Welcome to the July UWU member update from the executive! UWU continues to go from strength to strength with new members and we’re excited to share details of new recognition agreements with employers in the movement as soon as possible. We also discussed a new organising drive within a union employer whose staff are looking for an independent union to represent them.
Work for us
In light of our membership growth, we’re delighted to be in a position to employ a member of staff to take forward the significant amount of operational and organising work required to build the Union further.
Next all member meeting
Save the date - our next all member meeting will be on Wednesday 14 August, 6pm (online only). We’ll be sharing more information on our exciting developments and we’ll host a discussion on the widespread toxic issues prevalent across our sector and explore, ‘What next for Trade Unions as employers?’ - members are encouraged to come along and feed in your views.
The executive has also agreed to roll out an all member survey relating to workplace culture and conditions in the trade union movement. More information about this and an opportunity to feed into the survey at design stage will be discussed at our next meeting.
Solidarity with striking union workers
In the meantime, we continue to express our collective solidarity to trade union workers in dispute and taking strike action - we encourage all UWU members to do the same. Expressions of solidarity to fellow workers in the movement means such a lot to those in dispute. We will never know when solidarity might need to be returned in our own workplaces.
TSSA GMB
TSSA GMB branch have taken 12 days of industrial action. The dispute is likely to escalate after the General Secretary asked the branch to sign a ‘No Strike’ clause.
Please sign their petition and support them online.
UCU Unite
UCU Unite branch have so far taken three days of strike action over institutional racism, health and safety and toxic workplace culture, and are on ASOS. If the dispute is not on its way to being resolved, the branch has agreed to escalate to significant action from September.
Donate to their strike fund and support them online.
TUC Congress House
The decision to sell the Trades Union Congress’ headquarters, Congress House, leaves up to 40 workers’ jobs at risk. These are hardworking cleaners, chefs, conference assistants, reception and other building management roles; all of them union members in GMB or Unite.
Please sign the petition.Jane McAlevey
Following the sad passing of Organising for Power founder and lead trainer Jane McAlevey the UWU Executive would also like to draw your attention to an online tribute to Jane's work and legacy on Saturday 27 July at 12pm US Eastern / 6pm Central European.
Please register now to reserve your space at this limited-capacity gathering
Find the starting hour in your time zone
Finally, we are keen for our branches to be getting into the habit of contributing short reports of union meetings or activities to us and at all member meetings. We want to improve our communications and showcase to each other all the great work that is taking place in UWU at the moment. Please let us know what is going on in your workplace or if you have any questions or feedback about this month’s update.