January 2025 Round Up
The New Year is well underway and we're kicking off 2025 union-strong, as workers from across sectors stand up for better #JobsPayConditions: From striking for fair wages to campaigning for an end to fire and rehire and zero hours.
We've also ramped up our campaigning for an economy that works for all, continuing our fight for the government to reinstate winter fuel payments, calling for a wealth tax and pushing for public ownership.
“We keep on fighting in our workplaces: for jobs, and for good collective agreements including on AI and automation. And at the same time we push jobs to the heart of the national debate. It all comes down to one thing: rebuilding our union, the collective power of workers.” Unite general secretary Sharon Graham
This five-minute read will review some? of our union's highlights this January.?
Unite wins
Members have already had some major wins in the bag for 2025. Here are some highlights from January's round of wins.
Southampton hospital
After years of abuse by management, porters at Southampton Hospital struck back and won commitments to end bullying and harassment. They had endured years of horrendous treatment from management, including having toilet breaks and periods monitored, being barred from sitting down while at work and being unable to take water breaks while on duty.
"Porters are the lifeblood of the NHS, putting patients first and connecting with compassion and care on a daily basis. This is a group of amazing human beings and they deserve to feel safe and valued at work. This has been an extremely challenging and complex dispute, uncovering over a decade of abuse and misconduct by management. Unite members have stood together and secured firm commitments from management on a landmark deal covering multiple areas of improvement for staff." Unite regional officer Kate Attwooll
Transport for Greater Manchester
Transport for Greater Manchester members struck and won a rise of up to 8.9 %, plus improved allowances.
Over 200 workers, who undertake a variety of roles including ticketing, passenger assistance and information services across the Greater Manchester transport network, voted in favour of accepting the deal.
Aviation pay deal
100 members have won pay deals for North Air tanker drivers and airfield operators who provide refuelling services for airlines flying into and out of Scottish Airports. Now, workers will benefit from a minimum wage increase of 4.5%.
A 10 % increase to the shift allowance will also be applied along with a boost to the company's driver training and training champion bonus schemes. This could see an increase of up to 150 % from ￡200 to ￡500 and from ￡400 to ￡1,000 in the company bonus schemes.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "The pay and recognition deals will help drive up the jobs, pay and conditions at North Air and across the aviation industry. The message to all airport workers is clear, if you want better jobs, pay and conditions - join Unite."?
Gloucestershire us drivers are winning
250 Stagecoach West bus drivers have won an improved pay deal, the drivers have accepted a pay deal that will see wages increase by 11.1 % by January 2026.
This includes around a pound an hour pay rise effective from January 2025, plus a ￡400 one-off payment for drivers.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "This is trade unionism in action: Stagecoach West's drivers stood together and secured a substantial increase in pay. Unite's mission to drive up jobs, pay and conditions is once again putting money in our members' pockets."
Disputes
Workers are taking a stand to secure the pay and conditions they deserve.
Pensions funding fire and rehire
East-riding councillors were met with protests over links to council pension schemes and Pemberton Asset Management.
Pemberton Asset Management owns Wrexham-based ready meal maker Oscar Mayer, which is attempting to fire and rehire hundreds of workers to slash wages by up to ￡3,000.
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Unite is calling for the council to halt any further investments in hugely wealthy Pemberton until Oscar Mayer's fire and rehire attacks against its already low paid workers are stopped.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "East Riding councillors will be furious to learn that the council's pension fund is supporting a company that is prepared to use the most abhorrent employment practices towards its workers. Pemberton Asset Management is doing its reputation and business relationships irreparable damage by trying to fire and rehire Oscar Mayer's workers. Unite will not stop fighting until these horrific plans are scrapped."
Stop Union Busting at Veolia
For months, our members at Veolia in Sheffield have been striking for their right to be recognised in the union of their choice.??
We visited Veolia HQ and key investors in Paris in a call for senior management and business partners to step in and resolve this dispute.
Unite members took their fight to end the union-busting to Veolia CEO as she spoke at? Arizona State University. Organisers were met with solidarity and support while on campus calling for senior management to intervene in this dispute at Veolia Sheffield.
It is time for Veolia to clean up their act! Until they do, we will keep striking and take our members' message wherever we must until Veolia Sheffield respects the wishes of the workforce and signs a collective bargaining agreement with Unite.
End Poverty Pay in Bakkavor
UK campaigners protested at the Austrian resort of KitzSki to highlight links between its owners and food producer Bakkavor, where workers are struggling with poverty pay rates.
The KitzSki ski resort is 32 % owned by LongRange Capital. LongRange is also a major shareholder in Bakkavor.
Hundreds of Unite members employed by food producer Bakkavor at the Spalding, Lincolnshire factory have been on strike since September after pay fell by 10.6%. The workers seek a pay increase of 81p an hour, equivalent to just 2% of Bakkavor's profits.
Senior management must get back to the bargaining table to ensure fair pay now for Bakkavor workers
“Bakkavor continue to let down the communities they have built their business on. This is a dispute of their own making and the people of Spalding know they could resolve it with a stroke of pen and by paying a fair wage. Our members are absolutely resolute in their fight and the vote for further strikes means Bakkavor will continue to let down its customers for the foreseeable future.” Unite regional officer Sam Hennessey
Campaigns
No ban without a plan
Tens of thousands of jobs are at risk in the oil and gas industry. As many as 35,000 could be gone by 2030 due to a ban on new oil licences, but Unite is taking action to protect the livelihoods of these workers.
More than half of all MSPs have backed our campaign to stand up for the jobs of oil and gas workers.
The pressure we are applying is working. Scottish politicians can take action to save jobs, and they can apply pressure on Westminster. Please help us up the pressure on the remaining politicians to join us by emailing your representatives today.
Taking the winter fuel campaign to Westminster?
Our survey found 67% of pensioners are reducing heating their homes, and nearly half are cutting another cost to afford to heat their homes. As a result, 63% of the population has felt cold more often.
The government has refused to publish excess winter death figures this year, so we took a message to them at Westminster Bridge with a message to the government - reinstate the winter fuel payment.?
Marketing Assistant at The University of Manchester
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