UK
28 November, 2024
Left Foot Forward
Absolutely huge sums have been put in workers' pockets
Left Foot Forward
Absolutely huge sums have been put in workers' pockets
Unite’s general secretary Sharon Graham has revealed how much her union has secured for workers in the last two years.
In a post on X, Graham said that Unite has had over 1,000 disputes covering around 280,000 of its members over that period.
In an illustration of the power of trade unionism, Graham went on to say that these disputes have “put £450 million back in to the pockets of workers”.
Among the significant victories Unite has secured in this time have been substantial pay increases for workers at Network Rail, British Airways and First Bus.
G4S IS A GLOBAL COMPANY
‘They are exploiting the workers’ says G4S striker
Security guards employed by G4S and outsourced to government departments are continuing to strike over their rotten pay and conditions
G4S workers outside Whitehall (Photo: Alan Kenny)
By Camilla Royle
Friday 29 November 2024
SOCIALIST WORKERR Issue
Security guards at government departments in the heart of London are on strike over their rotten pay and conditions. There is a defiant mood on the picket lines with speeches, music and support from other trade unionists.
The strikers in the PCS union work at the Cabinet Office, Department for Business and Trade and Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).
Speaking to Socialist Worker, one striker said, “Everyone enjoys the picket lines. The music makes a big difference.
“The union has tried to raise the voice of people who aren’t supported by anyone. We have had PCS reps come down to support us from the DSIT department. They understand why we are picketing.”
The strikers work for private company G4S. There were calls for the firm to be banned from bidding for government contracts after it failed to provide enough security staff for the London Olympics in 2012. But G4S is once again winning security contracts and keeping workers in poverty.
The striker said, “It’s a government building, it’s taxpayers’ money they are using and we are there to protect a government building but they outsource the security services to the lowest bidder. I think taxpayers need to understand what is happening in government buildings.”
“We are not asking for everything, just basics such as sick pay and reduced working hours. We are working 72 hours in a week, 12 hours a day and six days a week. We are suffering. We don’t have a family life or a social life.
“They are exploiting the workers when they should work with people.
“It’s the same outsourcing that is happening everywhere, in hospitals and universities.”
The strikes are starting to have an effect. “They are bringing in inexperienced people to cover for us but there has only been the minimum cover needed to keep the building open.”
They plan to be out again on strike again from 9-13 December and are asking for wider support.10 South Colonnade, London, E14 5EA, 10 Victoria Street, London, SW1H 0NB, Old Admiralty Buildings, London, SW1A 2EG, 22-26 Whitehall, London, SW1A 2EG, 70 Whitehall, London, SW1A 2AS (Note this picket line starts at 7am)
Send a solidarity donation to the PCS fighting fund with the reference “GPA FM Disputes”—Account Name: PCS Fighting Fund Levy, Account Number: 20331490, Sort Code: 60-83-01
Send a message of solidarity to outsourcedworkers@pcs.org.uk
Sixth form strikers take fight to Labour
Over 2,000 education workers staged the first of four planned strikes
NEU union strikers at City and Islington sixth form college (Photo: Guy Smallman)
By Thomas Foster
Thursday 28 November 2024
SOCIALIST WORKER Issue
Over 2,000 teachers at sixth form colleges across England struck on Thursday in the first major dispute against the Labour government.
NEU education union members at 32 sixth form colleges plan further walkouts on Tuesday and Wednesday of next week and Friday 13 December.
The Labour government snubbed workers at 40 sixth form colleges that haven’t been turned into academies. It announced that teachers will receive a fully-funded 5.5 percent pay rise this year, but didn’t include non-academised sixth forms.
Around 35 people joined the picket line at City and Islington College in north London. Mike, a joint NEU rep at the college, thought that Labour had made “a major error”. “There is space for Labour to move and if it doesn’t then we will escalate from January,” he told Socialist Worker.
He feared ministers were “destroying collective bargaining”—when unions can negotiate terms across a whole sector. “We think there is an undermining of collective bargaining,” he said. “Academised and non-academised colleges form one collective bargaining forum.”
There are around 70 NEU members at City and Islington College—and 95 percent voted to strike on an 85 percent turnout. Striker Simona told Socialist Worker, “The government has totally ignored us. We are demanding the same rights as schools and academised colleges.
“Labour didn’t seem to have an interest in a conversation with the union. Is this a Labour government? I have no trust in it. It is great that the Tories left but do you see many changes?”
Simona described her feelings towards Labour as “disappointment”. “We have to fight ourselves. We can’t depend on Labour. We have a right to be heard,” she said.
Daniel Kebede, NEU general secretary, attacked Labour’s decision as “shameful”. “I’m proud to be on this picket line,” he told strikers in north London. “It’s a clear message that we won’t tolerate pay being held back in a cost of living crisis. It’s unacceptable going into the Christmas period without a pay demand met.”
Strikers chanted, “Pay cut, no thanks, take the money from the banks,” and, “Money for health and education, not for war and deportation.”
Jasmine, vice president of the student union at the college, said that the strike was “necessary”. “Teachers are being taken advantage of once more,” she said.
“What is stopping the government from giving our teachers a 5.5 percent pay rise? It needs to do better. It’s an investment into my education and everyone else’s.”
Meanwhile, over 30 people joined the picket line outside St Brendan’s Sixth Form College in Bristol.
The picket lines at Winstanley College in Wigan and Aquinas College in Stockport in the north west of England were solid. And in nearby Bolton, strikers held home-made signs that read, “Fund our 6th form,” and, “We teach, we care, be fair.”
NEU rep Jennifer said, “We’re all out here to strike because the government has given a 5.5 percent pay rise to teachers—but not in sixth forms. We’re all teachers, so why do we not get the pay rise?”
She added, “I know people always think it’s just about pay, it’s all about teachers—but at the end of the day, it’s about the students.
“We want them to have a quality experience which they can only get if the government funds us and that’s what it’s all about.”
And there was a lively picket line at Wyke sixth form college in Hull where pickets held a banner asking, “Where is our 5.5 percent?”
Strikers in London rallied outside the Department for Education in central London. NEU member Nick said, “It’s not just about the pay rise this year and the unfairness of being singled out. It’s about what this means for us in the future.
“When this dispute broke, we went through this process of denial, thinking that this was a mistake. We all wrote to our Labour MPs and got no answers that made any sense. Now it is anger.
“We are angry at the government who came into office with promises of defending collective bargaining and now are attacking it on the first opportunity.
“We are not going to accept this. We are going to remain angry and win this dispute.”For a full list of sixth form colleges on strike go to tinyurl.com/FEStrike
Over 2,000 teachers at sixth form colleges across England struck on Thursday in the first major dispute against the Labour government.
NEU education union members at 32 sixth form colleges plan further walkouts on Tuesday and Wednesday of next week and Friday 13 December.
The Labour government snubbed workers at 40 sixth form colleges that haven’t been turned into academies. It announced that teachers will receive a fully-funded 5.5 percent pay rise this year, but didn’t include non-academised sixth forms.
Around 35 people joined the picket line at City and Islington College in north London. Mike, a joint NEU rep at the college, thought that Labour had made “a major error”. “There is space for Labour to move and if it doesn’t then we will escalate from January,” he told Socialist Worker.
He feared ministers were “destroying collective bargaining”—when unions can negotiate terms across a whole sector. “We think there is an undermining of collective bargaining,” he said. “Academised and non-academised colleges form one collective bargaining forum.”
There are around 70 NEU members at City and Islington College—and 95 percent voted to strike on an 85 percent turnout. Striker Simona told Socialist Worker, “The government has totally ignored us. We are demanding the same rights as schools and academised colleges.
“Labour didn’t seem to have an interest in a conversation with the union. Is this a Labour government? I have no trust in it. It is great that the Tories left but do you see many changes?”
Simona described her feelings towards Labour as “disappointment”. “We have to fight ourselves. We can’t depend on Labour. We have a right to be heard,” she said.
Daniel Kebede, NEU general secretary, attacked Labour’s decision as “shameful”. “I’m proud to be on this picket line,” he told strikers in north London. “It’s a clear message that we won’t tolerate pay being held back in a cost of living crisis. It’s unacceptable going into the Christmas period without a pay demand met.”
Strikers chanted, “Pay cut, no thanks, take the money from the banks,” and, “Money for health and education, not for war and deportation.”
Jasmine, vice president of the student union at the college, said that the strike was “necessary”. “Teachers are being taken advantage of once more,” she said.
“What is stopping the government from giving our teachers a 5.5 percent pay rise? It needs to do better. It’s an investment into my education and everyone else’s.”
Meanwhile, over 30 people joined the picket line outside St Brendan’s Sixth Form College in Bristol.
The picket lines at Winstanley College in Wigan and Aquinas College in Stockport in the north west of England were solid. And in nearby Bolton, strikers held home-made signs that read, “Fund our 6th form,” and, “We teach, we care, be fair.”
NEU rep Jennifer said, “We’re all out here to strike because the government has given a 5.5 percent pay rise to teachers—but not in sixth forms. We’re all teachers, so why do we not get the pay rise?”
She added, “I know people always think it’s just about pay, it’s all about teachers—but at the end of the day, it’s about the students.
“We want them to have a quality experience which they can only get if the government funds us and that’s what it’s all about.”
And there was a lively picket line at Wyke sixth form college in Hull where pickets held a banner asking, “Where is our 5.5 percent?”
Strikers in London rallied outside the Department for Education in central London. NEU member Nick said, “It’s not just about the pay rise this year and the unfairness of being singled out. It’s about what this means for us in the future.
“When this dispute broke, we went through this process of denial, thinking that this was a mistake. We all wrote to our Labour MPs and got no answers that made any sense. Now it is anger.
“We are angry at the government who came into office with promises of defending collective bargaining and now are attacking it on the first opportunity.
“We are not going to accept this. We are going to remain angry and win this dispute.”For a full list of sixth form colleges on strike go to tinyurl.com/FEStrike
No comments:
Post a Comment