Bristol Trade Union Council joined hundreds of other Bristolians in countering the far right in the centre of Bristol on Sunday 5 October. A group calling themselves the 'Bristol Patriots' organised their march in the centre of Bristol, and we as trade unionists were there to say 'No!' to their words of division. Real patriotismContinue reading "Bristol trade union bloc against the far right"

Every year, cost-of-living pay increases are agreed for school support staff and backdated to April- apart from in Cathedral Schools Trust (CST), where the academy chain has been pocketing the money for April- September every year. Many school support staff are on minimum wage; paid for term-time only and need to have more than oneContinue reading "Strike Days Booked Over Stolen Pay at Cathedral Schools Trust"

Calling all trades council delegates! All trades council delegates are invited to our Autumn Conference on Saturday 1st November This will be a practical and motivating event, with opportunities to: Hear from workers in current disputes and explore how trades councils can offer solidarity Share successes, challenges, and lessons from our own councils through roundtablesContinue reading "South West Trades Council Autumn Conference"

After discussions were going nowhere, Hanham Woods NEU members in the Cabot Learning Federation (CLF) showed us why we sometimes have to resort to strike action to get what we want. It was what was needed to improve our schools for students and for education workers Because of this strike action management finally agreed thatContinue reading "Hanham Woods NEU members show us how its done"

Strikes on First Bus are taking place this week in the city from 16-19 September. The First West of England drivers work at Bristol Bus Station, Lawrence Hill and Hengrove, which provide bus routes in the city as well as services for Bristol Airport, the local universities and Amazon's Bristol warehouse. Previous industrial action fromContinue reading "Fair pay now for bus drivers"

The trades council banner was flying in Hanham in solidarity with striking education workers in the NEU at Hanham Woods Academy. ‘Natural wastage’ redundancies have meant cuts to teaching staff across the curriculum meaning that KS3 pupils now only get 18 hours of art for a whole year! Disgrace! Our students deserve better!Our members deserveContinue reading "School strikes in Hanham"

Bristol Trades Council joined 600+ counter-protesters in Bristol yesterday refusing to blame other working-class people, refugees or migrants for lack of housing, poverty pay, insecure jobs and lack of funding into public services, but instead putting the blame fully on the government and bosses! We handed out leaflet aimed at uniting working-class people around issuesContinue reading "Jobs, homes and services- not racism!"

After 8 days of strike action in Brislington, 75% of St Brendan’s NEU teacher members voted to accept latest offer from employer. Although it did take naming 16 additional strike days to get a concise summary of concessions from the college. They’ve won:Improved sickness absence policyImproved flexible workingWorkload win: fewer student interviews There are definitelyContinue reading "Victory for NEU members at St Brendan’s school"

The Bristol Trades Council joined Unison's "Magnificent 37" phlebotomists at Gloucester Shire Hall on Friday. Along with delegations from Gloucestershire FBU, Gloucestershire NEU, USDAW A069, South West TUC, the Trade Union and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) and other trades councils, we stood in solidarity against low pay. On strike since 17 March, phlebotomists at Gloucestershire HospitalsContinue reading "Gloucester and Cheltenham phlebotomists’ 100 days of strikes"

You may have read the headlines on the BBC or in the papers on the "looming wine shortage" in supermarkets this summer, linked to strike action at the Encirc bottling plant in Avonmouth. Over 200 members of Unite South West have been taking action with rolling strikes covering different shifts until Friday (4th) over payContinue reading "Bristol Trades Council stands with Encirc glass workers in Avonmouth"

There was a fantastic performance by Banner Theatre at Zion Bristol on Friday.‘Battle Lines’ really made it clear as workers that if we want to win against the attacks from the government and bosses, we have to unite and fight. With songs, videos and spoken word covering the miners’ strike; millions joining the largest generalContinue reading "Battle Lines"

Join us at the Zion theatre in Bedminster Down for a powerful night of live performance, music, and storytelling as Banner Theatre commemorates the 40th anniversary of the 1984–85 miners’ strike — a pivotal chapter in working-class history. Through original songs, dramatic monologues, and multimedia storytelling, Battle Lines revisits the communities Banner stood alongside during the strike,Continue reading "Banner Theatre presents BATTLE LINES at Zion"

Bristol Trades Union Council was proud to be part of the Nakba March in Central Bristol on Saturday. Nakba refers to the violent expulsion of Palestinian people from their homes in 1948, which has continued to this day. Roger Thomas was one of the speakers before the March and brought solidarity from the trades councilContinue reading "Nakba 77 march"

We were overjoyed to celebrate May Day in Bristol on Saturday with marching with banners and members from Unison, Unite, PCS, Bristol Palestine Alliance, ACORN, Equity, SWP, IWW and the Socialist Party. The speeches highlighted the impact of cuts to jobs and services; the inhumane massacre of Palestinians; and the aim of bosses and theContinue reading "May Day 2025"

The 7th annual Bristol Radical History Festival was held on the 26th April at the M-Shed that the Trades Council was happy to attend. This years' themes were the Radical History of Housing, Hidden Stories of Incarceration and the links between Ireland and Bristol. The housing theme in particular focused on topics that we frequentlyContinue reading "Bristol Trades Council at the Bristol Radical History Festival"

Whilst Uber reports profits of $10bill last year and share-holders have seen shares rise 159% over the last five years, Uber drivers have seen the commission per ride increase to between 35-45%- money stolen from them for every ride!  It’s quite clear where this massive profit rise has come from: by squeezing the workers! ItContinue reading "Bristol Trades Council was pleased to share support with Uber drivers this week in Bristol"

Around a hundred attended this year’s IWMD event in Castle Park. This year the TUC focus was on asbestos which was covered by Nick Seymour who spoke from Thompson solicitors. Tim Northcott from the GMB spoke on behalf of the Wessex water branch who lost 4 members in the explosion at Avonmouth treatment plant inContinue reading "International Workers’ Memorial Day"

✊🏼🏳‍⚧ Trade unions stand in solidarity against the Supreme Court’s ruling.😡 This is nothing about safety and all about sowing division!🛟 If this was about safety and care for women we wouldn’t have a gender pay gap. We wouldn’t have to fight for equal access to pensions. We wouldn’t face underfunding for health services. WeContinue reading "The Supreme Court ruling"

On Saturday the Bristol Trades Council gladly joined the protest at the Broadcasting house on Whiteladies Road - drawing attention to the journalists who have been killed during the occupation of Gaza.