Steel workers march in Newport AND unions round up

Courier strike delivered

eCourier workers who are members of the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB), struck for two days from last Thursday.

The company, a Royal Mail subsidiary, classifies its couriers as independent contractors.

This means that they do not receive a guaranteed minimum wage, holiday or sick pay.

They are also expected to pay a £6 weekly charge for use of their scanning devices, on top of the cost of running their vehicles.

The IWGB members are demanding that eCourier workers be recognised as employees with paid holiday and rest breaks.

They also want the real living wage of £10.55 an hour after costs and that the company enters into a collective bargaining agreement.

Three strikes to give workers a voice

Three groups of workers in the United Voices of the World union have announced strike plans

• At St Mary’s hospital in west London up 200 cleaners, porters and caterers outsourced to Sodexo are set to strike on 28, 29 and 31 October.
• Caterers at the University of Greenwich plan their first strikes on 24, 28 and 31 October.
• Royal Parks cleaners are set to strike on 24 and 31 October.

At issue in all of these are pay, working conditions and union rights.

Action gets a result for Hackney drivers

Drivers and passenger escorts on school buses for disabled children in Hackney, east London, have accepted a financial settlement.

They had begun a 48-hour strike over split shifts on the day.

Unite regional officer Onay Kasab said, “Hackney council made an offer which we took to the picket line. Members agreed to accept it

Thompsons solicitors have a case to answer

GMB union members were set to stage a picket line and hold a demonstration at the TUC’s Congress House this week. It is part of a pay dispute with Thompsons solicitors.

A strike at Thompsons’ offices is planned for Friday, including at its site at the TUC.

Will Wilko workers accept the new offer?

Strikes by GMB union members at Wilko distribution centres were suspended last week after an improved offer from bosses.

Around 1,800 workers at Wilko sites in Magor, south Wales and Worksop, Nottinghamshire were due to walkout over forced weekend working.

GMB members have been voting on a new offer.

Noise protest is a success

Workers on the London Underground are celebrating after a threat of industrial action won a victory.

Members of the RMT union were due to start an indefinite programme of reduced speeds on the Jubilee, Central, Victoria and Northern lines from Thursday last week.

Workers are fighting excessive noise on the lines, but they suspended the action when bosses caved in.

Transport for London has promised a raft of new measures to cut noise.

Outsourced rail workers win living wage

utsourcing company Mitie has agreed to pay the Living Wage to workers on its Network Rail contract after a major national campaign by the RMT union. The real Living Wage is £9 an hour across most of Britain, £10.55 an hour in London.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said, “We will now press the company for full recognition and to address our wider agenda on working conditions.”

RMT workers hold day of action against ticket office closures

Workers in the RMT union held a day of action last Friday against London Overground ticket office closures.

The cuts will mean many ticket office hours will be slashed by 65 percent with many open only 7.30am-10am, Monday to Friday.

Hydroelectric ballot may flow to action

Unite union members could unleash a torrent of resistance at Dinorwig and Ffestiniog hydroelectric power stations in North Wales.

Workers at the First Hydro company’s stations voted nine to one in favour of balloting for strikes over pay.

Pay offer is short measure say brewers

AB Inbev brewery workers in Magor, south Wales, struck last week over pay. They are Unite union members.