The
workers who won’t go away: Electricians block rush hour traffic on Oxford
Street. Protests continue in the North West
London
05 October Electricians
took the fight to defend their wages and conditions into the heart of London’s
shopping district this morning, with over 300 blocking traffic for half an hour
on Oxford Street.
The Wednesday
morning protests by sparks have become a weekly occurrence since the first
protest outside Blackfriars station seven weeks ago.
Workers across
the country have been inspired by the protests with a number of union banners
present alongside the NSSN banner.
However workers
are not the only ones who have taken note of the protest. Unite was contacted
last night by the Metropolitan Police. The union was warned that attempts to
march to the Tommy Clarke building site Park House and picket the workplace
would be banned.
Scuffles with police
Come Wednesday
morning the march and picket went ahead but not without a heavy police presence.
At one point police attempted, without much success, to shove protestors off the
street causing minor scuffles. The Met discovered it is one thing to push around
protesting school students; it’s quite another job to bully 300 construction
workers facing 35% pay cuts! Many workers reminded the police that their wages
and pensions were on the line as well. Interestingly one group of police
officers refused to push workers off the street and had to be ordered point
blank by senior police officers to do so.
A number of
speakers addressed an impromptu rally on Oxford Street including Suzanne Beishon
from Youth Fight for Jobs who spoke about the Jarrow March raising the issue of
youth unemployment.
The march then
turned back down Oxford Street on to Balderton Street at the back entrance of
the Park House building site. Over the megaphone protestors on the street
explained why they were demonstrating and appealed for workers inside to join
them. They also demanded that Unite officials be allowed on site to speak to the
workers, something officials have not been able to do so far. Management lifted
the ban after a brief stand off to great cheers from the gathered throng.
Further action
There are two
important events coming in the electrician’s campaign.
On Tuesday 11th October
there will be a Unite Rank and File meeting to discuss the next stage of the
campaign. Speakers will include Steve Kelly, Unite London construction Branch
Secretary, Gail Cartmail, Unite AGS, Bernard McAauly, Unite National
Construction officer and Vince Passfield, Unite London Construction officer.
Next Wednesday
on the 12th October
electricians will take their protest to the Tate Modern at the usual time of
7AM.
North
West
Construction
electricians protested again this morning at the NG Baileys site on Manchester
town hall against the big companies imposing 35% pay cuts and leaving the Joint
Industry Board (JIB) national agreement.
Action
is starting to yield results.
Manchester’s
Labour council are paying around £100m for the job. Baileys and others will be
profiting twice over if they can now cut pay by 35%! A Labour councillor visited
the protest and said this is unacceptable. These words need to be swiftly
matched by deeds. The council should force Baileys to publicly renounce its
pay-cutting and agreement-breaking, and ensure that on all council-linked
projects there is no blacklisting and all workers are paid the union rate.
In Tameside
another blacklisting company is having a hard time. Carillion is the main
contractor on the Denton Academy school project, where blacklisted electricians
have been protesting for weeks. This is reaching the local newspapers and the
pressure is clearly being felt.
Liverpool
sparks protested at the Shepherds site at the Central Library, including workers
from other big sites on Merseyside who want to see action swiftly organised.
There is no Liverpool protest next week, as workers from across the north-west
unite to demonstrate at the Carrington paper mill site in Trafford borough.
Pressure grows on Balfour Beatty
Balfour Beatty
are the main contractor here, one of those leading the charge to slash wages on
7th December. The
“Siteworker north-west” leaflet was received with interest by many workers last
time. Socialist Party members are helping produce a leaflet in Polish for
migrant workers on site who apparently are working in extremely dangerous
conditions. Rumours have circulated of a walk-out next Wednesday. The employers
are split over this. Balfours say anyone refusing to work will be sacked. Lectec
on the other hand say they don’t agree with leaving the JIB and will not
discipline workers who don’t turn in. This is affecting the likes of the BMS
labour agency.
Balfours are
having a bad time of it. There are unconfirmed reports they may have lost the
contract on Terminal 2 at Heathrow Airport because their client disagrees with
BB leaving the JIB. This needs to be confirmed but shows how the protests and
walkouts are already rocking these ruthless profiteers.
The money is
there, Laing O’Rourke squirreled away £10m in profits last year after dishing
out a further £20m to the shareholders! Profits this year of £20m+ could deliver
union-rate wages and safe working conditions, or more cream for the fat-cats.
Further protests
All North-West
protest: Weds 12 October, 6.30-10am Carrington paper mill, 5 minutes from
Carrington village, Greater Manchester.
