Budget 2026: Employers take up residence in Government Buildings

Posted on October 7, 2025 by unitetheunion

Workers pay for business tax breaks as government fails to index tax bands

Housing crisis will not be solved by patchwork of subsidies and tax giveaways

Responding to Budget 2026, trade union Unite warned today that many workers will be running to stand still following the government’s decision to focus on tax breaks for builders and burger chains rather than inflation-proofing income tax bands at a time when workers are facing an ongoing cost-of-living crisis.

The union also strongly criticised the government’s continued reliance on market subsidies rather than expanding public provision of vital services such as childcare and housing.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said:

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Press releaInflation-proofing PPF pensions would return thousands to pensioners at no taxpayer costs

Posted on September 29, 2025 by Unite the union NI

400,000 pensioners lose out as pension contributions before 1997 are not inflation-proofed despite pension funds having a £14.1 billion surplus

Unite has called on the government to use surplus reserves in the Pension Protection Fund (PPF) and Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) to inflation-proof pensions. The two funds were set up by government to cover defined-benefit (final salary) pensions at companies which went bust.

Under current rules in both funds, pension contributions paid by workers before 1997 are not inflation proofed at all. That means that a retired worker whose pension was earned before 1997 is only getting 50 per cent of its value. For a worker with an average pension (value of £48,000) earned before 1997, inflation-proofing would increase the total value of the pension pot by at least £24,000.

400,000 retired workers in the UK have pensions held by the PPF or FAS which were earned before 1997. All would benefit from inflation proofing to a greater or lesser extent depending on years worked and pay rates.

There are currently 4,399 pensioners in FAS and 4,782 in PPF in Northern Ireland. This includes large numbers of former employees of Harland & Wolff, Wilson’s Feeds, Visteon, FA Wellworth and British Midland airlines, ECC, Lamont, James Mackie & Sons and Desmonds & Sons. 

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Workers to strike for five further days at Collins Aerospace, Kilkeel

Posted on September 29, 2025 by Unite the union NI

Unite has notified management at Collins Aerospace in Kilkeel of a further five days of strikes. The fresh strikes dates mark an escalation of the pay dispute and follow an initial one-day strike on Friday. Workers at the aircraft seat manufacturer are demanding a cost of living pay increase and respect from their employer.

The five-day strike will commence at 00:01 Thursday 2 October and continue until 08:00 Tuesday 7 October.

The union has called on management to re-engage in talks and bring forward a pay offer that meets workers’ expectations.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “The escalating strike by workers at Collins Aerospace confirms the strength of feeling. They want respect and they demand a pay deal which meets the rising cost of living. The workers can count on the full and continuing support of Unite in their campaign to win a fair pay deal and respect.”

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Housing crisis: Unite says wages are solution not problem

Posted on September 26, 2025 by unitetheunion

Good jobs key to attracting and retaining labour

Trade union Unite, which represents construction workers throughout Ireland, today said that sustained wage rises in the construction sector are critical to prevent a loss of vital construction skills as Ireland grapples with an ongoing housing crisis.

Unite was commenting on this week’s Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) report highlighting recent wage increases and capacity constraints in the sector.

The figures cited by the ESRI are based on preliminary estimates for the last quarter.  According to the Central Statistics Office (CSO), over the past number of years construction wage increases have been largely in line with wage increases in the economy as a whole.

The collectively agreed Construction Sectoral Employment Order saw workers covered by the agreement receive a 3.4% minimum pay increase effective from August 2025.

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First strike at Collins Aerospace, Kilkeel to proceed

Posted on September 25, 2025 by Unite the union NI

Unite members at Collins Aerospace in Kilkeel, County Down are to commence a first, one-day strike in a pay dispute tomorrow [Friday 26 September]. Workers at the site are seeking a cost-of-living pay increase.

The strike action will commence at 00.01 on Friday 26 September with pickets forming from 5 am in the morning.

Sharon Graham Unite general secretary said, “Collins Aerospace workers are highly skilled and deserve to be paid fairly for the work they do. As they commence they begin strike action they can count on the full support of Unite in their campaign to win fair pay.”

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