public and third sector
News and articles about work, policy and workers' struggles in the public and charity sectors. It includes housing, but does not include most nationalised industries like health, transport or security forces.
April 24 – hundreds of thousands to walk out
On Thursday April 24 thousands of civil servants, coastguards, council workers, FE lecturers and charity workers will join a national teachers strike of 200,000.
Employer attacks on workers' pay is the main issue at stake.
Teachers in the NUT are walking out over their pay deal which was supposed to be revised when inflation rose, but the government refused: effectively cutting their wages.
20,000 Birmingham council workers to strike
20,000 GMB, UNISON, AMICUS, TGWU (Unite) and UCATT members will strike alongside teachers and lecturers against council plans to use ‘Single Status’ negotiations to cut pay and jobs.
Council workers will be protesting against the new pay and grading system imposed by Birmingham council last week, affecting 40,000 staff.
UNISON has branded the structure discriminatory. Though it was designed to end wage inequalities, some workers will lose up to half their pay.
Coastguards hold second strike
British coastguards took part in a second 24-hour strike last Friday 11th April over pay.
The coastguard station in Holyhead, Anglesey, was closed with calls being handled by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) in Liverpool. Milford Haven and Swansea coastguards were also be involved in the strike.
The UK-wide strike started at 7am April 11th, involving 600 members of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) and will affect coastguard operations rooms.
700 workers out in first ever Maritime and Coastguard Agency strike
700 Maritime and Coastguard Agency workers were out on strike today, the first in the agency's history.
The strike, in protest at pay levels that have lagged hugely behind other emergency services follows other recent action against public sector pay cuts in response to similar pay cuts (Pay 2007 archive). Centres across the country remained closed, including those in Solent, Brixham, Holyhead, Belfast and London.
Science museum staff vote to strike
National science museum staff have voted overwhelmingly to strike over pay and plans to close the civil service pension scheme to new members.
Members of the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) working for the National Museum of Science and Industry (NMSI) are furious that a below inflation pay offer has been imposed on them at a successful time for the museum.
Germany; public sector 'warning' strikes begin today
Thousands of workers have participated in short nationwide strikes called by services union ver.di; described as 'token' or 'warning' strikes, they are in response to a deadlock in pay negotiations.
With inflation at close to 3%, ver.di is demanding an 8-percent hike or a minimum increase of 200 euros ($290) per month over the next 12 months. Employers have offered a five percent raise, with the increase to be implemented in three stages, and are insisting that a new contract run for two years. They also want to increase the working week from 38.5 to 40 hours.
Palestine: West Bank public sector workers strike
Palestinian public service workers walked off their jobs Tuesday at the beginning of a two-day protest against their government's efforts to force them to pay their utility bills.
The new measure reflects widespread economic hardship in the West Bank after seven years of conflict with Israel, including international economic sanctions and tough Israeli restrictions. Many Palestinians are unable to pay even routine bills and have run up huge amounts of debt.
Walkout at Wulvern Housing
Tradesmen at Wulvern Housing in Cheshire have walked off the job after a colleague was suspended today.
The non-profit Housing Association manages former council housing in South Cheshire. A spokeman warned the striking workers that the strike was unofficial, claiming that had brought in scabs as to ensure 'services will not be affected' and that they were sure that workers would return to work tomorrow, according to icCheshire. The company has also contacted the relevant trade unions.
Valuation office staff vote over strike action
2,200 members of the Public and Commercial Services Union working for the Valuation Office Agency began a ballot for strike action over below inflation pay on 30 January.
The ballot for industrial action short of a strike and a one day strike follows a below inflation pay offer with cost of living increases of no more than 1. 9%. The offer sees the most experienced staff receive 1. 25% and those at the start of their pay band receive 1. 9%.
1998: Danish private sector strike
A short history of the massive private sector strike that gripped Denmark for 10 days in 1998. Although ending after negotiations between the government and union leaders left workers demands largely unmet, the strike, involving about 10% of the Danish population was nonetheless a spectacular show of workers' strength.
April of 1998 saw a series of talks between private sector unions and employers in Denmark. Initiated by the unions in response to a general economic upturn in the country, the talks represented for many Danish workers the chance for improvements to their working conditions.
