Traffic wardens sacked over wildcat strike

traffic warden
traffic warden

Almost 30 traffic wardens in Belfast were sacked today after taking unofficial strike action earlier this month.

Submitted by Choccy on April 20, 2009

The wardens had taken the wildcat action at the start of April over pay and conditions, including their rotas and sick-pay. The wardens were initially suspended by bosses, but today were sacked. Those involved make up one-third of Belfast's traffic wardens.

According to the employer, NCP, until new staff are recruited, existing staff will cover the shifts. NCP are contracted to enforce parking restriction across Northern Ireland, and have said they "have a very good relationship with Trades Unions in Northern Ireland and will continue to work with unions representing their members - but we cannot support illegal action of this kind".

The company also said the unofficial strike action disrupted the delivery of a 'public service'. The sacked workers join the increasing numbers of unemployed across the UK.

Comments

JoeMaguire

15 years 7 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by JoeMaguire on April 20, 2009

Couldn't they just have a good will strike and refuse to give out tickets?

Choccy

15 years 7 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Choccy on April 20, 2009

Who?
The remaining employees?
Or the initial strike?

PartyBucket

15 years 7 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by PartyBucket on April 20, 2009

Im not sure they have any other duties than giving out tickets, so thats what happened in effect I guess.

Choccy

15 years 7 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Choccy on April 20, 2009

Oh yeah good point.
Yeah what other duties would they do? ;)

PartyBucket

15 years 7 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by PartyBucket on April 20, 2009

Well, I suppose they liaise with cops on some things, they also patrol and sometimes just move cars along instead of ticketing them if theyre parked where they shouldnt but theres someone in them. Maybe they refused to go out on their 'beats' as well??

Choccy

15 years 7 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Choccy on April 20, 2009

Well I would have imagine they didn't go out at all on the strike day.

Steven.

15 years 7 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Steven. on April 20, 2009

Shit that's heavy stuff! Have they just gone without a fuss?

Choccy

15 years 7 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Choccy on April 21, 2009

No sign of any action being taken by those sacked, nor solidarity actions by other workers.

Sheldon

15 years 7 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Sheldon on April 21, 2009

That's sad news, I imagine that they must have been terminated "with cause" so there's no sort of compensation for them. Was it only a third of the total traffic wardens involved in the wildcat strike, or were those third fired as an example to the rest?

Choccy

15 years 7 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Choccy on April 21, 2009

The ones fired were the only ones involved in the wildcat strike, and had been suspended initially.

PartyBucket

15 years 7 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by PartyBucket on April 21, 2009

It seems not all of those who walked out were even in favour of the wildcat, but went along with the majority vote. NIPSA, their union, has vowed to do "everything in its power" to overturn the sackings, whatever that means.
Im not sure if the 26 sacked were all on one shift, but clearly the remaining workers are not taking any action in support of them.

Kaze no Kae

15 years 7 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Kaze no Kae on April 21, 2009

Couldn't they just have a good will strike and refuse to give out tickets?

Mmm Ive often suggested a similar tactic by other workers, such as transport workers refusing to collect fares or retail workers refusing to collect the price on anything essential (although the latter would obviously have to be in large enough numbers that it would be unprosecutable, because they'd call it complicity in theft)

Steven.

15 years 6 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Steven. on May 20, 2009

Forum discussion about this story, including comments from one of the workers here:
http://libcom.org/forums/news/traffic-attendant-wildcat-strike-belfast-20052009

Riot_Queer

15 years 5 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Riot_Queer on June 29, 2009

I guess because they are workers I should be having some feelings of solidarity towards them...however, the "traffick wardens" in Melbourne are a bunch of arseholes with quotas of tickets to hand out. I hold a parking permit and I'm currently disputing several $57 fines for parking within my Permit bounds.

I generally see them as fucking scum who are the proifteering henchmen for the councils who employ them!

Joseph Kay

15 years 5 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Joseph Kay on June 29, 2009

if they have quotas to meet, it's hardly the traffic wardens that are profiteering scum so much as their employers

PartyBucket

15 years 5 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by PartyBucket on June 29, 2009

Riot_Queer if by 'profiteering' youre meaning that they get some kind of commision or bonus based on the tickets they hand out, that isnt the case for the ones here in Belfast. And whether you 'like' Traffic Wardens or not (and I dont, particularly, Ive had more unfair tickets than I can remember) is a moot point. The point here is that they were sacked for standing up for themselves, with the employer using anti-union legislation. If it can happen to them unopposed, it can happen to people in a 'likeable' job tomorrow.