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Construction
workers invade Crossrail site
21 September “We are
Sparks. We are Sparks. We are, We are, We are Sparks” was the chant heard on the
Crossrail Farringdon building site as hundreds of electricians, (“and a
carpenter!”) staged a mass invasion of the site this morning.
The
invasion was part of a peaceful, but militant, protest by construction workers
against pay cuts and attacks on terms and conditions.
Around
300 electricians assembled
at Farringdon station for the protest, held an impromptu rally there and marched
around the site, led by the banner of the National Shop Stewards Network.
As workers
invaded the site they passed through a long dark tunnel with absolutely no
electrical lighting installed. At one point water gushed down from the ceiling,
once again underlining the completely cavalier approach of major employers to
workers health and safety. Only strong fighting unions on site with proper
health and safety agreements, like the JIB, can protect workers from serious
injury or even death.
When
the protest came onto the site workers present gathered round in curiosity, many
smiling and taking pictures on their phones. Union activists approached them
with union membership forms urging them to join up and get active.
Earlier in
the morning Unite Assistant General Secretary Gail Cartmail promised a ballot of all Unite
members in the construction industry who are covered by the JIB agreement that
is threatened by the construction bosses. The protest was also addressed by MP
John McDonnell, Alex Gordon President of the RMT and Suzanne Muna from the NSSN.
As well as
the above action, an information email from 'Site Worker' this morning said:
150 electricians staged a walk-out and blockade of the Tyne
Tunnel in Newcastle
Protests by electricians also took place in Manchester and
Liverpool.
Last week Grangemouth construction project saw a one-day
unofficial walk-out.
Lyndsey Oil Refinery is set to join the rank and file led action
next week.
The big employers planning to pull out of the JIB are Bailey
Building Services, Balfour Beatty Engineering Services, Tommy Clarke, Crown
House Technologies, Gratte Brothers, MJN Colston, SES and SPIE Matthew Hall.
890 dismissal notices were issued by Balfour Beatty Engineering
Services last week and new contracts are set to be imposed on December 7th which
means some sparks suffer pay cuts of up to 35%.
The current rate of pay is £16-25 p/hr - the new contracts reduce
rates down to £10 p/hr for the majority of the work carried out.
The next
stage in the campaign is a protest at Kings Cross Project next Wednesday 28th
September at 6:30 AM. The NSSN urges all trade unionists in the London area to
have an early breakfast next week and get down to show support and solidarity
for the sparks.
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