https://www.theguardian.com/profile/gregorgall Latest news and features from theguardian.com, the world's leading liberal voice en-gb Guardian News &amp; Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. 2026 Tue, 09 Jun 2026 13:04:30 GMT 2026-06-09T13:04:30Z en-gb Guardian News &amp; Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. 2026 https://assets.guim.co.uk/images/guardian-logo-rss.c45beb1bafa34b347ac333af2e6fe23f.png https://www.theguardian.com https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/dec/26/mick-lynch-strategy-tactics-rmt-rail-strikes <p>Magnetic Mick is a smooth operator with a robust and radical message, but the RMT leader has arguably failed to stave off the government’s attack on rail workers</p><p>It was in late June 2022, as the first national rail strikes began, that<strong> </strong>the RMT union leader, Mick Lynch, emerged as a standout political figure. He had conducted a<strong> </strong>series of spectacular television interviews, first with<strong> </strong>Piers Morgan, then Richard Madeley – both are renowned for taking on leftwing interviewees, and both were given short shrift by Lynch as he ridiculed their <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5r4P3CFfYh0">inane questioning</a> and picked apart their anti-trade union stance.</p><p>Consequently, many labelled him a hero – even heralding him as an alternative opposition leader. He was forthright and frank in the way he spoke, and the message he conveyed was robust and radical. Just like Jeremy Corbyn between 2015 and 2019, Lynch became a totem of the promise of social democratic renewal.</p><p>Gregor Gall is a visiting professor of industrial relations at the University of Leeds, and author of Mick Lynch: The Making of a Working-Class Hero</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/dec/26/mick-lynch-strategy-tactics-rmt-rail-strikes">Continue reading...</a> Rail strikes RMT Transport UK news Network Rail Trade unions Tue, 26 Dec 2023 06:00:44 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/dec/26/mick-lynch-strategy-tactics-rmt-rail-strikes Photograph: Kirsty O’Connor/PA Photograph: Kirsty O’Connor/PA Photograph: Kirsty O’Connor/PA Gregor Gall 2023-12-26T06:00:44Z https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/sep/11/four-day-working-week-tuc-proposals-workers-rights <p>The TUC’s proposals for less time at work are laudable and could lead to a historic victory for workers’ rights</p><p>On the 150th anniversary of its establishment, it seems the TUC has refound its radicalism. It has proposed that with advances in technology – especially artificial intelligence – a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/sep/10/four-day-working-week-for-all-is-a-realistic-goal-this-century-frances-o-grady" title="">four-day work week is within our grasp</a>. The argument is that if the benefits of new technologies are to be evenly spread around, workers can have a shorter working week (without loss of pay) and productivity can be increased, as in the case of <a href="https://theconversation.com/working-four-day-weeks-for-five-days-pay-research-shows-it-pays-off-100375" title="">organisations in New Zealand</a> and <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/the-six-hour-work-day-increases-productivity-so-will-britain-and-america-adopt-one-sweden-a7066961.html" title="">Sweden</a>. It seems like a “win-win” situation for <a href="https://www.tuc.org.uk/sites/default/files/FutureofWorkReport1.pdf" title="">workers and employers alike</a>.</p><p>Under a four-day week (equating to 28 hours), long working hours could become a distant memory, available employment spread out to reduce unemployment and underemployment, while management would be tasked with using technology and workers’ time at work to drastically improve Britain’s poor productivity. The argument made is that not only do happier workers make more productive workers but workers also feel more of a commitment to their employer under such working conditions. Traditionally, Britain’s competitive edge has been based on low wages, low skills and low investment meaning that, with consequent low productivity, long working hours for both workers and employers became essential. Most now agree this no longer gives the competitive edge it once did.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/sep/11/four-day-working-week-tuc-proposals-workers-rights">Continue reading...</a> TUC Trade unions Politics UK news Work-life balance Frances O'Grady Tue, 11 Sep 2018 08:00:15 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/sep/11/four-day-working-week-tuc-proposals-workers-rights Photograph: Echo/Getty Images/Cultura RF Photograph: Echo/Getty Images/Cultura RF Photograph: Echo/Getty Images/Cultura RF Gregor Gall 2018-09-11T08:00:15Z https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/aug/04/why-has-britain-stopped-striking-workers-empowered With workers’ wages falling fast, it’s clear our country’s unions are not doing their job. Pernicious employers can be hit in the pocket with the right sort of action<p>Striking in Britain has now <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/aug/02/number-of-striking-workers-now-lower-than-ever" title="">reached an all-time low</a>. Last year saw the fewest workers go on strike since records began in 1893. Is this a cause for celebration, a victory for partnership between capital and labour? The answer is a firm no.</p><p>Although striking is a last resort for workers on account of the lost wages incurred, the fact that only 170,000 days were lost to strikes in 2015 (compared with 29.5m in 1979) indicates just how weak the vast majority of workers feel they are in today’s labour market. It shows workers perceive themselves as ever more powerless to collectively stand up against the increasingly common employment practices of the likes of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/dec/09/how-sports-direct-effectively-pays-below-minimum-wage-pay" title="">Sports Direct</a>, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/law/2016/jul/25/deliveroo-workers-contracts-ban-access-to-employment-tribunals" title="">Deliveroo</a> and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/jul/18/hermes-couriers-paying-staff-less-than-living-wage" title="">Hermes</a>. Some companies now require <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/jul/20/uber-driver-employment-tribunal-minimum-wage" title="">employees to shoulder</a> what were previously employer responsibilities (such as national insurance, pensions and sick pay) and be subject to pernicious <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/dec/09/sports-direct-warehouse-work-conditions" title="">performance management targets and monitoring</a>.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/aug/04/why-has-britain-stopped-striking-workers-empowered">Continue reading...</a> Industrial action Trade unions Politics Business UK news TUC Deliveroo Thu, 04 Aug 2016 14:02:05 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/aug/04/why-has-britain-stopped-striking-workers-empowered Photograph: David Sillitoe/The Guardian Photograph: David Sillitoe/The Guardian Photograph: David Sillitoe/The Guardian Gregor Gall 2016-08-04T14:02:05Z https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/aug/07/tory-carr-review-unions-conservative-party-smear-campaign-labour-election In its haste to attack unions, the Conservative party has shot itself in the foot and proved the review was just a cynical pre-election stunt<p>For as long as David Cameron has been leader of the Conservatives, a key part of his armoury against Labour has been to smear it by association with the unions. So runs the narrative of not “reds under the bed” but of “reds in the bed” (of Labour): the unions are run by barons who are hell-bent on making trouble for decent, ordinary citizens; they want to disrupt wealth creation; they are undemocratic and out of touch with their members; and through Labour they have a malign influence over national politics.</p><p>Facts shouldn’t be allowed to get in the way of a good smear, such as, for example, that union influence within Labour has been steadily reduced every year since the 1990s (<a href="http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/sep/04/miliband-labour-union-gmb-funding" title="">with Miliband lessening this even further</a>) and that affiliated unions <a href="http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2013/08/donation-figures-show-labour-remains-overdependent-union-funding" title="">pay large sums to Labour</a> but have little in the way of desired policy commitments to show for it.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/aug/07/tory-carr-review-unions-conservative-party-smear-campaign-labour-election">Continue reading...</a> Trade unions Politics UK news Conservatives Labour Unite General election 2015 Thu, 07 Aug 2014 11:45:09 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/aug/07/tory-carr-review-unions-conservative-party-smear-campaign-labour-election Photograph: Ben Stansall/AFP/Getty Images Demonstrators from the Unite union. 'Cameron’s not-so-secret weapon in the run-up to the May 2015 general election has been to target the 'malevolent' influence of Unite in order to target Labour.' Photograph: Ben Stansall/AFP/Getty Images Photograph: Ben Stansall/AFP/Getty Images Demonstrators from the Unite union. 'Cameron’s not-so-secret weapon in the run-up to the May 2015 general election has been to target the 'malevolent' influence of Unite in order to target Labour.' Photograph: Ben Stansall/AFP/Getty Images Photograph: Ben Stansall/AFP/Getty Images Demonstrators from the Unite union. 'Cameron’s not-so-secret weapon in the run-up to the May 2015 general election has been to target the 'malevolent' influence of Unite in order to target Labour.' Photograph: Ben Stansall/AFP/Getty Images Gregor Gall 2014-08-07T11:45:09Z https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/oct/21/ineos-unite-union-busting-grangemouth The escalating dispute at Grangemouth is indicative of an alarming heavy-handedness among major employers<p>The biggest company you've probably never heard of is engaged in a titanic battle with Britain's biggest union. Ineos, the world's fourth largest chemicals conglomerate, which is also the largest privately owned company in Britain, has issued its 1,400 Grangemouth workers with what has been called <a href="http://www.unitetheunion.org/news/unite-accuses-ineos-of-cynical-blackmail-and-threatens-legal-action/" title="">a "sign-or-be-sacked" ultimatum</a>. Drastic reductions in pay and pensions are demanded of its workers if they want a continued livelihood. Their union, Unite, has urged them to return their ballot papers unmarked.</p><p>The battle's significance lies not just in the size of the protagonists and the employment issues at stake – it's also found in the economic and political ramifications. The plant includes Scotland's only oil refinery and it powers the Forties pipeline (which supplies a third of Britain's North Sea oil). This occasioned Scotland's first minister, Alex Salmond, to intervene and broker fresh but failed talks late last week.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/oct/21/ineos-unite-union-busting-grangemouth">Continue reading...</a> Unite Trade unions Politics Oil Business Mon, 21 Oct 2013 09:30:16 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/oct/21/ineos-unite-union-busting-grangemouth Photograph: David Cheskin/PA Protesters at the Grangemouth oil refinery in in Falkirk, Scotland. Photograph: David Cheskin/PA Photograph: David Cheskin/PA Protesters at the Grangemouth oil refinery in in Falkirk, Scotland. Photograph: David Cheskin/PA Photograph: David Cheskin/PA Protesters at the Grangemouth oil refinery in in Falkirk, Scotland. Photograph: David Cheskin/PA Gregor Gall 2013-10-21T09:30:16Z https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/oct/16/postal-workers-strike-royal-mail-cwu-privatisation The CWU may have lost the battle on privatisation, but industrial action will send a powerful message on pay and conditions<p>It's been a case of third time unlucky for the <a href="http://www.cwu.org/" title="">postal workers' union (CWU)</a>. It defeated the privatisation of Royal Mail in 1994 under the Tories and again in 2009 under Labour. Despite employing similar tactics of political lobbying and industrial action, <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/video/2013/oct/15/royal-mail-trading-london-stock-exchange-video" title="">on Tuesday the company was floated on the stock exchange</a>. The share price has risen by almost 50% since then. And just a<a href="http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/oct/10/royal-mail-refusenik-share-offer" title=""> tiny handful of postal workers refused to take up the free share offer open to them</a>.</p><p>Some have proclaimed it's "game over" for the CWU and any planned industrial action – the <a href="http://www.newstatesman.com/business/2013/09/royal-mail-sell-thatcherism-lives?" title="">left-leaning New Statesman pronounced striking now was "a little bit pointless".</a></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/oct/16/postal-workers-strike-royal-mail-cwu-privatisation">Continue reading...</a> Royal Mail Business Postal service UK news Trade unions Politics Privatisation Economic policy Wed, 16 Oct 2013 16:00:00 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/oct/16/postal-workers-strike-royal-mail-cwu-privatisation Photograph: Oli Scarff/Getty Images Royal Mail employees attend a CWU rally outside Mount Pleasant sorting office. 'In the last four national strikes (1988, 1996, 2007, 2009), postal workers have been unbeaten.' Photograph: Oli Scarff/Getty Images Photograph: Oli Scarff/Getty Images Royal Mail employees attend a CWU rally outside Mount Pleasant sorting office. 'In the last four national strikes (1988, 1996, 2007, 2009), postal workers have been unbeaten.' Photograph: Oli Scarff/Getty Images Photograph: Oli Scarff/Getty Images Royal Mail employees attend a CWU rally outside Mount Pleasant sorting office. 'In the last four national strikes (1988, 1996, 2007, 2009), postal workers have been unbeaten.' Photograph: Oli Scarff/Getty Images Gregor Gall 2013-10-16T16:00:00Z https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/sep/18/firefighters-strike-strategic-union The way the FBU has gone about calling its four-hour strike provides a lesson for other unions preparing industrial action<p>The announcement by the <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/sep/17/firefighters-strike-pensions" title="">firefighters' union of a four-hour strike</a> next week in England and Wales is a great example of a smart, strategic strike. For more than two years, the union has been in negotiations with Whitehall over the proposed reform of firefighters' pension scheme. The <a href="http://www.fbu.org.uk/" title="">Fire Brigades Union</a> deliberately held back from joining in with more than <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/nov/18/30-november-strike-ballots" title="">30 other unions on the strike of the 30 November 2011</a> and the <a href="http://union-news.co.uk/2012/03/public-sector-pensions-into-battle-again/" title="">smaller strikes of 2012</a>. It did so because it felt then there was some prospect of reaching an agreement.</p><p>No one, therefore, could accuse the FBU of rushing into this action. Indeed, it called for urgent talks with the government after it finally held a strike ballot and which then resulted in an <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23884078" title="">overwhelming mandate for action</a>. So, the first part of being smart was being reasonable before the strike. But now that the government has spurned talks, the FBU is still being cleverly reasonable.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/sep/18/firefighters-strike-strategic-union">Continue reading...</a> Firefighters UK news Trade unions Politics Matt Wrack Public sector pensions Public services policy Society Public sector pay Public sector cuts Public finance 30 November public sector strike Wed, 18 Sep 2013 11:00:03 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/sep/18/firefighters-strike-strategic-union Photograph: Murdo Macleod 'The FBU has learnt a valuable lesson since its unsuccessful national strikes in 2002-2003.' Photograph: Murdo Macleod Photograph: Murdo Macleod 'The FBU has learnt a valuable lesson since its unsuccessful national strikes in 2002-2003.' Photograph: Murdo Macleod Photograph: Murdo Macleod 'The FBU has learnt a valuable lesson since its unsuccessful national strikes in 2002-2003.' Photograph: Murdo Macleod Gregor Gall 2013-09-18T11:00:03Z https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/jul/09/ed-miliband-speech-unions-verdict Miliband has given <a href="http://www.labour.org.uk/one-nation-politics-speech,2013-07-09" title="">a speech</a> outlining how he'd like the relation between Labour and the unions to change. Did he get it right?<p>It is normally sensible to check the small print beneath politicians' rhetorical flourishes, but Ed Miliband's claim today to be introducing the most far-reaching changes to the way Labour selects its candidates in two decades is, if anything, an understatement.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/jul/09/ed-miliband-speech-unions-verdict">Continue reading...</a> Labour Trade unions Politics Ed Miliband Tue, 09 Jul 2013 13:13:53 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/jul/09/ed-miliband-speech-unions-verdict Robert Philpot, Frances O'Grady, Neal Lawson, Melissa Kite, Richard Seymour, Emma Burnell and Gregor Gall 2013-07-09T13:13:53Z https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/may/30/workers-unions-protecting-rights Despite a rise in unemployment, union membership has also increased, reflecting the need for collective action<p>Against all the odds, union membership rose in Britain last year for the first time in a decade. According to the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/203471/bis-13-p77-trade-union-membership-2012.pdf" title="">annual statistical report</a> by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), membership for 2012 was 59,000 higher at 6.455 million workers compared with 2011.</p><p>Of course, this rise still means that union membership is below where it was prior to the beginning of the global financial crisis in 2007. Then it was 6.999 million and in 2002, a decade earlier, it stood at 7.020 million.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/may/30/workers-unions-protecting-rights">Continue reading...</a> Trade unions Politics Unite UK news Recession Public sector cuts Unemployment Thu, 30 May 2013 10:00:01 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/may/30/workers-unions-protecting-rights Photograph: Owen Humphreys/PA 'Unions have demonstrated an ability to show they are the best available collective defence for workers in times of need.' Photograph: Owen Humphreys/PA Photograph: Owen Humphreys/PA 'Unions have demonstrated an ability to show they are the best available collective defence for workers in times of need.' Photograph: Owen Humphreys/PA Photograph: Owen Humphreys/PA 'Unions have demonstrated an ability to show they are the best available collective defence for workers in times of need.' Photograph: Owen Humphreys/PA Gregor Gall 2013-05-30T10:00:01Z https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/nov/21/working-time-directive-lisbon-treaty The coalition has carefully chosen to reassess this bugbear of the Tory right in exchange for changes to the Lisbon treaty<p>Every crisis also provides an opportunity. In exchange for agreeing to the revision of the Lisbon treaty, it looks like the British coalition government has won the right to <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/business/2011/nov/20/cameron-merkel-working-time-directive" title="Guardian: Eurozone crisis: Cameron and Merkel agree framework for EU negotiations">revisit the EU working time directive</a>. But why has the coalition chosen to make a pitch for this particular concession, rather than go for something much bigger and more significant like reform of the costly <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Agricultural_Policy" title="Wikipedia: Common Agricultural Policy">common agricultural policy</a> or streamlining the bureaucracy of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Parliament" title="Wikipedia: European parliament">European parliament</a>?</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/nov/21/working-time-directive-lisbon-treaty">Continue reading...</a> European Union Europe Work-life balance Work & careers Money Conservatives Politics UK news World news Mon, 21 Nov 2011 17:30:01 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/nov/21/working-time-directive-lisbon-treaty Photograph: Jean-Loup Gautreau/AFP Margaret Thatcher opposed the working time directive. Photograph: Jean-Loup Gautreau/AFP Photograph: Jean-Loup Gautreau/AFP Margaret Thatcher opposed the working time directive. Photograph: Jean-Loup Gautreau/AFP Photograph: Jean-Loup Gautreau/AFP Margaret Thatcher opposed the working time directive. Photograph: Jean-Loup Gautreau/AFP Gregor Gall 2011-11-21T17:30:01Z https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/nov/18/30-november-strike-ballots Unions are voting in favour of strike action on pension reforms, but is the government right to shout 'Never mind the ballots'?<p>A grand total of <a href="http://union-news.co.uk/" title="Union News">19 unions have in last few weeks</a> secured yes votes for striking on 30 November against the government's public sector pension reforms. This means, along with five other strike mandates from the summer, 24 unions with over 3 million members will make the action the biggest strike in many generations. It could become bigger still if – as likely – the remaining union, the POA (prison officers' union), also returns a yes vote.</p><p>The government's response, in a play on the Sex Pistol's album title, has effectively been "Never mind the ballots". Indeed, it went to town on the <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2011/nov/03/unison-vote-for-pensions-strike" title="Guardian: Unison members vote to strike over pensions">Unison result</a> of 78% for action on a 29% turnout equating to just 22% of those balloted.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/nov/18/30-november-strike-ballots">Continue reading...</a> Trade unions Public sector pensions Public sector cuts Politics UK news Public sector careers Fri, 18 Nov 2011 14:19:35 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/nov/18/30-november-strike-ballots Photograph: Christopher Thomond/Guardian Protestors supporting the public sector unions' strike action over pensions in central Manchester in June 2011. Photograph: Christopher Thomond for the Guardian Photograph: Christopher Thomond/Guardian Protestors supporting the public sector unions' strike action over pensions in central Manchester in June 2011. Photograph: Christopher Thomond for the Guardian Photograph: Christopher Thomond/Guardian Protestors supporting the public sector unions' strike action over pensions in central Manchester in June 2011. Photograph: Christopher Thomond for the Guardian Gregor Gall 2011-11-18T14:19:35Z https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/oct/20/electricians-protest-action-employers By taking action against unfair pay cuts, electricians are proving it is possible for workers to unite and fight back<p>A titanic battle in the electrical contracting sector of the construction industry is getting under way. Electricians – or sparks as they call themselves – working under the terms and conditions of the <a href="http://www.jib.org.uk/about.aspx" title="">Joint Industry Board</a> (JIB) are facing cuts in pay of up to 30%. This results from a group of seven of the sector's largest employers signalling their intention to withdraw from the JIB and establish their own new agreement, with considerably lower rates of pay.</p><p>After a series of grassroots mobilisations, the sparks' union, Unite, has now <a href="http://www.unitetheunion.org/news__events/latest_news/strike_ballot_as_unite_accuses.aspx" title="">announced a ballot</a> of its members at Balfour Beatty, seen as the leading protagonist of the breakaway group. Unite hopes to knock out Balfour Beatty, so decapitating the breakaway group. Earlier pressure from the grassroots sparks was successful in reducing the breakaway group from <a href="http://www.unitetheunion.org/news__events/latest_news/construction_company_pulls_awa.aspx" title="">eight to seven when one backtracked</a>.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/oct/20/electricians-protest-action-employers">Continue reading...</a> Trade unions Business Construction industry Politics Thu, 20 Oct 2011 12:00:01 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/oct/20/electricians-protest-action-employers Photograph: Dylan Martinez/Reuters Seven major companies plan to withdraw from the Joint Industry Board, raising the prospect of much lower pay for electricians. Photograph: Dylan Martinez/Reuters Photograph: Dylan Martinez/Reuters Seven major companies plan to withdraw from the Joint Industry Board, raising the prospect of much lower pay for electricians. Photograph: Dylan Martinez/Reuters Photograph: Dylan Martinez/Reuters Seven major companies plan to withdraw from the Joint Industry Board, raising the prospect of much lower pay for electricians. Photograph: Dylan Martinez/Reuters Gregor Gall 2011-10-20T12:00:01Z https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/oct/10/southampton-smart-strike-union The tactic of Southampton's union members of striking at different times has been heroic, but it has failed to gain leverage<p>Council workers in Southampton have been engaged in <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-13499122" title="BBC: Southampton City Council refuse collectors on strike">"smart" striking</a> since 23 May this year. Smart striking means sustaining a strike against employer intransigence whereby not all a union's members have to be on strike at the same time in order to prosecute the dispute. It has been argued to be a <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2011/aug/25/unions-plan-smart-strikes-pensions" title="Guardian: Unions plan targeted strikes over pensions rather than mass walkouts">great innovation in strike tactics</a> because it does not see every union member having to lose a day's pay every time there is a strike day. In the case of Southampton, refuge collectors have gone on strike one week, parking ticket inspectors the next and so on.</p><p>Public sector unions are now talking about replicating this model of smart striking in their <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2011/sep/02/unions-warn-councils-after-unison-banned" title="Guardian: Unions warn councils against copycat tactics after Unison banned from talks">campaign of industrial action from 30 November over pension reform</a>. This will involve selective or targeted strikes after the initial 30 November mass strike of all union members. Thus, different groups of public sector workers in different parts of the public sector and in different regions will strike at different times in a rolling campaign.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/oct/10/southampton-smart-strike-union">Continue reading...</a> Public sector cuts Trade unions Public services policy Public finance Society Politics UK news Southampton Mon, 10 Oct 2011 09:07:59 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/oct/10/southampton-smart-strike-union Photograph: David Sillitoe ~/Guardian Public sector unions may replicate Southampton's model of smart striking in their industrial action over pension reform. Photograph: David Sillitoe for the Guardian Photograph: David Sillitoe ~/Guardian Public sector unions may replicate Southampton's model of smart striking in their industrial action over pension reform. Photograph: David Sillitoe for the Guardian Photograph: David Sillitoe ~/Guardian Public sector unions may replicate Southampton's model of smart striking in their industrial action over pension reform. Photograph: David Sillitoe for the Guardian Gregor Gall 2011-10-10T09:07:59Z https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/sep/14/winter-discontent-public-sector-strikes Public sector unions are calling for action over pensions, but there are choices to be made before we see mass strike action<p>It seems that the much trailed "<a href="http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/270939/Unions-plan-winter-of-discontent" title="Express: Unions plan winter of discontent">winter of discontent</a>" over public sector pension reform <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2011/sep/14/unions-ballot-members-pension-reforms" title="Guardian: Public sector unions line up to announce strike ballots">is now finally upon us</a>, after much posturing and huffing and puffing since the talks began last February. Or is it? There are many choices to be made and many stages to be passed through before mass strike action and any kind of "winter of discontent" become a reality.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/sep/14/winter-discontent-public-sector-strikes">Continue reading...</a> Trade unions Public sector pensions Public services policy Society Politics UK news Public sector careers 30 November public sector strike Wed, 14 Sep 2011 14:15:39 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/sep/14/winter-discontent-public-sector-strikes Photograph: Andrew Winning/Reuters On Tuesday, TUC delegates approved balloting their members to strike if negotiations with the government over public sector pension reform fail. Photograph: Andrew Winning/Reuters Photograph: Andrew Winning/Reuters On Tuesday, TUC delegates approved balloting their members to strike if negotiations with the government over public sector pension reform fail. Photograph: Andrew Winning/Reuters Photograph: Andrew Winning/Reuters On Tuesday, TUC delegates approved balloting their members to strike if negotiations with the government over public sector pension reform fail. Photograph: Andrew Winning/Reuters Gregor Gall 2011-09-14T14:15:39Z https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/aug/05/unions-leaders-members Union leaders must galvanise members and join forces in deed as well as in word if they are to challenge the government<p>What a difference a year makes, and not for the better. The preliminary agenda for the forthcoming 143rd annual <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trades_Union_Congress" title="Wikipedia: Trades Union Congress">Trades Union Congress</a> (TUC) on 12-14 September this year <a href="http://www.tuc.org.uk/tucfiles/53/TUC%20Prelim%20Agenda%202011%20final%20lo%20res.pdf" title="TUC: 2011 agenda (pdf)">has been published</a>. Last year, the <a href="http://www.tuc.org.uk/the_tuc/tuc-18526-f0.cfm" title="TUC: Congress decisons">congress passed</a> almost unanimously composited motions on pensions and defending public services which instructed the TUC general council to a) organise the "co-ordination of industrial action where appropriate and to fully support any workers forced to take industrial action in defence of pension rights" and b) "support and co-ordinate campaigning and joint union industrial action, nationally and locally, in opposition to attacks on jobs, pensions, pay or public services".</p><p>The talk from pretty much all the union general secretaries was of fighting the coalition government "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_shall_fight_on_the_beaches" title="Wikipedia: We shall fight on the beaches">on the beaches</a>".</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/aug/05/unions-leaders-members">Continue reading...</a> TUC Trade unions Politics UK news Fri, 05 Aug 2011 11:00:01 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/aug/05/unions-leaders-members Photograph: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images The Trades Union Congress organised the 26 March rally in which thousands protested against government cuts. Photograph: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images Photograph: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images The Trades Union Congress organised the 26 March rally in which thousands protested against government cuts. Photograph: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images Photograph: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images The Trades Union Congress organised the 26 March rally in which thousands protested against government cuts. Photograph: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images Gregor Gall 2011-08-05T11:00:01Z https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/jul/07/council-pay-cuts-unions Shropshire council has sacked all its workers, then re-employed them on lower wages. What can unions do to prevent this?<p>The move by Shropshire county council to <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/society/2011/jul/05/shropshire-council-sacks-workforce" title="Guardian: Shropshire council sends dismissal letters to entire workforce">sack all its workers</a> and re-employ them on inferior terms and conditions – including a 5.4% pay cut – is a clear sign of the effects of the coalition's age of austerity.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/jul/07/council-pay-cuts-unions">Continue reading...</a> Trade unions Local government Public sector pay Politics Society Public sector careers Public services policy UK news Thu, 07 Jul 2011 14:30:01 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/jul/07/council-pay-cuts-unions Photograph: Sang Tan/AP Thousands of public sector workers and teachers march through central London on 30 June. Photograph: Sang Tan/AP Photograph: Sang Tan/AP Thousands of public sector workers and teachers march through central London on 30 June. Photograph: Sang Tan/AP Photograph: Sang Tan/AP Thousands of public sector workers and teachers march through central London on 30 June. Photograph: Sang Tan/AP Gregor Gall 2011-07-07T14:30:01Z https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/jun/21/size-pension-strike-unions Exaggerating the scale of industrial action is politically foolhardy – it gives the right the opportunity to go on the offensive<p>It seems just about everybody has an interest in exaggerating the coming strikes over pensions on 30 June and beyond. Sabres are being rattled right, left and centre.</p><p>The political right is talking in terms of Armageddon, hoping to slay some old union foes. The government is threatening to use the opportunity to impose further restrictions upon strike laws if unions use the limited ones they have. The media is in a feeding frenzy, with the <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2003807/Public-sector-strike-Unions-vow-unleash-hell-750k-workers-set-walk-out.html" title="Daily Mail: Summer of strike chaos: Unions vow to 'unleash hell' in waves of disruption as 750,000 are set to walk out ">Daily Mail</a> leading the charge. The unions hope bombast about the scale of the action will scare the government into submission. And the political left is licking its lips as it foresees the return of the mass struggle, hoping this will kickstart a revolt of Greek proportions.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/jun/21/size-pension-strike-unions">Continue reading...</a> Trade unions Pensions Politics Money UK news Tue, 21 Jun 2011 09:42:04 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/jun/21/size-pension-strike-unions Photograph: Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS Unison's general secretary has said the industrial action will be the biggest since the general strike of 1926. Photograph: Hulton-Deutsch Collection/Corbis Photograph: Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS Unison's general secretary has said the industrial action will be the biggest since the general strike of 1926. Photograph: Hulton-Deutsch Collection/Corbis Photograph: Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS Unison's general secretary has said the industrial action will be the biggest since the general strike of 1926. Photograph: Hulton-Deutsch Collection/Corbis Gregor Gall 2011-06-21T09:42:04Z https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/jun/03/birmingham-council-offshoring-jobs-to-india Sending jobs to India is a bad idea that was squashed in other areas. Birmingham city council's attack on staff must be halted<p>Now that earlier attempts to revolutionise the provision and funding of council services have fallen by the wayside, a <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-13622189" title="BBC: 'Offshoring risk' to thousands of council jobs">newfangled means of attempting to cut costs</a> is being pioneered by Conservative-led Birmingham city council. It is the first council to <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2011/jun/02/tory-led-council-outsourcing-jobs" title="Guardian: Tory-led council outsources jobs to India">offshore jobs</a> to India as part of a <a href="http://www.unison.org.uk/asppresspack/pressrelease_view.asp?id=2315" title="Unison: Birmingham strike ballot starts as council ships jobs abroad">huge and escalating cuts programme</a>. What it does will be important given it's the largest council in Britain.</p><p>The Tory-run Barnet council's "<a href="http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2009/aug/27/tory-borough-barnet-budget-airline" title="Guardian: Tory controlled borough of Barnet adopts budget airline model">EasyCouncil</a>" model of residents paying extra for anything more than a very basic service was <a href="http://www.ukauthority.com/NewsArticle/tabid/64/Default.aspx?id=2670" title="UK Authority: Legal halt for Easy Council plans">halted by legal action</a>. This was followed by Tory-controlled Suffolk council's plan to <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/society/2010/sep/22/suffolk-county-council-outsource-services" title="Guardian: Suffolk council plans to outsource virtually all services">become only a commissioning body</a> – commissioning others to provide all of its services. But this too was halted, after <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/society/2011/may/04/suffolk-virtual-council-plan" title="Guardian: Suffolk halts 'virtual council' cash-saving plan">public opposition</a>. Others, such as Tory-led Brighton council, <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2010/sep/23/brighton-council-outsource" title="Guardian: Brighton council to outsource services">tried to do the same</a> but the <a href="http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/9025009.Brighton_and_Hove_s_new_cabinet_announced/" title="The Argus: Brighton and Hove's new cabinet announced">Green party won control</a> on 5 May 2011 and put a stop to it.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/jun/03/birmingham-council-offshoring-jobs-to-india">Continue reading...</a> Local government Society Public services policy Politics Public sector cuts Public finance Public sector pay Call centres UK news Birmingham Public sector careers Fri, 03 Jun 2011 14:52:12 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/jun/03/birmingham-council-offshoring-jobs-to-india Photograph: Alamy Birmingham city council is hoping to save money with its offshoring plans. Photograph: Alamy Photograph: Alamy Birmingham city council is hoping to save money with its offshoring plans. Photograph: Alamy Photograph: Alamy Birmingham city council is hoping to save money with its offshoring plans. Photograph: Alamy Gregor Gall 2011-06-03T14:52:12Z https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/may/23/unions-council-job-cuts-southampton Southampton council workers are striking over pay cuts, but Britain has seen little industrial action over actual job losses<p>Today 4,300 council workers in Southampton <a href="http://www.unitetheunion.org/news__events/latest_news/southampton_city_council_worke.aspx" title="Unite: Southampton city council workers to take industrial action ">are taking the first significant industrial action</a> against the impact of the age of austerity brought about by the current government's response to the economic and financial crisis.</p><p>The workers' employer, Southampton City Council, is attempting to impose <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-13499122" title="BBC: Southampton City Council refuse collectors on strike">substantially reduced terms and conditions on 11 July</a>. Staff earning between £17,500 and £22,000 face a 2% cut while staff earning between £22,000 and £35,000 face a 4.5% cut. Then there is also a bar on any increment progression and a two-year pay freeze. The Tory-run city council insists the alternative to these pay cuts is to lose another 400 staff on top of 285 that have already gone.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/may/23/unions-council-job-cuts-southampton">Continue reading...</a> Trade unions Politics Local government Public sector cuts Public services policy Public finance Society Mon, 23 May 2011 16:00:01 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/may/23/unions-council-job-cuts-southampton Photograph: Frank Baron/Guardian More than 100 refuse workers in Southampton are taking full strike action over pay cuts. Photograph: Frank Baron for the Guardian Photograph: Frank Baron/Guardian More than 100 refuse workers in Southampton are taking full strike action over pay cuts. Photograph: Frank Baron for the Guardian Photograph: Frank Baron/Guardian More than 100 refuse workers in Southampton are taking full strike action over pay cuts. Photograph: Frank Baron for the Guardian Gregor Gall 2011-05-23T16:00:01Z https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/mar/28/cuts-protest-protesters-tuc-unions The huge turnout of protesters means the TUC is burdened with great expectations; now unions must push the cuts campaign on<p>The TUC and the union movement must be delighted that Saturday's march mobilised between <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/society/2011/mar/27/anti-cuts-protest-police-arrest-200" title="Guardian: Anti-cuts protest: Police arrest more than 200 after outbreaks of violence">250,000 and 500,000 people</a> against the cuts. They must be delighted that much of society was represented there – from union members to students, pensioners and social justice campaigners.</p><p>If the attendance had been anything less than the 100,000, the TUC had predicted, the headache the union movement would have woken up to on Sunday morning would have been one of the demonstration being probably the end of the campaign against the cuts, rather than its continuation.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/mar/28/cuts-protest-protesters-tuc-unions">Continue reading...</a> TUC Trade unions Politics Public sector cuts Public services policy Public finance Society UK news Mon, 28 Mar 2011 18:30:00 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/mar/28/cuts-protest-protesters-tuc-unions Photograph: Suzanne Plunkett/REUTERS No time to rest … Protesters sit on a bench in Hyde Park during a the ‘march for the alternative'. Photograph: Suzanne Plunkett/Reuters Photograph: Suzanne Plunkett/REUTERS No time to rest … Protesters sit on a bench in Hyde Park during a the ‘march for the alternative'. Photograph: Suzanne Plunkett/Reuters Photograph: Suzanne Plunkett/REUTERS No time to rest … Protesters sit on a bench in Hyde Park during a the ‘march for the alternative'. Photograph: Suzanne Plunkett/Reuters Gregor Gall 2011-03-28T18:30:00Z