Iain Dalton, Usdaw Broad Left Secretary
Usdaw members began four half-days of strike action at the Tetrosyl car care products factory in Rochdale, on 15 December, against the slashing of their pay and conditions through ‘fire and rehire’.
On the picket line, many workers spoke to us about the impact this would have, with some unable to pay mortgages, some having to return cars bought on hire purchase, and others worried about having to rely on food banks. Some had worked for the company for 20 years.
The obvious comparison made on the picket line was with the Birmingham bin workers. Tetrosyl workers face losing £4-7,000 a year through the elimination of shift pay and paid breaks (with two paid breaks being replaced by one unpaid break!). In Birmingham, disgracefully, it is a Labour council implementing fire and rehire, which Labour had previously pledged to outlaw. Usdaw is affiliated to Labour and in the year of the general election gave over £2 million of members’ money! Usdaw and other trade unions should demand that the Labour government outlaws these practices immediately.
Usdaw is not currently recognised by Tetrosyl in Rochdale, though it is recognised at another site. Reps told us that, with a surge of members joining as a result of this attack and the fighting response, a majority of permanent workers are now in the union, and the process for compulsory recognition has started.
We were told that the workplace was only functioning at 25% of its usual capacity, largely facilitated by agency workers – who faced demands to ‘stand together’ from strikers as they entered the factory.
Despite pouring rain, dozens of pickets maintained an unmissable presence outside the factory, backed up by other Usdaw members and officials, which included new Usdaw general secretary Joanne Thomas and members of the Usdaw Broad Left.
- Further strike days are planned for 17, 19 and 22 December
