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From The Socialist newspaper, 10 February 2021
Striking British Gas workers fighting to win
British Gas workers' on strike in Leicester February 2021, photo Steve Score (Click to enlarge)
Steve Score, Leicester Socialist Party
British Gas engineers were out on the picket lines and protesting around the country again on 5 February - the day they were meant to have signed the new contracts which are a huge attack on their terms and conditions. They are not accepting them! They have been consistently picketing since the strike began and the support in Leicester from passers-by has never been better.
Paul Carvell, GMB steward said: "5,000 engineers are being dismissed and re-engaged on poorer terms and conditions.
"Today is D-Day: You were meant to have signed by 12 o'clock. A week ago, Chris O'Shea (CEO of Centrica, British Gas' holding company) said people who signed the new contact now would get the best deal and those that don't will get a worse one. But now he has swung 180 degrees under pressure. Yesterday he said if you have signed and there is a better deal you will get the better one.
"The strike and the support is getting stronger. O'Shea is making catastrophic mistakes. Payroll emailed everyone telling them what money would be deducted in their wages in February which only further infuriated the engineers. They take weeks to pay you overtime they owe but can deduct strike days almost immediately.
"He has been dragged before a parliamentary committee and questioned on 'fire and rehire' and Acas is now involved. GMB always wished to get a negotiated outcome but will not accept this despicable tactic of 'fire and rehire' being used."
The Socialist Party says:
- Stop 'fire and rehire'
- Renationalise British Gas under democratic workers' control
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The coronavirus crisis has laid bare the class character of society in numerous ways. It is making clear to many that it is the working class that keeps society running, not the CEOs of major corporations.
The results of austerity have been graphically demonstrated as public services strain to cope with the crisis.
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In The Socialist 10 February 2021:
News
Tories admit market failure - we want our NHS back!
Question mark over AstraZeneca's vaccine to protect against new Covid variant
Big Energy piles on the misery
Racism
Black Workers' Charter: A programme to fight racism
Grenfell
Grenfell: Are we any closer to justice?
TUSC
TUSC online conference: Preparing to build a working-class force for the local elections in May
Ex-Labour socialists preparing to stand for TUSC in Devon
Workplace news
Striking British Gas workers fighting to win
PCS: Vote for rank-and-file socialist Broad Left Network candidates
Hackney schools workers to strike
York couriers call on council for protection from "fear of dismissal"
Court workers to ballot in fight for safety
NSSN meeting: Fight together against the Tories and bosses' Covid offensive
International news
Myanmar coup - For a workers-led struggle for democracy and socialism!
Turkey: Bogaziçi university students protest appointment of government loyalist as rector
Campaigns and party news
Why I joined the Socialist Party - a nurse
Why I joined the Socialist Party - a student
London fire victims lobby Tory mayoral candidate
Why you should come to Socialist Students online conference
Readers' opinion
Book that inspired me: God's bits of wood
Starmer ditches Labour movement tradition for cheap trick
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