Edition 4 | August 2024 Round up
Q3 has come to a close, and this August, our members have been securing some fantastic wins in the workplace and taking a stand for #JobsPayConditions. Here's your monthly roundup of your union's latest #UniteWINS, current industrial actions and campaigns you can support to drive change.
Unite members winning
The summer is closing with some fantastic #UniteWins as members have secured better workplace pay and conditions over the month. Our union is welcoming more members and securing new workplace recognition agreements across the county.
Workers securing better pay
Workers still need fair pay deals to keep up with the cost of living. This August, members of the workplace have secured their overdue pay raises through collective bargaining and industrial action.
Nearly 5,000 Gatwick workers are celebrating an average 8.3% rise. Together, our members are reversing the trend of jobs at Gatwick being underpaid and undervalued.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "As these phenomenal results show, Unite is reversing the trend of jobs at Gatwick being underpaid and undervalued. Unite is achieving this by organising workers at Gatwick and relentlessly focusing on improving jobs, pay and conditions. Congratulations to our reps and members at the airport – their hard work and solidarity was essential to achieving these pay deals."
Following weeks of strike action, Guys and St Thomas' security guard have secured a ￡3,000 uplift over 2 and half years, ending their pay dispute with an awaited pay deal.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "By standing up in their union, Guy's and St Thomas' security guards ensured the trust's leadership increased their pay grades to the proper level. Once again, Unite's complete focus on defending and improving jobs, pay, and conditions is being delivered to our members."
Unite members working in refuse collection in Redbridge have returned to work as they celebrate a new and improved contract from the council.? Having already taken strike action, Redbridge Civic Services employees, a council subsidiary, have won new and improved terms and conditions including an increase in sick pay and protected income insurance, reduced working week, paid overtime and a review of vehicles along with maintenance to reduce stoppages.?
Unite regional officer Nicholas West said:
"We've finally had the much-needed involvement of the council, and our members have finally been presented with a reasonable offer that they have accepted and returned to work. Unite stood firmly with our members throughout the dispute and they should be proud at how they stood firm against the council to get the terms and conditions they deserve."
We have had a massive win for education workers in Northern Ireland.?
Union members employed as school support staff by the Education Authority have won their industrial dispute over a pay and grading review. The majority of school support workers, including bus drivers, classroom assistants, bus escorts, catering cleaning, admin and other school staff, can expect a significant pay uplift. Pay and grading review won by education support workers provides an additional ￡130 million in pay over the next eight months.
The union has hailed the result as a historic win for education workers. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham welcomed the outcome:?
“Without that powerful strike action, these workers would still be waiting for implementation of a pay and grading review first recommended in 2018. Once again, this result confirms that when Unite members get organised and stand up for themselves, they can win real improvements to their pay and conditions.”
These are just a few of the fantastic wins workers have secured this month and more proof that workers are more substantial together. We congratulate our members, reps, and officers for securing these deals and delivering them on #JobsPayConditions.
Welcoming new agreements
Unite members at Gemini rail maintenance company are victorious after receiving recognition from their company and a change to the policy that meant staff could not be represented by their trade union in grievance meetings.
Up to 60 staff had walked out earlier this month when the company refused to allow workers to be represented by their Unite workplace rep. Following strikes and continued negotiation by Unite and its members, the company has reversed its decision and committed to rightly allowing union reps in all grievance meetings.
Following a five-year campaign, Unite has secured an access agreement to ensure that workers on the HS2 tunnels project based at Euston can access advice and support from a union official while on site.
The access agreement was signed this week, which means that the union officer will be able to meet with workers in the site's rest areas during break times to discuss employment matters; the union will also be able to attend induction meetings to talk to workers.
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"The persistence and dedication of Unite construction members should be congratulated; it is their hard work which has ensued this access agreement has been signed. Construction workers based on the SCS project will now be able to freely consult a Unite official about all their employment and safety concerns. The signing of this agreement will ensure that Unite is now fully able to defend and enhance workers' jobs, pay and conditions at HS2."
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham
Workers taking action
Members are taking a stand and driving workplace change through industrial action and collective organisation.?
Staff working for the University and College Union (UCU) have announced they will take continuous strike action in an escalation of industrial action.
Around 200 members will indefinitely strike from 2 September if their employer doesn't resolve their dispute over workplace racism, repeated breaches of their collective agreements, and broken industrial relations.?
Unite regional officer Rose Keeping said:
"Industrial action on this scale is a last resort, but our members have been pushed to breaking point by our employer's failure to meaningfully negotiate on the serious issues in dispute."
Around 1,200 office staff are joining hundreds of managers at Ford in industrial action over pay at sites across the country. Office staff voted in favour of strike action and began action short of a strike over unacceptable pay offers and contract changes. Coordinated strike action will be scheduled if the dispute is not resolved.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham:
"Ford's relationship with its white-collar staff has never been worse. Instead of engaging with Unite, the company has resorted to threats and bullying to try and prevent staff from taking industrial action."
Valley Vet's workers, including nurses, support staff, and vets, are still taking industrial action after walking out over low pay. Despite their jobs, 80% of staff regularly borrow money to meet their basic living costs as the company refuses to negotiate pay.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "Valley Vets generate massive profits, yet they are fully prepared to cold-heartedly leave their workers to struggle financially. Our members have been subjected to this for long enough and Unite will support them every step of the way in their battle for adequate wages."
Show your support and solidarity by following us on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn to keep up with these industrial actions.
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Campaigns
Energy Bills are set to rise again this winter in the wake of Ofgem's energy price cap announcement. ?
While energy companies continue to rake in excessive profits, working people struggle to keep afloat, and pensioners are left vulnerable without the winter fuel allowance.
These are the wrong choices when there is an overwhelming case for taking energy out of the hands of the profiteers and owning it ourselves.
The Labour Party's plan to end the universal winter fuel payment for pensioners will take away a lifeline for millions.
With the colder months looming, join our campaign to defend the Winter Fuel Payment and protect pensioners ????