Pay 2007
Articles about disputes over cost of living pay rises in the UK in 2007.
Postal workers wildcat in Burslem
Workers at Burslem delivery office, Stoke-on-Trent, are on wildcat strikes after twelve members of staff were suspended including all union reps.
Royal Mail management suspended the workers for bullying and harrassment, but has refused to comment on the allegations made. Their colleagues walked out unofficially in support of the twelve suspended and remain on strike.
Local government unions break ranks over latest offer
Trade unions GMB and Unite have split from Unison over their response to the increased offer from local government employers for English, Welsh and Northern Irish staff.
Both unions will hold a consultative ballot of members on whether they will accept the 2.475% offer, announced last month after six months of negotiation, an increase on employers’ initial bid of 2%.
They would only ballot for industrial action if GMB’s 250,000 local government members and Unite’s almost 100,000 council staff reject the offer.
Royal Mail: Stockport wildcat strikers return to work whilst national talks extended until Sunday
Several hundred workers at Stockport Mail Centre returned to work today having walked out unofficially on Friday. Meanwhile national talks between the CWU leadership and Royal Mail have been extended until Sunday.
Workers at Stockport returned today after agreeing to ballot for official strike action. They had walked out on Friday following a mass meeting in the canteen. The walkout occurred shortly after a driver was sacked due allegations made by a scab during the official strike action last month.
update: according to posters on royalmailchat.co.uk
Public pay: Now police call for right to strike
Hot on the heels of an illegal strike of prison officers, now police offices offered a below-inflation pay rise have demanded the right to strike.
The Observer reported that rank and file police officers demanded that their right to strike be reinstated as relations with the government fell to a 30-year low. The move highlights mounting unrest in the public sector over pay as unions threaten an 'autumn of discontent' for Gordon Brown.
UK: Workers at Royal Mail contractors Romec strike
Following an overwhelming 12 to 1 yes vote for industrial action, engineers and admin workers are Romec are due to strike today over a sub-inflation pay offer.
A 24 hour strike is scheduled 6am Friday 31 August 2007 until 6 am Saturday 1st September 2007 for all Romec Engineers and Admin grades.
The CWU stated that union negotiators held a meeting with management on Tuesday 21st August 2007; but were unable to make any clear progress.
The CWU website had this announcement:
Glasgow: Social care workers win strike
Social Care workers who struck for twenty consecutive days in Glasgow returned to work last week having won most of their demands.
The deal will mean most staff move up one grade, "role profile" five to six by August 2008. Around 600 workers were on strike, with support from workers in other sections of the council, all of which were regraded following the "single status" review.
Cargo handlers at Heathrow on strike
45 workers at Heathrow cargo handlers Nippon Express were on strike over pay and conditions this weekend.
Workers were offered a below-inflation 2.8% pay offer along with the following additional conditions:
1) 44 Days a year more work
2) Overtime rate on Sunday to be reduced to 25%
3) Holiday pay is reduced by 60 - 75 hours
4) Shift pay reduced by £326 (Day shift) and £512 (Night shift)
5) Loss of £1265 a year pay for some workers
6) A 1.7% below inflation pay rise
Strikes at Aer Lingus
Pilots at Aer Lingus will be striking for 48 hours from tomorrow against attacks on their pay and conditions.
Aer Lingus is planning to open a new hub at Belfast airport, which would involve some flights to and from London being diverted from Shannon. Aer Lingus is planning to use this as an opportunity to cut pay and conditions as it employs new staff at Belfast on lower pay and conditions than existing staff.
Comments on the recent summer postal strike - by a striker, 2007
A postman looks at recent developments and future implications in the recently suspended strike.
Why was the strike called off?
The obvious answer is that the union called the strikes off because Royal Mail (RM) was willing to negotiate. Dave Ward publicly offered for the union that if RM would enter "meaningful" negotiations they were willing to call off the pending action.
As health workers prepare for ballot, Unison leaders back off
Unison national secretary has angered union activists by demanding that local branches take a position of neutrality on the issue of a below inflation pay offer.
With Unison also preparing to ballot members for strike action over pay on the 20th August, days after 95% Royal College of Nursing members asked to be balloted for strike action, Unison’s leadership have sent a message to all branches demanding that activists take no position on the government’s below inflation pay offer.
