Merseyside firefighters may strike again

The Merseyside firefighters dispute (see August Labour Research) was settled soon after a second eight-day strike began. The dispute, which arose over the local employer's flouting of national agreements, may flare up again however, if local managers continue to breach the return-to-work agreement. As Labour Research went to press the FBU was considering a recall ballot for strike action.

Three hundred medical secretaries at North Glasgow Hospitals took three days of strike action during August in pursuit of a regrading claim. They held a demonstration and rally on the first strike day and a further demonstration and rally was being planned for Saturday 1 September.

On 20 August members of civil service union PCS at the new Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) took strike action over pay. The dispute stems from the creation of DEFRA and the transfer of over 3,000 staff from the former Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF) who earn up to £4,400 a year less than staff from the former Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions.

Tanker drivers working for P&O are balloting for strike action over new contracts. The company wants to impose new contracts which could cut pay by over 10%. The ballot of over 100 drivers, members of the T&G general union, was due to run until 30 August.