On 8 January, almost as soon as the Christmas holidays were over, workers at Solace Women’s Aid in Tower Hamlets were informed by email that the organisation would be making up to a third of their staff redundant in the following 13 days. The email cited ‘funding issues’.

Solace Tower Hamlets is the primary independent domestic violence service in the borough, and is a chapter of the wider organisation Solace Women’s Aid, which operates throughout London. Between April and December 2024, Solace Tower Hamlets – a team of less than 15 – managed over 1,300 referrals and supported over 500 survivors. Tower Hamlets ranks second for domestic violence prevalence out of all London boroughs, and the borough regularly refers people to Solace’s services through its websites.

Tamara and Kischa, two Independent Domestic Violence Advocates (IDVAs) with the organisation, both faced the possibility of redundancy. IDVAs are a cornerstone of Solace’s direct support work: they operate not only in the Solace office, but also in hospitals in Tower Hamlets, serving as the primary contact if domestic violence is suspected in any kind of medical scenario. They service rough sleepers in the borough as well as housed service users.

Tamara was told her position would be kept, but that only one person could now hold it, meaning she and her colleagues would have to interview against each other to determine who could stay. ‘We didn’t feel it was right for all of us to interview against each other for roles that we all held,’ she says.

Kischa, a single mother of three children, was also up for either redundancy, ‘redeployment’ – a transfer to a Solace in a different borough – or drastic cuts to her hours. ‘We didn’t know if we would have a secure job next month – if we could pay rent, nursery fees,’ she says. ‘It caused instant panic for me and the whole team.’

The response to this panic was organisation. One Solace team member was also a member of United Voices of the World (UVW). On 12 January, the first meeting was held between Solace Tower Hamlets workers and UVW to draft a dispute notice, which was then submitted to Solace’s CEO. ‘We all chipped in with ideas, we all proofread it,’ says Kischa. ‘That got the ball rolling for everyone else.’

‘One single UVW member reached out for help the day they found out their job was on the line,’ a UVW spokesperson explains. ‘They asked one of our organisers to come along to a meeting that weekend with the rest of the team. When we got there, our organiser laid it out clearly: from our experience, the only real way to stop redundancies once the process kicks off is to be ready to fight through industrial action. We promised, if they were ready to stand up, UVW would stand with them every step of the way.’ There and then, the spokesperson adds, the workers made a decision: they agreed to get organised and to go into dispute, set out their demands, and ballot for a strike.

Shortly after, Solace’s CEO and Human Resources department held a meeting with staff, but there was little information given as to their response or next steps. Kischa, who was elected as a representative of the workers in the dispute, explained to leadership what was at stake: not only the jobs, but also those impacted by domestic violence in Tower Hamlets, who would have to be turned away if there wasn’t staff capacity.

Both community organisations like Solace and the borough council itself have repeatedly expressed concern with the high rates of domestic violence in Tower Hamlets, particularly since those rates appear to be rising. ‘If there aren’t enough people to process referrals, allocate them, and ensure survivors have support, fewer people are going to get support,’ Kischa says. ‘That’s just a fact. We were devasted for the community.’

But the meeting with leadership produced little hope. With no other options, the team unanimously voted to indefinitely strike and began organising in early February. The union organising soon became a demo, and the team of 14 Solace workers expanded to hundreds of people rallying at Tower Hamlets City Hall.

‘We got community support because we showed that we cared about the community,’ says Tamara. Alongside Tower Hamlets Solace workers – including those not facing redundancies – community organisers and allies from Tower Hamlets made appearances. So did Apsana Begum MP.

Following the first demonstration, redundancies were ‘pushed back,’ but the cuts were still expected to take place. The community had made their position clear, though, and in the days that followed, the workers were invited to community iftars and other events. ‘People wanted to hear about what was happening,’ says Tamara.

On 19 February, the union held a candlelit vigil was held outside of Tower Hamlets City Hall for victims of femicide. Mourners listened as Solace workers read out the names and stories of the women murdered. Their words were a reminder of just what was at stake.

Strike action continued, with constant emails from Solace pushing back the redundancies further. ‘The repeated redundancy pauses were so hard – we just wanted to know what was happening,’ Tamara says. She adds, though, that knowing her entitlement through the union helped, as did community support. ‘Even those not directly affected by the dispute showed support and were part of every movement. It made us feel untouchable,’ says Kischa.

Finally, on 28 March, it was announced that Solace were accepting the terms of the dispute: the funding cuts would not be happening, no workers would be made redundant, and United Voices of the World would be formally recognised as the workers’ union. Both Tamara and Kischa, who have been in their respective roles for years, were overwhelmed with relief, as well as pride in their community and their team. ‘It was up and down, but the sisterhood and the effort we put into uplifting each other were the most amazing things I’ve ever experienced,’ says Tamara.

The aftermath, however, hasn’t all been saccharine. Just as the Solace workers proved that domestic violence support and prevention is dependent on labour organising, their experience also highlighted deep flaws in working conditions and funding landscapes at both a government and organisational level. ‘We felt undervalued,’ says Kischa. Some workers have since had to take stress leave because of the psychological toll of the organising and months of professional and financial uncertainty, alongside the anxieties about how Tower Hamlets domestic violence survivors would be impacted.

Nonetheless, both Kischa and Tamara offer the same advice to other workers thinking of organising: unity is key. ‘We get support through sticking together,’ says Kischa. Tamara agrees. ‘Google unions, contact someone who is in a union, contact a union. It should be accessible; it shouldn’t be a secret.’

As workers at Solace Tower Hamlets move forward, a shift appears to have taken place. As a unionised group, their members can speak more openly about the cracks in the system and the need for repair. ‘It’s amazing to see how we’ve united the sector,’ says Kischa. At the time of writing, several other domestic violence organisations – including other Solace branches – have taken inspiration and begun to organise.