This column is devoted to reporting the resistance by working people to the employers' assault on their living standards, working conditions, and unions.
We invite you to contribute short items to this column as a way for other fighting workers around the world to read about and learn from these important struggles. Jot down a few lines about what is happening in your union, at your workplace, or other workplaces in your area, including interesting political discussions.
Walkouts at Ford assembly plants in Dagenham and Southampton, England, stopped production November 16-17. The workers were protesting a final pay offer of 4.75 percent this year and promise of another 4.5 percent next year. A grade 2 line worker is currently paid 6.92 per hour ($10.73).
The Transport and General Workers Union (TGWU) and the Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union (AEEU) are demanding a 10 percent wage increase and a cut in the average workweek from 39 to 37 hours.
The walkouts at Dagenham began after meetings called by shop stewards gave out details of the company offer in the Paint, Trim, and Assembly plant. "The day shift downed tools - no way can we work tonight," said one worker.
Many workers at the Dagenham plant are new hires who have never been on strike before.
"We've given them a 90 percent increase in productivity; all they're giving us is 4.75 percent," said one worker.
"Yesterday's action came on the same day that a substantially new version of the Dagenham-built Fiesta formally went on sale in the UK," said an article in the Financial Times November 17. "The importance of the Fiesta to Ford could increase the workforce's leverage over management in the pay negotiations."
Irving oil workers say no to union-busting offer
One and a half years on strike has not deterred the
fighting spirit of workers at the Irving Oil refinery in
Saint John, New Brunswick. On November 9, they voted by 90
percent to refuse the latest contract demand from the
company and continue the strike.
"We're very pleased with such a high vote for rejection," said striking worker Cathy Dube in an interview. "It's a tough situation but we're more united than ever."
Strikers have traveled across eastern Canada and the northeastern United States explaining their fight and urging people to boycott Irving Oil products.
Irving Oil is facing stiff opposition in Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state, for its plan to build an oil storage facility along the city's harbourfront. Many residents are concerned about fire safety and pollution.
Horizon Airlines workers rally in British Columbia
Over 100 unionists from British Columbia rallied in
support of 65 members of the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW)
Local 4234 on strike against Horizon Airlines, October 30.
The protest was held in front of the Horizon terminal in
Vancouver. The airline serves 37 cities in the United
States and Canada and is owned by Alaska Air Group.
The company insists on the right to contract out work, call in casual labor without any seniority rights, and have management personnel perform work done by union employees.
Not a single striker has crossed the picket line during the two-month strike. The company has flown in replacement workers from Calgary, and has hired a private security firm.
The solidarity rally buoyed the already high spirits of the youthful strikers. "We have too little to lose, as we are so low paid," said one striker. "We also have much to gain for ourselves and our union by the example our solidarity gives."
Christchurch hospital cleaners reject contract
Cleaners at two public hospitals in Christchurch, New
Zealand, are mounting daily picket lines since they refused
to sign a new contract cutting their wages and working
conditions.
The new terms of employment were offered by Crothals P&O, which had just won the contract to clean the hospitals from the Canterbury Health hospital administration. The new company wants to eliminate penal (overtime) rates. Workers on the afternoon shift from Monday to Friday stand to lose NZ$100 a week (NZ$1 = US$.65). Under the contract workers are expected to reapply for their cleaning jobs.
The Hotel and Hospital Workers Union explains in their newsletter that reapplying for jobs had been "a humiliating experience as members with 18 years service were told they didn't have jobs or those offered jobs had their hours cut with increased cleaning!"
To date the big majority of the cleaners have refused to sign the contract despite being told their jobs would be advertised if they did not agree to new conditions. The company is claiming that all positions have now been filled.
Expressing the workers' determination to fight, one picket declared, "With those kind of conditions they can stuff the job."
Food workers in North London fight lockout
Some 150 people joined a demonstration November 3
outside J.J. Fast Foods, a food distribution company in
Tottenham, North London, called to support 50 workers who
are fighting a lockout. The workers were sacked after they
organized into the Transport and General Workers Union
(TGWU) to fight for better wages and conditions.
Demonstrators chanted slogans in Turkish and English. The majority of the workers are of Turkish origin.
Forty-five of the 78 workers had joined the TGWU, held a mass meeting, and elected a shop steward. They presented a list of demands to the boss. According to a strike support leaflet these included: all workers to have contracts; holiday, sick, and overtime pay; lunch and tea breaks for warehouse workers; two shifts for workers in the freezers; and other demands.
When the boss learned that they had joined the union, he sacked 40 workers at once. Another 12 joined them on the picket line.
The boss sent out thugs to attack the picket lines on October 31. Four workers were injured; one was hospitalized with a broken nose. The cops detained one worker overnight and let the company goons walk away.
Farmworkers take strike action in Florida
"The bosses say that we're going to go back on our
knees," said one striker. "No" shouted back the crowd. That
was the mood of 150 farmworkers at a strike meeting on the
third day of their walkout against Pacific Land Company, in
Immokalee, Florida.
The workers struck November 13 after the company reduced wages to $3.85 an hour. Workers are demanding $5.25 an hour.
At the strike meeting, the strikers and their supporters, who included packinghouse workers and others, sang and danced to the rhythm of Haitian protest songs. Most of the farmworkers are from Mexico, Guatemala, and Haiti.
The farmworkers receive no health insurance, have no housing provided, and don't get paid when there isn't work due to rain or a bad harvest.
The workers are confident that with the peek of the harvest coming their strike will win.
Contributors to this column include: Tony Hunt in London; Roger Annis, member of Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union Local 841 in Montreal; Mark Severs, member of IAM Local 2202 in Seattle; Ruth Gray, member of the Engineers Union in Christchurch, New Zealand; Martin Hill, member of the TGWU from London; and Rollande Girard and Verónica Poses from Miami.