Author: Lambeth Unison

Lambeth Unison https://lambethunisonblog.wordpress.com A trade union in Lambeth in South London, covering the local council, nurseries, day care centres and various other sectors

Lambeth libraries strike update

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UNISON members in Lambeth Libraries voted to take strike action due to start this week. 

During negotiations we made excellent progress so the UNISON strike in Lambeth Libraries has been suspended as management have conceded on all of UNISONs “red lines”.

The strike mandate remains live, and UNISON will not officially close the dispute until all agreements are in place.

UNISON launched a trade dispute following the announcement of a restructure in the service, at all members meetings the following red lines were agreed:
 

  • Upgrading lowest graded posts
  • No Compulsory Redundancies
  • Safe and adequate staffing levels across all Registrars, Libraries and Archives 
  • No reduction in working conditions for any staff

During consultation the Council agreed the upgrading of the General Assistants (Porters) and Library Assistants. A timetable has been set for review of pay for the next lowest paid staff in December 2025.

Posts have been reinstated into the structure to avoid redundancy and improve staffing levels. Management have given a commitment to fill vacancies from next week to improve chronic understaffing in the area. There are three staff awaiting interviews for matched posts on Friday and UNISON have committed to call new strike dates if any member of staff is potentially redundant following these.

The Council has maintained terms and conditions, including a last-minute agreement that no staff will be forced to change timetables, that any changes to working patterns can only be implemented with the agreement of the individual staff members.

It is unusual to see union victories against local government cuts, but it is also unusual to see live strike ballots against cuts in local government. The Lambeth Libraries dispute should motivate other groups of workers to fight back collectively against local government austerity.

UNISON Branch Secretary Simon Hannah said:

“We know this has only been possible because staff were determined to stick together and take collective action to protect their jobs and their workmates. Thank you to everyone who did work on reaching the ballot thresholds and preparing pickets. In addition, we have had fantastic support from the local community, with campaigners and Friends of Libraries groups out in the community and at Council meetings.”

Nigeria Solidarity Campaign

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Motion to Lambeth UNISON April 2025 Branch Committee

This union branch notes:

  • The peaceful protests in August 2024 against increasing hunger, economic and social crisis in Nigeria and taking place under the #EndBadGovernance banner were met by brutal repression.
  • The Nigerian government, headed by President Bola Tinubu, has pursued a policy of harassment and persecution of critics of its policies and the activists who mobilised under the #EndBadGovernance banner, and, increasingly, trade unions and their leaders.
  • At least 1,400 peaceful protesters have been detained mostly without trial. A number of activists have been charged with “treason”, which carries the death penalty, including Adaramoye Michael, National Coordinator of the Youth Rights Campaign, and Mosiu Sodiq, both in Abuja. The bail conditions offered are extremely difficult for any normal Nigerian to meet and in practice has simply extended their detention, Many others remain in detention without charge, such as Daniel Akande, also in Abuja.
  • The Nigerian Labour Congress trade union federation, and its president Joe Ajaero, have faced continual harassment and trumped-up charges, including “terrorism financing”, and was prevented by the Nigerian secret service from attending the British Trades Union Congress (TUC) conference in September 2024.
  • In August the British TUC called for:
    • The End of criminalisation of peaceful protest and end harassment of government opponents
    • Immediate, and unconditionally, release all those held in connection with the protests

This union branch supports these demands of the British TUC and believes:

  • The Tinubu government is attacking democratic rights, including the right to protest, freedom of assembly and workers’ right to organise.
  • That the detained and charged activists are political prisoners.
  • There needs to be a strong response from the international labour and workers movement making clear its solidarity with all Nigerians struggling to improve their living conditions and coming to the defence of persecuted activists and trade unionists.
  • The Tinubu government must drop all charges and release all political prisoners immediately and end its campaign of harassment against the NLC and its leaders and activists.
  • An independent and accountable enquiry into the killings of protesters and that their murderers, including in the state forces, are prosecuted

This union branch agrees to:

  1. Promote, mobilise and if possible organise local protests and photos in solidarity with the Nigerian struggle and the defence of Nigerian activists and trade unionists. Sharing any pictures to contact@nigeriasolidarity.com
  2. Post a solidarity message on social media and send a letter to the Nigerian High Commissions and embassies demanding the immediate dropping of charges and release of prisoners and for an end to the campaign of harassment against the Nigerian workers movement. (Sending copies of all protests to the Campaign for Democratic and Workers’ Rights campaignworkers@yahoo.co.uk, the Youth Rights Campaign yrccampaigns@gmail.com and Nigeria Solidarity contact@nigeriasolidarity.com)
  3. Make a donation to The Campaign for Democratic and Workers’ Rights (CDWR) via Crowd Funder site: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/cdwr
  4. Share information about the campaign with our members and in the wider Labour and workers’ movement, encouraging other structures and organisations to take the same action that we have.

Proposed: Andy Tullis – Convenor Children’s Services

Seconded: Simon Hannah

Lambeth Assembly – building a better borough 12 April

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Local trade unionists and residents have called a meeting on 12th April to coordinate campaigns against the huge cuts going through Lambeth but also discuss building our vision of a better borough.

Lambeth Council has announced “the worst financial crisis Lambeth has faced”. The Labour Party won the election telling us “no return to austerity” but our services are getting worse not better.

The Council is facing £99 million in cuts. Government housing policy has driven soaring costs of temporary accommodation, this combined with long term underfunding leave councils at breaking point. The proposals include job losses, closing children’s centres, cuts to Early Intervention and Prevention, youth and play services, cuts to adult day centres, and losing £1million from local libraries. (25% of the budget)

Now disability benefits are being slashed to promote ‘growth’. Join us to demand Lambeth Council and the Labour Government improve local services:

• Rebuild public services • Restore real wages and benefits • Tax the rich!

Saturday 12th April

11am – 4pm

St Matthews Tenants Hall, SW2 1ND

Join local trade unionists, residents, climate campaigners and anti-war activists alongside others to build the campaign against local cuts and for a better borough based on fully funded local services, care for the environment and anti racism. Get tickets from Eventbrite here

SPEAKERS TO BE CONFIRMED

Co-sponsored by Lambeth UNISON

Leaflet for 12 AprilDownload

Stop the cuts – rebuild our services protest!

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Lambeth UNISON organised a protest on 5 March against the £99 million in cuts being inflicted on the people of Lambeth by the government and local councillors.

The protest included local  residents, Friends of Lambeth Libraries, UNISON activists from Camden, Islington and Tower Hamlets, as well as the NEU (teachers union) and GMB. 

The mood was defiant and the campaign is just getting started.

If you live or work in Lambeth and want to fight for a better borough with fully funded and expanded services then please get in touch LambethSolidarity@gmx.com

Photos of the protest held at Lambeth Town Hall with different speakers and banners