Local government

Tories gain in Scottish elections, but not enough to beat the dominant SNP

09 May 2017
The Tories came second in last week’s Scottish local council elections and proclaimed themselves the sole winners.

Independence is at the heart of the Scottish election debate

25 April 2017
The general election in Scotland is likely to revolve around constitutional questions.

Reports round-up

18 April 2017
Includes short reports from the latest strikes in manufacturing, IT services, higher education, local government, plus news from abortion rights, housing and climate change campaigns

Labour activists slapped down by party officials for opposing free school

21 March 2017
Labour Party officials have threatened to suspend one of their own constituency parties for campaigning against a free school

School staff protest in Durham

28 February 2017
Around 200 teaching assistants (TAs) protested outside Durham County Hall on Friday of last week. It was the culmination of a week of protests during half term.

Glasgow janitors are back out

28 February 2017
Glasgow janitors began another two-week strike last Wednesday.

SNP cuts budget backed by Greens

21 February 2017
The Scottish government was set to pass its budget on Thursday.

Teaching assistants keep up action against pay cuts in Derby and Durham

21 February 2017
Also: will the SNP satisfy Glasgow council strikers?

Job centres targeted in Tory assault on the poor

31 January 2017
The Tories are preparing a fresh attack on the poor, announcing plans to close more than one in ten job centres last week.

Striking teaching assistants besiege Derby council to overturn huge pay cut

31 January 2017
Around 150 teaching assistants (TAs) descended on Derby Council’s head office on Tuesday blowing whistles, ringing bells and waving flags and placards.

Can charity sit-in rescue Aylesbury estate from the wreckers?

10 January 2017
Activists and residents have occupied the Thurlow Lodge community hall on the Aylesbury Estate in Southwark, south London.

Scottish Labour and the SNP bicker over who’s to blame for council cuts

13 December 2016
Cuts to council budgets in Scotland could total £700 million by the end of this parliament according to a new report.

Social workers get strike ballot at Kirklees council

13 December 2016
The Unison union has agreed to ballot social work staff at Kirklees Council.

Documentary The Council’s focus on cuts doesn’t go deep enough

06 December 2016
The Council, a new three-part documentary, follows the experiences of workers at Scotland’s third largest council in Fife.

Durham teaching assistants' strike grows as Labour council shows contempt

24 November 2016
Some 2,000 teaching assistants in the Unison and ATL unions began a second 48-hour walkout yesterday, Wednesday.

Fresh walkout in Glasgow adds to Labour council’s woes

22 November 2016
Council workers in Glasgow opened a new front last week in the battle against Labour council chiefs’ privatising

Sandwell workers are ready to fight for children’s services

22 November 2016
Also: strike vote over attack on social work teams in Kirklees

Kamikaze council declares war on Glasgow’s workers

15 November 2016
Labour-controlled Glasgow council is pushing through vicious cuts but workers are fighting back. Raymie Kiernan looks at the politics behind the strikes and Labour’s disgraceful record

Trouble upon Tyne as Newcastle Labour chiefs threaten to slash wages

08 November 2016
A Labour council in the north east of England has told workers to take a pay cut of thousands of pounds or lose 100 jobs.

Workers demand equal pay for equal work as SNP backtracks on promise

01 November 2016
Further education support workers in Scotland could strike on two days this month if talks with bosses break down over unequal lump sum payments to college workers.