Enough is enough - standing up for the right to strike

Over 100 trade unionists, community activists and members of the public joined the Aberdeen “Protect the Right to Strike” Rally on 1st Feb – part of massive UK wide protests against the latest anti-trade union legislation passed by this government.

Organised by Aberdeen Trades Union Council (ATUC) the event was chaired by Kathleen Kennedy,  vice president of ATUC. Speakers came from a range of unions in struggle, including EIS, PCS and UCU, whose members had been on strike that day.

Jacob Campbell brought greetings from Unite. he had led a successful strike in Shelter which saw a wage rise for his members. 

Speaking on behalf of UNISON, branch co-chair, Kate Ramsden brought solidarity from our union to all workers in struggle, “our own members, south of the border and all our sister unions taking action locally and across Scotland.

“Because a victory for one is a victory for us all,” said Kate. “That’s the beauty of collective action – of standing together in solidarity and comradeship.

Enough is enough

Speech from Dod Ross, CWU for Protect the Right to Strike Rally

Good evening and I bring solidarity from the Communication Workers Union, a Union that has already taken 18 days Industrial Action and is in the process of re-balloting our members due to anti-trade union laws.

This is a campaign that shouldn’t be needed.

This is a campaign that shouldn’t need to exist.

However, we are now part of a working world where suppression of pay, terms & conditions seem to be requirements we all must be expected to adhere and surrender to by business & government alike.

Food poverty, child poverty, in-work poverty in the 5^th richest country in the world is abhorrent.

We are in a real time crisis, not only working people but for all people, families & communities across the country.

We aren’t looking for huge sums of money, we aren’t looking for massive dividend payments to stick away in the Cayman Islands accounts, we aren’t looking for employers to break the bank to pay us.

What we are looking for is fairness, equality, a share in the billions and billions of pounds of profits & dividends paid to the nameless few who control the wealth in this country.

A victory for one is a victory for us all

Kate Ramsden's speech for "Protect the Right to Strike Rally"

Kate Ramsden, UNISON proud to bring solidarity to all trade union members in struggle

Because a victory for one is a victory for us all

That’s the beauty of collective action – of standing together in solidarity and comradeship

That’s what the Tories and the capitalists fear

That’s why they are attacking our employment rights and our right to strike

They know that when we stand together we are strong

And that is why we are standing together now

Saying enough is enough

Our right to strike is a fundamental human right

It is essential to balance the power between worker and boss

Protect the Right to Strike rally 1st Feb – please join us

Aberdeen Trades Union Council is calling urgently on all our affiliates and associate members to join a rally at St Nicholas Square, Aberdeen at 5.30pm on 1st Feb to protect our right to strike. 

The rally is organised by Aberdeen Trades Union Council and will be part of a nationwide day of action against the bill which was passed in the Commons last night.

Kathleen Kennedy, Vice President said: “This is the biggest legislative attack on workers’ and human rights that we have seen so far and is just the latest in a long list of such attacks by this Tory government.

“We are calling on everyone who can to come and join this protest.

"We appreciate that this is short notice but the passing of this bill last night in the Commons makes it imperative that we have a visible and vocal response. 

"We urge you to share this widely and encourage you members, families and friends to join the protest. Please bring placards and banners."

ATUC pledges continued solidarity action with striking workers - please sign the right to strike petition

Aberdeen Trades Union Council (ATUC) is continuing our solidarity with striking workers in all unions taking action for decent pay and safe working conditions for staff and the public.

Tommy Campbell, Unite, on behalf of ATUC, and ATUC delegate and Labour councillor, Simon Watson, joined the RMT picket line today at Aberdeen Rail station, to show our support for RMT strikers across the UK.

Wishing everyone a happy new year on behalf of ATUC, President, Graeme Farquhar pledged, "We will continue to join picket lines of striking workers as long as it takes to make sure that working people are paid decent wages for the work they do.

"That is not only morally right, but it also makes economic sense. We are still the sixth richest country in the world. We can afford decent wages if we end extortionate profits to the wealthiest and make sure everyone pays their fair share.

"Giving decent, inflation busting pay rises to workers is good for them as it means they are not dependent on foodbanks or excessive debt, but is also good for the economy, as we are the people who spend in our local shops and businesses, keeping them afloat. The richest don't even spend in this country, never mind our local communities."

He slammed the Tory government's attacks on workers' rights to strike and called on all our delegates, affiliates, friends, families and the public to sign this petition to protect the right to strike.

Graeme urged, "As the cost-of-living crisis continues to hurt workers everywhere, we need to be able to stand together and choose to strike when we must. These laws will do nothing to fix this crisis - they will make it even harder for working people to get pay rises.

"Every working person is under attack from these new laws. Add your name and join the campaign. 

"We must defend the right to strike."

Solidarity with Shelter workers striking for decent pay

 

Aberdeen Trades Union Council sent solidarity to Unite members from Shelter Scotland as delegates joined their picket line in Aberdeen. 

Shelter members were part of a national strike of Shelter members, for a decent pay rise.

Members have rejected a 3% pay offer which amounts to a huge pay cut. Shelter staff say they are struggling to afford basic necessities on their wages, with some fearful that they themselves could be made homeless without better pay.

They will take strike action over the next two weeks to force management back round the negotiating table with an improved offer.  

Solidarity with striking posties

 Aberdeen TUC delegates and Unite retired members were out on the picket line at Kittybrewster depot on Friday 25 November showing their solidarity in the CWU's fight for a decent pay rise.

Royal Mail workers have had an unagreed 2% pay deal imposed on them. This is at a time when RPI inflation is running at 11.8% and when the Royal Mail has announced Group profits of £758 million and when the company is paying out many millions to private shareholders.

In a national strike ballot over pay Royal Mail CWU members voted by a 97.6% majority to take action.

ATUC stands in solidarity with the posties in their strike for fair pay and a decent pay rise.

Solidarity with striking posties

 Aberdeen Trades Union Council sends solidarity to the CWU in their strike action. 

ATUC delegates joined picket lines across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire today, 25 October, to stand with our brothers and sisters in struggle.

ATUC sends solidarity to striking rail workers

 Aberdeen trades union council sends solidarity and support to our colleagues in the RMT union, striking for better pay and for safe working practices on our railways.

RMT members took action on Thursday 18 August and will strike again tomorrow 20th August. 

There will be picket lines in Aberdeen tomorrow from 8 till 10am then again from 1 till 3pm. Please go along and support the strikers if you can.

Unite retired member and ATUC delegate, Tommy Campbell, who joined the picket line yesterday said: "No one knows better than us in the North East of Scotland the importance of safety on the railways.

"Only last week we mourned the second anniversary of the Carmont rail tragedy when two of our trade union colleagues and a passenger lost their lives as a result of failures to keep the railway safe.

"We stand in complete solidarity with out comrades in the RMT and with all other trade unions taking action for decent inflation proof pay rises and to ensure that services can be safely delivered to our citizens."

ATUC - standing in solidarity with striking workers

 Aberdeen Trades Union Council (ATUC) has continued to show solidarity with our colleagues in RMT and the CWU in their strikes for fair pay and safe working conditions.

The ATUC banner has been on every picket line in Aberdeen, standing alongside our striking comrades in RMT and CWU. 

With thanks to those ATUC delegates out on the picket line on behalf of every delegate to ATUC. 

Also see ATUC delegate and Unite retired member Tommy Campbell speaking to the media and making the case for strike action and better pay for all workers.

We stand in solidarity with you all.

ATUC sends solidarity to CWU in their fight for decent pay

Delegates of Aberdeen Trades Union Council have been out on the picket line in solidarity with CWU as they took a third day of strike action over their ongoing pay dispute on Thursday 14th of July.

Alan Robertson, CWU area rep for Supply Chain said: "Since the last strike day Post Office Limited has increased its pay offer for the year 22/23, but still nothing for 21/22, which our dispute concerns. 

"Our members were key workers during the pandemic, and continued to provide a service through-out. Post Office Limited continued to make a profit, but refuses to recognise the hard work of our members during the pandemic."

ATUC sends its support and solidarity to comrades in CWU in their fight for decent pay.

Solidarity with RMT in their strike for decent pay and against cuts to the rail network

 

Aberdeen Trades Union Council sends our solidarity to the members of RMT in their strike action to demand a decent pay rise.

See statement from RMT below.

RMT statement on the forthcoming Rail and Tube strikes

In the past few weeks, discussions have been taking place at senior level with Network Rail, Train Operators and London Underground.

Despite the best efforts of our negotiators no viable settlements to the disputes have been created.

It has to be re-stated that the source of these disputes is the decision by the Tory Government to cut £4bn of funding from our transport systems - £2bn from national rail and £2bn from Transport for London.

As a result of this transport austerity imposed by the Government, the employing companies have taken decisions to:

• Savage the Railway Pension Scheme and the TFL scheme, cutting benefits, making staff work longer, and poorer in retirement, while paying increased contributions.
• Thousands of job cuts across the rail networks.
• Attacking terms, conditions and working practices in a form of internal fire and re-hire.
• Cutting real pay for most of our members through lengthy pay freezes and below RPI inflation pay proposals.

In the face of this massive attack on our people the RMT cannot be passive.

Solidarity with CWU in their strike action for decent pay

Aberdeen Trades Union Council sends solidarity to our comrades in the Communications Workers' Union who are taking strike action on Monday 6th June to demand a decent pay rise.

The strike is an absolute last resort and is necessary as a consequence of Post Office’s ill-conceived policy on pay. CWU members delivered a 97.3% YES vote for strike action on a turnout of 70.2% due to the pay freeze. This means there is a clear mandate for strike action.

Post Office has a significant group of workers (Postal Assistants) earning less than £24k per annum and if they were strictly following Government’s Public Sector pay policy, these workers should have received at least a £250 pay rise – they have not.

On top of the pay freeze for 2021/22, Post Office has offered an insulting 2.5% pay increase plus a £500 one-off payment (pro-rata for part-timers) for 2022/23.

Despite repeated attempts by the Union to instigate meaningful negotiations since the YES vote was declared on 28th March, Post Office has steadfastly refused to get around the bargaining table. They are putting their heads in the sand hoping this dispute will go away.

ATUC Stands in Suport of Striking Housing Officers

The ATUC stands in suport of the Housing Officers and Housing Support Officers who have been forced to take strike action in order to protect services to tenants.  The four day strike is this week until Friday, with the the picket line outside of Marischal College from about 9am til lpm.

Aberdeen Trades Union Council wrote to Angela Scott, Chief Executive of Aberdeen City Council to express our concerns and support for the workers in dispute.

Angela Scott
Chief Executive
Aberdeen City Council

Dear Angela,

Ref: Unite Members on strike

Aberdeen Trades Union Council (ATUC) has received a report and update on the current dispute between Unite and Aberdeen City Council at our last monthly meeting.

ATUC fully supports the stand taken by the striking housing officers and housing support officers in order to protect the service to the tenants.

This is a very commendable and honourable stance for Unite members to take and its disappointing that the Council does not appear to want to resolve the dispute.

It appears to the ATUC that this is yet another cost savings only exercise by the City Council which does not appear to take on the concerns of the front line staff especially of the severe impact the Council's proposals would have on the council's tenants.

ATUC have always opposed Council cuts as the impact is always felt by the citizens who reply on the Council's services and in the case of this dispute the staff who would have to deal with the stress of detrimental changes to their roles in providing the much needed services to the tenants.

Can you advise if an equality impact assessment and associated H&S stress impact assessment has been carried out on the potential impact the proposed changes may have on both the staff and the council's tenants and if so have these assessments been shared with and discussed with the staff and the council's tenants as well.

We do hope that the dispute can be resolved soon.

We look forward to your reply

Yours sincerely
Graeme Farquhar
President, ATUC

Solidarity with RMT conductors striking for workplace justice

Aberdeen Trades Union Council stands in solidarity with our RMT comrades in Scotrail Abellio in their fight for workplace equality and justice over enhanced payments for rest day working.

On 4th April 2021, their second day of strike action, RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said;

"Our Scotrail Conductor members are standing firm and united again this morning in a fight for fairness and equality for a group of essential workers who deserve better than the abuse and contempt that has been dished out to them by their employer.

"Abellio are determined to squeeze every last penny that they can out of the dying months of this franchise and if that means kicking staff in the teeth in the process they have shown that they are prepared to do just that.

"RMT thanks the public for their support for this campaign for basic workplace justice for Scotrail staff but it's now time for the political leadership in Scotland to get off the fence and demand that Abellio play fair by their front-line workforce on the basic issue of enhanced payments for rest day working.

"RMT remains available for serious and meaningful talks. "

 

Solidarity with EIS FELA striking to force colleges to RATIFY THE DEAL

 
#CollegesNeedLecturers ATUC sends support and solidarity to members of EIS Further Education Lecturers' Association (FELA) in their strike action in colleges across Scotland.

The action was called after Colleges Scotland failed to ratify an agreement negotiated with the union and agreed by the union.

The EIS-FELA twitter account states: "The facts of our dispute are clear. Negotiations ended when an agreement was made by both sides. EIS-FELA ratified that agreement. The Employers’ Association did not and then tasked Colleges Scotland to unpick the agreement that they themselves had made."

ATUC stands with the STUC and the whole of the trade union movement and calls on Colleges Scotland to ratify the deal now to avoid further disruption to the sector.

Unions can send messages of support to @EISFela on Twitter and to jgkellyeis@live.co.uk

Use hashtag #CollegesNeedLecturers

 

Follow their pages for solidarity alerts and announcements about upcoming events and what you can do to help:

https://www.facebook.com/honourthedeal/

and Twitter https://mobile.twitter.com/eisfela

Justice at last for the Shrewsbury pickets - but the truth is still not out

 Aberdeen Trades Union Council sends congratulations and solidarity to the Shrewsbury pickets who have had their convictions quashed after 48 years.

The Court of Appeal has overturned the convictions of 14 men sentenced for their involvement in pickets during the national builders' strike in 1972.

They were charged with offences including unlawful assembly and conspiracy to intimidate. The men have argued for the last 48 years that they should never have been convicted and denied all the charges. Many were then blacklisted and found it extrememly difficult to get work.

Solidarity with GMB British Gas workers - sign the petition in support

Aberdeen Trades Union Council sends solidarity and support to GMB members in British Gas (Centrica) who are taking strike action over the company’s plan to sack them all and rehire them on worse terms and conditions.  

We are calling on our members to sign the petition calling on British Gas to think again.

Preliminary results for the year ending December 2020 shows that Centrica recorded £699 million in adjusted operating profits, and a £52 million statutory profit compared to an £849 million loss in the previous 12 months. 

Justin Bowden, GMB National Secretary, said: "Last summer, when British Gas decided on fire and rehire pay cuts for gas engineers, it was already a profitable company - as these results confirm. 

“So there is no need to hurt workers, customers and shareholders. Refusing to take fire and rehire off the table is the main obstacle to a settlement at ACAS."

Graeme Farquhar, ATUC President said: "Fire and rehire is a disgraceful tactic and we stand four square behind our GMB colleagues who are taking strike action across the UK.

"We stand in solidarity with these workers and we condemn unreservedly the behaviour of British Gas who have made such huge profits on the backs of these same workers.

"Time for British Gas to think again. This is not how a reputable company should treat its workforce. It’s disgraceful."

ATUC sends solidarity and support to RMT striking for safe working conditions on SERCO Caledonian Sleeper

 

Aberdeen Trades Union Council sends solidarity to RMT union, which held the first of two 48 hour strikes on 4th October, in their members' fight for safe working conditions.

The strike on the SERCO Caledonian Sleeper was rock solid, with pickets out in force at key locations as RMT members fight for safe working conditions‎.

RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said;

“RMT members are standing rock solid in their strike action on the Caledonian Sleeper this evening but it remains a scandal that SERCO appear to have deliberately provoked this dispute and have never had any intention of entering serious talks. Instead of working with the union on a solution to the very real issues of safety and fatigue they have declared war on their staff. That is a disgrace.

“It is also wholly unacceptable that the political leadership in Scotland, distracted by the scandal of one of their own travelling on trains while COVID positive, have not lifted a finger to help us settle this dispute. They should get off their backsides and haul SERCO into line. Their lack of action is grossly irresponsible.

“Our members on the Caledonian Sleeper, demanding nothing more than a safe working environment, deserve better than this shocking treatment. We are grateful for the huge level of support that has flooded in and its now down to the company to get serious and negotiate a settlement.”

ATUC sends messages of solidarity to striking Unite members as union slams "intransigent" First Bus

ATUC members including Scott Sutherland and John Connon have visited Unite First Bus members on the picket line during their current strike action to pass on solidarity and support from ATUC as Unite members enter their second week of action.

Yesterday Unite blasted management for suspending negotiations which might have ended indefinite strike action at First Aberdeen.

“What are we supposed to do - sign these new contracts on our knees?” asked Unite branch convenor, Mike Flynn.

Last week drivers at First Bus in Aberdeen decided to go on an indefinite strike in protest against new contracts. Among other things the First Bus proposals include an increase in drivers’ working hours for reduced wages, reduced sick pay, reduced annual leave and holiday pay, and an end to paid breaks for drivers on duty.

Despite the draconian nature of these plans Unite Scotland has been prepared to negotiate on terms. But the mood among the drivers is hardening with the bus bosses’ intransigence.

Unite First Bus Branch convenor, Mike Flinn, said “It’s no wonder that the drivers are ready to go on indefinite strike. And it’s no wonder the mood is getting more hard line. These proposals mean that many drivers will be losing more than £5000 a year on their earnings. First Bus Managing Director likes to talk about give and take. Well it’s Unite members that are doing the giving and First Bus doing the taking.”

A meeting of members is due to take place tomorrow.