Workplace news in brief


Stop press

Striking hospital porters in Dundee have won a major victory.

Details and analysis to follow – see www.socialistpartyscotland.org.uk/.

Digger cameras

Workers at building equipment firm JCB returned to work on 26 May to find CCTV cameras on the shop floor. Management installed them without consulting staff or their union, GMB – which is against the law.

Angry workers demanded bosses take the cameras down. The union made clear at several meetings that it would ballot for action if not.

Even the threat of a ballot was enough to force management’s hand. The cameras were removed on 25 June.

A JCB worker

Bus pay win

Bus drivers in south-west London have forced bosses to honour part of a pay agreement. Passenger firm Abellio tried to go back on the second half of a two-year deal. Members of general union Unite voted overwhelmingly for industrial action, and management made concessions.

A bus driver in Unite

Lawyers ‘strike’

As we go to press, lawyers across the country are considering wildcat ‘strikes’ against cuts to legal aid. Lawyers in Liverpool are already refusing new cases. If other cities follow, courts could grind to a halt.

Gallery debate

MPs debated the National Gallery’s privatisation plans on 25 June, in the middle of workers’ latest ten-day strike. Public sector union PCS has called a string of actions against partial sell-off.

The central London institution’s trustees want to hand all visitor services to a private firm. Victimised union rep Candy Udwin recently won interim relief – forcing bosses to pay her.

Languages cut

Teachers in Sussex struck on 25 June against cuts to jobs, hours and courses. The National Union of Teachers branch says Sussex Downs College will lose all modern language provision. The union plans further action on 2 and 7 July.