Pensions

Tube strikes: prepare for more

From Tubeworker blog Ten thousand Tube workers struck on 1 March, with a near-complete shut down of the network. We will strike again on 3 March. This is the largest strike on London Underground since 2015. A strong strike may force London Underground (LU) to reconsider cuts. But in all likelihood, the strikes on 1 and 3 March will not be sufficient to win the dispute. We will need further action. The pensions review is due to report on 31 March. Striking now gives us a chance to shape its outcome by making it clear we won’t tolerate attacks on our pensions. Our strikes are “pre-emptive self...

Workers and students against university bosses

So far, strikes by the University and College Union (UCU) over the USS pensions battle and “Four Fights” dispute (over pay, equality, workload and casualisation) have shown strong resolve from a wide group of members, despite Covid absences having depressed branch organisation and with Covid still having an impact across the UK. UCU members should feel encouraged by this start. Critical to winning these disputes remains three important factors: mobilising more activists to the picket lines, escalating the action, and maintaining the link between the two disputes. Solidarity goes to press...

Pensions strike is strong

On Thursday 10 February 1,500 teachers who are members of the National Education Union (NEU) in the private schools of the Girls’ Day School Trust (GDST) struck to prevent their employers removing them from the Teachers’ Pension Scheme. The strikes were very well supported, with lively picket lines outside all of the 23 schools. There was also a strong rally outside GDST headquarters in central London, after the picket lines. GDST management are clearly rattled, with many reports of them trying to intimidate individual pickets with pathetic complaints. The union has approached this dispute in...

Universities: push for harder hitting action

Ten days of strike action in the University and College Union (UCU) disputes begin Mon 14 February. It’s a good start, but some way from the escalating action called for by the overwhelming majority at UCU’s Branch Delegate Meetings back in January. The first week of strikes involves only those institutions with mandates in the USS pensions dispute. There are then two strike days, 21-22 February, bringing this dispute together with the “Four Fights” (pay, equality, workload and casualisation), followed by 28 February-2 March on the “Four Fights” only. Across the board, 68 branches will be...

UCU debates action restart

As Solidarity goes to press on 25 January, activists in the University and College Union (UCU) have been told that action will begin “in February” and “will involve strikes in different regions and devolved nations on different dates, as well as UK-wide strike dates. The action will also progress to a marking and assessment boycott should employers refuse to budge.” This decision by the union’s Higher Education Committee has surprised many branch representatives. The option of rolling regional action was not put to the Branch Delegates’ Meeting (BDM), where branches with live ballots were...

67 universities now ready to strike

Three days of strikes in 58 universities across the UK were held in December 2021 by the University and College Union (UCU), following two ballots. One ballot was over cuts to the “USS” pensions scheme (which average 35% across the scheme’s membership). The other, on the “four fights” issues: to tackle low pay, inequality, rampant casualisation, and excessive workloads. Over the Christmas period re-ballots were held in 42 UCU branches who just missed out on taking strike action in December having previously fallen short of the 50% turnout threshold set by anti-union laws. Some branches had...

Teachers at 23 Girls Day School Trust schools teachers set to strike

On 6 December the indicative ballot of National Education Union (NEU) members who teach in the 23 “public” (i.e. private) schools run by the Girls’ Day School Trust (GDST) returned 93% yes for strikes on a 93% turnout.

This sets us on course for a very significant strike.

GDST is threatening to...

Private school teachers set to strike

On 6 December the indicative ballot of National Education Union (NEU) members who teach in the 23 “public” (i.e. private) schools run by the Girls’ Day School Trust (GDST) returned 93% yes for strikes on a 93% turnout. This sets us on course for a very significant strike. GDST is threatening to withdraw from the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS), the standard pension scheme for state-school teachers. The TPS is significantly better than private pension schemes GDST would buy in to. Some members could lose more than £20,000. Ironically for a company that claims it is about empowering women...

Support the university strikes

On 4-5 November, the University and College Union (UCU) announced the results of two national ballots. Higher Education (HE) sector members were balloted on two disputes: the long-running “USS” pensions issue, and the “Four Fights”: pay, workload, casualisation, and inequality. Most of the workers involved are are insecure jobs, with long hours and modest pay. Their cause is essentially the same as that of the NHS workers consulting on action to improve their 3% pay deal, the local government workers voting on strikes against the 1.75% offer, or the bin workers now and recently in dispute in...

University disputes: how to win

A UK-wide re-ballot in the university disputes would de-mobilise tens of thousands of our members who could instead be building effective action on campus. With admissions processes ongoing over the winter and exams at many universities in January, HE staff have significant disruptive power in the immediate future. We need to leverage that, for example through building up marking backlogs and then marking and assessment boycotts, coupled with targeted strike action. Those who need to re-ballot and get strike mandates ready for next year can and should join us for a stronger wave of action from...

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