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Europe
Paint workers in Izmir, Turkey strike for pay increase to meet rising cost of living
Workers at Turkish paint manufacturer DYO Boya demonstrated for a cost of living pay rise outside the Izmir headquarters of owner Yaşar Holding on June 27. They represented 600 DYO Boya employees, on strike for over 37 days.
The Petrol-Iş union members insist on an increase in the basic wage commensurate with the actual rising cost of living rather than the official rate of inflation. DYO Boya offered 71,894 TL, but according to a June 2025 study conducted by Turk-Iş the total amount of necessary monthly expenses (poverty line) for a family of four for food, clothing, housing (rent, electricity, water, fuel), transportation, education, health and similar needs is 85,065 TL.
French pharmacists work-to-rule in protest at government reduction in subsidised medicine
Pharmacies throughout France began an indefinite work-to-rule around on-call duties Tuesday, in response to government plans that will impact incomes and cause possible closures. Pharmacists threaten whole day shutdowns if the government does not rethink its money-saving measures on health expenditure.
The Union of Community Pharmacists’ Unions and the Federation of Pharmaceutical Unions of France members denounce the government decision to reduce subsidies on generic medicines. Currently the state gives a 40 percent discount towards pharmacies’ costs, but this will be reduced to 20 percent from July 1. The pharmacists believe the loss will be so great that it could lead to pharmacy closures, with consequent health risks for the public.
Finnish airline workers in fresh strike for pay increases
Ground staff at Finland’s national carrier Finnair held a four-hour strike Wednesday, causing over a hundred flights to be cancelled. It was part of a rolling campaign of walkouts begun in January to apply pressure for a pay rise on the service sector’s employer body, Palta. Further stoppages are planned for July 4, 7, 16, 18, 21 and 23.
The Finnish Aviation Union members, including aircraft and baggage handlers, maintenance workers, catering and customer service staff, say their pay was only increased by 6.4 percent from 2020 to 2023 while the national average was 10.4 percent.
Portuguese taxi drivers protest extortionate commission charges by Uber and Bolt platforms
Hundreds of e-hailing taxi drivers in Portugal held a protest strike against the global platform Uber 7-10 a.m. and 5-8 p.m. Monday, only accepting rides booked via the rival Bolt app.
The Portuguese Association of Transporters in Unmarked Vehicles members say that legally, online taxi platforms must only take a maximum 25 percent of drivers’ fares. Both companies are failing to comply, but the drivers have chosen initially to target the more popular Uber, which takes 50 percent commission.
Walkouts by steel workers in Lisburn, Northern Ireland over pay
Monday marked the final day of walkouts by workers at the Tata Steel plant in Lisburn, Northern Ireland. They began the action on June 26.
The Unite union members are seeking pay parity with Tata steel workers on the UK mainland. They were subjected to a pay freeze for several years. According to Unite, many of the workers are paid just above the minimum wage.
The workers are also holding an overtime ban and work to rule. They previously held a 48-hour stoppage. A 24-hour stoppage is planned to begin on the evening of July 10, with further action to take place July 24-28.
UK phlebotomists at Gloucestershire hospitals to hold rally to mark hundredth day of strikes over pay
Friday will mark the hundredth day of stoppages by around 40 phlebotomists (blood sample takers) working for Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in England, begun March 17. All phlebotomists employed by the trust are involved in the stoppage.
The Unison union members at Cheltenham and Gloucester hospitals voted by a 97 percent majority for the action. They oppose being on the National Health Service Band 2 pay scale, earning £12.08 an hour. The level of pay leaves them struggling to pay bills. They argue that because of the skill sets needed to take blood, they should be on Band 3, giving them around £1 an hour more. They began the action after the failure of talks stretching back more than a year.
To mark the hundredth day of strikes, a rally will be held Friday at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Academic staff at Bradford University, England walk out over job cuts
Academics and professional service staff at Bradford university, England walked out for the day on Monday, the first of a planned 10 days of stoppages.
The University and College Union (UCU) members voted by a more than two-thirds majority to strike against university plans to make £16 million in cuts. This amounts to around 300 full time equivalent posts, affecting professional service staff and academics in equal measure.
The UCU stated, “The cuts will see chemistry and film & television courses shut down, despite Bradford being UNESCO’s first city of film and the UK’s city of culture 2025. Management also intends to cut staff in archaeology and forensic science, biomedical sciences, dementia studies, engineering, peace studies and international development, pharmacy, psychology, and public health.”
Additional stoppages are planned for July 7-8, 10-11 and 21-25.
Teachers at UK school trust take further action over plans to extend teaching day
Teachers at 14 schools run by the Outwood Grange Academies Trust (OGAT), who held six days of stoppages previously, walked out Tuesday to Thursday. Additional stoppages by National Education Union (NEU) members are scheduled for July 8-10 and 14-17.
The action is in response to OGAT’s plan to increase the school day by 30 minutes at all 28 sites run by the trust from September this year.
The schools affected are: Outwood Academy Grange, Outwood Academy Freston and Outwood Academy Hemsworth in Wakefield; Outwood Academy City, Sheffield; Outwood Academy Danum, Doncaster; Outwood Academy Easingwold, North Yorks; Outwood Academy Foxhills, North Lincolnshire; Outwood Academy Shafton, Barnsley; Outwood Academy Hindley, Wigan; Outwood Academy Kirby, Outwood Academy Portland and Outwood Academy Valley, Nottinghamshire, Outwood Academy Redcar, Redcar and Cleveland and Outwood Academy Newbould, Derbyshire.
NASUWT union members at some of the schools previously walked out, but the union paused further action. Talks between OGAT and the unions under the auspices of the government mediation service, Acas are due July 10.
In a separate dispute, NEU members at St Francis C of E Primary school in Falmouth are set to strike on Friday. Teachers accuse Kernow Learning, which runs the school, of failing to communicate with staff. In addition, they are concerned about staff welfare and unpaid additional roles. Further stoppages are planned for July 8-9 and 14-16.
Middle East
West Bank general strike in protest at settler killings
A general strike throughout the Ramallah governorate in the West Bank took place June 26.
The strike was in response to an attack by Israeli settlers on the West Bank town of Kufr Malek the previous day. The attack led to the death of three Palestinians and injured nine others.
As the Israeli government continues to starve and murder Palestinians in Gaza, the Israeli Defence Force and settlers are intent on furthering their heinous resettlement project on the West Bank. Since October 7, 2023, Israeli settlers and the IDF have killed over 1,000 Palestinians on the West Bank and injured over 7,000, while demolishing homes. At the same, the government is preparing further military assaults against Iran.
Africa
Nigerian teachers and council workers in Federal Capital Territory continue pay stoppage
Striking Nigerian teachers and council workers in the Federal Capital Territory held a protest June 30 over pay and conditions.
The teachers and council workers have been on strike since March 24, 2024, over grievances including non-implementation of N70,000 minimum wage, non-payment of 25-month minimum wage arrears, failure to implement a salary increment of 25-35 percent and non-payment of a N35,000 wage award.
The workers also complained over the administration’s inconsistency in paying their salaries, failure to pay overhead costs and the lack of promotions since 2023.
The president of the Joint Union Action Committee of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, Rifkatu Ortyer, told strikers at a protest they were not to confront the government but to call attention to their demands.
Union leaders recently admitted they deliberately held back from action to allow Nigerian President Bola Tinubu to conclude the series of projects he had begun in Abuja to mark his second year in office.
“Members of the union will take over the streets of Abuja as soon as Tinubu concludes the inauguration, hopefully on July 3. We are waiting for it to end, and we will come together to step up our planned action,” said Chairman of the FCT Nigeria Labour Congress, Dr Stephen Knabayi.
KwaDukuza Municipality workers in South Africa strike over pay and conditions
On June 30, hundreds of employees of KwaDukuza Municipality, South Africa resumed their stoppage begun in May.
The South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) members accuse the municipality of reneging on promises to address four issues—job grading, delays in job evaluation, unpaid overtime and contracts for six days instead of five.
In a separate dispute, SAMWU members who are employed at Ratiou Local Municipality outside Mahikeng walked out over a lack of a voice on local labour forums and union recognition.
Women farm workers in protest march in KwaDukuza Municipality, South Africa to demand emergency housing
Around 100 women organised under the Women on Farms Project staged a protest march June 26 to the offices of KwaDukuza Municipality, South Africa after being evicted from farms.
The farm workers are forced to live in informal settlements, which lack proper sanitation and access to water, are flimsy and susceptible to fires. They demand the municipality provides them and their families with adequate housing.
University of Zimbabwe fires four union leaders as strike continues
As the strike by lecturers at the University of Zimbabwe over pay reached its 71st day on June 26, the university issued dismissal notices to four local leaders of the Association of University Teachers.
The four are Munyaradzi Chamburuka (President), Bornface Mwakorera (Secretary-General), Justin Tandire (Organising Secretary), and Obvious Vengeyi (Spokesperson). They were suspended last month and later called into disciplinary hearings.
The excuse for their dismissal was for using the university hall without approval, even though university authorities opened the building and provided a legal officer and security for the event.
The lecturers are demanding a return to their pre-2018 salary of US$2,250 a month for junior staff, instead of the $230 a month they received before the strike.