Union News 9th of June 2024

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1,272 words, 7 minutes read time.

In this week’s Union News, we celebrate a significant victory for Welsh hospital doctors as the British Medical Association (BMA) secures improved pay terms following strike action. Junior doctors, specialist doctors, and consultants will receive substantial pay increases, marking a crucial step towards pay restoration. Meanwhile, the Derby Silk Mill Festival commemorates Britain’s first organized industrial workers’ struggle from 1833-34, reminding us of the enduring legacy of union solidarity and resilience.

Additionally, the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union demands urgent government action to address the UK’s prison overcrowding crisis and prevent staff burnout, highlighting the dire need for investment in the prison service. The National Education Union (NEU) has unveiled a bold manifesto ahead of the General Election, calling for major reforms in education funding, child poverty, exam systems, and teacher recruitment to prioritize children’s well-being and support educators.

Reporting is by Pat Harrington and music is by Tim Bragg.

BMA Secures Improved Pay Offer for Welsh Hospital Doctors After Strike Action

In a significant victory for medical professionals, the British Medical Association (BMA) has successfully negotiated improved pay terms for doctors working in secondary care across Wales. Following two months of intense negotiations and 10 days of strike action, the BMA has secured pay offers that benefit junior doctors, specialist doctors (SAS), and consultants.

Key Points:

Junior Doctors: A 12.4% backdated pay rise for the 2023-24 financial year, with the increase applicable from April 2023.
Consultants: A revised pay scale featuring better starting pay and an additional pay rise of up to 10.1%.
SAS Doctors: New contracts with pay increases ranging from 6.1% to 9.2%, along with an additional uplift for those on closed contracts.

The BMA’s Welsh Junior Doctors Committee co-chairs, Dr. Oba Babs Osibodu and Dr. Peter Fahey, expressed satisfaction with the offer, emphasizing that it sets the stage for pay restoration. Dr. Stephen Kelly, chair of BMA Cymru Wales’ Consultants committee, welcomed the improvements, recognizing the dedication of senior doctors.

However, the Royal College of Nursing Wales criticized the government’s handling of nursing staff salaries. Executive director Helen Whyley highlighted the frustration felt by nursing staff, who continue to wait for fair pay.

Welsh First Minister Vaughan Gething and Health Secretary Eluned Morgan acknowledged the constructive nature of the talks, thanking the BMA’s negotiating teams and NHS Employers.

The BMA remains committed to advocating for fair pay across the healthcare sector, urging ministers to address nursing staff salaries promptly.

“Remember the Past, Fight for Your Future”: Derby’s Historic Silk Mill Struggle Resonates Today

The Derby Silk Mill Festival was held on June 8 2024. This lively event commemorates Britain’s first organized struggle of industrial workers, which took place during 1833-34. The festival includes a march, rally, and a People’s Festival with trade union and community campaign stalls, live bands, and activities for kids.

The annual Festival serves as a poignant reminder of the year-long battle fought by silk mill workers in the Derwent Valley during 1833-34. These workers faced oppressive owners and managers who exploited their labour through spurious pay cuts and denied them trade union rights under the threat of instant dismissal.

The Struggle:

Lockout and Resistance: The silk mill lockout was a bitter and sustained conflict. Workers rallied against unfair treatment, and their struggle is commemorated not only through the festival but also by a mural on the Silk Mill pub, adjacent to the now-transformed Mill (Derby’s Museum of Making).
Union Solidarity: When Mr. Frost, a silk manufacturer, dismissed a worker for refusing a fine related to “shoddy work,” all union members walked out. The bosses responded with a lockout, attempting to break the trade union.
Regional General Strike: The dispute quickly spread to other mills in the Derwent Valley, becoming a Derby-centric general strike. Workers demanded fair treatment and the fruits of their own industry.
Repression and Resilience: Despite repression from ruling classes, including military, police, courts, and more, solidarity persisted. The struggle symbolized a fight for workplace strength.
Legacy: Although workers returned to their jobs in 1834 due to poverty and violence, this pivotal event led to the formation of the Grand National Consolidated Trade Union, shaping today’s trade union movement.

As we remember this historic struggle, let it inspire us to continue fighting for workers’ rights and justice in our own time.

Prison Crisis: PCS Union Demands Urgent Action to Alleviate Overcrowding and Staff Burnout

The Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union has issued a stark call to the new government, urging immediate investment in the UK’s prison service. The goal? To tackle overcrowding and prevent staff burnout.

Key Points:

Staff Pressure: PCS members in Offender Management Units (OMUs) within prisons face immense pressure to take on additional work, all in an effort to free up cell space. Reports indicate that staff are at breaking point, grappling with burnout, stress, and exhaustion.
Unsustainable Conditions: The union emphasizes that the strain on hardworking OMU members is unsustainable and could signal a failure in the HMPPS (Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service) duty of care.
Prison Population Crisis: The UK currently boasts the highest prison population per capita in Western Europe, with numbers projected to reach 106,300 by March 2027. Despite this, successive governments have failed to address the issue adequately.
Private Prisons and Under-Investment: While a multi-million-pound prison building program continues, profit-driven private companies manage it. Simultaneously, the existing public prison infrastructure suffers from sustained under-investment.
Police Cell Rentals: Operation Safeguard involves renting police cells due to overcrowding, and reports suggest that police in England and Wales are advised to make fewer arrests due to cell shortages.
PCS Stands Firm: The PCS supports senior HMPPS leaders who refuse to breach safe operational capacity levels. Overcrowded prisons pose risks to staff, prisoners, and the public.
Parliamentary Action Needed: The Sentencing Bill’s delay necessitates urgent parliamentary attention to sentencing policy, non-custodial alternatives, and broader investment in public services.

PCS General Secretary’s Stance: Fran Heathcote asserts that staff burnout, unsafe conditions, and the impact on work-life balance are unacceptable risks.

As the crisis persists, the PCS remains committed to advocating for change and opposing unsustainable practices in the prison system.

and finally, NEU Unveils Bold Education Manifesto Ahead of General Election

The National Education Union (NEU) has launched a powerful manifesto for education, demanding urgent action from the next government. With ten key policy areas in focus, the NEU aims to reshape the education landscape and prioritize children’s well-being.

Key Proposals:

Reverse Funding Cuts: Schools, colleges, and nurseries must receive increased funding, reaching five percent of GDP.
Tackle Child Poverty: Remove the two-child benefit cap and ensure free, nutritious school lunches for all pupils.
Inclusive Curriculum: Embed anti-racism and provide broad subject access, including arts and PE.
Exam Overhaul: Abandon primary school tests and transform 14-19 assessments to combat the exam factory culture.
Special Needs Support: Swift, bureaucracy-free assistance for students with special needs.
Teacher Recruitment: Competitive pay to fill soaring vacancies.
Ofsted Replacement: Replace Ofsted with a collaborative, supportive system focused on advice and feedback.
Workload Management: Keep educators in the profession by addressing unmanageable workloads.
Professional Development Time: Allocate non-teaching time for collaboration and planning, especially for early career teachers.
Social Media Regulation: Tighter controls to protect children online.

The NEU’s manifesto sets the stage for a critical General Election. The education system faces urgent challenges, from underfunding to child poverty. Teachers and parents understand the impact on learning, and the NEU refuses to accept anything less than serious commitments from major parties. Let education take centre stage!

Picture Credit
Silk Mill Strike PlaqueEamon Curry from Derby, England, CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Union News 26th of May 2024

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1,838 words, 10 minutes read time.

Welcome to Union News, your guide to what’s happening in the UK trade union and labour movement. Reporting is by Pat Harrington and music is by Tim Bragg. In this week’s episode: Byron Court Primary School Faces Privatisation Battle Amid Harris Federation Controversy, Retail Sales Take a Drenching: Heavy Rain and Cost Pressures Hit Shoppers, Scotland Council Workers Reject “Derisory” Pay Offer, Threaten Summer Strikes, Fire Brigades Union Vows to Hold Labour Accountable on Anti-Strike Law Repeal, Education Unions Demand Immediate Publication of STRB Report and Pay Offer, and finally Workers Party and Independent Left Candidates: A Powerful Alternative in the 2024 General Election.

Byron Court Primary School Faces Privatisation Battle Amid Harris Federation Controversy

Byron Court Primary School in North London is at the centre of a heated battle over privatisation plans. The community school, located in Brent, north London, is set to join the notorious Harris Federation academy chain, a move that has sparked outrage among teachers, parents, and local residents.

The controversy began after Ofsted inspectors downgraded Byron Court from an “outstanding” rating to “inadequate” last November. The inspection report highlighted issues of bullying, racist language, and sexual harassment within the school. Parents lost confidence in the institution, and head teacher Martyn Boxall resigned in response to the damning findings.

Acting head Richard Sternberg, who was leading the school during the inspection, assured parents that efforts were underway to address the school’s challenges. However, the Department for Education (DfE) issued an academy order, mandating that Byron Court become part of the Harris Federation—a multi-academy trust known for its involvement in improving educational standards across London and Essex.

The Harris Federation operates 54 primary and secondary schools, directly funded by the DfE and independent of local authority control. Despite the controversy, the federation aims to transform Byron Court through its expertise and resources.

Teachers at Byron Court have taken a stand against the privatisation move. Members of the National Education Union (NEU) went on strike, with further strikes planned for June 4 to 6. NEU national executive member Jenny Cooper emphasized that the union would not accept the politicized privatisation of schools.

A veteran teacher in Brent expressed concerns about the Ofsted inspection process. According to her, the inspectors were rude, altered the inspection timetable, and denied staff necessary support. The inspection outcome, she argued, unfairly smeared the school staff and served as a tool for academisation.

The attempted academisation, however, has faced resistance. The strikes by Byron Court staff have disrupted the Harris Federation’s plans. The teacher hopes that the collective effort will deter the federation from proceeding.

A joint statement from Brent NEU and the Save Byron Court Parent Campaign revealed that nearly two-thirds of parents want the school to remain a community institution. Staff members share this sentiment, yet they find themselves excluded from discussions about the school’s future. The question remains: How can decisions affecting the staff, families, and local community be made without their input

Retail Sales Take a Drenching: Heavy Rain and Cost Pressures Hit Shoppers

Retail sales in the UK took a nosedive last month, leaving shop owners and economists concerned. The culprit? A combination of relentless rain and mounting cost-of-living pressures.

Across all sectors, sales plummeted by 2.3 per cent. But certain categories felt the brunt of the storm: clothing, sports equipment, furniture, and games and toys. These segments were particularly affected by the inclement weather during April.

Clothing and household stores bore the brunt of the decline, experiencing a sharp 4.1 per cent drop—the most significant fall since January 2021. Meanwhile, fashion and footwear retailers alone saw sales dip by 5.1 per cent month on month.

TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak emphasized the importance of local spending to stimulate growth and support businesses. He stated, “A sustainable recovery hinges on people’s ability to spend in their local economies.”

However, the retail slump underscores ongoing challenges for families grappling with the cost-of-living crisis. Millions are tightening their belts, and household budgets remain under immense strain.

Despite claims of success from the Conservative government, real wages still lag behind pre-2008 levels. The British public remains skeptical, well aware that bills continue to rise.

An Office for National Statistics survey revealed that 55 per cent of adults reported increased living costs over the past month. Food prices topped the list (cited by 94 per cent), followed by fuel (61 per cent), and energy bills (53 per cent).

Scotland Council Workers Reject “Derisory” Pay Offer, Threaten Summer Strikes

Council workers in Scotland are gearing up for a potential summer strike after unanimously rejecting what they deem a “derisory” pay offer. Unite, the union representing these workers, dismissed the proposal put forth by local government body Cosla.

The contentious 18-month deal would have provided council staff with a 2.2% increase from April this year, followed by an additional 2% hike in October. However, Unite’s general secretary, Sharon Graham, emphasized that their members deserve better and should not settle for less.

Graham McNab, Unite’s industrial officer, echoed this sentiment, stating that the pay offer falls far short of meeting the aspirations of local government workers. Unite also opposes the shift of the pay anniversary date to October, viewing it as a mere delay tactic.

Cosla, on the other hand, maintains that their offer is “strong, fair, and credible.” They argue that severe financial constraints faced by councils necessitate a cautious approach to affordability in the context of a flat-cash local government settlement.

As tensions rise, Unison—the largest local government union in Scotland—has also recommended that staff vote against the pay deal. Meanwhile, GMB Scotland’s local government committee rejected the offer, and their members have already backed strike action in a consultative ballot. A formal ballot for care workers is currently underway

Fire Brigades Union Vows to Hold Labour Accountable on Anti-Strike Law Repeal

The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) is turning up the heat on Labour, demanding the scrapping of the Tories’ controversial minimum service levels legislation. FBU President Ian Murray made this commitment during his opening address at the union’s annual conference in Blackpool.

Murray, a veteran of such gatherings for over two decades, expressed frustration with the state of fire and rescue services. He cited resolutions and policy statements that consistently highlighted the sector’s decline, fragmentation, and inadequate infrastructure investment.

“We’re fighting year after year for the meagre remains on the Treasury table,” Murray declared. “It’s not even enough to maintain the status quo. We need change, and hopefully, a general election will deliver it.”

The FBU’s focus centres on Labour’s promise to repeal the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act within 100 days if the party secures victory in the upcoming general election. This legislation currently mandates fire and rescue services to operate at 73% capacity during strikes, while control rooms continue normal operations despite industrial action.

Education Unions Demand Immediate Publication of STRB Report and Pay Offer

The National Education Union (NEU), NASUWT, NAHT, and ASCL school leaders’ union have joined forces to call for urgent action from Education Secretary Gillian Keegan. In a joint letter, they demand the immediate release of the School Teachers’ Review Body’s (STRB) recommendations and the government’s response.

Their key demand? A “fully-funded, above-inflation pay increase for all teachers and school leaders in September 2024.” Anything less, they argue, would be a dereliction of the government’s duty to safeguard the education service. The unions warn that any continued failure to invest adequately will exact a heavy political toll at the upcoming general election.

The STRB, an independent advisory body, provides recommendations on teachers’ and school leaders’ pay and conditions in England. Last week, the latest STRB Report landed on Keegan’s desk. The unions insist that its findings must be made public without delay.

In a pointed reference to Keegan’s previous commitment to align the STRB process with the school budget cycle, the unions emphasize the urgency of publishing the report. They highlight the critical recruitment and retention challenges faced by the education sector. Delaying the report’s release could exacerbate these problems, leading to more teachers and school leaders considering leaving the profession.

Research from the NFER and the House of Commons Education Committee underscores the severity of the recruitment and retention crisis. Teaching’s competitive position has suffered due to pay cuts worse than those in other professions. Skyrocketing workloads compound the challenges. Evidence supports the case for higher teacher pay increases relative to the wider economy to address teacher supply issues.

Moreover, schools have grappled with resource constraints since 2010, with 70% experiencing real-terms funding reductions due to government cuts. The Institute for Fiscal Studies estimates that an additional £3.2 billion is needed to restore school spending power to pre-2010 levels.

The unions urge the government to prioritize education investment. Their first demand: a fully funded, above-inflation pay rise for educators in September 2024. Failure to meet this crucial step would jeopardize the education service’s future.

Parents, teachers, and school leaders await Keegan’s response. The stakes are high—the government’s actions will resonate at the General Election.

and finally, Workers Party and Independent Left Candidates: A Powerful Alternative in the 2024 General Election

As the 2024 general election approaches, voters across the United Kingdom are faced with critical decisions. Amidst the familiar political landscape dominated by the old gang parties, a new force is emerging: the Workers Party of Britain. Led by the charismatic George Galloway, this party aims to challenge the status quo and provide a fresh alternative for disillusioned voters.

Why Consider the Workers Party?

The Workers Party’s rallying cry is stalwart support for the Palestinian people and opposition to British complicity in the Gaza genocide1. While this issue remains central, the party also addresses a wide range of concerns, from healthcare (NHS) to the economy, crime, and immigration. The economic policies of the Party are pro-union and pro-worker.

The Workers Party plans to contest almost every English seat in the upcoming election, making it the largest left-of-Labour electoral challenge in history. Their goal is to have the same impact on Labour as Nigel Farage’s Reform Party had on the Tories. With over 500 candidates already in place, they’re poised to shake up the political landscape.

Independent Left Candidates: The Workers Party supports a select group of independent left-leaning candidates. Among them are Jeremy Corbyn, the former Labour leader, who will stand as an independent in Islington North, and Andrew Feinstein, chosen by the Organise Corbyn-Inspired Socialist Alliance (OCISA) to unseat Keir Starmer in Holborn and St Pancras. These candidates offer an alternative to the mainstream parties.

As the election draws near, voters must seriously consider their options. The Workers Party, with its principled stance, and independent candidates, offer a compelling alternative. Whether you’re disillusioned with the major parties or seeking a new vision for Britain, the Workers Party and Independent left candidates deserve your attention. Remember, the ballot box is one way to achieve change, and this election presents an opportunity to shape the future of our nation.

Workers Party of Great Britain Logo
By https://workerspartybritain.org/, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=68206749