Woolwich ferry photo BL2002/C

Woolwich ferry photo BL2002/CC   (Click to enlarge: opens in new window)

Unite union member

Unite union has negotiated a 100% furlough agreement with Briggs Marine, the contractor who currently runs the Woolwich Ferry. The health emergency has meant a drastically reduced service.

This comes at the same time as the alarm being raised by London Mayor Sadiq Khan regarding the financial position of the client Transport for London (TfL). However, even before the health emergency, TfL faced similar financial pressures to those faced by local authorities as a result of reduced funding from central government.

This calls for the same response as that required by local authorities – a campaign, including trade unions and service users demanding that central government provides the funds to run services.

Unite members on the ferry have a fighting tradition – including strike action to protect the safety of workers, to oppose sexual harassment, to oppose racism, and to demand decent pay and conditions.

Lately campaigns were accompanied by a demand for the service to be taken back in-house which has now been agreed. The removal from the system of the need to make profit is the single best way to achieve savings.

This fighting tradition will have put the work force in the best possible position to secure a 100% furlough agreement.