Vol. 72/No. 19      May 12, 2008

The striking workers came from around the country to demand that their wages keep up with inflation. They were joined by lecturers from the University and College Union.

NUT member Liam Russell pointed out that there were three strikes taking place yesterday, and “I am here to show my support for all of them.” He was referring to the 100,000 civil servants employed in Jobcentres and government benefits offices who were striking over pay issues.

“The tide is turning,” said Sarah Anderson from Bedfordshire. “Had the members of the National Association of Schoolmasters been balloted, they would have joined us today.”

One hand-made placard stated simply “Young People = Large Debts.”

Speaking on behalf of the government, schools secretary Ed Balls said, “I think teachers ought to be teaching classes.”

Teachers are expected to set more strike days.

—Alan Harris

Quebec meat packers
walk out over suspensions
VALLéE-JONCTION, Quebec—On April 18, 320 workers walked out of the cutting room at the Olymel pork cut and kill plant here to protest the suspension of two coworkers. The work stoppage closed the entire plant, which employs 1,100 production workers.

That evening a meeting of 500 workers, members of the Confederation of National Trade Unions, voted to continue the strike the next Monday even though the Labor Board had ruled the action illegal.

“They had suspended two people because they were not boning properly,” Maxime Moreau, a new worker in the cutting room, told the Militant. “One had 35 years seniority.”

“They don’t respect the contract,” said a kill floor worker who asked not to be identified for fear of company retribution. “The suspensions were the last straw.”

On April 20 the workers decided to return after the company agreed to drop disciplinary measures against six workers and to accelerate arbitration for another.

Last year the workers accepted a 27 percent wage cut after voting it down several times.

—Joe Young

New Zealand hospital workers
win back pay after striking
AUCKLAND, New Zealand, April 23—Ten months after winning a wage raise, hospital workers employed by contractor Spotless Services will finally get paid. The victory followed a one-day strike April 2 at 18 hospitals around New Zealand.

Some 800 cleaners, kitchen workers, and orderlies, organized by the Service and Food Workers Union, were involved in the action to demand payment of a wage increase they won last July.

“They have not paid us anything,” said union delegate (shop steward) Tearoa Potoru at the picket line outside Middlemore hospital in South Auckland.

Morning pickets at three hospitals in Auckland were followed by a rally of 150 strikers outside Spotless Services headquarters in the Ellerslie section of the city.

Spotless Services is contracted by District Health Boards (DHB) that run the hospitals on behalf of the government. Last July Spotless locked the workers out for nine days. The union responded with pickets and rallies. After the courts declared the lockout illegal, Spotless finally agreed to increase the starting rate to NZ$14.25(U.S. $11.11) an hour, a $2 to $3 pay raise for many workers.

The company then cried poverty, claiming it had underestimated the amount needed to cover the increase under DHB contracts. Following the April 2 strike the DHBs increased their funding to Spotless. The workers will receive back pay for the 10-month delay in the payout.

—Ruth Gray
 
 
Related articles:
Meat packers in Minnesota demand control of line speed
California laundry workers win union representation election  
 
 
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