Unite

All staff at John Lewis are “partners” who supposedly share “in the benefits and profits of a business that puts them first”. Not everyone is part of the family. Those who do the dirty work – the cleaners – do not get any of the benefit. They are employed through a contractor – Integrated Management Cleaning. The cleaners, some of whom are at work from 6:00am to 10:00pm, earn a mere £6.08 per hour, which is below the poverty line set by the Greater London Assembly. They are not paid for all the hours they are available, they do not get proper equipment, and feel like they are second class...

Bus workers across London will strike on Friday 22 June to win a £500 across-the-board bonus for Olympics working. Up to 21,000 workers could participate in the strike, and the Unite union said it was expecting involvement from workers at every single bus operator in London. Unite officer Peter Kavanagh said: “London buses will come to a standstill for the first time in a generation across London on 22 June. “The blame lies squarely with the bus operators and Transport for London. The bus companies haven't met with Unite once to discuss bus workers' extra contribution to the Olympic Games and...

Workers employed by car manufacturer Ford across the UK struck on Monday 18 June in a battle against pensions cuts. Bosses want to close the company’s final salary pension scheme to new starters and move them onto a career average scheme, as well as cutting pay. Unite officer Roger Maddison said: “Our staff members will not stand by and allow Ford to create a two tier workforce on pay and pensions. To date Ford has failed to make any genuine attempts to resolve this dispute. Unless there is a last minute change of heart from the company Ford faces a national strike this Monday. “We fiercely...

Cleaning workers at St. George’s Hospital have won the London Living Wage, as well as pushing back bosses’ plans for job losses and cuts. The cleaners, who are employed by Ocean Contract Cleaning Ltd., began their campaign defensively when bosses proposed a reduction in hours for all workers and lay-offs for some. Organising through the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), the cleaners began a campaigning of petitioning, leafleting, and protests, which soon built up enough momentum to not only stop the attacks but go on the offensive to win pay increases to the London Living Wage that Ocean...

RMT and Unite have called off strike ballots of their members working for East Midlands Trains (EMT), leaving drivers-only union ASLEF as the only union in a position to take strike action in the immediate future. Workers are in dispute over changes to their pension scheme. According to the RMT, EMT bosses have made some concessions over how pensions contributions are calculated. They plan to put management’s new offer to their members with a recommendation to accept. Unite also called off a ballot of EMT maintenance staff, who were poised to strike over the Jubilee weekend. Until Unite and...

Trade unions in local government have accepted a “deal” on pensions not very different from what we went on strike against on 30 November. The only actual “improvement” is on the increase in members’ contributions. Contribution rates will, for now, be unchanged for many workers, and lower for some part-time workers, though higher for workers on over £43,00 a year. Among other things, public sector unions have conceded that the retirement age will go up in line with state pension age (so if you're under 37 now that's likely to be 70), as well as the switch to a career average scheme, as opposed...

A strike ballot of London bus workers is underway as transport workers’ campaigns for decent Olympic working arrangements continue. The Unite union is balloting its 21,000 members across London’s bus services for a strike. The union is demanding a £500 flat-rate Olympics bonus for the workers, who are employed by 21 separate service providers. Unlike other transport providers, the bus companies have so far refused to award bonuses for the extra workload their employees will face during the Olympic Games. 800,000 extra people could travel on the buses during the period of the Games. The Rail...

A strike by fuel tanker drivers has been averted after workers narrowly voted to accept a deal to end a dispute over safety, job security and minimum standards. Although the workers’ union, Unite, had recommended rejection, 51% of the workers, across seven haulage firms, voted to accept the deal that brings an end to a lengthy dispute which has seen panicked scaremongering from the Tory government. The deal includes proposals for a drivers’ “passport” - an industry-wide checking service as part of a scheme to enforce minimum standards on pay and health and safety. Unite has warned bosses that...

On Thursday 10 May the executive of the National Union of Teachers voted for a recommendation from general secretary Christine Blower and deputy general secretary Kevin Courtney: "That in the light of the responses to the survey of divisional secretaries and in the light of the positive work with the NASUWT the union should not proceed with a one day strike in June". An amendment declaring that "the Executive resolves to comply with policy determined by [NUT] Conference 2012... the union will take strike action in June" fell, with 16 votes for, 24 against, 2 abstentions. Nominally the left has...

Forty-five workers at the Enterprise Distribution Centre, which unloads paper reels from incoming vessels at the Tilbury docks in Essex, struck on Monday 7 May, the first walkout at the docks since 1989. The workers, who are members of Unite, are striking against the arbitrary imposition of new contracts which could see them lose up to £2,500. Unite official Jane Jeffery said: “Members are annoyed at the complete lack of negotiation and consultation. Since the ballot for strike action, we have had no formal communication with the company. “We want to hold meaningful and genuine talks with the...