Unite

Zack Polanski meets unions in attempt to get them to switch party funding to Greens

Spread the love

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/mar/30/zack-polanski-meets-unions-in-attempt-to-get-them-to-switch-party-funding-to-greens

Zack Polanski has said he wants the Green party to replace Labour and is already building links with trade unions. Photograph: Gareth Fuller/PA

Leader understood to have spoken to 10 trade unions after party claimed working class voters are turning to them

Zack Polanski has kicked off a charm offensive designed to convince trade unions to stop funding Labour and throw their weight behind the Green party, as he delivered the first in a series of speeches to union conferences.

The Green leader has had “good conversations” with 10 trade unions, including some affiliated to Labour, according to party sources, and is due to address the University and College Union and the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union, not affiliated with Labour, in the coming months.

The UK’s largest unions – Unite and Unison – were among those that denied negotiating with Polanski and said they remained affiliated to the Labour party. However, Unite is holding internal discussions about its future relationship with Labour before a special conference in 2027 at which it could potentially decide to disaffiliate.

…

The Greens have enjoyed a huge boost in polling since their first national byelection victory in Gorton and Denton, and the party’s membership has tripled in England and Wales since last September to about 200,000.

A Green party source said: “When Zack became Green party leader he said his goal was to replace Labour – and building strong links with trade unions is a central part of that plan.

“Working class people are increasingly looking to the Greens as the only party which will tackle the cost of living crisis and stand up for their rights. Zack’s first priority is to push unions to stop funding the Labour party – a party which in opposition made huge promises to workers and is now watering down and U-turning on those promises.”

…

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/mar/30/zack-polanski-meets-unions-in-attempt-to-get-them-to-switch-party-funding-to-greens

Continue ReadingZack Polanski meets unions in attempt to get them to switch party funding to Greens

Unite cuts Labour affiliation by 40 per cent over Birmingham bin strike betrayal

Spread the love

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/unite-cuts-labour-affiliation-40-cent-over-birmingham-bin-strike-betrayal

 A sticker supporting the strikes on a bin as agency refuse workers collect rubbish in the Saltley area of Birmingham, January 6, 2026

UNITE is to cut its Labour affiliation by £580,000 amid anger over the long-running Birmingham bin strike, the union announced today.

Members of Unite began a continuous walkout on March 11 last year over cuts to their pay, with little sign of a breakthrough.

A year on, the union said the council “dither[s] around a deal” as streets fill with rubbish and residents and workers suffer.

Unite said it decided to substantially cut its affiliation by 40 per cent ahead of its rules conference next year, and will now formally consult with its members on whether they want to remain Labour-affiliated.

It said it made clear that the actions of Labour against the workers “will not continue to be tolerated.”

…

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/unite-cuts-labour-affiliation-40-cent-over-birmingham-bin-strike-betrayal

Keir Starmer says that the Labour Party under his leadership is intensely relaxed about assaulting those least able to defend themselves - the very poorest and most vulnerable.
Keir Starmer says that the Labour Party under his leadership is intensely relaxed about assaulting those least able to defend themselves – the very poorest and most vulnerable.

Continue ReadingUnite cuts Labour affiliation by 40 per cent over Birmingham bin strike betrayal

Birmingham council faces residents revolt as judge thwarts bid to immediately ban solidarity strikes

Spread the love

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/birmingham-council-faces-residents-revolt-judge-thwarts-bid-immediately-ban-solidarity

 A sticker supporting the strikes on a bin as agency refuse workers collect rubbish in the Saltley area of Birmingham, January 6, 2026

BIRMINGHAM CITY COUNCIL faced a residents’ revolt in court today after a judge refused to immediately ban bin strike supporters from solidarity action.

The Labour-run local authority sought an injunction against “persons unknown” — a catch-all to include any and all protesters — after a series of disruptive demonstrations at the gates of its four bin depots at Birmingham High Court.

It comes after a series of “megapickets” organised by StrikeMap, backed by the Fire Brigades Union and rail union Aslef, twice shut down all collections.

Judge Mr Justice Pepperall announced he will reserve his written decision to a later date after residents stood up against the council in court.

They slammed the authority for seeking to quash protest instead of settling the dispute with Unite, now into its 14th month of strikes.

Retired teacher Stuart Richardson, the only person present in court who claimed to be one of the “persons unknown,” vowed to protest against this “utterly draconian police state measure” that the council is applying for.

He said that all of the several protests he had attended had been peaceful and cited a long tradition of protest and deliberate direct action that must be retained.

…

Article continues at https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/birmingham-council-faces-residents-revolt-judge-thwarts-bid-immediately-ban-solidarity

Continue ReadingBirmingham council faces residents revolt as judge thwarts bid to immediately ban solidarity strikes

Sultana joins striking workers outside Village Hotel in Govan

Spread the love

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/sultana-joins-striking-workers-outside-village-hotel-govan

 Your Party MP Zarah Sultana addresses the Village Hotel picket, December 19, 2025

YOUR PARTY MP Zarah Sultana and dozens of trade unionists braved the wind and rain to join striking workers on the Village Hotel picket in Govan on Thursday night.

Workers at the site made history over the summer with the first strike at a major hotel chain since 1979, winning equal pay with colleagues in Edinburgh.

But they returned to the picket line last month in a bid to win a minimum of the real living wage for all workers, regardless of age.

Unite convener Daniel Friel told the rally: “Village are more than happy to spend lots of money throughout this dispute bussing up workers from across the UK to cover the work that we would have been doing.

“This is hugely expensive for them, it’s a lot more expensive than it would be just to pay us equally at the new living wage, but they would rather do that because it avoids, from their perspective, a dangerous precedent.

“They know that as soon as we get it in Glasgow, we’re going to move across other sites in the UK.”

…

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/sultana-joins-striking-workers-outside-village-hotel-govan

Continue ReadingSultana joins striking workers outside Village Hotel in Govan

Unite to forge ‘authentic voice for the working class’ if it quits Labour

Spread the love

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/unite-forge-authentic-voice-working-class-if-it-quits-labour

 Sharon Graham speaks at the Durham Miners’ Gala, July 13, 2025

Durham Miners’ Gala 2025

UNITE will forge an “authentic voice for the working class” if it votes to disaffiliate from Labour for attacking striking Birmingham bin workers, general secretary Sharon Graham has told the 139th Durham Miners’ Gala.

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner’s name was booed by the crowd as Ms Graham chanted “shame on you” over her handling of the long-running strikes, as former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said that he agreed with her “absolutely.”

Delegates at Labour’s biggest union backer voted to rethink their relationship with the party and suspend Ms Rayner at their policy conference last week.

…

The Unite conference also called for the recognition of the state of Palestine and vowed to support “worker-led campaigns to boycott the handling of Israeli goods and services in their workplaces and campaigns for divestment from Israeli companies in their workplaces and the wider economy.”

Mr Corbyn hailed the decision as “historically important because we will stop the supply of weapons to the Israeli Defence Forces to kill people in Gaza.”

…

Following attacks from Durham Reform councillors over not being invited to the gala’s platform, Durham Miners’ Association chairman Stephen Guy told the Morning Star that the local Labour MP and Israel supporter Luke Akehurst wasn’t invited either.

“The message is the same, whether you are Labour or Reform, if you don’t share our values or beliefs you don’t get an invite. We have Labour MPs here today on the platform and they’ve been selected because they share our values,” he said.

Nigel Farage explains the politics of Reform UK: Racism, Fake anti-establishmentism, Deregulation, Corporatism, Climate Change Denial, Mysogyny and Transphobia.
Nigel Farage explains the politics of Reform UK: Racism, Fake anti-establishmentism, Deregulation, Corporatism, Climate Change Denial, Mysogyny and Transphobia.
Nigel Farage urges you to ignore facts and reality and be a climate science denier like him. He says that Reform UK has received millions and millions from the fossil fuel industry to promote climate denial and destroy the planet.
Nigel Farage urges you to ignore facts and reality and be a climate science denier like him. He says that Reform UK has received millions and millions from the fossil fuel industry to promote climate denial and destroy the planet.
Continue ReadingUnite to forge ‘authentic voice for the working class’ if it quits Labour