Alistair Tice reports on two Doncaster struggles against anti-union firms.

Doncaster Care UK workers and sacked Tesco Stobart drivers join together in protest on Friday 1 August 2014, photo by A Tice

Doncaster Care UK workers and sacked Tesco Stobart drivers join together in protest on Friday 1 August 2014, photo by A Tice   (Click to enlarge: opens in new window)

Care UK pay dispute

When Doncaster Care UK slashed privatised NHS careworkers’ terms and conditions by 35%, workers warned that such pay cuts could cost staff their homes.

Well this isn’t propaganda. Mags Dalton has had to give up her home and job in Doncaster because she can’t afford her £400 monthly rent – that’s how much her wages have been reduced.

Mags’ story explains why Care UK workers, having already struck for 34 days, are currently into the second week of another fortnight of strike action in pursuit of a pay claim for a substantial increase for Tupe transferred staff and the Living Wage for Care UK staff.

These Unison members, whose struggle has inspired trade unionists around the country, know that if they don’t take the fight to Care UK then the bosses will want to cut their basic NHS salary next year.

The management now will only promise to pay above the market rate; that’s the minimum wage in the care industry!

With 50-60 experienced staff on strike, Care UK can’t cope. It’s been reported agency staff have been brought in to cover, which is illegal. Strikers are prepared for the long haul if needed to expose “Don’t Care UK” and fight for the NHS.

Strikers joined the Doncaster ex-Tesco drivers protest on Friday 1 August and this week will show solidarity with protesters at Stafford Hospital fighting threatened closure.

A coach full will take their message again to London to private equity owners Bridgepoint, the Department of Health, and crucially to Unison HQ to demand a national union campaign against Care UK, a strategy that could achieve a victory.


Tesco Stobart drivers

Ex-Tesco drivers in Doncaster have been outraged by a local Tesco store manager, Wesley Scargill, making fun of their plight 20 months after 184 of them were sacked by Stobart, the haulage company now known as “Scumbart”, that they were outsourced to.

Tesco store manager Wesley Scargill imitates sacked Stobart drivers

  (Click to enlarge: opens in new window)

A photo of this manager, holding Unite placards in imitation of protesting ex-drivers, was posted up on social media.

Information obtained through “disclosure” for a recent employment tribunal (ET) against unfair dismissal and lack of consultation confirmed what drivers already suspected: there was collusion between Tesco and Stobart to sack the drivers to drive down costs and remove the Unite trade union, to which all the drivers belonged.

The ET resumes in January but the drivers, most of whom have not had any permanent employment since they were made redundant, are stepping up pressure on the companies to fully expose their union-busting tactics and get decent compensation.

On Friday 1 August, drivers and supporters staged simultaneous protests at Tesco/Stobart depots in Doncaster, Goole and Widnes. Over 30 pickets stopped lorries and talked to drivers at Doncaster distribution centre and a dozen protesters turned some lorries away in Goole. Bigger protests are planned at depots and stores.

So Mr Wesley Scargill, the last laugh will be on you!