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From The Socialist newspaper, 3 March 2021
Tech workers walk out against 'fire and rehire'
IT workers on strike at Goodlord. Photo: London SP (Click to enlarge)
Ferdy Lyons, East London Socialist Party
Tenant-referencing workers at the tech company Goodlord in east London were out on strike on 1 March against the company's fire-and-rehire scheme.
The strikers, members of Unite, are employed on rolling fixed-term contracts. When Goodlord, nicknamed 'badlord', offered them their new contracts, a 20% pay cut had been applied. The workers are calling for the restoration of their previous terms and conditions of the London Living Wage.
There was a great mood on the picket line. One striker, Scott, said: "We know it's having an effect on their business... we're going to stay out until management come to the table". Others discussed the next steps with great optimism.
The CEO of the company came through the picket and seemed clearly rattled. Under the shadow of the pandemic, employers have been undertaking fire-and-rehire schemes at an alarming rate, and the bosses think they can get away with it. But this strike has shown that workers are ready to fight against these exploitative practices.
We can't rely on the bosses to self-regulate fair pay, we need a £15 minimum wage now and we need an end to fire and rehire. The workers are out on indefinite strike.
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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.
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In The Socialist 3 March 2021:
Budget
Not a budget for the working class!
Public sector workers respond to the budget
News
President of 'big four' Labour-affiliated trade union joins TUSC committee
International Women's Day
A fighting programme for women's rights and socialism
A history of International Women's Day
What we think
Liverpool Labour meltdown - Fight for socialist policies
School safety
Schools' safety - teachers demand fighting union strategy
Features
'Casino capitalism' - driving another potential financial Armageddon
Workplace
Bus workers under attack and fighting back
Manchester indefinite bus strike against 'fire and rehire'
HMRC: Pay deal agreed but at what cost?
Sparks force bosses back but fight continues to stamp out deskilling
Reinstate victimised bus driver Declan Clune
Tech workers walk out against 'fire and rehire'
Victory for Judith, defend Moe
Campaigns
Why we need socialists in London city hall
Swansea BLM protest against racist police brutality
Union fight to save musicians' livelihoods
Labour surrenders to Tories in Devon
Determined to smash the fighting fund target to fuel election challenge in May
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