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| Volume 55 Number 3, February 15, 2025 | ARCHIVE | HOME | JBCENTRE | SUBSCRIBE |
(February 8, 2025)
Fareham bus strike - Photo: NSSN
The beginning of 2025 has seen a wave of industrial action sweep across the country, as workers in multiple sectors continue to develop their militancy and take stands in self-defence against attacks on their claims and conditions of work, and for the dignity of labour. It is workers who have borne the brunt of years of austerity, generalised crisis, and the anti-social offensive. They are defending their interests in conditions of profound disequilibrium in the social relation between employer and employed, where imposition and arbitrariness have become the norm.
In the education sector, the NEU has announced an indicative ballot for teachers in England, focusing on the government's derisory 2.8% pay offer for 2025/26. The ballot, which will run from March to April, could pave the way for strike action if the government fails to address the growing discontent among educators. Meanwhile, NASUWT members at Coventry School Foundation are already on strike, resisting attacks on their pensions. The NEU has also opened strike ballots in eighteen Harris schools, targeting excessive workloads and unfair pay progression systems. In Scotland, the EIS is pushing the Scottish Government to reduce teacher contact time, warning of a formal dispute if no action is taken.
NEU, Bristol - Photo: NSSN
The transport sector has become a flashpoint for industrial action, with workers across the rail network taking a stand against pay freezes, unsafe working conditions, and union-busting tactics. The RMT has been at the forefront of these struggles, with strikes planned at Avanti West Coast and Unipart Rail. Workers at Avanti West Coast are set to walk out after talks broke down, while Unipart Rail employees in Crewe are striking for collective representation and better conditions. Elizabeth Line and Rail for London Infrastructure workers are also taking action over pay and safety concerns. The TSSA has launched a campaign against ScotRail's plans to cut ticket office hours, citing accessibility and safety concerns.
In the public sector, workers are continuing their fight against pay cuts, outsourcing, and the erosion of working conditions. Unison members at Swansea Bay University Health Board have suspended strikes after securing an improved pay offer, but the battle is far from over. NHS workers across the country are resisting the outsourcing of jobs, with over 350 staff at East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust facing the threat of privatisation. The FBU is demanding an above-inflation pay rise for firefighters, while the POA is negotiating for a 6.5% pay rise to address recruitment and retention challenges in prisons.
Local government and housing workers are also preparing for action, with bin workers threatening strikes over pay cuts and the abolition of safety-critical roles. Unite is leading the charge, demanding a significant pay rise for council and school staff to address the rising cost of living. In Belfast, Unite members at leisure centres are threatening strikes over pay disputes with outsourced management company Greenwich Leisure Limited.
In the private sector, workers at companies like Princes Foods, Bidfood, and Sanctuary Housing are striking or balloting for action over pay, conditions, and union-busting tactics. The GMB has secured a significant victory for Amazon workers, forcing the company to pay workers during planned warehouse closures. However, the fight for fair pay and conditions continues, with potential shortages of tinned goods in supermarkets as workers escalate their actions.
Cultural workers are also in action, with Equity members at the Welsh National Opera striking over job cuts and pay.
As the economic crisis unfolds, particularly felt at this time in the cost of living, this wave of industrial action underscores the growing determination of workers to resist attacks on their livelihoods and rights. They continue to sustain their action, asserting that there is to be no let-up in their stand that Enough is Enough! Workers' Weekly plans to cover these actions over the coming weeks.
(Source: National Shop Stewards Network)