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Welcome to Union News, your guide to what’s happening in the UK and trade union movement. Reporting is by Pat Harrington and music is from Tim Bragg. In this weeks edition: Call for Stronger Health and Safety Laws, G4S Job Centre Guards Launch New Strike, Workers Rally to Save Grangemouth Refinery and finally, Mixed Reactions to Junior Doctors’ Pay Deal.
Call for Stronger Health and Safety Laws
Union leaders are pressing the new Labour government to enhance the Health and Safety at Work Act (HSWA) and secure funding for enforcement to cut workplace fatalities. Marking the HSWA’s 50th anniversary, the TUC emphasized the need for continued progress and investment in workplace safety. TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak highlighted the Act’s success in saving thousands of lives but warned that recent Tory cuts have put workers at risk. With Britain averaging over 100 work-related deaths annually, Nowak called for fresh funding and collaborative efforts to boost safety measures. Hazards Campaign Chair Janet Newsham echoed the need for more investment, stressing the Act’s importance and advocating for a robust health and safety system .
G4S Job Centre Guards Launch New Strike
Hundreds of G4S security guards at job centres are set for a 10-day strike demanding better pay.
Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union members employed by the private security company as job centre security guards started a week-long strike this Monday.
The union said its members will now walk out alongside colleagues in the GMB union on weeks beginning August 12 and 26.
PCS General Secretary Fran Heathcote criticized G4S for underpaying workers despite their significant profits. G4S claimed PCS lacked a recognition agreement for negotiations, but the GMB union countered, accusing G4S of offering a misleading pay deal that amounts to a real-terms cut. The dispute has seen GMB membership double, with G4S facing investigation for using agency staff to undermine the strike .
Workers Rally to Save Grangemouth Refinery
Scottish workers will gather in Grangemouth this Saturday to fight for the future of the Petroineos oil refinery and its 2,000-strong workforce. The refinery, crucial to Scotland’s economy, faces closure in 2025. Unite’s Keep Grangemouth Working Campaign is pushing for a green transition plan to save jobs. Recent discussions with the government have led to potential funding for low-carbon projects at the site. Unite’s General Secretary Sharon Graham and Scottish Secretary Derek Thomson have noted a positive shift in government attitude, emphasizing the importance of getting the transition right for workers and the community.
and finally, Mixed Reactions to Junior Doctors’ Pay Deal
Rachel Reeves described the proposed pay deal for junior doctors as a minimal cost compared to the losses from NHS strikes. The new offer, which includes a 22.3% pay package, aims to discuss the wage gap but has received mixed reactions. BMA’s junior doctors committee recommends the deal, noting it changes the current trajectory but falls short of full pay restoration. Junior doctors, who have held 44 days of strikes, will vote on the offer, with some expressing dissatisfaction and calling for continued action. The deal includes a backdated pay rise and future increases, but many argue it doesn’t adequately discuss long-term pay issues.
Picture credit
Grangemouth: By User:John, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2459867
