Jon Dale, Mansfield Socialist Party
Pilkington Plyglass workers went on strike for 48 hours on 24-25 May.
GMB members at Somercotes in Derbyshire voted 83% for action, after the company offered them a 5% pay rise plus a one-off £500. This works out at £750 less than other Pilkington plants.
The workers are angry and kept the picket going round the clock, turning a number of lorries back. If the company doesn’t pay up, they intend to strike again. Pilkington is owned by the Japanese NSG Group – a world-wide company making $200 million profit last year. It can easily find £14,000 to settle this dispute!
Solidarity was given to pickets from the National Shop Stewards Network, NHS Logistics Unison (next door to the factory), and local Socialist Party members.
