Further sparks protests at Farringdon. Bosses on site lock themselves in!

16 November Over 100 electricians and supporters gathered at Farringdon station this morning as the struggle to defend the Joint Industry Board (JIB) Agreement continued. The protests have been running for over three months ever since 8 electrical contractor firms decided to tear up the JIB and impose, among other things, 35% wage cuts. The weekly 6:30 AM starts on Wednesday’s have gotten colder and darker as winter draws in but the determination of sparks to resist the attacks of the employers remains undiminished.

Although the turn out was smaller than last week national day of action sparks had received some good news from across the country. Workers at Ratcliffe and Corus had downed tools earlier in the week, marking an upturn in the action taken so far.

A small victory was achieved even before the demonstration started. During the night management had locked the main entrance into the Farringdon site, meaning heavy vehicles could not get in or out. Fearing a repeat of the occupation of the site a month ago management ended up doing some of the job of disrupting the site for the sparks!  

As the protest went on it was clear that a number of electricians on the Farringdon site had refused to go into work, including a group of Polish workers. They were given a huge cheer when this was announced on microphone.

Several speakers addressed the rally. There were solidarity greetings from Prospect union and students. Rob Williams, Chair of the NSSN condemned the police kettling last week of sparks attempting to join the student march. He asked why the police were not showing the same zeal in arresting the bosses of the rogue electrical contracting companies that were breaking legal agreements. Pointing to the walkouts in Ratcliffe and Corus as showing the way forward he also urged electricians to join up with the protest on November 30^th.

Paul Callanan from the Jarrow March said kettling was used because the bosses feared workers joining up with students and young people in opposition to cuts.

Mick Dooley, disqualified UCATT General Secretary candidate, put forward the idea of direct action against the offices of the electrical contracting firms.

Unite will begin balloting Balfour Beatty sites today. The hard work of publicising this dispute by sparks up and down the country over the last three months can bear fruit in a big vote in favour of strike action.