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THOUSANDS OF workers employed by London councils have backed more strikes to win an increase in the London weighting allowance. Members of the Unison union in town halls, manual depots and schools across the capital voted by 80.7 percent for more strikes in a consultative ballot. Existing ballots allowed union leaders to call more action but they foisted the new ballot upon members anyway.

THE LATEST round of strike action in the universities, targeting student registration week in London, kicked off at University College London (UCL) and Goldsmiths on Monday of this week. They are fighting for improved an London weighting allowance. Members of the Unison and AUT unions picketed the UCL main site on Monday and Tuesday, as well as a number of outlying buildings.

MERSEYSIDE TUC organised a conference last Saturday to build a campaign against racism and fascism. Some 50 people attended the Merseyside Against Racism and Fascism foundation conference, including representatives of the PCS, Unison, Amicus and TGWU unions. Delegates agreed to launch the Merseyside Coalition Against Racism and Fascism to fight against the Nazi BNP in the area.

MEMBERS OF the Association of University Teachers (AUT) in 12 London universities voted last week to support further strike action in their London weighting campaign. The AUT is the main lecturers' union in the old universities. The vote came despite a low-key summer campaign and the union leadership calling off action earlier in the year. In most colleges at least two thirds voted for further action, which surprised the AUT leadership. The results also gave a boost to Unison union members, who have taken five days of strike action over London weighting so far this year.

THE BNP were beaten in a council by-election in Walker, Newcastle, last week. Kenny Bell, deputy regional convenor of Unison Northern Region, explained how unions are at the centre of a model campaign to beat the BNP.

THE PARLIAMENTARY by-election in the Brent East constituency in west London takes place on Thursday of next week. Brian Butterworth, a Unison union branch secretary, is the Socialist Alliance candidate. He spoke to Socialist Worker about why he is standing, and why he thinks Brent needs a socialist alternative:

NURSERY NURSES in Scotland plan to escalate their action against low pay and for respect for the valuable job they do. The workers' Unison union has said that nursery nurses across Scotland will strike for a week, between Monday 8 September and Friday 12 September, unless Scotland's local authorities come up with a decent offer. The week of strikes will culminate in a protest at Glasgow Green on Saturday 13 September.

ON WEDNESDAY of this week strikers from 30 London Unison union branches were due to march through central London to a rally. This action came at the end of their latest four week long round of selective strike action in pursuit of a London weighting allowance of £4,000. The latest strike has seen the highest involvement of strikers, with 1,500 members bringing a range of council services to a standstill. The employers have been left in no doubt about their workers' determination to win the full claim.

OUR STRIKE is showing people's determination and enthusiasm to win something over London weighting, the allowance for living and working in the capital. The selective action we began last week means that up to 1,500 Unison members across London councils are out, most for four weeks. That is a significant escalation on the selective action that has been running over recent months.

STRIKE ACTION by different groups of workers in London councils continued this week. The battle is over a demand for £4,000 London weighting. Unison announced this week that it is extending future actions wider than the original boroughs targeted.

TECHNICIANS AT one of Britain's biggest PFI hospitals, the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, walked out on Friday of last week. The workers, members of the Unison union, were furious after being told by their trust bosses that their jobs could be sold off to a private company.

THOUSANDS OF people attended the biggest Durham Miners Gala in over a decade on Saturday of last week. The event was co-sponsored by the National Union of Mineworkers and the Unison union. It attracted the support of many other trade unions, including the RMT, Aslef and Usdaw.