The Socialist 26 October 2016

Protest and strike to save our NHS

Protest and strike to save our NHS

Health campaigners announce national NHS demo

Hundreds march and rally to defend Tyneside hospital

'Jungle' camp destruction is no solution

Welsh budget: Labour government makes Tory cuts

Academies mired in debt and corruption

Homeless sleeping rough: councils must build housing

Four in five self-employed workers living in poverty

Readmit expelled socialists

Wallasey whitewash must be condemned

Battle in Leeds council over care home closure

Jarrow March: an inspiring show of solidarity between workers and youth

Teaching assistant pledges ongoing fight against pay cuts

A day in the life of a midwife

Striking Sheffield bin workers picket scabs

Crossrail sparks get organised

Unison higher education seminar points no way forward over pay

Housing campaigners meet to plan resistance to the Housing Act

Why I joined the Socialist Party: "I really can't wait for Socialism 2016"

"We are all Daniel Blake!"

US presidential election: The disastrous failure of 'lesser evilism'

Ireland: Jobstown protester found guilty

Book review: Fighting racism in football

TV: No Place to Call Home

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Link to this page: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/922/23828

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Striking Sheffield bin workers picket scabs

Sheffield bin strikers protesting against use of scab labour, 22.10.16, photo by Alistair Tice (Click to enlarge)

Alistair Tice, Sheffield Socialist Party

About 50 bin workers and supporters protested on 22 October against management's use of scab drivers and loaders to undermine the GMB union's industrial action.

Sheffield bin workers, employed by Veolia the giant multinational which runs the city's waste management services on a 30 year contract, put in for a 5% pay rise.

When Veolia only offered 3% over two years GMB members voted for strike action and an overtime ban. Two one-day strikes have been held.

Veolia has advertised at regional depots offering overtime and overnight hotel stay for scabs to clear the backlog of bins.

So the GMB called a protest at the Lumley Street depot at 6am on 22 October but the scabs had sneaked out early, even though they cannot start tipping bins till 7am. Pickets waited at Bernard Road depot for them to return but again management must have diverted them.

As well as the Socialist Party, it was good to see Momentum supporters on the protest and a few Labour councillors arrived later. Motions are being put at Labour meetings to support the strikers.

The Socialist Party is petitioning the next Labour council meeting calling for Veolia to be stripped of the contract and the service taken back in-house, which is all the workers want.

Two upcoming half-day strikes this week will cause further disruption and be more difficult for management to undermine with agency and scab workers.

In this issue

Socialist Party NHS campaign

Protest and strike to save our NHS