Link to this page: http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/577/7222
From The Socialist newspaper, 29 April 2009
Sacked workers protest in Newcastle
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Sacked Stead McAlpin workers protest in Newcastle, photo B Harkness |
WORKERS AT Stead McAlpin, who were sacked and given just 15 minutes to leave the factory, brought their protest to Newcastle where they picketed John Lewis at its shop inside Eldon Square shopping centre.
Elaine Brunskill
Stead McAlpin had been owned by the John Lewis Partnership, who sold it on to Apex. John Lewis had promised the textile workers that all their benefits, including enhanced redundancy payments, would be honoured. This promise was like a pie crust - easily broken!
On 25 April, the sacked workers held their banners and handed out leaflets explaining their situation. After a few minutes in Eldon Square, security was sent to move the protesters on. Alan McDermott, one of the sacked workers, explained how they were "playing cat and mouse [with security]. It was fun - they definitely didn't want us there."
John Lewis and Eldon Square security were not happy about the protest, but shoppers were intrigued to find out what was going on. Alan told us that: "One older woman said she felt awful as she had just bought something from John Lewis. She added: 'but look what they've done to you.'"
The sacked workers said John Lewis always referred to the partnership as a democracy, "but it was only a democracy until their profits were threatened - then there was an inner steel ring to defend: big pensions; big salaries and big pay-offs for the bosses."
Alan explained that unlike the sacked workers, who were given none of the enhanced redundancy payments promised by John Lewis, former managing director, Luke Mayhew, had received a £1 million pay-off when he resigned.
At the time, workers were told it was normal practice for someone in his position to get a pay-off of this degree. Once again bosses are caught with their noses in the trough - while ordinary workers are offered nothing.
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In The Socialist 29 April 2009:
Youth Fight for Jobs launch conference
Olympics: Defend jobs, pay and conditions
Socialist Party election campaign
European elections: Build support for a workers' alternative to Labour
Stop Press
STOP PRESS: Key union activist sacked
Socialist Party workplace news
Sacked workers protest in Newcastle
Socialist Party news and analysis
Budget 2009 - debts passed to all of us
Does the 'botch it' budget benefit young people?
International socialist news and analysis
Workers' internationalism: A history of the first four socialist international organisations
Sri Lanka war: Rajapakse regime ignores Tamils' plight in renewed army offensive
NUT feature
National Union of Teachers conference: Fighting "teaching-on-the-cheap"
Hands off Lewisham Bridge school!
Being a new teacher - a shock to the system
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