SUPPORT SHELTER STRIKERS
Homelessness charity Shelter union shop’s ballot for industrial action ended last Thursday. Their dispute arises directly from the government’s policy of commissioning out public services to the “Third” or voluntary sector - Shelter management say they have to cut staff wages and conditions in order to win government contracts for projects previously provided by public sector workers.
The union got a 65.8 per cent turn out for the ballot, and a 76 per cent vote for industrial action — so they will be taking a series of strike days over the next few weeks.
Their first strike day will be Wednesday 5 March, and they will be picketing Shelter’s offices ( at 88 Old Street London EC1V 9HU - see map
They will be picketing from 7.45 am .
The stewards are appealing for people to come on the picket line. They think that one day of strike action will probably not change management’s
mind — and suspect they will be out the following week for two days of strike action, and possibly the week after for three days — so if you can’t make it on Wednesday 5 March, you will probably have another opportunity.
Andy. You forgot to mention this strike was organised by Unite.
http://www.tgwu.org.uk/Templates/News.asp?NodeID=94144&int1stParentNodeID=42438&int2ndParentNodeID=42438&Action=Display
Comment by Ian — 26 February, 2008 @ 1:33 am
Ken Loach has, rightly in my opinion, called on people to boycott Shelter (i.e. don’t give money to it) until dispute is resolved.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/feb/24/socialexclusion.filmnews?gusrc=rss&feed=society
Comment by Joseph Kisolo — 26 February, 2008 @ 8:04 am
Ken Loach also did a good interview on Radio 4 yesterday about the issue.
Comment by Jay Woolrich — 26 February, 2008 @ 9:56 am
This is very important. It’s good that Shelter has union members, I suspect that many of these organisations in the Voluntary Sector do not, and furthermore will not recognise unions unless they have to. A related case is the YMCA, which apart from housing, is nwo vastly expanding to take up state contracts for such as the New Deal.
The use of the voluntary sector (along with private contractors, again in largely non-union environment) will become crucial in government plans to expand what it calls the Flexible New Deal. This will, at its sharpest end, mean that a large section of the long-term unemployed will be forced to do ‘workfare’ - for an indeterminate period. This came bundled up with a whole load of legislation announced last week, including ‘well notes’ for those on various types of Invalidity, sickness benefit, measures to tighten citizenship qualifications for welfare, special obligations on social housing tenants who are out of work, on single parents, and coercion against the workless to fulfil yet more (bogus) ‘training’ and (unpaid) ‘work-experience’, again run by the voluntary and private sector.
It’s hardly surprising that a Cabinet populated by Mr Gradgrind, Bumble the Beadle PLC, Samuel Smiles and Mrs and Mrs Bountiful, finances by the Artful Dodger, is acting like this.
But few seem to be fighting back.
There is a motion to the National Trades Council AGM from Suffolk County Association fo Trades Council against Workfare, the widespread abuse of the system of the New Deal: bullying, financial murk, no rights for the claimants and those in job placements. I have tried also to mention the lack of rights for those who employed to carry out such schemes.
The attacks on the Shelter workers are only the beginning of a full-scale process of ‘welfare reform’ - welfare on the cheap, underpinned by coercion and unfree labour.
Comment by Andrew Coates — 26 February, 2008 @ 10:45 am
George Galloway has sent the following message of support to the Shelter workers and has signed EDM 1016, which all can encourage their MPs to do:
27 February 2008
Dear sisters and brothers,
I have long felt proud to be support the work you do in Shelter, which has done so much to highlight the national scandal of homelessness and overcrowding.
Both those issues blight the lives of large numbers of my constituents in East London. They need Shelter to be a strong, campaigning organisation – that requires a staff which is properly and fairly rewarded, well motivated and respected.
Ken Loach – a fellow leading figure in the Respect party – has already spoken out powerfully in your support, on Radio 4 and elsewhere, and I have no hesitation in joining him.
It is almost beyond belief that you are being forced to sign new, inferior contracts. These are the kinds of neo-liberal measures which on a social scale contribute to the housing crisis Shelter does so much to address.
I know you have not taken the decision to take strike action in defence of your pay and conditions lightly. But you have done so overwhelmingly. I have had over 30 years membership and association with the TGWU – now part of Unite – and I know it has always acted not only for its members but for the wider social good.
As a longstanding friend and supporter of Shelter, I would appeal to the management to meet with your union representatives, withdraw these attacks on your conditions and pay, and together with you seek to win the funding that the charity deserves to do its vital work.
In solidarity,
George Galloway
Respect MP for Bethnal Green and Bow
Comment by Kevin Ovenden — 27 February, 2008 @ 1:16 pm
“government contracts for projects previously provided by public sector workers.”
I have worked in a voluntary organisation for many years, unpaid. I understand what the game is against the Shelter workers. Can someone explain how it would work where workers are unpaid, please?
I suspect that a takeover by a clique is aimed at getting such contracts, but I do not understand the game and therefore what to watch for or how to combat them, apart from trying to get them out, which we are already doing. I would appreciate a bit of education here please.
Comment by Anne Wade — 4 March, 2008 @ 6:54 pm