Labour Research April 2002

News

Anger grows over London costs

In the first large-scale strike action over London Weighting for around 30 years, thousands of members of the NUT teaching union took strike action on 14 March. They want an increase in their inner London Weighting from £3,105 to £4,000 a year.

The NUT action may well be followed by other public sector workers. UNISON has submitted claims for an increase to £4,000 a year for several groups of members, including all those working in London local government.

With the Greater London Authority re-examining the whole basis of London Weighting and due to report in early June, the stage is set for further industrial disputes.

And in an unusual development a motion has been tabled in Parliament in support of the teachers' claim by Jeremy Corbyn, MP for Islington North.