Picket line outside SPS Technologies, photo by Leicester SP

Picket line outside SPS Technologies, photo by Leicester SP   (Click to enlarge: opens in new window)

Steve Score, Leicester Socialist Party

Unite members at SPS Technologies in Leicester have taken four one-day strikes against management’s ‘fire and rehire’ attempts to destroy their terms and conditions. But now they are escalating to eight weeks of daily strikes unless the bosses back down.

These attacks could mean some workers losing up to £3,000 a year. As one of the pickets, Paul Brown, explained to the Socialist: “Over the years we have fought for things such as full sick pay, shift premiums and double time on overtime. It took us years to get there and in one fell swoop they want to take it all away from us. We don’t think it’s right and therefore we’ve come out on strike.”

The company is ultimately owned by multi-billionaire Warren Buffett – possibly the fourth richest man in the world. Yet workers are told they have to pay for the downturn precipitated by Covid.