The Socialist 14 September 2006 United action can win! NHS Logistics workers vote to strike against privatisation Our prescription - a socialist NHS! Opposition forces Trusts to retreat Globalisation - what it is and how to fight it! Campaigning against the far-right BNP Don't sign 'good behaviour' contracts Blair's last TUC conference - good riddance! Public sector workers' anger gets a hearing Build the campaign to save Burberry Agency workers vote 100% for union recognition Calderon confirmed as president but opposition protests continue Brutal attack by company thugs on CWI members in Almata |
|
|||||||||||||||
|
Home | The Socialist 14 September 2006 | Join the Socialist Party TreorchyBuild the campaign to save Burberry"BURBERRY IS going to make £170 million, this year", a Burberry worker told the socialist. "But that's not enough for this company. We're making (designer) polo shirts for £10 and they're selling them for £80. But they want to go elsewhere and make them on slave-labour wages for £2-£3. It's just pure greed". Mariam KamishWorkers at the plant in Treorchy, south Wales were stunned on 6 September, when management from London arrived to tell them their plant was closing. They hadn't even consulted the union, the GMB. Ten new youngsters had started the day before. They couldn't believe it. "They said on the news", said one worker, "that manufacturing was going out of Wales, because we're too expensive. But we're on the minimum wage. Production is up 25%, this year and quality is at 98%. The order books are chock-a-block. "We'll fight tooth and nail to save these jobs. All we need to work out is what to do to keep the plant open. These 300 jobs are vital to Treorchy. Burberry is the biggest manufacturer left at the top of the valley". The workforce has distributed leaflets throughout the plant. Already they are refusing to do overtime. Support from people in the area has been strong, as well. Hundreds signed a Socialist Party petition on Saturday morning. Over 80 shops have put up posters. Trade unionists from across industry pledged their support, when they attended a meeting called by the Campaign for a New Workers' Party. Rob Williams, TGWU convenor at the threatened Ford's Visteon plant in Swansea warned against leaving decisions to others: "These jobs belong to the workforce", he said. "And they have the right to decide what happens to them. "If you fight, you may win. Lobbying is all very well, but it didn't save 6,000 jobs at Longbridge. It didn't save 3,500 at Llanwern. And it hasn't saved plant after plant in the Rhondda. "It's going to come down to how hard the workforce fights. Right now, all the problems are yours. You need to get Burberry on the back foot." "Burberry change their mind from day to day", said one worker. "They only decided to bring in a new line two weeks ago. There are machines in the plant that have never been used. We'll just have to make them change their minds this time. "We're not going to leave them walk over us anymore. Time we bit back."
Public meeting, Thursday, 14 September, Treorchy Rugby Club, 7pm.In this issue Socialist Party NHS campaign
Socialist Party campaigns
Socialist Party workplace news and analysis
International socialist news and analysis
Home | The Socialist 14 September 2006 | Join the Socialist Party |
Related links:
| |||||||||||||||
Google search the site
Printable version
email to friend
