London workers lobby GLA about cuts and conditions
RMT security and safety staff strike against bullying and harassment and an attempt to impose workplace changes without agreement 25th February 2013, photo P Mitchell (Click to enlarge: opens in new window)
Members and supporters of London’s firefighters (FBU) and transport workers (RMT) gathered outside city hall in central London on 25 February to protest against attacks on their services and conditions.
Firefighters are angry that Tory mayor Boris Johnson is determined to press ahead with his plans to decimate London’s fire service despite the fire authority twice rejecting his plans.
These plans involve shutting 12 fire stations and sacking hundreds of firefighters. Firefighters from one of the threatened stations, Clapham, were on the protest and will be holding a demo on 16 March.
RMT members employed by STM Security Group UK Ltd who work on the London Overground were protesting against their working conditions.
In a situation familiar to many workers, they have only had an 80p an hour wage increase in the last four years. They are employed on zero-hours contracts meaning that they don’t know from one day to the next what their hours will be.
One of their main demands is that they be employed directly by Transport for London which could give them more job security.
Chris Newby
STOP PRESS:
The London Fire Authority, after twice voting against Tory mayor Boris Johnson’s plans to close 12 fire stations, is now allowing consultation on the cuts to go ahead.
Johnson threatened a judicial review if the LFA did not bow down to him by 5pm on 26 February.
A massive campaign is now needed to save 12 stations, 18 engines and 520 fire jobs. The FBU union has called for fire station occupations.
The Socialist Party supports this call and believes strike action to stop cuts would get massive community support.
