Rail Strike will not go ahead

By politics.co.uk staff A rail strike planned for next Tuesday will not go ahead. After a case brought in the High Court by Network Rail, the railway workers’ union RMT will not be allowed to hold an official strike for four days next week. The RMT announced a four day strike to begin on April […]

Brown condemns ‘deplorable’ BA strike

By Alex Stevenson Gordon Brown has dismissed the British Airways (BA) cabin crew strike as “deplorable”, despite its backers being one of Labour’s main funders. The Unite union is resisting government demands that it backs down as holidaymakers face travel disruption in the run-up to Easter. “It’s the wrong time, it’s unjustified, it’s deplorable,” the […]

PCS plots more strike action

By Alex Stevenson Civil servants are considering fresh industrial action after completing a 48-hour strike against changes to the civil service compensation scheme. The Public and Commercial Service (PCS) union’s Mark Serwotka told politics.co.uk that Gordon Brown needed to come to the negotiating table and begin talking if he wanted a “stable situation” going into […]

Sketch: Solidarity, and its limits

It’s a basic equation: a spot of solidarity, a dash of militancy, and the thirst for a decent media stunt is all you really need to get your union rallies coming out redder than red. By Alex Stevenson Every so often the well-suited, suave and sophisticated political journalists of Westminster deign to step outside the […]

Audio: Mark Serwotka on PCS strikes

Listen to PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka call on the government to come to the negotiating table on the second day of a 48-hour strike:

Civil service strike moves closer

By politics.co.uk staff A dispute over the civil service compensation scheme (CSCS) will see members of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union balloted on industrial action tomorrow. After the PCS’ national executive committee agreed last week civil service bosses had not moved far enough they agreed to begin the ballot process on a two-day […]

Westminster reacts to Cadbury’s takeover

By Ian Dunt There were varied reactions from Westminster to today’s sale of Cadbury’s takeover by American firm Kraft, with the prime minister saying he was “determined” the same level of investment was retained in the UK. Speaking opposite EU president Herman van Rompuy, Mr Brown insisted investment levels in Cadbury’s British operations should be […]

Postal strikers look to court battle

By politics.co.uk staff The union behind the postal strikes wreaking chaos across the country may go to court to prevent the use of agency staff to undermine the strike. The Communications Workers Union (CWU) plans to go to the high court to stop Royal Mail’s use of agency staff, who would be tasked with clearing […]

Postal strike

Britain will go through a second consecutive week of postal strikes this week. Postal workers will be laying down their tools on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, during the latest stage of hostilities between Communication Workers’ Union (CWU) leaders and Royal Mail’s management. Gordon Brown and Peter Mandelson have both spoken out against the strike, but […]

Postal strike: Day one

By politics.co.uk staff The postal strike began in the early hours this morning after last-ditch attempts to avert the action came to nothing. Around 42,000 mail centres workers and drivers are striking today, with 80,000 delivery workers walking out tomorrow. Thursday, Friday and Saturday next week will also see strike action. Both sides in the […]