Latest news with #strike
BBC News
8 hours ago
- Business
- BBC News
Birmingham bin strike deal offer was watered down, says union
A deal offered to striking bin workers in Birmingham has been watered down, their union has called for further negotiations with the city council after a "ball park" proposal discussed at talks with conciliation service Acas had been revised "by government commissioners and the council leader".An all-out strike in the city is now in its third month, after staff walked out on 11 March over plans to downgrade some roles, which the union says could cost workers £8,000 a City Council has been approached for a response over the current deal it is offering. Talks between the Labour-run council and Unite have been taking place with the conciliation service since the start of May, after previous negotiations to resolve the strike ended without a union's latest statement accuses the authority of missing deadlines on the proposals which had been tabled on Friday evening. "After weeks and weeks of saying one thing in public and another to workers, the government commissioners finally allow a proposal to be put on the table," said Unite's General Secretary Sharon Graham. She said the offer had been watered down by the council leader and government commissioners "who were not in the negotiating room". The union leader said the offer would be discussed with reps over the weekend and a detailed response would be issued ahead of a reconvened Acas meeting. "The actual decision makers now need to be in the room at the further ACAS talks," she said. Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
The Sun
20 hours ago
- Business
- The Sun
Brits face holiday hotspot hell as bar staff in Tenerife send ultimatum to bosses or vow they will strike in peak season
BRITS chasing the sun this summer could face fresh holiday hell as bar staff prepare to strike during peak season. It comes after 80,000 employees took to the streets in Tenerife earlier in the year demanding better pay and working conditions. 6 6 6 In a move that could spark chaos for Brits travelling to Tenerife this summer, union bosses said industrial action could start as early as July. The unions, Sindicalistas de Base and UGT, have issued bosses with an ultimatum, warning of a major walk out if they are not granted a 6.5 per cent salary bump. They have made it clear that no further negotiations will happen if these conditions are not met. This isn't the first time Tenerife has been at the centre of sweeping industrial action. Last month, cleaners and restaurant workers in the sunny hotspot took to the streets after deeming an offer from their employer not acceptable. The tourism employers' association, formed by Ashotel and AERO, had offered a four per cent increase in pay for workers, hoping it would prevent them from protesting during the Easter holidays. But unions wanted 6.25 per cent. strike against tourists. With over 170,000 tourism workers in the Canary Islands set to protest, business owners about to welcome thousands of tourists were despairing. They planned to demonstrate in all the tourist hotspots, including Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Lanzarote. By law, strikers have to provide a "minimum service" but the unions said hotel cleaning, food and entertainment don't fall into this category. They said they must try and preserve the health of hotel workers and provide them with the very best of working conditions. Elsewhere, locals flooded the streets to protest against mass tourism in the area. Activists vowed to storm popular tourist attractions, disrupt public events and 'confront political leaders' in a fiery new phase of protests kicking off May 18 — right as peak holiday season begins. 'From now on, we will take our fight to the very spaces where their predatory model is perpetuated,' declared pressure group Canarias tiene un límite (The Canaries Have a Limit). 'We will boycott public events, confront political leaders during their appearances and occupy symbolic tourist spaces to make it clear that we will not stop until real change is achieved.' 'The Canary Islands can no longer be a postcard backdrop for the enjoyment of a privileged few,' the statement read. In a separate warning, the group said: 'This cry, which reflects the feelings of a people tired of being ignored and mistreated, will be the beginning of a new stage of struggle: firmer, more direct, more uncomfortable for those who refuse to listen to us and take real measures.' The backlash follows a 170,000-strong hotel and restaurant workers' strike across the islands just days ago, with locals slamming low wages and poor working conditions in the booming holiday industry. In June last year, beach workers also walked off the job over what unions called "precarious" conditions. As tensions boil over, the Canary Islands Government has now announced plans to completely overhaul its outdated 30-year-old tourism laws in a landmark reform effort. Alfonso Cabello, spokesperson for the regional government, said: 'We're doing this the Canary Islands way — extending a hand and listening to everyone.' The sweeping reforms aim to tackle everything from sky-high housing costs in tourist areas to crumbling infrastructure and overworked public services. 6 6 6
The Independent
a day ago
- Business
- The Independent
Scottish Water staff plan seven-day strike after pay offer rejected
Scottish Water staff are to strike for another seven days after they rejected the latest pay offer. Workers represented by the GMB, Unite and Unison unions announced on Friday they have rejected a 3.4% pay increase, and will now take subsequent action 'to demand the fair deal they deserve'. Strikes will begin on Monday and will continue throughout the week, with the last day being Sunday June 8. It follows two prior days of industrial action in April. In a marginal majority, 51% of Unison workers employed by the water supplier voted to reject the pay offer, and 49% voted to accept. The turnout was 86%. GMB said 60% of its members voted against the offer, and 40% chose to accept, on a turnout of 78%. Unite's statistics were not available. Scottish Water said it had made a 'strong offer that is comfortably above inflation'. The upcoming strikes are expected to disrupt emergency repairs, testing and maintenance, and a joint union demonstration will take place outside Scottish Water's Shieldhall offices in Glasgow on Wednesday. Unison Scottish Water branch secretary Patricia McArthur said: 'Staff are extremely frustrated. They deserve better than game-playing by senior Scottish Water managers. 'The company seems more interested in spending public money on anti-union tactics than in finding a solution to this pay dispute. 'Its managers proposed a possible pay offer, but then retracted it, only to come up with something much worse.' Unison Scotland regional manager Simon Macfarlane added: 'The latest pay offer falls far short of what other public sector workers in Scotland have received. Scottish Water staff will now form picket lines across the country to demand the fair deal they deserve.' GMB Scotland accused Scottish Water bosses of making the strikes an inevitability after pay talks faltered. Claire Greer, GMB Scotland organiser in Scottish Water, has now written to Gillian Martin, the acting Secretary for Net Zero and Energy, detailing concern about the dispute. She said: 'Doing the same thing again and again and expecting a different result is both the definition of madness and Scottish Water's idea of industrial relations. 'The company has allowed these negotiations to stumble on for months when a simple, transparent and fair pay offer would have been welcomed by our members and averted industrial action. 'Scottish Water's refusal to engage with negotiations in a serious and uncomplicated way has led us here and, unless that changes, the dispute will continue and industrial action will escalate.' Sam Ritchie, industrial officer for Unite, said: 'Unite's 500-strong membership at Scottish Water have overwhelmingly rejected the latest wage offer. It only amounted to an extra £250 over two years, which is unacceptable. ' Management also withdrew an offer to increase a performance-related bonus which could boost pay by a further £200, which has further infuriated the workforce. Over nine months Scottish Water has had the opportunity to make a fair and reasonable offer to our members, and they have consistently refused to do so. 'The chief executive, Alex Plant, has refused to become involved in pay negotiations while walking away with a publicly funded remuneration package totalling £483,000.' Scottish Water says it made the pay offer in line with the unions' recommendations. Chief operating officer Peter Farrer said: 'There is no need for next week's industrial action to go ahead. 'Scottish Water has made a strong offer that is comfortably above inflation. 'It is now time for the unions to come forward with a proposal that is fair for workers, customers, and the future of the business. 'We're ready to meet at any time this weekend. It is in everyone's interests to avoid next week's strike. 'If it goes ahead, those who take part in the industrial action will lose valuable wages and an essential service will be put under unnecessary pressure. 'In the meantime, we have robust plans in place to maintain essential services should the trade unions press ahead with their strike action.' A Scottish Government spokesperson said: 'Ministers have set out their policy in relation to public sector pay. 'It is a matter for Scottish Water and its Unions to agree a settlement within the constraints of that policy and affordability. 'The Scottish Government urges both parties to resume negotiations to find an agreement.'
BBC News
a day ago
- General
- BBC News
Outwood Grange: Strike action set in row over extended school day
School workers in Nottinghamshire are set to go on strike in protest at plans to extend the day for students and of the National Education Union (NEU) at Outwood Grange Academies Trust in Kirkby-in-Ashfield and Worksop said they were planning to strike for six days in June against the trust's plans, which will add an extra 30 minutes onto the day across its 28 secondary schools in NEU says it will lead "to a substantial increase in workload and a struggle to retain teachers".In a statement Outwood Grange Academies Trust said it has "constructively engaged with our trade union partners and our colleagues since October". 'Genuine consultation' Strike action is planned for 3, 10 and 11 June, and for three days from 17 will be in place at Outwood Grange Academy in Kirkby, and Outwood Academy Portland and Outwood Academy Valley, both in Worksop, from 07:30 to 09:00 BST on each of the above Raine, the NEU's senior regional officer for the East Midlands region, said members "voted overwhelmingly" for strike action because they said they were not given a say on the changes."They decided to unilaterally extend the school day - to put extra lesson time in, etc - without consulting with us or our members," he said."Our members are dissatisfied, because they believe this will increase workload dramatically at a time when we've already got fewer resources, and stretched members and class sizes, and where we've got trouble retaining teachers."Members want to negotiate with Outwood Grange to come to some sort of reasonable agreement that would suit both parties, but so far we've been unable to do that."Outwood Grange Academies Trust said it is "exceptionally disappointed" at the strike action, adding its current arrangement means its school day is "short of the government's 32.5-hour-a-week minimum expectation"."The small change we have proposed will mean students can learn more and achieve even stronger outcomes, and will still mean the school day is within the time as set out in the government's school teachers' pay and conditions document," a statement said."We have approached this as a genuine consultation and have taken on board feedback to make changes to our original proposal."
The Independent
2 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Injunction over pickets in strike by bin workers to continue indefinitely
A court order to stop bin lorries being blocked from leaving depots amid a long-running strike in Birmingham will continue indefinitely, a council has said. Birmingham City Council said the injunction sets out expected behaviour from pickets and will ensure that protests at its three depots are in accordance with legal provisions. An interim injunction was granted on May 23 until a hearing on Thursday, but the council said the court had ratified a consent order agreed with the Unite union on Wednesday that the injunction will continue on an indefinite basis. Members of Unite have been on all-out strike since March 11 in a row over pay and jobs, leading to bags of refuse piling up across the city. The council said: 'We are pleased that the court has ratified the consent order agreed with Unite yesterday that the injunction, which was granted by the High Court on Friday May 23, will continue on an indefinite basis. This means that there will not be a court hearing at 2pm today. 'This should ensure that vehicles are freely able to leave their depots and that workers are also able to continue to collect waste from the city. 'We have also agreed with Unite that the legal costs which the council incurred in securing the original injunction will be dealt with by the court at a later date. 'As we have previously stated, we acknowledge that everyone has the right to protest and that Unite has the right to organise picketing in line with their statutory rights. 'The terms of the order which Unite has now agreed is designed to ensure that this is all done within the confines of the law. 'In the meantime, our efforts to resolve the underlying industrial dispute will also continue.' A Unite spokesperson said: 'Unite has agreed to abide by the law on picketing and we will continue to conduct a lawful, peaceful picket. 'Whilst the injunction will remain in place, both parties are entitled to apply to the court at any time in relation to the order. Birmingham City Council is fully aware of this. 'The union is preparing evidence to be able to seek to persuade the court that the interim injunction should not have been granted last Friday evening. 'When the union's evidence is complete, the union will consult our lawyers to take necessary steps to ensure that this matter is referred back to the court for a thorough review at a hearing on a later date. 'The hearing last Friday evening involved the council being able to present a large amount of material, which was disclosed to the union late on Friday afternoon. 'Unite was given no proper notice of the hearing and had no opportunity to present our side of the case. That will be redressed on the basis set out above.'
