Industrial news

The Unite general union is holding a consultative ballot of members in local government with a recommendation to reject the two-year pay deal being offered by employers. 


Under the offer, local government and school support staff would get 2% pay increases in April 2018 and April 2019. 


The other local government unions, the GMB and UNISON are also consulting members.


Meanwhile, Unite has announced further strike action by electricians on the Crossrail construction project. Following a one-day strike in January, four one-day strikes will be held this month on the Woolwich section of the project in a dispute over non-payment of industry-standard project completion payments to electricians. 


Elsewhere, GMB members have voted to take industrial action at the Cammell Laird Shipyard in Birkenhead in a dispute over pay and conditions. Two days’ strike action were due to take place at the end of January. 


Members of the UCU lecturers and university staff union have voted to take industrial action at 61 older universities over changes to the USS universities pension scheme, with a two-day strike planned for the end of this month. 


The union said it would escalate to three-, four- and five-day strikes if the dispute is not resolved.


And members of the BECTU entertainment section of the Prospect union held a two-day strike at five Picturehouse cinemas in London last month in the latest stage of the union’s long-running campaign for the voluntary living wage.

www.unitetheunion.org/news/unite-to-recommend-local-government-members-reject-pay-offer

www.unitetheunion.org/news/sparks-set-to-fly-as-crossrail-electricians-step-up-strike-action

www.gmb.org.uk/newsroom/cammell-laird-strike

https://www.bectu.org.uk/news/2790

https://www.ucu.org.uk/article/9194/University-staff-overwhelmingly-back-strike-action-in-USS-pensions-row