Rotherham Socialist Party Support the GMB Union and Striking Engineers.

Last night, Del Mansell of the GMB (General Municipal Boilermakers" Union) representing striking British Gas Engineers in Rotherham, spoke at our meeting to outline what they were striking about, how the campaign was going and to answer any questions about how they could be supported.

What he told us about what British Gas were trying to do beggared belief, and he was quick to point out that if the company were succesful, it would not be end with British Gas; other companies are certainly watching, waiting to implement similiar policies.

Engineers are facing 'fire and rehire' policies and were presented with an ultimatum to agree to terms, and accordingly voted to strike:

GMB Strikers in Wickersley

"The strike ballot of GMB members returned an overwhelming 89% vote in favour of industrial action. Alongside the 4,500 service and repair gas engineers being called out on to strike will be 600 central heating installers, 540 electrical engineers, 170 specialist business gas engineers, and 1,700 smart metering engineers."(1)

Del echoed what had been reported recently in The Socialist, regarding the incompetence and arrogance of British Gas management.

He was eager for any help from the public, stressing the importance of sharing Social Media posts as widely as possible (especially using hashtags #stopthebritishgasfire #nowayoshea), showing public support for the striking workers in anyway and said that we would be welcome to join the pickets to show support and solidarity, "even if it's just for half an hour".

Members of Sheffield SP branch have managed to get to the pickets in Rotherham, where they first met Del, and the ongoing dispute with British gas continues to be followed in The Socialist.

(1) The Socialist 6/1/2021

Swinton Comp. Strike report.

Report from the Rotherham NUT picket lines at Swinton comprehensive school Tuesday 17th April, by Alistair Tice.

Two dozen teachers at Swinton Comprehensive School, near Rotherham, members of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) took one day strike action on Tuesday 17th April, to oppose compulsory redundancies.

Mirroring last year's dispute at Rawmarsh Community School in Rotherham, previous serious financial mismanagement compounded by budget cuts resulted in a £800,000 deficit last year. The new Head announced a "robust recovery plan" this January which included a staff restructure which had the potential for eight teachers to lose their jobs.

Through going part-time etc, ie taking a cut in hours and therefore pay, 7 teachers have avoided redundancy, but the Head still wants to get rid of the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) whose work will be shared by other teachers for no extra pay.

So the NUT members voted by 93% in favour of strike action which began on Tuesday. A few teachers have left the union but more, about ten have joined.

The school, a secondary, was closed for the day, but pickets still braved the wet and windy weather at both gates in the morning, getting press and radio coverage.

Significantly, Chris Cooksey, the school NUT rep, who was first at the picket line, was approached at the school gate by the Head who suggested that they, face to face, could sort this out. Whilst there'll be no closet meetings, hopefully this means that the strike, and threat of more, will force the Head to back down and withdraw the compulsory redundancy.

Please send messages of support to Chris at ccooksey@swinton.rotherham.sch.uk

Support the Rawmarsh Drivers!

Below is an article from the Socialist Party website by Alistair Tice covering the latest in the Stagecoach bus driver pay dispute. The drivers will be on strike again on Friday 10th February so if at all possible please don't use Stagecoach buses on Friday as they will be driven by strike-breakers! 

Stagecoach - "Driving Standards Higher" and "Attractive Pay Rates"!

Stagecoach South Yorkshire – Strike Day 11 – management getting desperate!

It was -15C overnight. Pickets arrive at Rawmarsh (Rotherham) depot at 4-30am. Water has been poured over the footpath where the strikers assemble making it into a skating ring. How vindictive and dangerous is that? Just shows how desperate Stagecoach bosses are getting.

Over 300 busdrivers in Barnsley and Rotherham, members of Unite, are now on their 11^th day of strike action for decent pay. Their £9/hour claim has been met but they are sticking out for back-pay from last year and will not accept a pay freeze for the next year.

Stagecoach are doing everything to try to break this strike. Since November, they have bussed in management and scabs from around the country. Now they are advertising for scabs in the Barnsley JobCentre: £500/week, free accommodation, free bar and bonus! We’ve contacted the DWP union the PCS to try to get this withdrawn.

Stagecoach have cut their fares to only £1 and can run no services after 6pm. They are losing £millions to try to break the union. But boosted by a big solidarity march in Barnsley last Saturday, the strikers are determined to win. They are on strike again on Friday and have named another 4 strike days in March.

Messages of support should be emailed to Barnsley Unite branch secretary Tony Rushforth at:

a-rushforth@sky.com

Cheques should be made payable to TGWU 9/9 Barnsley and sent to A. Rushforth, 45 Tune Street, Wombwell, BarnsleyS73 8PX

South Yorkshire Stagecoach bus drivers take eighth day of strike action.

As South Yorkshire Stagecoach bus drivers took their eighth day of strike action SP members visited the picket line. Article by Alistair Tice.

Stagecoach busdrivers in Barnsley and Rotherham, members of the Unite trade union, took their eight day of strike action on Monday 16th January in pursuit of their pay claim for £9.50/hour.

Boosted by a branch members ballot which had overwhelming rejected the company offer by 206 votes to 89, pickets at the Rawmarsh depot were in determined mood. One steward said that he had spent 16 hours on the picket line last time, put newspapers down his trousers and mustard powder around his toes to keep warm in the freezing temperatures!

Drivers were on £8-57/hour and had a 2% rise imposed, taking them to £8-74.

The ‘offer’ was £9-05/hour but with no back-pay (due from April 2011) and no further rise until 2013, in other words a two year pay deal, with many strings attached.

How far Stagecoach South Yorkshire pay has fallen behind other bus drivers was illustrated by three Arriva bus union reps on the picket line in solidarity - they are on £11-43/hour.

The Barnsley and Rotherham drivers have been taking strike action since November but Stagecoach is bussing in supervisors and managers from all around the country who are prepared to take the “boss’s shilling”. The result is the depot is able to get out about 60% of the services.

But at what cost? The pickets have seen a pay slip showing up to £155 bonuses per day for strike breakers on top of their wage. Hotel and travel is also paid. So the strikers are not disheartened because Stagecoach can’t keep this up as its more expensive than paying the drivers and they clearly can afford to pay the increase they are seeking!

Messages of support should be emailed to Barnsley Unite branch secretary Tony Rushforth at a-rushforth@sky.com Cheques should be made payable to Unite, 8-9/9 Barnsley and sent to A Rushforth, 45 Tune Street, Wombwell, Barnsley S73 8PX

Name the day of the next strike!!!

PCS Left Unity is organising a 'organising conference' early in 2012 to put pressure on the TUC to stop the pensions sell-out!

PCS Left Unity National Committee

DEFEND PENSIONS - ESCALATE ACTION

NAME DAY FOR NATIONAL STRIKE

Organising Conference Saturday: Friends Meeting House

(opp. Euston Station) 7th January 2012 11am – 4pm

Chair: Janice Godrich PCS President

Speaker: Mark Serwotka PCS General Secretary

(other speakers to be announced)

November 30th was the biggest show of strength from Britain’s trade unions in living memory. It shook the coalition government and provided a firm foundation for the escalation of industrial action to defeat the unjustified attack on pensions and to challenge the coalition’s pay freeze, cuts and privatisation programme.

At the TUC’s Public Sector Liaison Group Mark Serwotka on behalf of PCS argued the TUC should set the date for a further day of nationally coordinated strike action to bring the government into serious negotiations. Although there was some support for this position the TUC general secretary Brendan Barber argued that all the unions should sign up to a so-called “Heads of Agreement”, this means the core issues, on which we took action, working longer, paying more and getting less, are surrendered, just  as the government have wanted. Dave Prentis, the general secretary of Unison, argued for acceptance of this “deal”.

It is almost beyond belief that when the confidence of the movement is at its highest point in decades as a result of November 30th and with an additional 100,000 recruits due to the action such an abject surrender is being considered. Now is the time to set the date, as early as possible in 2012, preferably January, for a further day of nationally coordinated industrial action which can be escalated by bringing even more unions on board including workers, like those in Unilever, fighting to defend private sector pensions.  

The PCS Left Unity National Committee invites all activists from all unions to an organising conference on the 7th of January to debate how we can build the campaign to defend our pensions and fight the cuts and prevent any unacceptable “deal” that makes us work longer, pay more and get less.

This will be an organising conference, not just a debating forum. It is intended to arm activists with the issues so they can go back to their workplaces and into their unions in order to build a campaign that will secure justice on pensions.

To cover costs there will be a registration fee of £5 for waged delegates.

FAIR PENSIONS FOR ALL - STOP THE CUTS - NO PRIVATISATION

Nov 30 - March and Rally in Rotherham!

Rotherham is to hold a March and Rally on November 30th to support the stikes in the public sector.

In a meeting organised by Rotherham Unison branches, with representatives from many unions, community groups and campaigning groups, the following action was agreed in order to promote and to support the strikes:

10am: After pickets, gather outside town hall.
10:30am: Start the March around Rotherham (details + map below - red line marks the route of the march).
11am: arrive for a rally in All Saints Square
11:15am onwards: Board coaches and head to Sheffield to join the regional demonstrations.

Also there will be 'Action Days' held on Saturday12th and 19th November, leafletting and promoting the strike and the march. Stalls will be organised in All Saints Square and outside the Market/Halifax Bank/Boots.

MARCH DETAILS: - March begins outside Rotherham Town Hall
- March behind Job Centre along Stanley street
- Turn left, down the hill, along Mansfield Road
- Turn left and march along Wellgate
- Turn right, up the hill, along Doncaster Gate
- Turn left along Howard Street/Eastwood Lane past RCAT
- Turn left, down the hill, along Wharnecliffe Street/ Drummond Street past the Markets and Rotherham Central Library
- Turn Left, march along Henry Street/ Effingham Street towards All Saints Square
- Rally in All Saints Square