
The Socialist 5 October 2011
Fight for jobs!

As BAE threatens cuts... Fight for Jobs!
Miliband's fruitless dreams of a 'better capitalism'
Labour Party conference - No way forward given by 'reclaim Labour' speakers
Tory conference farce - Carry on cutting!
Manchester: Thousands say no to cuts
Glasgow: Prepare for 30 November strike
London union leaders call for electoral challenge
Poplar and Liverpool: 'If you fight, you can win'
North-west construction electricians meet
Construction electricians invade Kings Cross station
Extract from Jarrow Marchers Blog: Day 1 & 2
Danger: young people's futures at risk
Students join the socialists as fury grows over cuts and fees
USA: Occupy Wall Street struggle spreads
Irish trade unionists meet to launch Activists Network
Chilean students in fifth month of protests
Join the fightback: come to Socialism 2011!
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Construction electricians invade Kings Cross station
Hundreds of construction workers held an impromptu protest and rally on the main concourse at Kings Cross train station this morning.
Speakers like Mick Dooley, left candidate for the Ucatt general secretary election, competed with the station announcer as the campaign against de-skilling in the construction industry was brought home to thousands of commuters.
Mick Dooley read out a passage from the socialist classic book Ragged Trousered Philanthropists to the assembled crowd.
The workers had just held their sixth weekly London protest, this time outside the Kings Cross Project, at one point stopping the traffic outside one of the gates.
Workers have been buoyed up by the fact that one of the 'Big 8' construction companies, MJN Colston, has backed down from withdrawing from the JIB agreement which could see some electricians seeing their wages slashed by 35%.
NSSN chair Rob Williams addressed the protesters, pointing to the example of the workers at West Burton power station and Saltend who walked out on unofficial strike on Monday to protest outside Lindsey Oil Refinery.
While it is a massive boost to see Unite officials at today's protest promising to get an official ballot organised - which now needs to be progressed, Monday's action shows that workers have the power, whether it's official or unofficial, to stop the sites and defeat the employers.
Many speakers gave solidarity, from Alex Gordon and Steve Hedley from the RMT to left Labour MP John McDonnell.
Protests and action are spreading around the country and starting to shake the employers. There is a rank and file construction workers' meeting in Manchester this Saturday.
Rob called for Unite to organise a national conference open to all electricians in the construction industry to work out the industrial action strategy that will be necessary to win this battle.
The next London protest is next Wednesday from 6.30am at Park House in Oxford Street (left out of Bond Street tube)
This version of this article was first posted on the Socialist Party website on 28 September 2011 and may vary slightly from the version subsequently printed in The Socialist.
In this issue
Socialist Party news and analysis
As BAE threatens cuts... Fight for Jobs!
Miliband's fruitless dreams of a 'better capitalism'
Labour Party conference - No way forward given by 'reclaim Labour' speakers
Tory conference farce - Carry on cutting!
Socialist Party reports and campaigns
Manchester: Thousands say no to cuts
Glasgow: Prepare for 30 November strike
London union leaders call for electoral challenge
Poplar and Liverpool: 'If you fight, you can win'
Socialist Party feature
Socialist Party workplace news
North-west construction electricians meet
Construction electricians invade Kings Cross station
Socialist Party youth and students
Extract from Jarrow Marchers Blog: Day 1 & 2
Danger: young people's futures at risk
Students join the socialists as fury grows over cuts and fees
Socialist Party review
International socialist news and analysis
USA: Occupy Wall Street struggle spreads
Irish trade unionists meet to launch Activists Network
Chilean students in fifth month of protests
Socialist Party events
Join the fightback: come to Socialism 2011!
Home | The Socialist 5 October 2011 | Join the Socialist Party
Related links:
Hull construction workers force bosses to shut down site over health and safety fears
Hull: Construction workers' walkout forces employer to back down
Hull construction workers strike against blacklisting
Hinkley Point electricians fight 'deskilling'
Woolwich Crossrail walkouts to demand promised bonuses
Support the Crossrail Woolwich walkout
No return to unsafe construction sites