What are the reasons for strike action?
We are striking for better pay, and for hybrid working so we can work from home if we choose. My branch attempted to advocate for hybrid working with management outside of industrial action, but they weren’t open to a conversation on it.

How would you describe your strike tactics?
We are picketing our workplace currently. We have done two full day strikes, and at the time of writing we are doing two half day strikes. This is a national strike so it is at the USDAW Head Offices in Manchester, the Glasgow Offices and the Cardiff Offices.

What comes next? What avenues are there for escalation?
So we have another half day strike on October 28th, which is the second of two. We will also be striking in November towards the end of the month. So far the USDAW management have not given any sign of wanting to negotiate. We cannot say more than this at this time. You can follow the social media for the branch here: Twitter and Facebook.

How does this strike relate to struggle more widely?
Going on strike hasn’t really been provoked by the summer strikes, moreso that the management have not even wanted to discuss hybrid working with us (and when I joined, hybrid working was made to sound as if it was impossible in terms of the role). In that sense it is linked to an overall struggle by workers to keep or take back the working arrangements that arose during the pandemic. We have had solidarity from the Trade Union Council and Unite, but solidarity from people outside the Union and other Unions would definitely help.

Additional Comments
Despite us doing half day strikes this Thursday and Friday, USDAW have locked us out and said we won’t be allowed to work the rest of the day or be paid for that time, which is effectively docking pay, however they might frame it. I can confirm this email is real, too.

Paddy Lillis has also spoke poorly of us in the Guardian, something that Novara Media reported as having a very bad effect on worker morale in the office. Paddy Lillis’ actions are obvious attempts at a divide-and-conquer tactic in relation to the strike.