Rob Rooney, Cornwall Socialist Party
Readymix concrete drivers, sick of being put through the mixer by an arrogant employer, are striking for union recognition.
The Maen Karne company is a familiar site in Cornwall. Formerly family-owned, it was sold to an outfit called GRS, and the bullying culture and reneging on terms and conditions began.
The ten Readymix drivers, all of whom have given years of service, members of Unite, sought union recognition but, according to one striker, the firm blanked them.
“We approached them about eight months ago for recognition but they completely ignored us. Only two of us have ever been out on strike before but people have had enough. It reached a point where we either put up or shut up.
“In the yard we look at them driving in with their £70-80,000 Jags and BMWs. We’ve just had a pay rise to £12.50 an hour. We were on £11.56 before, with two bonuses for time-keeping and safe driving worth £1.20 an hour. Now, with the pay rise, they’ve taken 10p per hour off each bonus so we’re paying for our own pay rise.”
The firm has also squeezed sick pay.
This is an important dispute for Cornwall, with Maen Karne bussing in scab drivers, reportedly costing the company £700 a day each. The drivers are six weeks into their action, having struck for 13 days so far. They have another two weeks of strike action lined up from 19 June.
