Latest news with #union
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
RMT warns any raise to state pension age will be met with direct action
The biggest rail workers' union has warned that raising the state pension age would be met with protests and direct action. The Rail, Maritime and Transport union said a government review had sparked fears of a big increase in the pension age. RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey said: 'The UK state pension is already one of the worst in the entire developed world, which is a direct result of decades of governments transferring both our national and personal wealth to the super rich. 'Any decision to squeeze more out of working people by forcing us to work even longer would be a national disgrace.' He continued: 'Our members work in physically demanding, round-the-clock, safety-critical jobs. 'Many already struggle to reach retirement in good health, especially shift workers. 'Raising the pension age even further isn't just cruel and unnecessary, it's a slap in the face to the very people who keep this country running. 'If this government makes any move to drastically increase the retirement age, we intend to lead our movement onto the streets and will not hesitate to protest nationally and take co-ordinated direct action.'
Telegraph
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
Former fireman elected head of teaching union – without ever working in schools
A former fireman has been elected as the head of the teaching union despite never having worked in schools. Matt Wrack secured the role of permanent general secretary of the National Association of Schoolmasters and Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) after a ballot in which less than 5 per cent of eligible members voted. The hard-left former head of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) beat his rival Neil Butler, the NASUWT's national officer for Wales, by 5,249 votes to 3,126. The union had originally announced that the 63-year-old had been elected unopposed in April but the appointment was put to a ballot after Mr Butler launched a legal challenge. The vote for a successor to Patrick Roach, who stepped down in April, was the union's first contested leadership election since 1990. 'Immensely honoured' Mr Wrack, who led the FBU for 20 years, said he was 'immensely honoured' and wished to thank those who had placed their trust in him. He said: 'NASUWT is a proud and powerful voice for teachers, and together we will make that voice even stronger. Now, our priority is unity and action. 'Teachers have endured years of underinvestment, overwork, and undervaluing of our profession. We urgently need the Government to invest in education – that means fair pay, manageable workloads, and safe, respectful working environments for staff and students. 'I will work tirelessly with our executive and activists across all nations to secure the conditions and respect teachers deserve. This is a critical moment for education, and NASUWT will lead the way in fighting for our members' rights.' His challenger had initially been blocked from standing because he was not a union member at the time of the nomination. Alongside Luke Lockyer, president of the Welsh NASUWT, Mr Butler sought injunctive relief to force a full election, with the union later agreeing to reopen nominations and pay £65,000 towards his legal fees and VAT to avoid a High Court battle. The union announced in June that the leadership election would go ahead after both candidates met the threshold of being nominated either by the NASUWT national executive or by a minimum of 25 local associations. Mr Wrack, an ally of Jeremy Corbyn, has previously been accused of seeking to downplay allegations of antisemitism which undermined the Islington North MP's tenure as leader. At the FBU conference in Blackpool in 2016, he said: 'The so-called furore about so-called anti-Semitism in the Labour Party is, in reality not at all about anti-Semitism; it is about an attack on the left, and it is about an attempt to undermine Jeremy Corbyn.' A report by the Equality and Human Rights Commission later identified failings within the party that 'at best did not do enough to prevent antisemitism, and at worst could be seen to accept it'. The FBU voted to re-affiliate with the Labour party under Mr Wrack. Wayne Broom, the union's national president, congratulated Mr Wrack on his election, adding: 'This election engaged our members up and down the country, and the result reflects their confidence in his leadership. 'Matt will play a vital role in the next chapter of the union's work on behalf of teachers across the UK. The national executive and I look forward to working closely with him as we continue our mission to put teachers first. 'We also want to thank Neil Butler for standing in this election and for his ongoing service to NASUWT – his dedication exemplifies the strength of this union's democracy.' Just 4.7 per cent of the NASUWT's 178,306 eligible members took part in the vote. No history of working in education This is the first time someone with no history of working in education has been appointed to the job. A teacher, who wished to remain anonymous, previously told The Telegraph that putting Mr Wrack forward was 'a bonkers decision', adding, 'given his age, it is entirely plausible that the last time Matt Wrack was in a school was over 40 years ago'. One long-term minister who served under both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown previously told this newspaper that there had been a 'mixture of conspiracy and incompetence at play' in the wake of Mr Wrack losing out to Steve Wright in the FBU vote earlier this year. 'Matt had lost his election [at the FBU]. It was a very contentious election and he was from the ultra-Left, with a strong affiliation with Labour, and someone wanted him in the role,' they said. Mr Wrack has been approached for comment.
The Guardian
20 hours ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Matt Wrack elected general secretary of NASUWT in contested leadership battle
Matt Wrack, a former leader of the firefighters' union, has been elected as permanent general secretary of the NASUWT teaching union following a ballot in which less than 5% of eligible members voted. He beat challenger, Neil Butler, winning 5249 votes to his rival's 3126, after the NASUWT's first contested leadership election for a generation. The union had previously announced that Wrack had been elected unopposed, but it was put to the ballot after Butler, the NASUWT's national officer for Wales, launched a legal challenge to the executive's decision. Wrack, who led the Fire Brigades Union for 20 years, thanked NASUWT members for placing their trust in him. 'NASUWT is a proud and powerful voice for teachers, and together we will make that voice even stronger. Now, our priority is unity and action. 'Teachers have endured years of underinvestment, overwork, and undervaluing of our profession. We urgently need government to invest in education – that means fair pay, manageable workloads, and safe, respectful working environments for staff and students. 'I will work tirelessly with our executive and activists across all nations to secure the conditions and respect teachers deserve. This is a critical moment for education, and NASUWT will lead the way in fighting for our members' rights.' Wayne Broom, the NASUWT national president, said: 'This election engaged our members up and down the country, and the result reflects their confidence in his leadership. 'Matt will play a vital role in the next chapter of the union's work on behalf of teachers across the UK. The national executive and I look forward to working closely with him as we continue our mission to put teachers first. 'We also want to thank Neil Butler for standing in this election and for his ongoing service to NASUWT – his dedication exemplifies the strength of this union's democracy.' Wrack was named as the executive's preferred candidate for general secretary in March. Under NASUWT rules he would have automatically filled the position if no other candidate received enough nominations from local branches. Butler's initial attempt to collect nominations was ruled out on the grounds that, as an employee, he was not a member of the union. He launched legal proceedings and the NASUWT backed down shortly before a hearing at the high court. Wrack was named acting general secretary and nominations were reopened. Only 4.7% of the NASUWT's 178,306 eligible members took part in the ballot. Daniel Kebede, the general secretary of the National Education Union, was elected in 2023 on a 9% turnout.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Union militants kick out Angela Rayner as Birmingham bin war threaten to plunge Labour into another civil war
Unite says it has stripped of her Unite membership after she criticised striking bin workers in Birmingham who left the city a rat-infested mess. Members of the powerful hard left union voted to suspend her at its policy conference in Brighton today over her criticism of the walk out that led to bags of waste piling up in the streets. The union also said it will 're-examine its relationship' with Labour over its refusal to side with workers - a clear threat to pull the millions it gives in funding every year. However there is some debate over whether Ms Rayner is still in Unite and eligible to be suspended. She is understood to have resigned her membership several months ago, though she is still listed as an active member. She urged refuse staff to accept a pay offer in April, saying their strike was 'causing misery and disruption' for residents. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said today that the union would 'call out bad employers regardless of the colour of their rosette'. 'Angela Rayner has had every opportunity to intervene and resolve this dispute but has instead backed a rogue council that has peddled lies and smeared its workers fighting huge pay cuts,' she said. 'The disgraceful actions of the government and a so-called Labour council, is essentially fire and rehire and makes a joke of the Employment Relations Act promises. 'People up and down the country are asking whose side is the Labour government on and coming up with the answer not workers.' It is not the first time Unite has threatened to pull its money when it has not got its way. Bin workers walked out in March over planned pay changes by the cash-strapped city council. Unite said the deal would have included 'substantial' pay cuts for workers and did not address potential pay cuts for 200 drivers. People living in the city say their health suffered from the stench of piling waste while 'cat-sized' rats raided the mounting rubbish outside their homes. Visiting the city in April with Local Government Minister, Jim McMahon, Ms Rayner said: 'The people of Birmingham are our first priority – this dispute is causing misery and disruption to residents and the backlog must be dealt with quickly to address public health risks. 'My department is working with Birmingham City Council to support its response to accelerate clearing the backlog and rapidly improve the situation on the ground. Neighbouring authorities are providing additional vehicles and crews, and we are providing logistical support. 'I have pressed both sides to negotiate at pace to urgently find a resolution. There is now a better offer on the table and I would urge Unite to suspend the action and accept the improved deal so we achieve fairness for both workers and residents of this city.' Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said today that the union would 'call out bad employers regardless of the colour of their rosette'. Earlier this year the Mail revealed this week that Union bosses behind strikes which have left the streets of Birmingham piled high with rotting waste are directing the action from outside of the city - in leafy suburbs with regular bin collections. A Downing Street spokesman said the Government's priority throughout the dispute had 'always' been Birmingham's residents. The strikes have resulted in unsanitary conditions throughout the city, with large piles of rubbish in the streets. The No 10 spokesman also told reporters: 'As you know, Unite's industrial action caused disruption to waste collection. 'We have worked intensively with the council to tackle the backlog and clean up the streets for the residents for public health. 'We remain in close contact with the council and continue to monitor the situation as we support its recovery and transformation 'I think it's important to look back to the context of this dispute: Unite is in dispute against Birmingham City Council's decision to reform unfair staff structures, which were a major cause of unequal pay claims and left the council liable to hundreds of millions of pounds in claims, and that was a key factor cited in the council section 114 notice in 2023, declaring bankruptcy.' Shadow communities secretary Kevin Hollinrake said Ms Rayner 'faces a serious conflict of interest, having accepted thousands of pounds from the Unite union to fund her general election campaign'. He added: 'Unions like Unite rarely offer financial support without expecting something in return — and we're already seeing the consequences in their aggressive demands to dismantle key trade union laws. 'It's time for all Labour ministers and the Labour-led council to take a firm stand against these militant unions. A good place to start would be suspending taxpayer-funded ''facility time'' for Unite while their members are on strike.'
The Sun
2 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Leftie union boss Len McCluskey took private jet rides from building firm that overcharged Unite by £30m, report reveals
LEFTIE union baron Len McCluskey took private plane flights and football tickets from a building firm, a report reveals. The firm is also said to have overcharged Unite by at least £30million for building a £96million hotel. An internal investigation by the union said the Flanagan Group, run by pals of McCluskey, was handed the job to build the hotel complex in Birmingham without a single rival bid. Sharon Graham, who has since replaced McCluskey as Unite general secretary, hired barrister Martin Bowdery KC in 2021 after she found a £125million black hole in the union's accounts. She told the BBC: 'I was absolutely astounded. It's either rank incompetence, or something else.' The report, seen by the BBC, says McCluskey ignored legal advice and personally signed off the building contract. He later got private flights to two Liverpool Champions League finals on planes arranged and paid for by the Flanagan Group. Unite said there is no evidence he ever paid them back. The report also said he got tickets to five Liverpool matches, four with hospitality. McCluskey's lawyers told the BBC he paid for his own travel in full and always paid for his football tickets. They claim he does not recall signing the main contract and denies overruling anyone. The hotel ended up swallowing £125million of Unite cash and is now worth just £38million. Union boss Len McCluskey torn apart by voter after defending Corbyn in fiery LBC interview Ms Graham has brought in new auditors, staff and a crackdown on dodgy deals. The Flanagan Group refused to comment but previously claimed the project was 'an exceptional asset'.
