In 2024-25, the Musicians’ Union and Council of Music Makers took part in Government-convened negotiations with major labels for fair pay and contract terms.   Despite intense Government pressure, the major labels refused to pay a greater share of streaming revenue to creators.    We urge MPs to change the law to introduce fair payments for music makers from music streaming, and other measures to finally fix streaming.

Without Contact Centre Educators there would be no people trained and ready to take our emergency calls.  North West Ambulance Service recognised that there was a recruitment and retention issue by introducing the additional payment to the educators role; the recruitment and retention issues haven't gone away and neither should the payment.

We need to show Mr. Hutton just how many of us are demanding a better deal. Standing up for ourselves is the only way we'll get the respect and pay we deserve.  Donate to the strike fund here: https://support-mitie-workers-at-sellafield.raiselysite.com/

Despite their vital contribution, Mitie’s latest offer falls well short: • A below-inflation 3.5% pay rise • An extra day’s holiday only for those on 20 days leave leaving many workers excluded • Sick pay based on managerial discretion, not guaranteed Meanwhile: • Mitie earned £5.09 billion in revenue • Took home £234 million in profit • Paid its CEO a staggering £14.7 million — 575 times more than the average Mitie worker “No one wants to strike, but we’ve been left with no alternative. Mitie must recognise the value of our work and the reality of our bills.” - Mark Kirkbride, GMB Workplace Representative. This is about more than pay it’s about respect, security, and justice for those doing essential frontline work. 

As the climate crisis heats up, so do our buses!  Mayor Brabin is currently negotiating the bus franchising contracts for West Yorkshire’s soon to arrive publicly controlled bus system. She has the opportunity to write mandatory conditions into these contracts that will force bus operators to introduce effective aircon, shaded bus shelters, more staff and rest breaks, and two sets of doors on buses to keep passengers and drivers safer. Join the Better Buses for West Yorkshire campaign  in demanding she take action now, and cool our buses down!

This will make a real difference to millions of women and shows what can be done when pension schemes take this issue seriously.  We are calling on all other public sector pension schemes- covering 2.5 million more women- to take the same positive steps.  The government says it wants to close the Gender Pension Gap- this is a chance to prove it by acting to help public sector workers and setting an example to the private sector. Government should be encouraging all schemes to adopt these changes.  Add your voice to put pressure on the public sector pension schemes to act. 

SUPPORT STAFF AT AIREDALE HOSPITAL DEMAND EQUAL TERMS FOR EQUAL WORK Porters, domestics, catering and security staff who work for AGH Solutions (AGHS), a wholly owned subsidiary of Airedale NHS Foundation Trust, are calling for parity across the workforce. AGHS uses its subsidiary status to not honour the NHS Agenda for Change terms and conditions, despite using the same status to avoid VAT on procurement and other purchasing rules. Frontline workers are missing out on NHS pensions, sick pay rates, annual leave and Sunday working enhancements. GMB are calling for NHS terms for everyone working across AGH Solutions. Joe Wheatley GMB Organiser said: 'These workers are essential to the smooth running of the Airedale hospital. Without them patients would not be safe or seen. It cannot be right that they are being treated as second class workers.  'The last thing our members want to do is strike and disrupt patients lives, but we've been left with no choice' 'Its time Airedale and AGHS recognise the skills of these vital staff and get back to serious pay negotiations.'

The Skills Academy provides a life-changing educational experience for young people in the Tees Valley who cannot thrive in mainstream education. For these learners, the Academy offers a safe, supportive environment with smaller class sizes and specialist staff who understand their needs. ETC’s proposal to close the site would: • Leave vulnerable students without appropriate education and support • Cut the number of specialist teaching roles from eight to just two • Place all eight current staff at risk of redundancy This is not just about jobs – it is about protecting the futures of young people who rely on the Skills Academy. The planned cuts will remove a vital pathway for learners who may otherwise disengage from education entirely. There has been a lack of transparency throughout this process. We are calling on ETC to listen to staff, students, and the wider community and urgently rethink this damaging decision. We must stand together to protect the Skills Academy, safeguard jobs, and ensure vulnerable young people in our region continue to have access to the specialist education they deserve.

In spring 2025, City of London Magistrates Court ruled that busking in Leicester Square was a “statutory nuisance” and compared it to “psychological torture techniques.” The ruling effectively banned busking in the area – and sets a dangerous precedent in London and across the UK. Busking in Leicester Square is not a “nuisance” and not “torture.” It’s a form of creative work and should be respected. Buskers are part of the cultural fabric of our cities and towns. Leicester Square is one of the capital’s most iconic cultural spaces. Buskers help to bring and keep people who then shop in local businesses and spend time in local restaurants and cafes. In fact, businesses in Leicester Square have reported a drop in footfall since the court ruling effectively banned busking in the area. Busking is also regulated by Westminster Council. People who busk are licensed and have to adhere to strict noise limits. Buskers working within the law should not be punished for simply doing their job. To replace lost income and support local businesses, it is important that new pitches provided are viable and accessible. They need to have good footfall, with space for people to safely engage or pass by. They need to be safe and easy to reach for buskers with instruments and equipment permitted by the regulations. They must also be safe and accessible for disabled buskers, ensuring that every musician and performer can take on busking work.     What do buskers say?  “"Busking opened doors for me as a working-class musician, when the music industry barely opens any. At the same time, it brings life to streets that would otherwise entice no-one to stop by and enjoy themselves, basically for free" - Serena, busker” “"Ever since I started busking, it has given me so much - from building confidence and learning from experienced performers to receiving support from kind people from all over the world. It has allowed me to balance studying music, writing my album, and pursuing my dream of becoming a full time musician” - L.S., busker” “"Without any venues or record deals or popularity, busking in London has offered me a place to make big shows out of nothing for people from all around the world, it has offered me to unite strangers with songs and have them sing together without knowing each other. I’m scared for any new young person who wants to come to London with the same dream and who will be refused the opportunity to perform because of Westminster Council rules" - Roman, busker ” This campaign is backed by Equity and the Westminster Street Performers Association (WSPA). Full image description: photo of buskers and street performers in Leicester Square on the last day of legal busking there. They are holding a range of union flags and signs and homemade signs that say, clockwise from top left, "Profiting off musicians while silencing them," "Keep music live," "Street performance is not a crime," "Musicians' Union says keep music live," "Keep music live," "Opportunities banned for musicians," "Global Radio is killing music culture," "Global Radio calls music psychological torture," "Street music is not a crime!" and "Equity" 

We are concerned this is going to increase waiting lists; increase outsourcing, stopping "things getting done"; stretch clinical staff further by doing tasks they previously would have relied on colleagues to do, as well as stretching their attention.  This affects our whole community - not only on quality and timeliness of patient care, but also on the financial impact of a reduction in hundreds of jobs in our communities. 

Hospitality workers often get a raw deal at work. Fear, intimidation and poor conditions plague the sector. Bullying, sexual harassment and low pay should not be accepted practice. It doesn't have to be this way. Rock City workers have come together to demand their voice is heard. They want Unite to represent them and meaningful negotiations to begin to resolve a number of their workplace concerns. Rock City is a world famous and established venue. It's only fair that the workforce are treated in a manner that befits Rock City's status.

If implemented, these cuts will: • Increase response times across the service. • Increase already unachievable workloads for members within our Officer section. Our Officer members are already working above their capacities, and this will only get worse with fewer numbers. • Reduce resilience to incidents across the service with fewer fire engines to call upon. • Undermine public safety and endanger firefighters' lives by forcing them to operate with fewer or delayed resources. Firefighters are proud of the work we do within our communites. But we cannot protect the public properly if we are not given the tools and support to do so. Fewer firefighters and fewer fire engines mean slower responses—and in our line of work, seconds cost lives. These cuts are so broad reaching that they will impact all communities across Hampshire and Isle of Wight.