12.02.2026 / Press releases / Solace

Solace Women’s Aid to Face Tribunal Proceedings at the CAC Brought by Domestic Violence Advisors in Union Recognition Fight  

Solace Women’s Aid to Face Tribunal Proceedings at the CAC Brought by Domestic Violence Advisors in Union Recognition Fight  

·         Domestic violence advisors at Solace Women’s Aid in Tower Hamlets, who are members of United Voices of the World (UVW), have applied for trade union recognition for their union via the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) after management failed to honour a promise of voluntary recognition. 

·         Workers at the violence against women and girls’ charity called off a planned strike in July 2025, originally coordinated with Solace’s Barnet service, after Tower Hamlets management agreed to begin negotiations on a voluntary recognition agreement with UVW. 

·         Seven months later, Solace at Tower Hamlets has failed to meet agreed deadlines, disengaged from negotiations, and returned proposals with unreasonable demands 

·         Staff are demanding formal recognition of UVW to secure a real voice at work with meaningful involvement in decisions affecting both workers and survivors. 

Domestic violence advisors at Solace Women’s Aid in Tower Hamlets, members of United Voices of the World (UVW), have formally applied to the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) for statutory recognition of their union after months of delays and unfulfilled commitments by management. 

Twice in 2025, in January and July, Tower Hamlets staff issued statutory notices of industrial action after successful ballots. The indefinite strike planned for February 2025, which was the first by any domestic abuse charity, was called off after an intense public campaign compelled the borough to intervene and halt draconian redundancies that threatened the service. 

Four months later, in July 2025, UVW members suspended in good faith a second planned strike over trade union recognition after management agreed to begin a voluntary recognition process with their union. While Solace initially indicated a willingness to negotiate, the charity has since failed to follow up on agreed timelines and has stalled discussions, leaving the process at a standstill. 

So far, management’s response has been to propose excluding union representatives from annual negotiations unless they are permitted to attend on an ad hoc basis, a move that fundamentally undermines the purpose of trade union recognition.  

But after months of stalling that have eroded trust, workers are not prepared to depend on informal, ad hoc arrangements and have therefore applied to the CAC for statutory recognition to secure a clear and enforceable framework for union representation. 

Trade union recognition would give Tower Hamlets domestic violence advisors the right to negotiate collectively on pay, terms and conditions, and guarantee union reps the facilities and time to represent their colleagues properly.  

An Independent Domestic Violence Advisor at Solace Women’s Aid and UVW member, said:  

“Last summer, we agreed to work collaboratively with management on union recognition and suspended industrial action in good faith. Seven months later, no meaningful progress has been made. While we advocate every day for survivors of abuse, we feel our own voices continue to be disregarded by the charity we work for. We had hoped to reach a voluntary agreement, as originally agreed, but this now appears unattainable. Consequently, we have been left with no alternative but to submit an application to the CAC. It is regrettable that Solace has not upheld the commitments it made.” 

Petros Elia, UVW General secretary, said:  

“UVW members at Solace in Tower Hamlets bent over backwards to make voluntary recognition work. They called off strike action, engaged constructively, and waited in good faith, only to be met with months of radio silence and broken promises. Management’s continued stalling and unreasonable proposals are leaving frontline domestic violence advisors without a formal voice at work and undermining trust and morale. These are frontline workers doing emotionally demanding, life-saving work, yet they are locked out of decisions about their own jobs. Union recognition exists to give workers a collective voice and basic protections at work. It is not an unreasonable demand; it is the bare minimum. UVW is supporting our members in their application to the Central Arbitration Committee and will continue to stand with them every step of the way.” 

For further information, contact the UVW communications team:
  

Cristina: 07548 759340
  

Email: comms@uvwunion.org.uk  
  

About UVW     

United Voices of the World (UVW) is a grassroots union representing low-paid, insecure, and predominantly migrant and BAME workers, including cleaners, concierges, couriers, carers, and hospitality staff across London.    

ENDS 

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