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Wave of
wildcat action to hit construction industry
Protest
outside Blackfriars Station, London against Balfour Beatty
Engineering, Wednesday 24th August, 6:30 AM
19 August
[From Site
Worker, a magazine for rank and file activists in the construction
industry]
The UK
construction industry seems set for an autumn of strikes. 500 rank &
file construction workers from around the country voted unanimously to
organise a series of unofficial wildcat strikes in opposition to the
35% pay cut proposed by the construction employers. Major projects
such as the Olympics, Media City Manchester and large power stations
could be disrupted by the unofficial action.
The main
issue is the pay cuts announced by 8 major contractors set to take
place in March 2012, following their decision to pull out of the
nationally negotiated industry agreement. The proposals would mean 3
new grades for electricians: metalworker �10.50 per hour, �12 for
wiring, �14 for terminating. At the moment, electricians Joint
Industry Board (JIB) rate is �16.25p per hour across the board. For
the worst hit this amounts to a 35% pay cut.
The
historic meeting held in Conway Hall London was organised by union
activists from London and the South coast linked to the rank and file
Site Worker magazine. The assembled electricians and pipefitters sent
a clear message to JIB/HVCA employers and UNITE the union that they
will not accept the deskilling of their trade or the pay cuts to their
national agreements. The last time the electrical contractors
attempted to cut wages by de-skilling the electrical trade in 1999 it
provoked a series of wildcat strikes on the Jubilee Line, Royal Opera
House, Pfizers and power generation projects across the UK.
Conway Hall
was packed standing room only. The meeting heard excellent speeches
about the attacks on wages and the attacks on union activists because
of the notorious Consulting Association construction industry
blacklist. The meeting agreed that it was time for everyone present to
stand up and fight these attacks all the way to spread the word on
sites and in their workplaces. It was not about blaming overseas
migrant workers, it was our fight it we must be united, disciplined
and determined. The battle begins right here right now, we must win
this fight future generations are depending on us.
The meeting
made is clear that the idea of forming a new union should not be
considered it had had been tried in the past with EPIU, now we are
back in the same union we are far stronger.
The crowd
chanted and the mood was electric biggest meeting since the days of
the Jubilee Line.
A motion
was passed unanimously that unite must ballot members who are working
for JIB firms who have been told that the terms & conditions will be
changing in March 2012 immediately and a campaign must be set up by
unite distributing leaflets to all sites around the country opposing
these attacks on our industry and to have regular feedback to the
members.
It was
agreed to call for unofficial action ASAP on large sites and that
other sites should come in solidarity, rather than wait for a ballot,
this would put the whole issue out in the open.
A national
rank and file committee was elected
Moving
forward there is a UNITE stewards meeting in Leeds 17th August and
delegated leaders from the newly elected national rank and file
committee will be going armed with the motion and a mandate from 500
people.
Further
rank and file meetings will be held around the country in the coming
months in Manchester and Liverpool and also other areas next year.
This new movement is on a high and we can spread the mood around the
country and throughout construction, there will be attacks on other
trades too we should try and build things involving UCATT and GMB
members as well.
For more
info contact:
[email protected]
Yours in
solidarity
Alan Keys
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