Unions round-up: Scottish local government strikers battle against low pay

Strikers take on SNP first minister John Swinney

Schools in Perth and Kinross in Scotland are boarded up for a second week, as workers walk out for higher pay.

Over 1,000 Unison union members, who work in schools and early years education, are striking over the bosses’ paltry pay offer.

Council bosses offered an increase of just 3.6 percent or £1,300— whichever is higher.

The GMB and Unite unions, which represent a minority of workers, have accepted the deal and council bosses have implemented it.

But Unison members in Perth and Kinross are taking targeted action to leverage pressure on SNP first minister John Swinney. On Thursday last week, strikers mounted a defiant protest outside his constituency office.

Schools and early years workers and waste, recycling and street cleaning workers have mandates to strike in 17 other councils in Scotland. Unison should bring them out.

Further education strike wins pay rise

UCU union members at the Education Training Collective (ETC) in north east England have voted to end their dispute after securing a pay rise of up to 16.5 percent over three years.

The deal affects staff at Bede Sixth Form College, NETA Training Group, Stockton Riverside College, The Skills Academy and Redcar and Cleveland College.

UCU members at the five colleges have taken 13 days of strike action over the past
17 months.

Further education workers nationally were only offered a miserly 2.5 percent pay rise last month. But the ETC dispute shows that strikes can win a better deal. UCU should ballot its members across further education.

Scottish bus drivers vote for strikes

Around 200 Unite union bus drivers have voted for strikes across the Highlands and Islands in Scotland.

The Stagecoach bosses’ pay offer would have left them as one of the poorest paid groups of bus drivers across Scotland.

The bus company recorded profits of £1.7 million in 2023.

Auto workers in Llanelli walk out

Auto workers at the Gestamp factory in Llanelli in west Wales began a week-long strike over pay on Monday.

Around 200 workers, who are members of the Unite union, are involved in the industrial action.

The company made a profit of nearly £1.2 billion last year.

Struggle hots up in the gas industry

Energy workers are turning up the heat in their battle over a three-year pay freeze.

The GMB union members at TVS Supply Chain Solutions have struck for eight days in the last two weeks.

Ferdousara Uddin, GMB organiser, said, “These workers are essential to British Gas operations—keeping homes heated across the country.

“As we enter the frostiest months of the year, strikes will have a huge impact on TVS’s ability to meet its obligations.”

Headscarf workers take action for pay

Manufacturing workers in Carlisle were set to walk out for four days this week in their fight for better pay.

The GMB union members weave headscarves at Lappet Manufacturing in Carlisle.

They are paid poverty wages while making luxury goods to sell for export.