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.
Town hall 'riot' over cuts in Camden
Workers and residents angry at service and job cuts last night stormed a council meeting in the London Borough of Camden.
Following a demonstration of approximately 200 people against the cutbacks, 100 attempted to enter the "open" council meeting. They were refused entry, being told there was insufficient room in the chamber.
Israeli general strike called off as negotiations begin
The public sector strike scheduled to begin Wednesday morning has been postponed indefinitely, Histadrut Chairman Ofer Eini decided Tuesday after meeting with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.
During the meeting, Olmert promised to intervene personally in order to expedite the payment of withheld wages to municipal worker employees and to "personally follow the progression."
The strike was meant to protest a delay in the payment of wages to between 7,000 and 8,000 employees of 40 local authorities and 16 religious councils.
Kashmir: Public sector workers continue strike, French NGO MSF threatens strikers.
Public sector workers in Kashmir continue strike action to attempt to force the government not to renege on promises it made to workers after the 2005 earthquake. The French-based NGO Médecins Sans Frontières has threatened striking health workers at one of its district hospitals with dismissal if they continue the strike.
Public sector workers continue strike despite leader’s betrayal
Medecin Sans Frontier threaten striking health workers with dismissal
Repression against Polish posties
After the strikes of postal workers in November, the authorities of Polish Post (Poczta Polska) are repressing the participants of the protest and also trade union activists. Bartosz Kantorczyk, one of the people that have started the strike, was moved to work in another post office.
Key workers strike over single status
The bitter dispute over single status is growing with more strike action being taken by the City Parking Attendants and members of support staff at Holbrook Primary School.
UNISON has now given the Council official notice that their members in Holbrook Primary School and the City Parking Attendants will be coming out on strike on the 7th 8th and 9th of February. This follows a recent ballot of the members resulting in a 100% vote for strike action.
Civil servants vote for national strike
Members of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) have overwhelmingly voted for ongoing national industrial action across the civil service as the government continue to fail to give assurances on job security, drive down pay and pursue a dogmatic policy of outsourcing and privatisation.
61.3 % of members taking part in the ballot voted for strike action and 77.9% voted in favour of action short of a strike as key services continue to suffer as a result of the government's drive to cut 100,000 civil and public service jobs, the use of consultants spirals out of control and staff face below inflation pay offers.
1978-1979: Winter of Discontent
A short history of the of the widespread strike movement that occurred during the winter of 1978-1979 in Britain. The 'Winter of Discontent' marked the largest stoppage of labour since the 1926 General Strike.
The factors that provoked the widespread stoppage of work by thousands of British workers in the winter of 1978-79 began with the Labour government of James Callaghan's attempt to enforce limits on pay rises to curb inflation. Inflation had reached a height of nearly 26.9% in August 1975.
Lions led by donkeys - FBU dispute, 2002-2003 - AF
Article written during the ongoing strike of fire fighters from 2002-2003 by the Anarchist Federation over pay and conditions, analysing the restructuring, the circumstances leading to the strike and the actions of the union.
Solidarity with the firefighters! AYN leaflet, 2003
A leaflet written and distributed by some people in the Anarchist Youth Network in the UK in 2003 during the strikes of firefighters for a pay increase to £30,000 and an end to "modernisation" or working practices.
Cologne: occupation of the Barmer Block housing estate, 2006 - Wildcat
Text published in Wildcat in summer 2006 reporting on the internal dynamics of a major housing estate occupation in Cologne in Spring 2006.
Cologne: 'Barmer Block' occupied. The feeling of great potential...
For over three months in the 'Barmer Block' housing estate an unusual squatting experiment took place.
