LEEDS STRIKERS NOW BEEN OUT FOR SEVEN WEEKS
600 members of GMB and Unison have been on all out strike since the 7th September over Leeds Council’s proposals to level down pay for workers in the refuse and street cleaning department to achieve equal pay. These workers face pay cuts of up to £6,000 down from an average of £18,000. The City Council is run by a Lib Dem/Tory administration.
I understand that a deal was offered by management recently that would have brought many strikers up to more or less their previous pay level, but would still have left a few workers thousands of pounds worse off. These divide and rule tactics by management have failed, and the workforce is standing together.
In its own way this is just as importnat as the post workers strike. Equal pay used to mean levelling up pay, the idea that it means levelling it down it a terrible idea that undermines the whole purpose of fighting for equality. My GMB branch sent a £200 donation this week, the whole movement needs to support these workers.
I understand that Brighton is lining up for a similar dispute.
The address to send the cheques maDE payable to ‘GMB strike fund’ to GMB strike fund, GMB Yorkshire & North Derbyshire Region, Grove Hall, 60 College Grove Road, Wakefield, WF1 3RN.
Sack ‘em
Comment by Frank — 25 October, 2009 @ 2:10 pm
#1
Well I am sure that having no-one at all to collect the rubbish would be a ggreat delight to the good burghers of leeds
Comment by Andy Newman — 25 October, 2009 @ 2:29 pm
we also need to ensure that we as a Labour Movement push equal pay more.
We should not allow the “no win no fee” layers to get in and rob women blind by doing deals for less and making them pay out of their awards.
However you have to ask what have/will we be doing about equal pay.
How many strikes have we had/organised in the public sector and private sector to seue this objective
when we know women in many areas are paid less than men
Comment by sean — 25 October, 2009 @ 2:33 pm