The Socialist 1 February 2012

Fight this profit-mad system

Bankers bonus scandal - Fight this profit-mad system

Trade unionists and socialists prepare for May elections

What is the point of Labour MPs?

Dead end in Davos

Them & Us

Don't let the racist EDL divide us

Disabled protesters demand scrapping of 'welfare' bill

Haringey takes action against academies

Coventry: Re-elect Dave Nellist

NUS: name the day for student walkout

Save Derbyshire youth services!

Only one in six 'vacancies' real

Tough conditions for agency workers

South East Wales youth plan new campaigns

EU summit - no capitalist solutions to the spiralling eurozone crisis

Interview: the Tunisian revolution one year on

Pensions battle: Unions must campaign for coordinated strike action in March

London Docklands transport workers win Olympics deal

Unison pensions cowardice

Remploy workers fight privatisation

Jet tanker drivers continue strike action

Workplace news in brief

Debate: Should socialists support the HS2 rail line?

Are the Greens a real alternative?

Smacking not the answer

Obituary: Gwenda Beishon

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Jet tanker drivers continue strike action

Alistair Tice

123 oil tanker drivers employed by road haulage firm Wincanton began a week-long strike on Tuesday 24 January. Employed on the ConocoPhillips contract, they deliver fuel to Jet petrol stations. After a 83% vote for action, these Unite members are striking for job security - they want ConocoPhillips to guarantee they will abide by TUPE (Transfer of Undertakings Protection of Employees) if they end or fragment the Wincanton contract.

In effect, the tanker drivers are being subcontracted to ConocoPhillips who want to cut costs by putting the Jet contact out to the lowest bidder. This would see the Wincanton drivers either lose their jobs or see their terms and conditions cut if they aren't protected by TUPE.

Three major fuel distribution depots are affected, in Kingsbury, Stockton-on-Tees and the biggest on Immingham docks, where nearly all the 86 drivers and fitters manned picket lines in and out of the refinery depot.

The strike is solid at all three depots with support flooding in from other Unite drivers' branches. The union has served notice of a further week long strike starting on Thursday 2 February. The only disappointment for the drivers is that due to the anti-union laws, they will have to go back to work for two days before continuing the strike.

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Bankers bonus scandal - Fight this profit-mad system