|
Site manager admits sparks
wage cutting scandal
October 26 A site manager on the Land Securities owned 110 Cannon Street
development has admitted the wage cutting plans of employers. When questioned by
a Morning Star journalist this morning about whether electricians on site were
being paid £12 an hour, which is below the JIB agreed rate the site manager
replied that if it was up to him workers on site would be paid £1 an hour
The remarks came at the
end of sparks weekly protest at different sites across London. This week the
protest returned to the Balfour Beatty site at Blackfriars station. Despite
torrential rain protestors were in fine voice with an impromptu march setting
off for 100 Cannon street about 10 minutes up the road.
A number of protestors
managed to invade the site and hang a banner saying ‘All Power to the Sparks” on
the scaffolding facing out onto Cannon Street. A representative from the sparks
also went on site to discuss with the workers about spreading the action against
the employers attempts to tear up the JIB agreement.
An impromptu rally with a
number of speakers was held on the corner of Cannon Street and Laurence Poutney
Lane including NSSN Chair Rob Williams. A portico on the side of BBVA bank
served as an excellent stage for a militant workers rally, probably not a use
ever foreseen by the buildings architects! A number of office workers could be
seen watching the speeches from their offices, perhaps reflecting on their own
conditions of work and the example set by the electricians in fighting back.
The main topic of
conversation during the protest was the Construction Industry Day of Action on
November 9th. A leaflet distributed by Site Worker asked people to
come to the Pinnacle Building Site at Bishopsgate, near Liverpool Street
station.
Sparks will be holding
one more protest before the day of action on Wednesday 2nd November
at 110 Cannon street, assembling at 6:30 AM. As always the NSSN would urge all
supporters to go down and get behind this vital struggle.
|
