Next Sheffield TUC Strike Solidarity meeting 7pm-8.30pm Wednesday 4th January 2023 Central United Reform Church (upstairs back room)
Come and hear latest news on all the disputes affecting our area. Hear from the union reps the truth about why the strikes are taking place and why they need our support. Find out dates and times of picket lines and how you can show your support. The Sheffield TUC Strike Fund has donated £2500 already to local strike funds. Can you help to grow this fund at your workplace or among family and friends?
Strikes affecting our area this week and next
RMT (Rail and Maritime Transport Union): 2 x 48 hour strikes this week
Tuesday 3rd January and Wednesday 4th January 48-hour strike
Friday 6th January and Saturday 7th January 48-hour strike
Please show your support by attending the picket line on Cross Turner Street
23 December 2022 RMT Press Office:
Government ministers have abdicated their responsibility to sort out strikes by blocking rail employers from making a deal with RMT. Since meeting the minister last week there have been no further scheduled negotiations to try to prevent upcoming strikes on Network Rail. The union has done deals in every part of the railway network where the Department for Transport is not involved. Both pay offers from Network Rail and the train operating companies are well below what has been agreed in Scotland, Wales and where metro mayors have control of the rail franchise. The rejected offer on Network Rail was also conditional on ripping up working conditions for railway workers, including unsafe practices for the travelling public such as a 50% cut in scheduled maintenance tasks and an unacceptable hike in unsocial hours. On the train operators, RMT members would have been forced to accept a paltry pay sum, Driver Only Operations (DOO) across the whole network, and the closure of all ticket offices creating an inaccessible and less safe railway. RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “The union remains available for talks to resolve this dispute. But until the government gives the rail industry a mandate to come to a negotiated settlement on job security, pay and condition of work, our industrial campaign will continue into the new year, if necessary.”
Pay deals secured by the RMT:
- Eurostar International: 8%pay rise
- Eurostar – Mitie security: 10%pay rise for all staff and 29% for the lowest paid.
- Scotrail:7-9% backdated to April this year
- Transport for Wales: Between 6%and 9.5% pay rise
- Merseyrail: 7% pay rise
- MTR Crossrail: 2%(2021-2022)
- Docklands Light Railway: 25%
- London Underground: 4%(2021)
ASLEF (Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen)
24-hour strike on Thursday 5th January
Please show your support by attending the picket line on Cross Turner Street
Mick Whelan, general secretary, commented:
“We regret that passengers will be inconvenienced for another day. We don’t want to be taking this action. Withdrawing our labour is always a last resort for a trade union. We have come to the table, as we always will, in good faith but while the industry continues to make no offer – due to the dodgy deal they signed with the DfT – we have no choice but to take strike action again. They want drivers to take real terms pay cut. With inflation now well into double figures, train drivers who kept Britain moving through the pandemic are now being expected to work just as hard this year as last year but for less. Most of these drivers have not had an increase in salary since 2019. We want the companies – which are making huge profits – to make a proper pay offer so that our members can keep up with the cost of living.”
UNISON and GMB Ambulance workers
Wednesday 11 January
Ambulance workers represented by Unison and GMB set to strike in England and Wales. We await details of how this affects South Yorkshire but expect picket lines at Batemoor, Longley and Middlewood
Other disputes
PCS civil servants are taking targeted strike action in various departments in protest at a paltry 2% pay offer. Disputes include DVSA centres in various parts of the country and the National Highways
Next RCN strike is 18th and 19th January
No new CWU Royal Mail strikes have been announced for 2023