PCS Members On Strike Outside The Museum Of Wales, Cardiff, 2016. Picture via Jamie Insole, Facebook
WALES COULD SEE A WAVE OF STRIKES IN THE SPRING AS DISPUTES OVER SAFETY, FIRE-AND-REHIRE TACTICS AND SICKNESS PAY FOR KEY WORKERS INTENSIFY.
On Tuesday, the PCS union announced that DVLA workers in Morriston, Swansea will strike for four days at the start of April over workplace safety after huge numbers of Covid cases were recorded on site.
The news comes as British Gas workers in the GMB union prepare to enter their 39th day of strike action in a long running battle against savage fire-and-rehire proposals that will dramatically cut their pay.
And GMB members in home and garden store Wilko could also strike in the coming weeks if bosses don’t reverse their decision to strip them of almost all their sick pay in a pandemic
Finally, workers at Cardiff University in the UCU are gearing up for potential strike action as well. They are in dispute over management’s refusal to guarantee that no member of staff will be forced into face-to-face working whilst Covid presents a significant health risk.
Two of these disputes – the DVLA and Cardiff University – are Wales only, whilst British Gas and Wilko are UK-wide.
These are the issues that workers are taking action over
DVLA Workers, PCS Union:
Workers at the DVLA offices in Morriston, Swansea, yesterday announced 4 days of strike actions from 6-9 April, in a dispute over Covid safety.
The strike comes after more than 600 DVLA workers on site have tested positive for Coronavirus since September. According to the union, this is the highest number of cases of any single UK workplace. Despite this, over 2,000 staff have still been going into the workplace every day, whereas during the first lockdown only 250 went in to carry out essential tasks.
71.6% of workers voted for strike action on a turnout of 50.3%.
PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: “This result is a damning indictment on DVLA management in their abject failure to keep staff safe.
“Our members have sent a loud and clear message that they are not safe at their place of work. The strength of feeling amongst staff comes as no surprise, given the management’s disregard for the safety of their workers.
“Our members have been forced into this position and industrial action will take place unless management immediately implements all necessary changes to ensure staff are safe at work.”
British Gas Workers, GMB Union:
British Gas Workers have already been on strike for 38 days, staggered over three months. From Friday, March 26th to Monday, March 29th thousands will be back out to take part in strike days 39 to 42.
They are fighting brutal ‘fire and rehire’ plans, where bosses are trying to sack them and bring them back on less pay.
As things stand, on April 1st, a mass sacking of British Gas engineers will happen unless they accept a 15% cut in pay rates, and changes to terms and conditions that they have already overwhelmingly, and repeatedly, rejected.
The union is considering a national lockout dispute and fixing further strike days if bosses don’t back down.
Thursday, March 25th, is the deadline for staff up to the imposed cuts. Those failing to sign will not be paid lump sum payments by British Gas and will be given 12 weeks notice before they are sacked.
Wilko Shop Workers, GMB Union:
Essential workers who have been working throughout the pandemic in the home and garden store Wilko have indicated that they would be prepared to strike after bosses made ‘savage’ cuts to their sick pay, whilst keeping their own terms intact.
A consultative ballot showed that 88% of Wilko workers would vote for industrial action in an official ballot.
The discount high street chain remained open throughout the pandemic, and unlike many others was open on Boxing Day, thanks to its workers. But Wilko bosses have now announced a major attack on staff sick pay.
Currently Wilko employees are entitled to up to four occasions of sickness on company sick pay, after which they have to take the first three days of sick leave unpaid. But from February 1st, if a Wilko employee has a single day of sickness, they will have no further entitlement to company sick pay for the next 12 months.
Many of the workers are on minimum wage, low hours and also have no entitlement to statutory sick pay which will leave them with no income if they become ill.
This is especially painful for workers to take in a pandemic, when the lack of sick pay has been blamed for workers having no choice but to work when they may have Coronavirus symptoms. Astonishingly, management is exempt from these changes.
Roger Jenkins, GMB National Officer, said:
“Wilko key workers are furious – and no wonder. They’ve worked through the pandemic – risking themselves and their families – dealing with a lack of social distancing, increased threats and abuse from customers. “Now bosses have told them they’re slashing their sick pay entitlement, which management are keeping theirs. It’s grotesque.
“Wilko, a so-called family company, should be utterly ashamed of themselves. But GMB members at Wilko have spoken. They’ve had enough and they are ready to strike unless these insulting changes are taken off the table.
“GMB has contacted Wilko requesting meaningful negotiation on the sick pay agreement. “If Wilko will not negotiate then strike action across Wilko’s is now inevitable.”
Cardiff University Workers, UCU Union:
Higher education workers in the University and College Union (UCU) have written to the Vice Chancellor, Colin Riordan, to declare an official dispute and potential strike ballot over unsafe working conditions.
The union says that management has failed to “give a commitment not to compel any member of staff to attend face to face work while the Covid 19 pandemic poses a significant public health risk.”
UCU says that the dispute can still be resolved through meaningful negotiation, but that the union is satisfied that there is a basis for strike action.
“Cardiff University management repeatedly claims to take the health and wellbeing of its staff extremely seriously and the pandemic would have been a good time to stand by those words,” the UCU says in a statement.
“We know of many colleagues who are being asked to take risks that are either unnecessary or unacceptable considering their personal circumstances. However, management refuses to empower workers with a choice, claiming they can’t make a public statement that no one will be coerced into working face-to-face on campus because they believe appropriate procedures are already in place and such a statement would imply that this coercion is currently happening.”
“Their own staff surveys have continually revealed lack of confidence in management and staff’s concerns about raising issues with their managers. People are going from terrified to desperate and levels of anger are growing. We urge the University management not to let this dispute escalate any further and to act now.”
“This situation is regretful and unnecessary. While mediation discussions are ongoing and UCU still hopes this dispute can be resolved through that, the potential for industrial action is now very real.”
Have we missed a dispute? Please email us at walesvoice@gmail.com to let us know.
