Further education lecturers in the UCU union have shown that striking works. We were initially offered a 2.5 percent pay deal. But after our members took strike action, management upped this to 3.2 percent from October this year.
After two fantastic days of strike action in July there appears to be a worrying twist in the fight for decent pay for local government workers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Around 1,000 bus workers at Metrobus in south east London are set to join the pay battle on the London buses when they strike alongside 2,500 First Bus workers on Friday of this week.
More than a quarter of a million workers across the civil service in the PCS union will vote on strike action in protest at the government’s pay policy.
The executive of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) agreed unanimously last week to ballot members for discontinuous strike action against a below inflation 2.45 percent pay deal.
"We are fighting for pay – but we are also fighting for respect. We want our lives and our dignity back." These were the words of one of 2,500 striking London bus workers employed by First who took action over pay recently.
A strike of some 2,500 London bus workers on Friday of last week saw mass picketing on the streets as strikers brought many bus routes in the east and west of the city to a standstill.
