Work longer hours, retire later
The fight for lower hours didn’t begin with the EU. It certainly hasn’t ended with the Working Time Directive – the number of hours we are working is climbing steadily…
Pay and conditions
Pay and conditions
ENO chorus success
25 March 2016
Members of the English National Opera chorus have settled their dispute about wage cuts. They had overwhelmingly voted to strike and not sing during the first act the opera Akhnaten on the last night of this acclaimed production.
Academics to fight on pay
The University and College Union and the Educational Institute of Scotland have submitted a national pay claim for a 5 per cent pay rise for academic staff.
Hospital doctors’ dispute continues
13 February 2016
The strike by junior doctors on Wednesday 10 February was met by government bluster as health secretary Jeremy Hunt threatened to impose the new terms. The BMA says this action represents total failure by the government.
Loophole: self-employment
There are now 4.6 million self-employed workers in Britain, according to the Office for National Statistics, and on average they work longer hours than employed workers. Their wages have fallen by around 22 per cent since 2008.
Struggle off the stage
A long-running dispute over front of house staff wages and conditions at the Globe Theatre in London has been “settled” – for the time being. This follows a one-day strike in May 2015, with the threat of further action. A degree of progress has been made.
River staff threaten strike action
31 August 2015
Crew members and others who staff some of the Thames river boats, such as Thames Clippers and City Cruises, have voted unanimously to go out on strike for improved pay and conditions.
Zero for us, subsidies for them
As capitalism continues its drive to reduce workers to utter penury and, worse, compliance in that drive, the number of workers on zero hours contracts has soared from 200,000 in 2010 to 1.8 million in 2015.
Something for nothing
With Scottish universities among the highest users of zero-hours contracts, it is fitting that the University and College Union (UCU) should hold its annual congress this May in Glasgow.
‘Significant improvements’ settle Barbour dispute
14 January 2015
Striking Barbour warehouse workers at the famous jacket maker in Gateshead will be going back to work after accepting a significantly improved offer.
Barbour workers on four-week strike
8 January 2015
Warehouse workers at Barbour’s Gateshead site have begun four weeks of strike action in a dispute over new contracts proposed by the clothing firm
Barbour staff strike over imposed hours change
18 December 2014
Warehouse staff working for clothing firm Barbour in Wardsley, Gateshead, have gone on strike over proposed changes to working hours.
Ambulance dispute looms
Ambulance workers’ unions are dusting off their plans for a ballot on industrial action in England after negotiations over sick pay have reached an impasse.