Striking Polyflor worker says, ‘We should all strike together’

On the picket line on Wednesday (Picture: SWP Manchester)

Striking workers at the Polyflor flooring factory in Whitefield, Greater Manchester organised more lively picket lines this week. 

Workers have been striking intermittently since September. At the beginning of this month 121 GMB union members rejected a below-inflation pay rise from the bosses of 8 percent and began a two-week strike. 

Pickets of over 80 on Wednesday were boosted by an early-morning visit from GMB general secretary Gary Smith. The union official is doing a tour of all GMB’s disputes in the north west of England region. 

The picket was supported by firefighters from Heywood FBU union and UCU union members, Labour councillors and other local supporters. There was lots of loud support from passing cars and lorries. Discussion on the pickets was focused on how up-and-coming strikes in the RCN nursing union, teaching unions and others can build a sense of revolt. 

Many strikers have family members who have been or, are about to go, on strike. One striker told Socialist Worker, “The whole system is corrupt and we should all strike together.”

There are talks of negotiations brokered by conciliation service Acas planned for Friday this week. Some strikers are hoping something comes of these talks, but others are more sceptical. 

One said, “I don’t have any great hopes for these Acas talks. Distribution is key, we need support at the warehouse too”.

Although the union is not officially recognised at the Polyflor warehouse a few miles from the factory, more than 40 percent of this part of the workforce is now in the union. This includes several HGV drivers. They need to be involved in the action, to hit supplies to customers hard.

To win this dispute Polyflor workers must stand strong, continue to mount big picket lines and bring in other sections of the workforce. 

And there can be no backing down in the battle to win a pay rise that at least matches inflation.

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