Workplace news In Brief


Higher Education

Members of the University and College Union working in higher education have voted for action over pay. 62% voted in favour of strike action and 77% for action short of a strike. Their pay has dropped by 13% over the last four years.

Unison members have already voted for action and the result from the Unite ballot is due shortly.

Carmarthenshire cuts

Labour-led Carmarthenshire county council has announced £30 million of cuts over the next three years.

It warns that ‘hundreds of jobs will go’. The Unison branch is pledged to fight these cuts and defend all jobs.

It is calling on the council to launch a mass campaign alongside the trade unions and the people of Carmarthenshire to refuse to implement the cuts.

Please send messages of support from the Carmarthenshire branch website: unisonccc.org.uk/contact-us/

RMT

Socialist Party member John Reid, currently London regional secretary of the transport union RMT, is standing for election to the union’s national committee, the Council of Executives.

He is standing on a programme to defend jobs, pay and conditions and to unite all grades in the battles against the many attacks on RMT members.

See Vote John Reid for RMT Council of Executives on Facebook

City Link

On 5 October City Link workers staged protests across the country to highlight savage attacks on jobs and pay.

Workers face pay cuts of up to £4,000, enforced overtime, the axing of the bonus scheme and changes in travel arrangements.

The RMT members got a very positive response leafleting in Southampton with many facing similar problems at work.

City Link was sold off earlier this year by Rentokil Initial to private equity group Better Capital who have now launched this attack on its workers.

The response to the campaign has been enormous. RMT assistant general secretary Steve Hedley reported: “Over 800 have joined the union.

“Despite efforts by the company to block a ballot of our members through an injunction we will be re-ballotting members on taking action.”

Nick Chaffey

Defend the Four victory

After a momentous campaign lasting over six years, four Unison members, two now members of Unite, have won a tremendous victory against the Unison bureaucratic machine.

Come and celebrate with them: Suzanne Muna, Onay Kasab, Glenn Kelly and Brian Debus.

5pm onwards on Saturday 19 October at the Roxy Bar and Screen, 128-132 Borough High Street, London SE1 1LB