Kone strikers, Gateshead, photo E Brunskill

Kone strikers, Gateshead, photo E Brunskill   (Click to enlarge: opens in new window)

Mood remains rock solid on Kone picket

Elaine Brunskill

Kone workers have escalated their action from a series of one-day strikes to a two week all-out stoppage. The strikers all feel this has been necessary because of the company’s lack of commitment to finding a settlement.

The workers’ trade union Unite has urged the bosses of the Finnish owned company to “knock heads together” at their UK company. The dispute is about ensuring a tracking system, known as VAMS, is not used as a disciplinary tool by management.

Strikers on the picket line have explained how unreliable this system is. In one case VAMS registered that a van had been driven for 1,000 miles without refuelling.

Kone picket line, Gateshead, photo E Brunskill

Kone picket line, Gateshead, photo E Brunskill   (Click to enlarge: opens in new window)

A previous Acas meeting broke down after 10 hours when Kone management walked out. Unite had put forward an eight point proposal to Kone management, with the intention of resolving the dispute. On the picket line there is clear anger that management said it would take seven to ten days to reply to this proposal.

Clearly the escalation of strike action has concentrated the minds of Kone managers and through Acas they have requested another meeting on Thursday, 27th May, with a view to settling the dispute.

The strikers are resolute that they want to stay out for the two weeks. One worker even proposed that they stay out until next May if needs be!

Since the strike started there has been an increase in Unite membership amongst Kone workers, and no one has dropped out of the union because of the action being taken. This shows that when a union fights for its members it attracts new layers of workers into its midst.

The mood on the picket line remains rock solid and the strikers have been heartened by support from other workers on the Team Valley Trading Estate.

  • The main Kone sites are at Chertsey in Surrey, Gateshead, Glasgow, Keighley in Yorkshire and Warrington.
  • Messages of support to: 0750 000 8894