Page 19 - swtest

REPORTS Get your reports and pictures to us by 12 noon on Monday Phone 020 7840 5656 Socialist Worker 1 April 2020
19
Post PO Box 74955, London E16 9EJ Email reports@socialistworker.co.uk

CAR INDUSTRY SOCIAL WORKERS
Don’t let the bosses Workers in east London
block ‘business as usual’

reopen car factories SOCIAL WORKERS in east watching the updates?’”
Although workers “felt
London have managed to
unsupported from people at
push back management’s
attempts to carry on with
the top,” Simon said workers
have collaborated to find the
“business as usual” during
the coronavirus crisis.
best way to deliver their key
Simon, who works in
“The only way we’re
children’s services, told service.
Socialist Worker that getting through it is speaking
workers received conflicting to each other and thinking of
by CHARLIE KIMBER messages about social our own solutions,” he said.
distancing rules. “We had There has been at least
management saying it was one incident of a manager
CAR BOSSES are drawing business as usual,” he said. implying that a self-isolating
up plans to restart produc- “But we could pass on worker would have to use
tion at plants in Britain infection to vulnerable annual leave. But they
and Europe producing families. Then we had a backed off after pressure
non-essential vehicles. They boss email out saying home from the local branch of the
must be stopped visits should still go ahead—I workers’ Unison union.
PSA group, which owns thought, ‘Are you not lSimon is a pseudonym
Vauxhall’s Ellesmere Port
plant on Merseyside and the CIVIL SERVICE
Luton van plant, announced
two weeks ago that its
European sites would close
until 27 March.
This followed sustained
strikes in France and other
countries demanding that
safety comes before profits.
Now bosses say a timetable
will be drawn up to restart
operations. Carlos Tavares,
chair of Groupe PSA’s manag- THERE IS no safe way to run car plants
ing board, said, “We will not Picture: Guy Smallman
compromise on the health of representatives of trade union Vincent Duse, a CGT union make the decision to leave
our employees.” organisations who made their member at PSA, said, “It was their employees at home?
own contributions”. the anger and the mobili- “And do not come to tell
Giant Bosses will seek to play sation of the workers that us that engine parts are nec- PCS members at Beis (not the department below) won last year
But during the coronavirus one plant off against another. imposed this postponement. essary to fight the disease as
of running giant car plants. union leaders the prospect tion of production at the ment to blame those who do PCS union rep says we
“They refused the resump-
crisis there is no safe way
suggested by the manage-
They will dangle before
Ellesmere Port employs over of investment at sites that height of the pandemic.” not want to die for the profits
1,000 people and Luton 1,250. restart—and closure in the In an article on the of PSA.” can still organise and win
The danger is that some longer term at those that Revolution Permanente Unions, principally Unite,
unions will back the plans. don’t go back to work. website he wrote, “How must refuse any resumption PCS UNION activists in a that’s when we come in.”
Automotive World website Bosses tried to agree plans many sick and dead will it of production in Britain civil service department have She also said the union had
reports that PSA’s human to restart production at PSA take for PSA, a company that during the crisis—and channelled anger by workers already had three meetings
resources department in France last week. But has made billions from the workers must receive their to make bosses give in over for all members over the
“presented this project to workers’ action stopped them. exploitation of workers, to full wages. health and safety demands. Skype video conferencing
One PCS rep told Socialist programme, with big turnouts
SCHOOLS Worker that the union had at each. There were over 200
pressured foot-dragging members on the first meeting,
and even more over two
bosses into giving guarantees
Keeping children and school workers safe builds union over pay and home working. meetings held on the same
day a week later.
“First of all we have got
everyone working from She said reps used these
TRADE UNIONISTS fear in them. For some, existing of tears last Sunday saying children at home to be home,” she said. “People to come up with lists of
that the Tories are putting health problems mean that the head teacher had asked properly supported, are also had previously been told that demands to put to senior
the most vulnerable children if they caught coronavirus her to go in and clean her making more workers get home working was impossible management.
at risk by failing to close they would be more likely to classroom,” said Sally. organised. because there wasn’t the tech. “The fact that so many
schools for children with suffer complications. “Another has a daughter Mary Bousted, joint Those people are now working members are involved is
disabilities. “And much of the time, suffering from mental general secretary of the at home, with the tech. really good,” she said—adding
The government there can’t be ‘social distress and she can’t be in NEU, tweeted on Wednesday, “We also have assurances that the campaign had helped
announced the closure of distancing’. Some children work. But her head teacher “To the thousands of that time off due to to recruit agency workers to
schools earlier this month, need help with washing and is threatening to not pay her teachers, leaders and coronavirus won’t come from the union.
and said schools would only doing other basic things.” if she doesn’t put herself on support staff who have annual sick allowance. Pay And there’s still more to
remain open to teach the the rota.” joined the @NEUnion over won’t be halved after six fight for.
children of “key workers”. Support But fears over keeping the past 7 days—welcome!” months off, and the time won’t “It feels like we’re turning
But many children with Sally said the best solution workers and children safe, Sally said, “The union trigger a disciplinary process.” the tanker,” said the rep. “The
special educational needs, would be for vulnerable and calls for parents with has stepped up to the mark biggest demand now is that
disabilities or behavioural children to be at home—and and membership in our area Cleaners parents and carers cannot do
problems are still going to stressed that parents must is going up every day. And She added that the union full time hours.
school. to keep schools open for the ‘‘ people are also becoming had also made some gains “Some people have to look
be given support to make
Sally Kincaid is Wakefield that possible. union reps. for outsourced cleaners and after very young children at
and District divisional Across education, school Some of the “We set up a Wakefield agency workers. “We’ve home during the day, and they
secretary for the NEU union. workers are coming forward NEU WhatsApp group and had offices closed except cannot be expected to make
She told Socialist to volunteer to be on rotas most people piled in. Now we for appointments. We want up that work in the evenings
Worker, “It’s a very mixed have sub-groups responsible cleaners and agency staff to and the weekends—this is
picture across the country. children of key workers. vulnerable for different things. continue to be paid. That’s working people to death.
Some special schools and But in some cases, “Rather than just getting now sorted in some offices.” “We also want agency
pupil referral units closed workers are coming under children are angry, people are finding The rep said, “The pressure workers and cleaners to
immediately. But others are pressure to be in regardless collective responses to is coming from members. be directly employed. This
still open. of whether they feel it is safe under threat issues that might have “They’re going to managers is something we can push
“These schools have the to do so. “I had one union seemed individual. saying, we can’t do this, we further down the line. We’re
most vulnerable children member ring me in floods “Everyone is unionising.” can’t do that. not going to let this go.”
“Where there’s pushback, Nick Clark