rates will not now take place. The Unite trade union has rejected proposals on the health sector pension scheme while UNISON, the biggest health union is consulting members over the proposals.
Read more at > UNISON (EN)
And at > GMB (EN)
And at > Unite (EN)
Living wage campaign boosts workers’ pay by £33 million
6 January 2012
A report by Queen Mary College, University of London estimates that low paid workers have seen their pay increase by £33 million (€40 million ) since 2010 as a result of a successful campaign to get employers signed up to a living wage. A number of major private and public sector employers in London have agreed to apply a £8.30 (€10.00) an hour minimum wage instead of the current £6.08 (€7.40) National Minimum Wage rate for adults. Employers are recognising the benefits of this in terms of increased productivity and lower turnover rates.
Read more at > Independent news website (EN)
Survey reveals risks faced by community nurses
6 January 2012
The RCN nursing union has published a survey showing that over 60% of nurses working in the community have been subjected to physical or verbal abuse over the last two years. The survey also indicated that many nurses were not confident that their employer would take action in the event of such abuse. The RCN is advocating greater investment in risk assessment, prevention strategies and specialist lone-worker alarm systems.
Read more at > RCN (EN)
Mixed reactions to pension proposals
21 December 2011
Following the public sector wide strike on 30 November, the government has come up with revised proposals for the various public sector schemes which unions are now trying to evaluate. In the health sector the government is now saying that those within 10 years of retirement will not be affected and there will be no contributions increase next year for those earning less than £26000 (€31300) a year. This goes some way to meeting union demands. In local government the unions – Unison, Unite and GMB – had seen the basis for negotiations to resume in January but have suspended agreement to this following a statement from the minister responsible for local government. The main civil service union, PCS, has rejected the latest government offer which it says will mean higher contributions, less protection against inflation and a retirement age rising to 68.
Read more on health pensions at > UNISON (EN)
And on local government at > UNISON (EN)
And at > PCS (EN)
Public sector unions delighted by massive support for pensions strike
9 December 2011
Over two million workers joined the nationwide public sector strike over pensions on 30 November. All EPSU affiliates supported the day of action although not all had balloted for strike action. However, those on strike included the FDA managers’ union and SCP chiropodists’ union both taking action for the first time in their history. The action was called in protest against the government’s failure to negotiate properly over pension changes and proposals that would see most public sector workers have to work longer, pay higher pension contributions and get lower pension benefits. Some unions that supported the action but didn’t take strike action have reacted strongly against the latest government proposals that would withdraw protection for workers in their last 10 years of service. This could lead to further ballots for industrial action (see RCM press release). The timetable for negotiations over the firefighters’ pension schemes is different from other unions (see FBU press release).
Read more at > UNISON
And at > PCS
And at > Unite
And at > GMB
And at > FDA
And at > RCN
And at > NIPSA
And at > Prospect
And at > RCM
And at > FBU
And at > SCP
Government offer on pensions not enough as more unions back strike action
11 November 2011
The Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance (NIPSA) is one of the latest public sector unions to vote in support of strike action over pensions on 30 November. The coalition government has made some concessions but unions still argue that they have failed to address the fact that most public sector workers will be working longer and paying more for a lower pension. Unison has also vigorously responded to attacks on the level of turnout in the ballots.
Read more at > UNISON
And at > PCS
And at > Unite
And at > GMB
And at > NIPSA
And at > RCN
Unions step up pensions campaigning
21 October 2011
Unions are working hard to build support for co-ordinated industrial action on 30 November in response to the government’s failure to negotiate properly over changes to pensions and to carry on with their plans to cut pension schemes affecting millions of public sector workers. The main civil service union PCS and the largest teaching union, NUT, already have approval for another one-day strike, following their action in June. Other unions, including UNISON, GMB, Unite and the FDA senior civil servants’ union, are now pushing for a “yes” vote in what is thought to be the biggest ever industrial action ballot carried out in the UK. Around 3 million workers could be on strike on 30 November if all the strike ballots are positive.
Read more at > UNISON
And at > PCS
And at > GMB
And at > Unite
And at > FDA
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