Ali Cook, Salisbury Socialist Party
On 4 November, Salisbury traffic wardens in the GMB union went on strike against Wiltshire Council, after they threatened to carry out ‘fire and rehire’ of over 500 staff. This was combined with a march around town bringing together GMB, Unison and Unite unions. The council’s bid to reduce the wages of social workers, leisure workers and traffic wardens could mean that workers lose around £7,000 a year.
According to reps for the GMB, the council have gone as far as hiring workers to pose as traffic wardens, and act like them! This is despite the fact that these workers aren’t legally allowed to dole out penalty notices and so they are merely serving a purpose of scaring people into buying their parking tickets as normal.
There was also an expressed frustration with the Starmer Labour leadership, especially at his refusal to commit to scrapping the two-child benefit cap if he is the next prime minister.
It was only a year ago when the council previously planned to carry out fire and rehire. This resulted in ten days of strike action, costing the council £30,000 a day, before the council shelved the plans.
These kinds of attacks are to be expected by a Tory-led council, but the ‘alternative’ of Labour councils up and down the country has been to carry out Tory cuts with no resistance.
We deserve better. We need councillors who are willing to stand up to the Tories and their repeating bullying tactics. We need councillors who are willing to put forward no-cuts budgets, and refuse to pass on their austerity agenda. Imagine the support local communities and trade unions would give to councillors who actually stood their ground!
