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From The Socialist newspaper, 31 July 2019
"BEIS: stop pISSing about and give outsourcing the boot!"
BEIS cleaners and caterers on strike, 29.7.19, photo by Paula Mitchell (Click to enlarge)
Paula Mitchell, London Socialist Party
Catering workers and cleaners, members of civil service union PCS, walked out on indefinite strike action on 15 July at the government's business department, BEIS. This bold action follows 14 previous days of strike action, fighting for the London living wage and decent terms and conditions.
For a week they were also joined by porters and security staff. The private companies who employ these workers, ISS and Aramark, are getting away with paying poverty wages, and the business department is happy to let it happen. Ironically, it is the job of BEIS to ensure employment standards in business!
Essential services
While striking for the London living wage, the workers all recognise that this strike is part of a fight to bring these essential services back in-house. The strikers want to keep the pressure up on their new boss Andrea Leadsom and on Boris Johnson, who has brashly declared he supports the London living wage - so pay up!
On 18 July the BEIS strikers were joined for a demo by PCS members on strike at HMRC in Liverpool.
PCS members at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office have also been on strike for the same demand from their private employer Interserve.
In fact, a wave of strike action recently in London has also seen Bromley library workers on indefinite strike (see below), special transport workers striking in Hackney, RMT members striking against driver-only operation, and school strikes against cuts and academies at John Roan school in Greenwich and Ilford County high school.
Now the independent union United Voices is preparing low-paid cleaners for a summer of strike action at several prestigious employers, including the Royal Parks.
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In The Socialist 31 July 2019:
What we think
Boris, Brexit and British capitalism
CWI refounded with determination and confidence
Special feature
"The longest, darkest days of my life": fighting Universal Credit
Socialist Party news and analysis
Build a working-class movement to force an election
Labour promises to end council privatisation: councils must do that now!
Tories look in wrong place for climate solutions
Lib Dems: little bosses' party elects eager pro-austerity leader
Aristocrats are rich after all... and getting richer
International socialist news and analysis
Mass movement topples governor of Puerto Rico
Hong Kong: the struggle for democratic rights escalates
Workplace news and analysis
Lobby the TUC for workers' action to defeat Johnson
Northern Ireland: Harland and Wolff shipyard workers enter occupation
"Enough is enough": 20,000 Northern Ireland civil servants strike against pay restraint
Plymouth posties deliver defiant message to bullying bosses
"BEIS: stop pISSing about and give outsourcing the boot!"
Hackney transport strike - blockade foils employers
Sainsbury's distribution workers' second 24-hour strike against cuts to sick pay
Nottingham Deliveroo riders strike against unfair algorithm
Bromley library workers strike against running down
Socialist Party reports and campaigns
Enfield: 100% council homes at Meridian Water!
Walthamstow shopping centre fire: people's plan - not disaster capitalism
Tolpuddle festival 2019: socialist policies to end Tory rule and austerity
Barking: campaigning over housing safety
July climate strikes: link up with the workers' movement
Ilford: parents and teachers unite against school cuts
Boris Johnson 'coronation' - demos say: boot him out!
The Socialist Party has moved!
Opinion
Huge workload, low pay and unpaid hours - a day in the life of a teaching assistant
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