Edition 2 | June Roundup

Welcome to the June edition Unite the Union’s #JobsPayConditions newsletter. This month, amidst the upcoming general election, our members have been fighting for fairness and winning in the workplace. We’ve curated a collection of Unite’s latest wins, industrial actions and campaigns recognising our members, reps, organisers and officers across sectors working to secure #JobsPayConditions.

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MESSAGE FROM THE GENERAL SECRETARY

“It is common to hear elections labelled as the biggest in a generation, but it will mean little without substantive change. Unite wants a Labour government BUT we need to ensure that Labour make it count and is tangibly on the side of workers. We now need a Government that delivers for workers, their families, and those who have already earned a decent retirement.”

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In solidarity,

Sharon

Unite Wins

Unite welcomes new recognition agreements?

Unite has secured OCS recognition agreement at Edinburgh airport, now around 130 OCS workers will benefit from collective trade union bargaining rights when it comes to pay, terms and conditions.

Mary Alexander, Unite Scottish deputy secretary, added: “Unite is delighted to have secured a recognition agreement with OCS at Edinburgh airport. We recently launched our Runway to Success campaign which is designed to improve the pay and conditions of all Scotland’s airport workers beyond the legal minimums. The OCS agreement is another step in that march to success.”?

Workers securing better pay

Our members have secured some excellent pay wins through collective bargaining and industrial action backed by our Union. Although headline inflation is slowing, we know workers need decent pay to keep up with the cost of living - and that’s exactly what our members are getting.?

Over the last 4 weeks, Unite has secured over wins for our members across many sectors. This includes Edinburgh Airport workers winning a 12% pay rise, improved shift rates, sick pay and holidays as the ‘Runway to Success’ campaign takes-off for airport workers.

Mary Alexander, Scottish deputy secretary of Unite, added: “Unite has secured another significant pay deal for our members at Edinburgh Airport Limited which operates the airport. Hundreds of workers will now benefit from a string of better terms and conditions to their contracts including shift pay, access to the sick pay scheme along with a commitment to review the working rotas.”

300 plus First Cymru bus drivers who operate in South and West Wales working from depots in Swansea, Bridgend, Ammanford, Port Talbot, Carmarthen and Haverfordwest have won an inflation busting 11.6 per cent pay increase.

Unite regional co-ordinating officer Sarah Davies said: “Unite will be looking to build on this significant pay deal in future negotiations. Our members at First Cymru recognise the importance of being represented by Unite and all workers looking for a better deal should join Unite and get their colleagues to join too.”

Pay strikes by around 100 workers at Amcor Packaging in Workington have been called off after Unite secured 7% backdated pay deal and ￡500 payment.

Unite regional officer Ryan Armstrong said: “Well done to our reps and members at Amcor, who achieved this result through their hard work and solidarity. Those wanting better wages and working lives should join Unite and organise their colleagues to join as well.”

Six weeks of industrial action have ended with BaxterStorey canteen workers securing a phenomenal 19.2% pay victory.

Unite rep at the Drax canteen, Diane Power, said: “Most of us at the canteen had never really considered getting organised in a union before. But the last couple of years have been difficult for all of us because of the cost-of-living crisis. Everyone is really pleased with the pay deal and it’s such a great feeling knowing we stood up together and supported each other to achieve it.”

Barts NHS Trust support staff have won a historic victory. Nearly 700 Unite members working as porters, cleaners and facilities staff at the largest NHS trust in the UK were calling to be paid the lump sum payment received by healthcare staff for working during the pandemic. After months of negotiations, strikes and demonstrations, workers have now accepted a deal from Barts.

Workers taking action

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The fight continues to ‘SaveOurSteel’?

Unite reps are meeting to consider an offer of fresh talks, received from TATA on the eve of industrial action and following intense pressure from Unite general secretary Sharon Graham.

The decision follows confirmation from Tata, arising from high level talks throughout the weekend, that it was now prepared to enter into negotiations about future investment for its operations and not just redundancies, in South Wales, including at Port Talbot and Llanwern.

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Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “This is a significant development in the battle to protect jobs and the long-term future of steel making in South Wales. Investment from Labour secured by Unite will be key to the future of the site.?This breakthrough would not have come about without the courage of our members at Port Talbot and Llanwern who were prepared to stand up and fight for their jobs. Workers were simply not prepared to stand idly by while steel making ended and their communities were laid to waste.

Public Sector workers fight back

Over the next few weeks council workers are taking a stand against the low pay and poor conditions they face in their jobs serving our communities.

Sanctuary housing workers who do maintenance work in accommodation across London are still fighting against poor pay from their wealthy employer. Over in Haringey, housing workers are walking out over annual leave allowances and bonuses.

Meanwhile in the NHS, security staff at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital are fighting against low pay, unpaid breaks, holiday allowances and union victimization while nurses want forced long hours, changed shifts and risk to patient safety to end.

?Healthcare workers at the Arrowe Park Hospital in the Wirral, Merseyside, are escalating their strikes next week over a continued failure to recognise their workplace responsibilities and pay them accordingly.?

Redbridge refuse workers escalate summer bin strikes, over working conditions at labour-led council.

After 14 years of the Tories, our public sector services and workers are struggling. Unite members are fighting to set things right.

Campaigns

Britain is Broken. It’s time to fix it.

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Unite is fighting for a Workers' Manifesto. We need to make work better with industry plans for all sectors, take action against discrimination with a ban on “fire and rehire” and zero hours contracts. The super-rich and profiteers need to be taxed as we re-fund our public services, restore NHS funding and invest in our local services and write off council debt.

Let’s get the Tories out, share the below pamphlet to show your support.