Universal Credit strike

Workers at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) dealing with Universal Credit are striking on 28-29 May. Call handlers in Wolverhampton and Walsall will walk out in protest at workloads and staff shortages.

The PCS members also took action in March with the union estimating that at least 5,000 additional staff are needed to deal with the Universal Credit workload alone! Hand-in-hand with the issues facing Universal Credit workers are the appalling problems that claimants deal with. Thousands of DWP workers have to claim tax credits and could end up on Universal Credit themselves.

Universal Credit must be scrapped. Claimants and workers must unite in fighting against all forms of Tory austerity and attacks on the working class.


Blood courier stoppage

Couriers in the IWGB union who deliver blood to some of London’s biggest hospitals planned strike action on 23-24 May in a dispute over pay and conditions.

About 100 cyclists, motorcyclists and van drivers who work for the ‘Doctors Laboratory’, a company that provides pathology services to the NHS are still fighting for the pay and workers’ rights that they are entitled to after winning a legal battle to be recognised as workers by the company last year.


National Shop Stewards Network (NSSN) 2019 conference

Demonstration to save Honda plant, Swindon, 30.3.19, photo S. German

Demonstration to save Honda plant, Swindon, 30.3.19, photo S. German   (Click to enlarge: opens in new window)

Car workers in Swindon are reeling from the news that Honda bosses have confirmed the closure of the Wiltshire plant in 2021. Over 3,500 workers directly employed by the factory are facing redundancy. But the impressive demo of thousands at the end of March shows the potential to build the fightback. On that demo, Unite plant convenor Paddy Brennan, speaking alongside his shop stewards, said: “This is the fight of our lives.”

Paddy will be speaking at the NSSN conference on Saturday 6 July 11am-4.30pm at Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL. See shopstewards.net for more