GMB union members and supporters protested last Friday at Bakkavor foods in north west London as they prepare for an indicative strike ballot over low pay (Pic: Guy Smallman)
Now there Asda be a strike
Asda supermarket workers staged protests across Britain for the second week in a row on Monday.
The GMB union members are fighting against bosses attempts to force them to sign a punitive new contract.
Protests took place in Leeds, Glasgow, Nottingham, Walsall, Bolton, Brighton, Ellesmere Port, Great Yarmouth, Lowestoft, Norwich, Stanley, Taunton and Manchester.
Bosses at Asda have told workers they must sign up to the new contract by 2November—or face the sack.
Gary Carter, GMB national officer, said, “Workers who have given years of loyal service are being told ‘sign this brutal contract or get the sack in time for Christmas’.
“By forcing people to sign this contract, Asda are making people choose between their families or their jobs.”
GMB should ballot its members for strikes.
Sodexo workers vote on St Mary’s battle
Up to 100 workers outsourced to Sodexo at St Mary’s hospital in west London began a strike ballot this week.
Cleaners, porters and caterers in the United Voices of the World union are demanding the living wage and payment for overtime.
They want Sodexo to provide routine vaccinations and supply workers with more sets of uniforms.
One worker said, “Sodexo has provided only two pairs of work trousers over the last five years.”
Turnout threshold missed by one vote
Unite union members at homelessness charity St Mungo’s were set to meet this week after a vote for strikes.
The workers voted for strikes against a punitive new contract by 78 percent.
But they missed the 50 percent threshold under the anti-union laws—by one vote.
Isn’t this an obvious case for union leaders defying the law and urging workers to take action anyway?
Liverpool university workers say no cuts
University of Liverpool support staff were set to begin strikes on Saturday.
The Unite union members, are fighting over changes to terms and conditions which could see them lose £3,000 a year.
They planned further 24-hour walkouts on Tuesday and Friday of next week and Saturday 19 October.
Luton settlement after 73 strike days
Security guards at London Luton airport have ended their long-running dispute after talks.
The Unite union members staged 73 days of strikes against bosses’ plans to impose a new shift pattern.
The plans would have seen 15 extra days of work with no extra pay and the loss of a number of full weekends.
Unite says airport bosses “finally accepted alternative proposals which workers could also support”.
Bexleyheath restructure campaign
NEU Education union members at Bexleyheath Academy were set to strike on Wednesday over a restructure.
Workers at the south east London school have faced months of turmoil after the school was said to be failing by schools inspectorate Ofsted.
The Academies Enterprise Trust manages Bexleyheath Academy.
It was told earlier this year that the school could have its funding cut if the academy failed to make “clear improvement”.