GMB Union

GMB Union: an organising and campaigning union in Great Britain

GMB Union describes itself as an organising and campaigning union for all workers. Its activity is organised around workplace representation, collective bargaining and defending better working conditions, pay and job security. The organisation states it has more than 500,000 members across Great Britain, 10,000 trained representatives and 800 union branches, with a history spanning 130 years.

Representation in the public and private sectors

The union organises workers across a wide range of areas. In the public sector, its structure covers public services in general, the civil service, contractors, local government, police staff, NHS and ambulance, probation services (SCOOP), schools, academies and education, social care and HM Coastguard. In the private sector, coverage includes aerospace, defence and shipbuilding; aviation; building materials and brick; chemicals and pharmaceuticals; energy; engineering and construction; ESA and offshore; food and drink; gas and air; the legal sector; leisure; logistics; paper and packaging; retail and distribution; security services; steel; taxi and private hire; and water.

Regional structure and internal networks

The organisation is divided into regions: North East, Yorkshire and Humber; Southern; North West and Irish; Midlands; Wales and South West; Scotland; and London. It also has specific networks for women workers, black, Asian and minority ethnic workers, disabled workers, LGBT+ workers, young workers, apprentices, politics, Europe and international, union reps, and health, safety and environment. It also runs the GMB Race Achievement Scholarship Programme and has research and policy areas.

Key campaigns and demands

Among the campaigns the union features on its website are PPE Fit For All, focused on properly fitting personal protective equipment; Workers Power The Future, on energy transition with workers; Net Zero Needs Nuclear, with testimonies from members at Hinkley Point C; and ASDA Equal Pay, on equal pay. Other visible demands include removing VAT on menstruation and menopause products, a new register for workplace exposure to fumes and dust, the situation of steel and its nationalisation, the Sick of SSP campaign, Birmingham Pay Justice and defending school support staff pensions.

Services and benefits for members

Membership includes access to UnionLine, Member Benefits, GMB Credit Union, GMB Protect, GMB Dental, GMB Health Plan, GMB Learning and GMB Extra. The union offers discounts at theme parks, travel, cinemas and other services, and negotiates maternity, paternity or care conditions, often above the legal minimum. It maintains that unionised workplaces are safer and, on average, record half the injuries. It also provides support and advice on workplace problems.

News and recent activity

The news section covers ongoing mobilisations and disputes. Among the topics published are a strike vote by South Yorkshire Police staff, a strike ballot at a Barnsley nursery, the mothballing of three Ineos plants in Hull, the loss of more than 600,000 local government jobs in England and Wales since 2012, the reversal of caretaker downgrading at Thurrock Council, planned disruption to Nottingham's tram service due to the Goose Fair, 500 million unused bricks in factories, a parliamentary debate on the water industry, the presence of asbestos in schools and a strike at the Herman Miller factory in Melksham (Wiltshire).

Presence and contact

GMB Union operates from a national office and several regional offices, with specific email addresses for different areas and sectors. The organisation maintains a differentiated contact structure for its regions and for general enquiries.