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The fight against attempts to cut Sparks pay by 35% continued this week
with protests around the country and a very lively rank and file meeting
of Unite construction workers on Tuesday. Here are some reports...
London Construction Branch Meeting Write up.......
This evening (Tuesday) saw the London Construction Branch meeting at Conway Hall. Unite were there in full force with Gail Cartmail (Assistant General Secretary), Bernard McAuley (National Construction Officer) and Vince Passfield (London Regional Officer)
After a couple off beers in the nice and cheap Samuel
Smiths pub round the corner, we arrived just in time for the 6:30 start.
The meeting was split in to two halves. Unite first and then the Rank
and File.
 The Unite part of the meeting was kicked off by Vince
who went on to tell us about what is happening, BESNA and some other
bits that have been said a few times before. Also spoke about being
questioned by police for an hour after last weeks protests. Trying to
find out information on future protests etc.
A representative from the American Union, The
Brootherhood of Teamsters got up and spoke. He offered his solidaity,
confirmed that they would be at the protest tomorrow at The Tate Modern
and asked us to attend thieir protest outside Sotherby's this Thursday.
They are currently in dispute in New York. Information can be found here
Steve Kelly then took to the podium and read out the email from Bernard
McAuley, hit Unite with the Blacklist problems and even got heckled by
Malcolm Bonnet the Unite Officer for South East. Who was quickly spoken
to by Vince and remained quiet after that.
Bernard McAuley then took the mic and explained the
email and the points raised in it. He apologised, asked that we unite,
move on together and put it behind us. Some will be happy with that,
some wont. Time will tell.
He spoke about the legality issues with the ballot.
How Balfour are the main target. Get them and the rest will scatter.
There are 1690 affected workers at Balfour Beatty and Unite are gathering all their details as we speak.
HVCA/BESNA have applied for the CSCS card issuing
license so that they can have their own card grading scheme. Unite,
UCATT and GMB are leading a three pronged attack/lobby against the
license being granted.
I got the impression that John Moore, Balfour Beatty MD is a bit of a twat
Made a few points about BESNA, one that I hadn't
noticed yet, the 37.5 hour week. At the moment it is split into 7.5 hour
days, Monday to Friday. Under BESNA it is 37.5 hours over the week. The
worked hours are at the companies discretion. So you could have to work
three 12.5 hour days and sit at home for the rest of the week as that's
your core hours done. Once again, nothing is in stone. All too flimsy,
with it all in the companies court.
There will be an important update with regards to the ballot early next week.
Sellafield have stated to Balfour Beatty and Crown
House that they are not happy with the situation. They are not happy
with BESNA. They want workers engaged under the JIB and will NOT
tolerate any protests, walk outs, strikes on their site.
The underlying message was that Unite are restricted in
what they can do due to legal reasons but as rank and file we are not
held back by the law and Bernard said "You know what you have got to
do".
 Gail Cartmail then took to the stage and spoke. First
thing she mentioned was to do with her husband and her arse (ooh er
missus). She went on to speak about her investigation into Blacklisting,
offering her full support and admitted that there was still alot more
work to be done.
Outlined that Balfour Beatty are the main target. Get the big one and the others will melt.
Spoke about the fact that the companies are using Section 188
It is the intention of Unite to take the Ballot forward within the week.
She echoed the message from Bernard that "You know what you have got to do".
There was a Q&A session that followed. Some good points raised and
That was the Unite part of the meeting out of the way.
So as to protect the Untie officials from knowing information about
forthcoming protests they left the stage.
Steve Kelly took to the stage again.
We elected a London Rank and File committee to help organise and co-ordinate the London protests.
Four people were elected, Steve being one of them.
On Wednesday at Oxford Street a spark was arrested for a
public order offence. He received a caution and a 6 hour spell in the
cells. Because of this he lost a days money. At the end Steve collected a
whipround to put some money the blokes way for the loss of his days
money. The excess that was collected will be put into the Rank and File
committee collection.
Future targets and tactics were discussed but I will keep those quiet for the time being.
All in all I thought it was a positive meeting.
Union are tied by law.
They are behind the RnF movement.
"You know what you have got to do" basically translates
to give them hell. Walk off, protests, unoffical action is the way
forward.
The ballot is not far away, keep calm.
Target Balfour Beatty
Nice to see the Teamsters here offering Solidarity whilst in the area.
I have probably missed loads out but I am tired and am getting up in four hours to get to The Tate
Report from Electricians Against The World Blog via Siteworker
Round Up Of Wednesdays Protests..........
Today (Wednesday) there were protests in London, Newcastle and the North West. There
is one tomorrow at Sellafield Power Station and there is a protest in
London that needs our solidarity.
London
Tommy Clarke's, Mace, at The Tate Modern
I arrived at around 6:00am to do a little reccy of the area. There were
at least 15 riot vans with at least 7 police in each. Rather over the
top for what have been incredibly peaceful protests so far. People
started arriving at around 6:30 and by 7:00 there were a good 300 there.
There were students with us in solidarity, three representatives from
the American Union The Teamsters, Labour MP for Hayes and Harlington and
a few others. Plus the usual faces of Mick Dooley (UCATT), Unite
Officers and The Rank and File.
The amount of police hanging around was stupid. On all the corners, at
every gate, all quite far away from their vans. After around twenty
minutes of speeches the call went out to man the gates. So off we trot
to blockade the site entrance and gates. We then notice that the front
of the pack have marched past the gate. In a confused state we follow.
Round to the front of The Tate Modern we go and onto the Millennium
Bridge. Chants of "who's bridge, our bridge" rung out but we didn't hang
around long. It soon dawned on us that we were giving the police the
run about. Quick jump over the river and bye bye 15 riot vans.
With only 5 old bill with us now we crossed the river and stopped in the
middle of a road near St Paul's Cathedral. Five police officers telling
300 people to move from the street or you will be arrested doesn't
quite have the same effect. After 15 minutes more police arrived so we
marched down the road. Blocking off the whole road as we went. The
whispers started going round to head to Blackfriars Station. Balfour
Beatty. So that's where we headed.
Still blocking all the road as we went, we finally arrived. The police
had second guessed us this time and had several riot vans waiting. We
set ourselves up outside the site entrance and the speeches started
again. Lads from the site came and joined us and listened in to the
speeches and were happy to take the leaflets in to site. At 8:30 the
protest was over for another week.
North East (provided by the North East RnF Committee)
Balfour Beatty, Carrington Paper Mill, Trafford
All electrical work stopped for the day at Balfour’s Carrington paper
mill site in Greater Manchester, as protests in the north-west hit a new
level organised from below by the Rank & File.
Around 100 sparks from across the region, together with 2 from Newcastle
and 2 from Nottingham, protested outside the turnstiles. Despite
numerous threats of sacking and victimisation, especially from
Balfour’s, the protest drew a tremendous response from sparks on site.
Many sparks stayed away for the day. Four van-loads from Taylors spoke
to protesters and then turned round and drove away. This is the first
large-scale stoppage in the region, following action by a smaller number
on the Liverpool central library site. The paper mill is a huge site
with Balfour’s at the head of the Dirty 7 breakaway pay cutters. Steve
Acheson, Unite branch secretary and north-west member of the Rank &
File national steering committee, told me:
“The private security met us first thing when we got here, they said
we’re not allowed to protest outside the turnstiles because it’s a
private entrance. They wanted us to move down to the road. But the
police came and, as before, they agreed it’s OK for us to protest where
we are.
“Today is a brilliant result, with a great response from all the
electrical personnel on the site, and this is despite widespread threats
of getting the sack for lads who didn’t turn into work today. All the
personnel are quite rightly fired up by this savage attack by Balfour’s
who are slashing our living standards with this 35% pay cut.
“This is just the first of many more protests.”
Protest will return to Carrington in two weeks time and workers are
confident of even bigger numbers and even bigger impact on the
companies. The only discordant note of the day was that Unite officials
held a small protest at Manchester town hall and then Salford MediaCity.
Rank & File protests are scheduled for the next two weeks and these
should receive full support from every echelon of Unite and across the
trade union movement.
Weds 19 October, 6.30-10am, Manchester town hall (NG Baileys)
Weds 26 October, 6.30-10am, Carrington paper mill (Balfours)
Newcastle (provided by the Newcastle RnF Committee)
First of all very big and grateful thanks to the folks around the Star
and Shadow cinema who provided tea before the crack of dawn.
Special mention must also be made to the two carloads of lads who travelled up from Teeside in quite atrocious weather.
But the really appalling weather didn't dampen the enthusiasm of the 50 or so who turned up to the demonstration.
It seems as though the employer did the same trick at this site as at
the Tyne Tunnel a couple of weeks ago and told people to take half the
morning off on full pay. This is a big victory for us and it also shows
that if the employers are certainly taking us seriously.
The entire site was in darkness. We saw just a few shadowy figures
wandering around. So we went into the site to talk to those we saw. None
admitted to being an electrician. They complained about the lack of
electricity on the site. Just a couple of days ago there was plenty of
electricity to that site but not today. Anyhow we had a good talk with
the people we saw and left leaflets.
Unfortunately one idiot on the site threw a brick at us. Fortunately no
more bricks came our way, just as well otherwise we would have gone onto
the site to ask why they had done it.
With the rain still lashing down just about horizontally one of the lads
from Teeside suggested we block the entrance and no traffic would be
allowed in. Just after this a heavy goods vehicle tried to enter the
site. We refused. After 2 minutes Benfield Road was a solid car park in
both directions. When the driver realised we weren't gonna move he drove
off.
Just after this the employer shut the gates onto the site. Moments later a van of contractors left the site.
We then planned our next demonstration for Ashington High school.
The Teeside lads promised to plan a demonstration at the Corus
steelworks in the next week or two. For an effective blockade of this
massive site we need a big turnout. As lads from Teeside have been to
all our actions we need to get down there.
It was said that 14 of the lads who were at the Balfours office
demonstration were finished shortly afterwards at the Tunnel. Was this
coincidence ? We know the Tunnel job is coming to its natural end.
Before these pay offs were made known the lads were phoned up by
agencies to ask if they had taken part in the demonstration. So be
careful what you say on the phone.
Reports from Electricians Against The World Blog via Siteworker
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