Local Government Workers' Militant Action in Defence of their Interests

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Local Government Workers' Militant Action in Defence of their Interests

Councils Accused of Pre-Strike Bullying

Plaid Cymru Supports Local Government Workers

Whilst the New Labour government presents itself as above suspicion for the deterioration of local government services, up to 1.2 million workers will today, July 17, take united mass action in protest at their employers' rejection of the demand for a 6% pay increase and to end the erosion of workers' pay and conditions.

The first national local government strikes since 1979 – with further strikes expected during August – highlights local government workers' important role in society. Led by UNISON, the GMB and Transport and General Workers (TGWU) unions, the strike action will affect all council services – residential care, social services, education, environmental health, housing, transport, refuse collection, catering and cleaning. Schools, libraries and leisure centres will close, rubbish will not be collected, litterbins will not be emptied and street cleaning will be disrupted. Housing, planning, transport, home helps, catering and cleaning will also be affected. Picket lines outside council offices and buildings, lobbies of council meetings, and marches and rallies in towns and cities will present workers' immediate demands, as well as their case for an end to the damage caused by contracting out vital services and successive governments' refusal to invest in social programmes.

The campaign for a 6% pay award is part of the struggle to prevent the sale of local government services to private companies. It represents the workers defending their livelihoods, pay and conditions. The stand of the local government workers is thwarting central government initiatives from going through smoothly and is defending public services from attacks aimed at dismantling the means by which society is organised to meets people’s needs. By summing up the success of this campaign and continuing to discuss what serves their interests and those of the entire society, local government workers show that there is an alternative to the anti-social plans of the government.

WDIE wishes the local government workers success in their campaign.

Councils have been condemned for widespread intimidation of workers ahead of today's national strike by 1.2 million workers.

The Transport and General Workers Union said workers across the country were being threatened with privatisation, redundancy, pay and pension cuts and disciplinary action if they joined the walkout. But union officials said there would still be solid support for the strike, and that the councils' tactics would not work.

The TGWU said that it was immoral for councils to intimidate low-paid workers who would be striking. The TGWU has polled its members with a "bullywatch" survey. The union claimed dozens of local authorities had written to workers threatening privatisation and job losses.

In one case, a council told its employees they were in breach of their contract by joining the strike, even though workers are protected in law against dismissal. Another had allegedly threatened shop stewards with disciplinary action if they spoke to the local press, and another had told older workers that their pensions would suffer.

A UNISON spokesperson said, "Councils have no right to threaten staff, especially over pensions – this is an abuse of the employer-employee relationship."

A GMB spokesperson said, "If they want to avoid strike action, the way to do it would be to come back round the table with a reasonable offer."

These threats show that there is not a level playing field for the workers, and that it is just for them to persist in their action to reverse the attacks on their pay and conditions.

The trade union section of Plaid Cymru has given its full support to the local government workers, as they prepare to take part in the 24-hour strike today.

The Secretary of Undeb – the party’s trade union section – Ian Titherington is an active UNISON steward in local government and will be taking his place on the picket line. He stated, "Your local Council has more of a direct affect on people's lives than any other democratic structure, yet the employees never get the recognition they deserve – this has to change."

He pointed out that many local government workers have to rely on benefits to get by.

He added, "Any employer's most valuable asset is its workforce. If the Government is intent on investing in a modern and more effective local government service, then it needs to give recognition to the workers who will be expected to deliver it."