Pay 2008

Unite, which balloted 77, 000 workers, said there was a 3-1 vote in favour of industrial action, with just over half backing walkouts. The union said industrial action would start before Christmas although officials would not decide until later this week what form the action will take.

200,000 NUT members have been balloted on whether they are prepared to take "discontinuous strike action" in opposition to the government's plans for below-inflation pay increases. The strike ballot closes today, with the leadership meeting later in the week to consider the result.

The imposition of a 3% rise over 15 months – worth 2.4% over a year – ended six years of partnership working between the company and staff.

"This pay cut is simply not acceptable when inflation is rising – recently reaching 5.2% - energy prices are rising by anything up to 30% and food by 11%," said branch secretary Steve Scott.

Members of UNISON, Unite and the GMB are being consulted on the new offer which was made after their previous "final" offer of 2.5% following the well observed industrial action.

UNISON, the largest union is recommending members reject the offer.

The ballot, which closes on 3 November, would give the union leadership the ability to call further strikes without having to re-ballot of the membership.

It follows a well observed strike on April 24, which coincided with stoppages of civil servants, FE lecturers and Shelter charity workers.

80% of those balloted supported action short of strike, and 54% of those taking part in the ballot backed union plans for industrial action, which includes national civil service wide strikes, targeted strike action and overtime bans.

It is understood that a report prepared for Home Office officials after the first week of a work-to-rule describes significant arrears in work which could considerably delay prospective nurses, teachers and social workers obtaining the necessary clearance to work with children and vulnerable adults.

The action has hit:

After the ballot closes on 12 November, Unite will have a 28-day 'window' to take action that its members have voted for.

If the government were to announce that it was cutting the wages of all workers - public and private sector - there would presumably be uproar. And yet this is exactly what they have done by calling for ‘pay restraint’ and insisting all wage rises are capped at 2%. Make no mistake, a sub-inflation pay ‘rise’ is a pay cut. No amount of statistical trickery changes this simple fact.

The drivers will be out on a 24 hour strike to protest at the huge pay disparity between the 18 London bus companies.

Several sources report solid support for the action, with very few drivers crossing picket lines, many routes completely cancelled and others running only minimal services.