Local Government Workers Strike in Support of Just Demands

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Local Government Workers Strike in Support of Just Demands

Up to 75,000 of London’s local government workers organised by unions Unison, T&G and GMB will take action today, Tuesday, October 1, in defence of their claim for a flat rate £4,000 (or 4% rise) London Allowance. A rally at Potters Field beside the Greater London Assembly Headquarters in Tower Bridge will also press home the workers’ argument, also to be underlined at picket lines at each of the 32 London Local Authorities. Selective action targeting Councils’ revenue raising capacity is intended after Tuesday’s strike.

London’s workers live and work in one of the most expensive cities in Europe where the cost of living outpaces inflation and is said to be 30% above the national average; and where transport costs outstrip any other European capital. It is these costs which see Local Government’s workers – dinner ladies, street cleaners, refuse collectors, classroom assistants, leisure centre staff, as well as office workers, administrators, planners, environmental health staff, housing officers and social workers – some of whom earn just £9,000 a year – being forced out of the capital or out of their jobs.

London Allowance compensates already low paid local government workers for the high costs of living in the capital city. Such facts have already been endorsed by a recent inquiry report commissioned by the Greater London Assembly, which found that the city’s public sector workers require a 37% top up to their salaries.

Unions have also pointed out that that the extra cash will not only help these hard-pressed workers get more of a chance to find homes but will also ease recruitment pressures in key roles. Despite this overwhelming evidence in support of workers’ demands, employers’ organisations have refused to negotiate any further on a claim submitted back in July 2001.

London’s local government workers are fighting as much for recognition of their crucial role in making London run and their job security as in protest at the dismantling of public services through contracting out, privatisation and PFI schemes.

Tuesday’s action will be the fifth in the campaign, during which strike action in May, June and July has pressed home the workers stand. Linked with the recently settled national pay award dispute, where one of the largest ever strikes of public sector workers took place – with widespread public support – local government workers are refusing to pay the price for the anti-social offensive. Opposing the Private Finance Initiative, the selling-off of services, which go together with increased workloads, deteriorating facilities and poor resources, workers want pay that reflects their professional standard.

The stand being taken by the local government workers is that their claims are important in light of their position at the forefront of delivering social programmes. Workers’ demands are just and a part of the struggle to reject the claims of the financiers and the New Labour government that the most important thing is to take to pieces the concept of a modern society which cares for its members. Selling-off schools, hospitals, elderly-day care centres and nurseries and other services under PFI schemes is not about saving money – and neither is refusing to pay the local government workers what they are worth. Recognising local government workers’ just demands is an investment in the future of society just as is the investment in social programmes, which they are instrumental in providing, organising and delivering.

WDIE supports the local government workers in striking in defence of their dignity, their standard of living and in defence of the future of social programmes. Keeping the initiative in their own hands is the surest way of securing their aims.