Liebherr picket line in Sunderland 24 August 2018, photo Elaine Brunskill

Liebherr picket line in Sunderland 24 August 2018, photo Elaine Brunskill   (Click to enlarge: opens in new window)

Elaine Brunskill, Northern Socialist Party regional secretary

Liebherr strikers on their Sunderland picket line on 24 August were resolute. Talking about the importance of their picket line – which is highly successful in turning away deliveries to the company – one of the strikers commented: “Even if it’s thunder and lightning, we’ll be standing here.” Their placards state: “Liebherr – no cranes today”.

Both Unite the Union and GMB members are out on strike to improve their pay. Workers at Liebherr produce high-quality marine cranes.

The company is global, and their Sunderland plant is profitable. Internationally, the company boasted of almost €10 billion turnover last year.

One of the strikers pointed out that, according to Liebherr’s company accounts, one of the directors at the Sunderland site received an annual salary of £151,000 – that’s around £3,000 a week!

Over the coming weeks Liebherr workers are intensifying their strike action. There is also an overtime ban in place. There is clearly a mood to further escalate the action if management fail to improve their offer.

  • Send messages of support to Unite the Union regional officer Mark Sanderson [email protected] and donations to Unite the Union, John Dobson Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8TW.