editor8

RSPCA workers to strike over ‘bully boy’ bosses

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Staff at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) have voted by a large majority for strike action, Unite, Britain and Ireland’s largest union, said today (Thursday 20 February).

Unite said that its members had voted by 73 per cent to strike over the management’s arbitrary imposition of new ‘performance pay’ contracts.

The union said that it would be announcing strike dates in the near future – and called for the RSPCA management to hold last-ditch talks, under the auspices of the conciliation service Acas, to avert strike action.

Unite is the only union recognised at the UK’s leading animal charity, founded in 1824.

Unite said the crux of the dispute is management’s proposals to replace the recently negotiated incremental pay scheme with a performance pay arrangement which could exacerbate plummeting staff morale in an organisation where bullying has been endemic.

https://unitetheunion.org/news-events/news/2020/february/rspca-workers-vote-to-strike-over-new-detrimental-bully-boy-contracts/

Big win for Hackney bus workers

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A long running dispute between Hackney Council and school bus staff has been brought to an end after workers secured increased pay and a commitment to make agency roles permanent.

The pay deal came after 38 Unite members, who are drivers and passenger escorts on school buses for children with disabilities, carried out a series of strikes in relation to the dispute during 2019.

Hackney council has agreed to yearly lump sum payments which will be backdated to April 2019 and are linked to annual National Joint Council pay increases for local government staff.

The agreement also includes a review, led by the conciliation service Acas, into improving working relationships within the bus service, as well as a commitment to review agency staff positions each term with a view to making those roles permanent.

Full story here:

Win! Hackney bus dispute called off after workers secure pay rise

Victory for health workers in Lincolnshire

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The long-running Lincolnshire health visitors’ dispute is coming to an end with a pay victory that sees the vast majority of the workforce being upgraded.

Unite, Britain and Ireland’s largest union, today (Thursday 5 December) hailed the victory, which will see most of the union’s members move onto the grade 10 pay scale, as ‘highly significant’.

Unite regional officer Steve Syson said: “Thanks to the tremendous solidarity that our members have shown since this dispute started in the summer, we have achieved a highly significant and welcome victory.

“The health visitors’ determination against what they considered as a gross pay injustice was buttressed by the firm backing from the people of Lincolnshire and from supporters across the UK.”

The dispute had centred on the council’s insistence on different contracts for grade 9 and grade 10 health visitors, while Unite has consistently argued that as all health visitors have the same qualifications they should be paid the same.

The health visitors have now suspended their month-long strike action while the authority upgrades the health visitors; however, Unite reserves the right to reinstitute strike action if the council does not abide with the agreement. Besides the grade 10 job roles, the health visitors will receive between £2,000- £6,000 in a one-off transitional payment.

More than 70 Unite health visitors voted for the month-long, now suspended, strike that started on 18 November. Of those about 58 will now be fast tracked to the grade 10 posts with 16 further Agenda for Change AfC) staff awaiting confirmation; about 13 have left or are departing to take up alternative employment within nursing, which leaves a handful of relatively new health visitors on grade 9.

Unite pledged today that it would explore every avenue to get those still on grade 9 uplifted to grade 10 as soon as possible.

Unite regional secretary for the East Midlands Paresh Patel added: “I think that a number of factors contributed to this positive outcome, including the fact that the council was, and even now, is continuing to lose highly skilled health visitors at the rate of knots, as our members are offered alternative roles elsewhere in recognition of their experience.

“There was also the stark realisation by council bosses that our members were prepared to take further strike action on top of what they had already taken in the summer, after a second ballot confirmed they were prepared to continue on with further industrial action.

“This victory should be seen in the context of a broader campaign for a fully-resourced health visiting service across England – that fight will continue across the country in 2020.”

London Rank & File meeting Thursday 7 November

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Site icon, reads Unite rank & file - solidarity across our union

Members of Unite Rank & File in London are next meeting at the following time and place:

7 pm Thursday 7th November at The Dame Alice Owen in Clerkenwell The Pearl & Feather, 360 St John Street, Clerkenwell

This follows a successful meeting earlier this month at which decisions were taken to work with trade union activists involved in the current Extinction Rebellion protests and plan for solidarity around a possible strike by Royal Mail over the autumn.

The forthcoming meeting will allow people to review progress so far and think through the next steps.

We look forward to seeing you there!

As we are meeting in a pub, food (slightly pricey) and drink will be available. If you are planning to attend please email londonurf@gmail.com to let us know you are coming.

Extinction Rebellion from October 7th

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Extinction Rebellion has invited Unite Rank and File activists to join the rebellion against climate change planned for two weeks starting 7th October.

Extinction Rebellion is the fastest growing environmental non-violent civil disobedience movement in history. It launched on 31st October last year and already has established 485 groups across 473 cities in 72 countries.

From the 7th October, they are planning to launch an International Rebellion that will peacefully take action against criminal inaction on the environmental and ecological crisis of those in power.  They are calling on activists to blockade large sections of London in what they intend to be the biggest act of non-violent civil disobedience in British history.

Extinction Rebellion have in particular gained a profile through asking supporters to risk arrest. They ask this because they believe the urgency of the threat of climate change and ecological collapse requires that some people sacrifice their liberty to disrupt the status quo and draw attention to the urgency of this existential threat.

Irrespective of views on this tactic, Unite Rank & File have previously made the struggle against climate change a key priority, so supporting this campaign fits in with that context.

More information can be found on the XR website: https://rebellion.earth/

 

Join the London strikers against climate change 20 September

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Strikers and students from across London will be gathering for a big demonstration at Millbank from 11.30 am on 20th September as part of the global strike against climate change.

The science is clear. We have less than 12 years to stop the worst of runaway climate change and save the planet. Government and big business are dragging their feet so it’s up to us all to come out on to the streets and demand action so young people have a future that’s worth going to school for.

Unite activists in Wandsworth have organised for students, strikers and supporters to meet at Tooting Broadway station at 10 am on the day to hear from local school strikers and activists before travelling to Millbank together via the Underground.

Unite Rank & File is putting this call out to Rank & File members in London to come along. Bring your branch banners and give your supporters to the students and workers striking for tomorrow!

London members to meet 5 October

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Site icon, reads Unite rank & file - solidarity across our union

Following two initial meetings over the summer, London Unite Rank & File will be holding a further meetup for all members in the London area.

It will take place at 2 pm on Saturday 5th October at The Dame Alice Owen, 292 St John St, Clerkenwell EC1V 4PA.

The meeting will be an opportunity for members to raise and discuss issues of importance to them that Unite Rank & File members in London can take on to campaign. It will also enable us to discuss how to build among Unite members in London.

The current political situation is very fluid and the meeting will follow the conclusion of the Labour Party conference. One key topic of discussion is likely to be whether and how Unite Rank & File can best take advantage of the current situation.

As we are meeting in a pub, food (slightly pricey) and drink will be available.

Any members planning on attending are asked to please email londonurf@gmail.com to let us know you are coming. Also email that address if you have any agenda items.

London members’ meeting

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Unite rank and file icon

Come to our meetup of London members on Tuesday 13th August from 7 pm.

Members of Unite Rank and File in London will be meeting up at The Dame Alice Owen, 292 Saint John Street, Clerkenwell, LONDON EC1V 4PA.

For full details visit our Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/events/2556488434361922/

Rules Conference agenda is now out

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The agenda for Rules Conference is now out. Delegates and other interested members can access it here:

Final Agenda – Rules Conference 2019