Industrial news

Industrial action by members of the PCS public and commercial services union at the National Gallery is set to continue into June, following the sacking of union rep Candy Udwin.

Udwin had originally been suspended in February on the eve of the union’s first strike at the gallery in opposition to privatisation plans.

The union said that Udwin’s sacking was a clear case of victimisation and a direct attempt to undermine the union.

It pledged to fight the decision every step of the way, with a further 11 days of action planned up to 4 June. Twenty-three days of industrial action had already been held by PCS by the middle of May.

Elsewhere, unions have been taking or planning action in a number of sectors over pay and conditions.

This included a strike by members of the GMB general union employed as bin lorry drivers for London’s Barking and Dagenham Council, in a dispute over a cut of £1,000 a year in regular pay.

Twenty-two further days of strike action were planned up to the 7 June after talks at the Acas employment arbitration and conciliation services failed to resolve the dispute. Fifteen strike days had already been taken.

GMB members at Bidvest Logistics in Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, have also voted to take strike action over the lack of pay parity with workers employed at the company’s other sites in the UK.

Hoddesdon staff work on deliveries for Pret a Manger, KFC, Nando’s, Zizzi and others.

www.pcs.org.uk/en/news_and_events/pcs_comment/pcs_comment.cfm/national-gallery-sacks-rep-candy-udwin

www.gmb.org.uk/newsroom/barking-and-dagenham-more-strikes

www.gmb.org.uk/newsroom/strike-looms-at-bidvest-hoddesdon

www.unitetheunion.org/news/surrey-bus-drivers-to-ballot-for-strike-action-over-salami-slicing-of-pay-and-conditions