Unite activists write: This dispute, which began in 2019, is a result of the scaffolders not being paid in line with the National Agreement for the Engineering Construction Industry (NAECI). The rates for the workforce are currently 10-15 per cent (depending on specific roles) below NAECI rates. The 62 workers have been on continuous strike actionContinue reading “Solidarity with striking Actavo scaffs – protest on 22 February”
Category Archives: Strike Solidarity
GOSH bosses uses courts to break strike – protest at the Royal Courts of Justice!
Bosses at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London have used the courts to block effective picketing by striking security guards, who now face criminal charges if they attempt anything beyond the most tame, ineffectual activity within 200 metres of their workplace. The injunction is another example of how the laws and judiciary are a toolContinue reading “GOSH bosses uses courts to break strike – protest at the Royal Courts of Justice!”
Anti-union laws slow down NHS pay fight
A Free Our Unions supporter working in the NHS writes… Another year, another pay cut. NHS staff have suffered 10 years of pay cuts and lost about 15% off the value of our pay. We’ve now got over 100,000 vacancies and record high demand. The 3% “rise” this year is a pay cut when adjustedContinue reading “Anti-union laws slow down NHS pay fight”
UCU versus the anti-union laws
By a Cambridge UCU member The University and College Union (UCU) last week announced the results of two national ballots. Higher Education (HE) sector members were balloted on two disputes: the long-running “USS” pensions issue, and on the “Four Fights”: pay, workload, casualisation, and inequality. Pensions in HE have been systematically attacked over the pastContinue reading “UCU versus the anti-union laws”
RMT says: we won’t comply with new anti-strike laws
The recent AGM of the National Union of Rail, Maritime, and Transport workers passed several motions on resisting anti-union laws. These reaffirmed RMT’s strong opposition to all legal restrictions on the right to organise and strike, both existing and proposed, and committed the union to continue working with campaigns including Free Our Unions. Crucially, inContinue reading “RMT says: we won’t comply with new anti-strike laws”
Solidarity strikes means McDonalds workers in Denmark won £16/hour
This article, by the US journalist Matt Bruenig, was first published on 20 September on mattbruenig.com. We republish it here as it tells an important story: how solidarity strikes led to a group of low-paid workers winning significant wage increases. Strikes of this type are entirely illegal in the UK. Our campaign exists to resist,Continue reading “Solidarity strikes means McDonalds workers in Denmark won £16/hour”
Support the Bexley refuse workers – rally at Bexley Civic Offices, 21 July, 6pm!
Picture taken from the Justice for Refuse Workers and Cleansers Facebook pageUnite reports “heavy handed policing” of the strike by refuse workers in Bexley, South East London, over the living wage, pay progression and back pay. Unite’s Ruth Hydon says: “We want to be very clear to the police that their heavy-handed approach to aContinue reading “Support the Bexley refuse workers – rally at Bexley Civic Offices, 21 July, 6pm!”
Support Myanmar’s workers, striking for democracy
Free Our Unions salutes the struggle of workers in Myanmar for their rights and for democracy, and calls on the British labour movement to step up to support their fight. We note and urge others to note the central role being played there by a political general strike against the military coup and for democracy, the “Civil Disobedience Movement”.Continue reading “Support Myanmar’s workers, striking for democracy”
Free Our Unions public meeting, Tuesday 2 March, 6:30pm
CONFRONTING ANTI-UNION LAWS Tuesday 2 March, 6:30pm-8pm Log in via Zoom here. How have recent and ongoing workers’ struggles confronted restrictive anti-strike and anti-union legislation, and what effect would it have on those struggles if those restrictions were removed? We’ll hear from speakers involved in disputes and campaigns about how they’ve dealt with these issues,Continue reading “Free Our Unions public meeting, Tuesday 2 March, 6:30pm”
Overturn Shrewsbury convictions – and scrap today’s anti-strike laws!
The Free Our Unions campaign sends its full support to the trade unionists currently pursuing a Court of Appeal case to overturn their 1972 convictions for their role in a construction workers’ strike over pay and health and safety issues. The appellants are the 14 surviving members of the “Shrewsbury 24”. One of the long-runningContinue reading “Overturn Shrewsbury convictions – and scrap today’s anti-strike laws!”
Free Our Unions 