Tower Hamlets council workers strike August 2020, photo Isai Priya

Tower Hamlets council workers strike August 2020, photo Isai Priya   (Click to enlarge: opens in new window)

Hugo Pierre (pictured second left), a Socialist Party member, candidate for Unison general secretary, and a local resident in Tower Hamlets, supported council workers in the east London borough, on strike against council plans to sack them and re-engage them on worse terms and conditions.

The workers were taking their ninth day of strike action against the right-wing Labour mayor, John Biggs, who is forcing through the changes to long-standing agreements with the council’s trade unions.

The workers now have to reballot for further action.

Hugo is currently seeking Unison branch nominations and is standing on this programme:

  • Local authorities: a national fight for £10 billion funding – fight all cuts and demand Labour councillors don’t vote for cuts
  • For a renationalised NHS and social care sector with full collective bargaining and national terms and conditions
  • Reverse all education privatisation. Academies back to local authorities. Full funding for further and higher education
  • For a real fight on public sector pay to reverse the ‘austerity years’ pay cuts – for a £15-an-hour minimum wage
  • Fight for jobs and homes, not racism. Black lives matter!
  • Not a penny of members’ money to Labour representatives who back cuts, privatisation or austerity
  • For genuine members’ control of our union, with the election of union officials
  • For a trade union fight to end environmental catastrophe
  • A pledge not to take the £138,000-a-year salary. but live on a worker’s wage