Brent Kennedy, Carlisle Socialist Party
Workers at Crown Bevcan in Carlisle, which makes cans for the drinks industry including well-known brands Coca Cola, Heineken, Brewdog and Magners, have taken two days of strike action in May and are planning several more days in June over an insulting 3% pay offer.
The 70% vote in favour of strike action on a 70% turnout – for the first time since 1976 – was reflected in the upbeat mood on the picket line.
Members of Carlisle Socialist Party have stood on the picket lines, supporting the workers in their fight to defend their living standards during this cost-of-living crisis.
The strikes will impact day and night shifts at the factory, potentially leaving Crown Bevcan unable to fulfil its summer orders.
Of course, like all employers, Crown Holdings, which includes several other factories around the country and in Europe, claims they “can’t afford” the workers’ modest demands – yet they made a profit of £32 million last year. This was a whopping annual increase of 29% and an increase of 47% in three years.
Unite General Secretary Sharon Graham has said: “Crown Holdings makes billions yet it expects its Carlisle workers to accept what amounts to a pay cut… Once again, business puts its greed ahead of workers’ needs, rewarding shareholders while telling workers to take a pay cut. This is just not acceptable to Unite.”
Rishi Sunak’s £400 sop won’t pay the bills. Forcing the bosses to pay up is the only way. A victory for these workers would give others locally and at Crown factories elsewhere the confidence to fight to protect their living standards too. We have put out the call to other trade unions and workers in Cumbria to give their support, and will be organising solidarity events.
