Electricians protest against pay cuts - updates and discussion

I think theres a demo in newcastle/the north east this wednesday morning but not sure exactly when or where.

6.30am, (or poss. earlier), on Wednesday. Tyne Tunnel, (presumably the site entrance). Some of us will be there. More info on our riseup email list, but I'll pm you when I know more details later tonight. ;)

The London one is this Wednesday, Farringdon at 6:30 am. Last one at the Olympic site was pretty good, blocked the road for a while.

Unite Construction Rank and File

Let’s answer the TUC’s call last week for "Civil Disobedience" against the cuts.
8th December is the day sparks could be working for £10.50p an hour. BBES have said to 890 of their workers sign the new contract by 7th December if you don’t you are down the road.
This is serious stuff they mean business that’s for sure, Unite needs to be organising a ballot of all BBES workers right now. Anyone not in the union should join online ASAP, as only members of Unite will receive a ballot paper.
A national strike is the answer, which can start after all 8 companies have been balloted. It’s no good having a meeting in December and then starting a ballot in January, the Xmas tree will be down, thousands will be on the dole and the rest of us working for £10,50 an hour or less if on an agency. Wake up Mr Bernard McAulay, get your arse into gear for crying out loud’!
Our protests and demo’s are building the union, spreading the word and laying the ground for a yes vote. Tonight [Monday] 60 sparks attended a branch meeting in Grimsby and decided to demonstrate at Lindsey Oil refinery next Monday. Last Friday night 70 sparks and fitters turned up for their meeting which was electric. The meeting decided to demonstrate this Wednesday at the Tyne Tunnel and also collected £210 for ‘site worker’.
Wednesday 21st September we will see the first ‘official’ Unite called protest which we are building for. It will mark 5th protest in London and the 12th around the country.
Unite have arrived at the party very late, the rank and file have led the way for our efforts we’ve been called scandalous names by Bernard McAuley shame on you pal, concentrate your energies on the real enemy................ that is the big 8, and get us that ballot.
These protests will carry on every week for as long as necessary but we also need walkouts on some large sites. Solidarity action across the country will undoubtedly bring this dispute to a head its needs to happen this week.
No more hanging around other trades and offshore workers should be encouraged to support.
Unite along with the other public sector unions are being balloted for a mass day of strike action on 30th November and fair play to them. So that’s a good date where thousands of sparks and fitters can join them on a national strike.
We should take this opportunity not just to defend the JIB agreement needs complete but to completely overhaul it. Why all the different rates for Scottish sparks, London sparks, and those outside M25 one rate for all £25 an hour any talks must involve elected workers from all regions and any deal put to a ballot this is our chance to get a good deal in place and why not do the same for NAEICI and WRA they are a pile of poo as well.
THE FIGHT HAS BEEN CALLED BY BBES LETS RESPOND IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE EVERYBODY OUT!
Keep on inundating Bernard McAulay with
[email protected]
demanding a date for the ballot.
Words are fine but Unite needs to be put under pressure to negotiate a proper deal for us. A ballot for strike action of all electricians, pipe-fitters and other trades would make that more likely. NO waiting until December Mr McAuley.
We must continue to force the issue and spread these actions across the
country............ Blockades, occupations, traffic jams and stuff until an agreement has been reached.

Rank and File protests planned so far……
London: 21st September 6.30am-8.30am Farringdon Station, Crown House site. Our 5th London demo Unites first official one
Manchester: Wednesday 21st September 6.30am Manchester town hall & Baileys site BBC Media City at 10am.
Newcastle: Wednesday 21st September: Meet at 6.30 am outside the Duke of Wellington also known as Sambucas then over to the Tyne Tunnel site to lobby the lads
Edinburgh: Thursday 22nd September. 9.00am outside City Chambers. The City Councillors will meet to confirm that Balfour Beatty has won the contract to build the new Portobello High School. Let’s teach them a lesson!
Glasgow: Wednesday 28th September 7.00am New Veladrome

Rank and File meetings...........
Glasgow: Saturday 24th September 10.00am: John Smith House
Newcastle: Monday 26th September 7pm Newcastle Labour club
Liverpool: Thursday 29th September 7pm-9pm Friends meeting House, 22 School Lane LI 3BT
Manchester: Saturday October 1st 12.00- 3pm Mechanics Institute 103 Princess Street M6 DD

Stop Press...............................................And finally [for now] some good
news:
1] Last week rank and file committee member Steve Acheson was elected on to the North West JIB. We need to look at getting other activists onto RISC, sector committees, to have a powerful voice for rank and file workers.
2] Unite have now agreed to revisit all the blacklisting cases on a misuse of data protection claims basis.
3] Steve kelly Unite Branch Secretary of london construction has been told he has a claim at European Court of human rights against the blacklist which may see him sue the Government for allowing it to happen.
Email us with ideas and let us know if you have actions planned
[email protected]

If you can't get to one of the demonstrations you might want to do a flying picket of your nearest blue book (national agreement) site. Make films of the actions, get them on the internet and send a link to Reel News. The rank and file need to keep control now the officials are getting involved. It needs to be by industry rather than just the more skilled trades.

The sparks at BP Saltend have voted to lobby Conoco at Immingham on Monday the 26th at 6.15am.

The Newcastle demo unfortunately didn't blockade anything this time.

The Newcastle demo unfortunately didn't blockade anything this time.

site was occupied on token basis for about ten minutes, me and one solfed member were the only libertarians there as far as I could see. Next picket/demo is coming wednesday at 6.30 am at kings Cross. i think libertarians in london should make more of an effort to attend these.

yeah, ramona's comments in news are very welcome and i agree with most of what she said re relating to other workers

Protests

Edinburgh: Thursday 22nd September. 9.00am outside City Chambers. The City Councillors will meet to confirm that Balfour Beatty has won the contract to build the new Portobello High School. Let’s teach them a lesson!

Lindsey Conoco site: Monday 26th 6.15am 266 West Burton sparks voted to attend.

London: Wednesday 28th September 630am Kings X Station platform 10 and 11 main concourse

Glasgow: Wednesday 28th September 7.00am New Veladrome Commonwealth games Stadium.

Meetings

Glasgow: Saturday 24th September 10.00am: John Smith House.

Newcastle: Monday 26th September 7pm Newcastle Labour club.

Liverpool: Thursday 29th September 7pm-9pm Friends meeting House, 22 School Lane L1

Manchester: Saturday October 1st 12.00- 3pm Mechanics Institute 103 Princess St M6.

London: Tuesday 11th October 6.30pm Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, Holborn.

http://jerryhicks.wordpress.com/

Went to protest at Edinburgh City Chambers. 20 odd workers, some from further afield, Glasgow and Fife. A couple of workers complaining of a "well you tell me how it went" attitude from colleagues. Bit of embarassment at the turnout in comparison to whats going on elsewhere. Those there seemed pretty determined in that there's "no choice but to fight against this".

Went to protest at Edinburgh City Chambers. 20 odd workers, some from further afield, Glasgow and Fife. A couple of workers complaining of a "well you tell me how it went" attitude from colleagues. Bit of embarassment at the turnout in comparison to whats going on elsewhere. Those there seemed pretty determined in that there's "no choice but to fight against this".

The Newcastle demo caused the Tyne Tunnel site to close till 10 with the workers on full pay!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEvtZKPMl2o
http://www.neanarchists.com/sparkies%2021-9-11.html

Next London protest isn't Friday, it's Wednesday, at Kings Cross.

From shopstewards.net:

September 26 construction industry electricians have taken unofficial strike action at Saltend and West Burton today over threats to cut JIB rates. These workers then took part in a 400 strong protest outside Lindsey Oil Refinery and Conoco Phillips on the Humber.

Anyone know more about this?

Latest from Siteworker:

One of the 'Big eight' construction companies has already broken ranks:

Taking matters into our own hands while we wait for the ballot has led to a massive breakthrough with MJN Colston announcing it will stay within the JIB agreement.

Lindsey Conoco, Humberside:

Yesterday morning a couple of hundred sparks from West Burton protested outside the Lindsey Conoco site where they were joined by a delegation from the site of 150 sparks. Eventually the numbers swelled to over 500.

Rank & File action:

In Newcastle last night [Monday] at an official Unite organised meeting 150 sparks elected ‘rank and filer’ Jimmy Warne to chair the meeting which was quickly followed by the election of a 4 person rank and file committee to
decide the next target/s for protests and demo’s.

URGENT: Everyone who can needs to get to Manchester this Saturday Oct 1st
12.00- 3pm at the Mechanics Institute 103 Princess St M6. To follow what
London and Newcastle have done by electing their own committees and deciding future actions.

Pressure on Unite:

*Keep on inundating Unites National Construction Officer Bernard McAulay with emails [email protected] g demanding a date for the ballot.

Unite should organise a ballot immediately of all electricians, plumbers,
pipefitters, HVCA and SJIB trades. Firstly balloting all BBES workers and
then the other 7 companies.

We demand that unite announce our intention to ballot for strike action and
join 2 million public sector workers in on strike against cuts on 30th
November.

We demand a national meeting to co-ordinate our campaign open to all
construction workers we also demand a national recruitment campaign to build
for this strike.

Actions:

London: Wednesday 28th September 6.30am Kings X Station platform 10 and 11 main concourse

Liverpool: Wednesday 28th September 6.30 – 9.00am Spie Matthew Hall,
Brownlow Hill, Clarence Street.

Glasgow: Wednesday 28th September Velodrome - Springfield Road, Parkhead, 06.30am

Glasgow: Saturday 1st October 11.30am - People 1st March and Rally -
Green to Kelvingrove Park - Assemble at Glasgow Green

Cambuslang: Wednesday 5th October 6.30am at Fire Training Centre Project
Clydemill Industrial Estate Cambuslang

Glasgow Govan shipyard: Wednesday 12th October 07.00am - Assemble at the middle Gate. Govan Shipyard - Govan Road.

Rank & File meetings:

Liverpool: Thursday 29th September 7pm-9pm Friends meeting House, 22 School Lane L1

Manchester: Saturday October 1st 12.00- 3pm Mechanics Institute 103
Princess St M6.

Glasgow Govan shipyard: Saturday 8th October - Construction Meeting - Time
and Venue to be confirmed

London: Tuesday 11th October 6.30pm Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, Holburn.

Tactics:

‘Protests’ ‘demo’s’ ‘site invasions’ direct action and as the TUC supports “civil disobedience” has already brought a right result and is the way
forward, main contractors will wonder “what’s next” it will pile the
pressurse the remaining 7 JIB firms to back off, and tell unite ‘National
ballot now’!

New blog: http://www.jibelectrician.blogspot.com/

Video from Kings Cross on Monday; please spread & help break the mainstream media blackout!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pcz0atgIfmk

It was a Wednesday, by the way. Yeah spread this and come down next Wednesday in London -Park House , by Oxford Street from 6.30 am

Just to say, I've tidied this thread up as it'd been spammed to madness.. sorry if you wanted to buy ugg boots or whatever but it had to go.. :)

Another interesting video - this time from outside the Shard

ATTEMPTS were under way today to bring an end to an unofficial strike which has seen dozens of workers protest outside an industrial site.

It is thought the Unite union was due to meet with representatives of a group demonstrating outside Lucite in Billingham.

Crowds of around 100 people have been reported at the company’s entrance in recent days in an action which has delayed planned maintenance work.

The protest comes after 14 scaffolders and labourers were escorted from the chemical company’s site - triggering a disagreement which saw other workers join the dispute.

A source at Hertel, which employs the workers at the Lucite site, said the “unofficial strike action” had been going on for several days and involved the “unlawful secondary picketing” of the premises.

He claimed many of the demonstrators had no direct connection with the work in question, adding the firm had written to its employees to “counter false allegations that the dispute is in any way linked to pay or that the men were forcibly removed from the site.”

The source said Hertel had ended a temporary scaffolding contract last week due to a reduction in the planned scope of scaffolding work required at the Cassel Works site. The decision meant that around 14 scaffolders out of a total of workforce of around 160 contractors employed by the company were given a week’s pay in lieu of notice.

The company says that is in line with the agreed terms of the temporary contracts.

But the workers claim their action comes after they were laid off following a pay review request.

Advanced scaffolder Tony Seaman last night told the Gazette he had taken a letter of grievance to management last Wednesday.

He said workers were asking for Hertel to set up a meeting with union officials regarding payments for a planned shutdown.

The 41-year-old, of Ormesby, claimed workers got £10.46 a hour and wanted £14.

They say that is in accordance with NAECI (blue book) rates, but Hertel has said Lucite is not part of that agreement.

“We believe they don’t want to pay the correct rate for the shutdown and for the new build which is going on,” Mr Seaman added. “I can’t describe how we feel.”

Mr Seaman said other workers then joined the action.

He added: “The rest of the site had a meeting on Thursday and came out.”

Mr Seaman last night said: “I would say there are between 100 and 150 out on unofficial strike.”

He added his belief the shutdown would not go ahead unless the current situation was resolved.

Scaffolder John Beadnall, 52, from Middlesbrough, said at the site’s entrance today: “I believe management have handled this terribly. It’s grossly unfair.”

And Jamie Rowland, 26, a scaffolder from Easterside, added: “They ought to hold talks immediately.”

A Hertel spokesman said the situation all of the 14 were employed as temporary scaffolders and labourers.

“The process was managed in accordance with standard procedures with appropriate notice issued to each of the affected employees,” he added.

“This is not the right way to resolve a grievance.

“We hope that when people realise that the dispute does not have the backing of the union and that the planned maintenance activity will now be delayed meaning further loss of income for many, those involved will return to work.”

The Gazette has seen a copy of a letter from Len McCluskey, general secretary of Unite, to members stating the union will give no support to the unofficial action.

“If you fail to work normally you will be taking part in unofficial action,” he warns.

It is believed that the spokesmen for the parties involved in the dispute were due to meet at time of going to press.

the next action in London is on Wednesay at 6.30 a.m at the Tate Modern. A call has gone out from the electricians for as many people as possible to reinforce the action.

Ratcliffe Power Station - Protest against the Attack on the M&E Industry

Time: Friday, October 7 · 6:30am - 9:30am
Location: Ratcliffe On Soar Power Station, Nottinghamshire

Directions - http://www.eon-uk.com/ratcliffe.pdf

Ratcliffe Power Station
Ratcliffe On Sour
Nottinghamshire
NG11 0EE

At a meeting on Monday (3rd October), the sparks on the site voted to walk out this Friday.

This is the first protest for Nottinghamshire in the battle against companies pulling out of the national JIB agreement. They are attempting to impose average pay cuts of 35%, alongside numerous other attacks on terms and conditions.

The action is unofficial - we can't afford to wait for UNITE to initiate a ballot, although everyone is still pushing for this.

Spread the word, join the lads from the site, get involved and save our industry

PRESS RELEASE: Immediate 4 October 2011 17:00

Scotland Yard attempt to ban latest sparks protest in Oxford Street

Scotland Yard has been in contact with UNITE the Union to try and stop a planned protest outside a building site in Oxford Street tomorrow morning Wednesday 5th Oct.

For the past 3 weeks thousands of electricians have been involved in protests at Kings Cross, Farringdon Crossrail Station, the Shard and Blackfriars Station in a bitter campaign against a 35% pay cut and de-skilling of the industry.

The dispute has already spread beyond London. Last week the Tyne Tunnel was closed by protesters and walkouts have occurred at Grangemouth in Scotland and Lindsey Oil Refinery on Humberside.

The action has been organised by a grassroots network led by rank & file activists rather than the official union. In London two weeks ago Farringdon Station was invaded by 300 sparks – and last week the main road at Kings Cross was closed by police after being blocked by 400 protesters who then stormed the station concourse.

Click on link for video footage http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pcz0atgIfmk

Met Police have now decided to adopt a harsher approach in fear that Oxford Street may be brought to a standstill during rush-hour tomorrow morning.

Jerry Hicks a grass roots, rank and file committee member said “The TUC called for civil disobedience, well here it is. This will almost certainly bring the issue to a head. They are determined to demonstrate.”

The background to the dispute is that the largest electrical contractors in the UK: Bailey Building Services, Balfour Beatty Engineering Services, Tommy Clarke, Crown House Technologies, Gratte Brothers, SES and SPIE Matthew Hall have all decided to withdraw from the nationally negotiated electrical agreement [JIB]

Electricians are currently paid £16.25 per hour – the proposed new contracts cut this to £10 per hour for the vast majority of the work. In addition the new contract would allow non-qualified staff to carry out electrical work. Dismissal Notices have already been sent out to thousands of electrical workers – the new contracts will be imposed on 7th December.

The building site in Oxford Street is a Tommy Clarke site – one of the rogue electrical contractors

It has been reported that major clients fear that the dispute will escalate and impact upon projects across the UK – some tendering processes have been halted because of the negative publicity around the electrical firms involved.

Ends:

Notes to editor:

The protest details are: 6:30 Wednesday 5th October: Tommy Clarke building site, Park House, opposite Selfridges in Oxford Street.

For more info contact: [email protected]

Jerry Hicks can be contacted on 07817827912

Sparks Protest Newcastle 12/10/11
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxPXgk4Zk9k

national demo in london on the 9th of november apparently.

alibi

national demo in london on the 9th of november apparently.

Same day as the students? Things could get interesting...

indeed! a taxi gridlock protest at Trafalgar Sq over private hires same day too.

everyone should be giving the 9th a push, it could really kick start things nicely before the 30th.

Siteworker flyer for Nov 9th; unite the resistance!

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=131184856985776&set=o.264935423529258&type=1&theater

Good action at Ashington this morning; numbers were boosted by lads walking from the site and we ended up with 50/60. The main contractor on the site is Kier and it was a bonus that their top brass turned up for a site inspection while we were there and were given lectures on their pernicious sub-contractor, ie Balfours :lol: Lots of the lads who walked were wanting to go to London on Nov9. We also had an interesting leaflet to give out; you can find the full text here:

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2011/10/487485.html

Shall I put my tin hat on, or it is just some technical problem why I can't access the fb page?

@soc, dunno; maybe you have to be FB friends with the original poster of the...err...poster to access that page. Here's an alternative jpeg:

http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h330/neapictures/bishopsgate.jpg

Latest news on sparks' action in the north-east here:

http://neanarchists.com/sparksoct.html

On the N9 protest thread there was a discussion, amongst other things, about the lack of support on the day from other building workers to the protest of the electricians and, as I pointed out on there, plumbers, H&V engineers, pipefitters and others covered by the mechanical side of the agreement.
There's better news from the Corus Redcar plant yesterday where a hundred electricians walked out and no contractor for Balfour Beatty went in. Socialist Worker reports that more construction worker walkouts are planned for tomorrow at other sites including, Runcorn, Stanlow, Grangemouth, Ratcliffe, Sellafield and others.

Electricians at Redcar Corus (which has an appalling safety record - an electrician was killed there earlier this year - see Hazards magazine) blocked the road outside the plant yesterday. The local Evening Gazette reports: "Tesside industrial workers joined a a protest sparked (!) by the electricians".

This movement is by no means finished yet.

Though the numbers were smaller, todays protest at Farringdon saw activity at the site severly restricted and a number of electricians refused to go into work. According to the NationalShopStewardsNetwork "a number of Polish workers refused to go into work" which caused a great cheer among the protesters.
Apparantly workers at Ratcliffe also walked out yesterday but I can't find any more details on that.

Support the striking electricians
Saturday 19th November
Glasgow Demo /March /Rally meet at John Smith House (145 West Regent Street) 10 am and march to City Chambers in George Square via 1 possibly 2 Balfour jobs to let public know whats happening / stop sat traffic (media attention) all welcome all needed.

Sounded like a great action. Here's the facebook event page for anyone interested: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=195673837181243

Great stuff in London!

At Conoco on Teesside we were outmanoeuvred - bosses had told everyone to be in by six or get sacked, but sparks still walked there & at Corus & Ratcliffe.

Tyneside Anti-Cuts Network planning meeting for Nov30 tonight will have sparks' rep. attending & there's a rank & file meeting in Hartlepool tomorrow for same purpose. Everything still to play for!

From a participant:

60 sparks occupied Grattes reception area. Police were locked out when the sparks chained the doors from the inside. Cops got in through a fire exit but could not throw us out. No arrests all peaceful. Sparks showed that they can take the message to the employers front door literally. That they are organised and determined to do more than talk, the next time it will be Grattes clients and potential clients Grattes are the name of a company who are i the leadership behind the scenes and deserve to be given all the attention because they started the fight not us.
Please put out an all point bulletin to find out were gratte brothers are working were the normally work and who for, find out all we can about there supply chain keep hitting them. Knock another one out quick and boost moral before the ballot.

Result of official Unite strike ballot of Balfour Beatty operatives:

81.6% in favour of strike; starts Dec7.

Turnout?

Unite ballot result Balfour Beatty Engineering Services voted YES 360 (81.6% of valid vote) voted NO 81 (18.4% of valid vote) zero spoilt ballot papers 440 valid papers.

All Out on 7th Dec. Man the gates of every Balfour Site across the country. Give them hell

According to someone who works there, not one electrician went in at Blackfriars this morning. Walkout at Grangemouth in Scotland, one of the Grattes sites had the fire alarm set off and another site walked (Mathew Hall? Maybe?)

They are asking for a mass picket for the night shift, starting at 5:30 pm.
Could we put posts on this thread rather than the new one? So that people who don't know can look back and see what's happened up to now?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-16065150 BBC article (FINALLY!)

Oh yeah forgot about this, from Twitter:

Postie refuses to cross picket at London BBES HQ. No mail 4 Balfour Beatty today!

Whose roundabout? Our Roundabout!

Text of report to appear on NEA website shortly:

Weds. 7th Dec.2011, Hartlepool; sparks hit Heerema again. A massive site with two main gates, well over a mile apart.

We start at the Headland gate, about 150 of us; we briefly blockade the gate & somebody causes a loud bang. Lots of people masked up, (well, it's bloody cold innit?). [photo1: http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h330/neapictures/heerema7121.jpg ] Then off to the Greenlands gate in a proper march down the road led by the Unite construction workers' branch banner. Six bizzie vans & three cars at the second gate & they stop us totally blockading the gate, but there's a couple more bangs, everyone is in a good mood and when they try to make the usual announcement about obstruction and being arrested we make a lot of noise and drown them out. The bizzies also have a cameraperson for the first time. [ photo2: http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h330/neapictures/heerema712.jpg ]

About 8.30am we decide to march back to the Headland:

"Quote of the day by a police man as we walked back to the headland in Hartlepool. Right lads the protest is over now so if you stay on the footpath as you walk back we can go. Yeah ok mate straight over the roundabout for us."

The police made several other half hearted attempts to get us onto the pavement on the way back, but we held the road. And then, only a few hundred yards from our final destination, they stupidly block the road with one of their vans and a line of cops. After a brief hesitation, we push through and there's a ruck which looks like getting out of hand until Sergeant Sensible calls off his troops. Wise move. We win & everyone's got that buzz.

Thing is, the sparks' dispute is with Balfours and the other six construction companies, so how come we end up in conflict with the cops? Partly its because they 'uphold the law', and the law says that anything we might do to effectively win the dispute is illegal. But its also because they are trained to 'be in control'. Mostly they get away with it only because people do what the bizzies tell them to do; when people stop doing that it changes everything. You're not in control Mr. Plod, we are - just stand on the pavement yourselves and keep out of our way. At the end, one of them tried to make an announcement to anyone who would listen that the march was illegal because we hadn't informed the police about it. Yes mate, got it in one.

Meanwhile in other parts of the UK today:

"Sparks in Manchester have entered council chambers and are addressing councillors."

"BBES St Cath's Birkenhead Merseyside.
A good morning's work by the hardy souls who braved the Arctic conditions !
Great support from the workers who took our points onboard over these attacks on conditions and we advised management and security to get the local constabulary down after "heated discussions" They duly turned up and were very sympathetic to our plight and peaceful demonstration
NHS Estates were sought and given a brief insight into why their Hospital had been chosen for Industrial Action
They too , took literature and again, were most sympathetic to our plight stating " we're in the same boat!"

"Now outside a Grattes job. Some bugger has pushed the fire alarm. Job closed. everyone off"

"Flying Pickets shut down Harvey Nic's building site (Gratte Bothers) - 200 workers refuse to cross picket line"

"Occupying Lend Lease site office at Cambuslang."

"Over 100 workers demonstrate outside Balfour Beatty HQ in Glasgow."

"Good show at Kelvin hall school in Hull. TUC members on the line in support"

"Good stuff at Immingham - big turnout and blocking of entrances"

"Am very proud to be part of today - biggest nationally coordinated unofficial strike in decades. See you back at Blackfriars at 5.30pm to get the nite shift"

All quotes from sparks' FB page; photos nicked from FrFi Surprised smile

And this from one of the rank & file 'leadership':

Ballot what ballot? Walk-outs: Protests: & Demos: Can’t wait – won’t wait. Sparks are doing it for themselves!
Anti Trade union laws brought in by Thatcher under the Tories and left unchanged by Labour under Blair and Brown, never fought by the TUC and Union leaders.
It meant that workers were criminalised for doing what was right, that is fighting for pay, pensions and jobs.
So what can be done eh?...... Rank and file action, that’s what.
Today [7th Dec] the biggest most widespread unofficial action in decades is seeing 1000’s of Balfour Beatty electricians [and others from the rogue 7 companies] taking part in walk-outs, protests, demos, and occupations, across England, Scotland and Wales. From Cardiff to London, from Glasgow to Liverpool to Hartlepool, and more besides.
No to BESNA: No to ACAS: No to cuts in pay and conditions:
Defend the JIB and then improve it:
And I say:
Let’s have elections for all union officials where the members decide who represents them and we can hold them to account!
Let’s end the appointed jobs for life!!
Let’s have a Unite General Secretary on an average wage not a six figure salary!!!
Let’s get the Union back where it belongs, with the grass roots, rank and file members!!!
Victory to the sparks!!!!
In solidarity

Is anyone thinking of organising a meeting about the latest developments in the electricians' strike at Tent City uni or the occupied UBS building? Solfed, AF, Commune, IWW, CWO (for example)?
The response to the union 'sell out' seems very significant.

Are they cracking?

I have received a message from a spark on Conoco - Immingham
"top Balfour boys have crisis talks with conoco tomorrow. Client is fuming and trouble on the horizon"

For info of comrades who are working on this; (quotes from sparks' FB page as usual & BESNA is the new wage-cutting, de-skilling agreement):

Balfour guys, the contracts are going to be distributed, starting today. DO NOT SIGN. Do not feel intimidated or pressured into signing. There is still plenty time to fight this!

There's a list at Blackfriers of individual interview times for all Balfour Beatty operatives, regarding BESNA.

There should be no 1 to 1 consultation at this stage. I pressume that an acknowledgement of receipt will have to be signed. But the contracts do not have to be returned until 7th Jan. Any 1 to 1 consultation should have a union official present in any case.

There should be a witness on the guys side, everybody needs to know that. The witness should take a pad and a pen in and minute the conversation, coz that's what they'll be doing. If that is not allowed i'd ring the union straight away! I knew they'd try that on browbeating guys 2 to 1. People need to be strong when they go in! Good luck guys

Guys are being taken in individually to be issued with contracts and told the timelines etc. DO NOT SIGN TODAY! They may try apply a bit of pressure, but stand firm. BESNA, BESNA, BESNA! OUT! OUT! OUT!

Well the sparks already have fairly decent contact with the occupy lot and have been to meetings there. At the moment we're trying to prioritise putting them in touch with other groups of workers rather than occupy types.

I know that the sparks have good contacts with the Occupy people, and I certainly agree on the need for the sparks to link with other groups of workers.. My first thought on hearing about the wildcats was that this might be an opportunity for different revolutionaries to get together as well as with militant sparks in order to discuss where the struggle is going. I suggested Occupy more because it is a very open and centrally located resource.

Just got a message saying HVCA have called for talks, it's going to ACAS on Thursday 10am.

Wednesday's picket is Kings X, near platform 10, 6.45 am

Really good report on Electricians against the World, with a good video
http://jibelectrician.blogspot.com/2011/12/biggest-unoffical-walkout-for-years.html#more
Looks like a crucial moment, please everyone get down on Wed who can.

There was a demonstration outside Kings Cross station this morning. About 200 people, but the initial impression was that there were more leftists than electricians, although more of the sparks appeared later on. There were also people from Occupy London, and the electricians specifically thanked them for the support they have been giving.The protest gathered outside the building site area. Some of the building workers inside or going in looked on interested but none joined in - this was more of a protest than what happened last week at Blackfriars, which had become a genuine mass picket. A good short speech by a guy who has recently joined the rank and file committee, saying that last week's action proved that we don't need ballots to go on strike, we can just walk out. They said it was the biggest unofficial strike action in the country for decades.

It was also pointed out that the attack on the electricians is an issue of deskilling and safety as well as wages, because the bosses' aim is to replace skilled sparks with unskilled people. Such practices had caused disasters on the railways in the past, and Network Rail is going to be one of the main 'beneficiaries' of the Balfour Beattie wage cut. Thus it had been decided to march to their HQ in Euston where a second rally was held.

There was less of a feel of an 'open mic' session than a previous one I had attended, rather the speeches seemed prearranged and followed a certain ideological approach. The speakers made some good points about the need for soldarity across private and public sectors, but there was a heavy dose of leftist and radical trade unionist stuff. It didn't seem a fruitful moment to try and speak.

The electricans have been doing these weekly actions since August and while I don't think they are demoralised they feel the need for a break. So Friday night there will be a 6pm gathering at the same place in Kings Cross, followed by a visit to the pub to which all were invited. After that there is due to be some kind of national action on January 9th.

There were lots of leftist papers and leaflets to 'compete' with. Although our leaflet/article is rather long and not agitational, I think it was suitable for a moment when the sparks need time to reflect on where the struggle is going. You got the impression that those who took the leaflet would actually be reading it later on.

http://en.internationalism.org/files/en/6.sparks_dec.pdf

Support the Sparks – protest against the lack of media coverage – BBC Scotland, Pacific Quay, Glasgow, Saturday 17th December, 10am-1pm

Facebook Event Pages for the same event. The second has a link to photos of a Sparks picket of Longannnet Power Station on Tuesday:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/events/190256237733285/

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/events/262332960486958/

i am an electrical contractor in glasgow we dont have protests up here atm.

admin: possible spam link deleted

Yes you do:

http://union-news.co.uk/2011/12/update-sparks-occupy-bbc-building-protest-over-media-coverage/

Hadn't seen this:

Sparks twist fuse into industrial powder keg

UnionNews reports on mass walk-outs across the UK in protest at the decision by the construction giant Balfour Beatty to initiate a legal challenge to last month's strike ballot conducted by Unite which returned an 81% majority in favour of industrial action against threatened "sign or be sacked" contracts:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWz0O5JzGbU&feature=youtu.be

Further protests are expected next week. The rank and file national committee is organising a second UK-wide day of action for 9th of January.

Next protest is this Wednesday, a Grattes site, nr Victoria, round the back of House of Fraser, 6.45 am. The next one is Monday 9th, which is a big day of action, possibly involving walkouts, so would be good if people can come down. Don't know where yet.

Electricians return their new contracts Hillington on Friday, Glasgow

From Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/groups/264935423529258/

Sparks Against de-skilling and 35% Pay Cuts

Public Event for Sparks Against de-skilling and 35% Pay Cuts

Friday
10:00 until 13:00

Baflour Beatty Office, Lumina Building, 40 Ainslie Road, Hillington
Park, Glasgow G52 4RU

FRIDAY 6TH JANUARY - 10AM

SCOTTISH BASED BALFOUR BEATTY M&E WORKERS ARE RETURNING THEIR BESNA
CONTRACTS UNSIGNED STRAIGHT TO THE OFFICE

Pass this on and let's give them as much support as possible!

ALL M&E workers in the area should attend to show their support and to
pass on the message to BBES that we will not stand for this attack

Balfour Beatty,
Lumina Building,
40 Ainslie Road,
Hillington Park,
Glasgow
G52 4RU

www.jibelectrician.blogspot.com

Ok, next London action isn't Monday now, it's Wednesday, Blackfriars station, 6:45 am and they've asked for a mass turnout.

Some impressions of the sparks’ protest at Blackfriars this morning.

There were a lot less people here than on previous protests, and in contrast to previous occasions, no action like a march, blockade or call-out of other building workers was proposed. There were a few speeches and a short open mic session, then after an hour and a half or so everyone dispersed. The main speakers pushed the SWPish line that pressure from the rank and file is beginning to make the leadership stand up and fight – that a combination of rank and file action and official backing can win this struggle They referred to a recent meeting where the Rank and File Group was present along with Mcluskey and other Unite national officials. The latter assured the sparks that they supported them and would be re-balloting for national action.

There were some questions posed about where the officials were this morning, since none could be seen, but perhaps more to the point, where were the other workers? With one or two exceptions the speeches were relentlessly upbeat – the movement is gaining strength, it’s spreading throughout the country, and so on. It is perhaps too early to tell but experience tells us that it is very difficult to sustain a struggle over a long period, even when the actions are spaced out on a weekly basis. It looked more like a struggle that is stagnating and maybe even declining.

When the mic got passed around I took the opportunity to speak. I said that the effectiveness of this struggle had been based on the actions from below and that there had to be a very serious discussion about this whole idea of making the officials fight. Normally when they gave their ‘support’ it was the kiss of death. I cited the example of the 9 November demonstration, when the arrival of the officials silenced discussion and when there was a clear split between the officials who wanted to go to lobby MPs and the workers who wanted to join up with the students and broke away, only to get kettled. It was symbolic that the officials were going one way and the workers the other. This immediately prompted a couple of replies from the organisers. One reiterated the argument that unofficial actions can indeed be strengthened when the national apparatus backs it up and widens the struggle. Another said it’s OK to criticise your own union leaders, but you shouldn’t criticise leaders of other unions (I think).

I didn’t follow any of the speakers that came after that because I was too absorbed with the smaller discussions I got involved in: several people came up to me and said that they agreed with me and were glad I had raised the issue. One was an American living in Glasgow who said he was part of the ‘Republican Communist’ group (which has or had links with the Commune I think). He was a friend of Loren Goldner and we found ourselves in agreement on some points, especially the criticism of the Trotskyists, although I don’t know whether he was representative of the group (he didn’t seem to take seriously their argument about why they call themselves ‘Republicans’, for example). But others I spoke to were building workers or former building workers who had been involved in the sparks’ struggle for a long time, had been kettled on the 9 November, and did not share the current enthusiasm for pressurising the union leaders. I had a long discussion with one of them about the problem of workplace organisation.

Comrades from AF, Solfed and the Commune were also present and it seemed normal that we stood together discussing, since whatever disagreements we might have, we share the same distrust of the leftist approach that appears to be dominant in the ‘rank and file’ leadership.

National Rank & File meeting in Brum this Saturday: https://www.facebook.com/events/290417531005806/

At Hartlepool power station last week (11/1/12) the police were seen to be taking orders from what looked like a company manager. Then cars were driven at us at high speed designed we thought to smash through lines of protesters. Where were the police when one of these cars hit a protester – in fact they pulled one of us to threaten arrest if he continued to obstruct traffic.

Next London protest, tomorrow 6.45 am, Kings Cross platform 10

High Court have just refused Balfour Beattie's application for an injunction against the Unite official strike. All systems go eh?

Plus, Ken Livingstone was guest speaker at a construction industry dinner in Park Lane last night which was 'lobbied' by sparks & supporters. Apparently good ole Ken stated publicly that none of the seven BESNA companies will be awarded a contract if he's elected mayor. Not everyone is convinced by this though; most liked comment on the sparks' FB page on this is:

take it with a pinch of salt the mans a cunt.

That's fantastic!

Needs its own news story this!

Edit: Have done a quick update piece here - mods could you update it please as I've done a couple of changes to the ordering and put in a pic?

Unite have just given official notice of their intention to hold a strike ballot to NG Baileys & SPIE, (two of the remaining six BESNA construction companies).

Meanwhile, a one line report from Bradford this morning:

Great turn out at morrisons head office in Bradford, absolute chaos

And some detailed suggestions as to what should be up for negotiation in the forthcoming Unite/Balfour Beattie talks:

1) Rule 17 must be adhered to: No agency labour until a job is nearly complete, and then only small numbers, and ‘no redundancies’ while agency labour are on any site.

2) An increase in the hourly rate.

3) No deskilling.

4) Proper apprenticeships.

5) No more ‘Blacklisting or Victimisation’ of those involved in dispute so far.

6) Increase in fares, travel time and lodging allowance.

7) A sick pay scheme.

8) A single hourly rate across the board.

9) Fares from home for all.

10) A 35 hour basic week. Overtime rates increased.

11) Full training for elected stewards and safety reps with paid time off for union duties.

12) Elected reps on all projects.

13) A decent redundancy pay.

14) A decent pension scheme.

15) Full employment rights from day one.

This is from the latest Siteworker newsletter; red & black innit: :)

That's a hell of a demand list, good on em!

So, not be a sectarian prick, but I read recently from a (pretty official) IWW source the IWW members are one the "front line" of the Sparks dispute. I have some close comrades who've been really involved and as far as I know this isn't the case in London (which, to be fair, does seem to be the epicentre of the struggle), can anyone confirm if this is the case elsewhere?

Naughty.

In the north-east there have been individual wobs out with the sparks, but no organised IWW presence. To be fair though, there hasn't been a SolFed presence in the north-east either - just a bunch of anarchists doing stuff. :)

Even in London, that's been the case. We've had two members in NLSF who've been really active in supporting the workers during the dispute (neither of them is me, btw).

The Sparks are aware, I think, that they're anarchists and members of SF. We've certainly come to pickets and protests with SF flags and banners. However it's been individual SF members who've been doing the solidarity with the support of the local. If that makes sense...

Twitter

BREAKING: NG Bailey officially confirms it will not now introduce @BESNAinfo following Balfour Beatty decision to withdraw #sparks

I don't think anybody was competing Jim. I certainly wasn't trying to as my discussion of SF was merely describing how SF organisationally wasn't involved. In fact, I was trying to draw the distinction between individual and organisationally support and involvement.

Chilli Sauce

That's a hell of a demand list, good on em!

So, not be a....

In London there were a good handful of wobs there most demos.

Your post is frankly just nonsense on all levels.

I wouldn't say London was the epicentre either, I think the walkouts at the power stations in the north were very important, and there was a lot of activity in the north east.

fingers malone

I wouldn't say London was the epicentre either, I think the walkouts at the power stations in the north were very important, and there was a lot of activity in the north east.

yeah pretty much agree, wouldn't say it was the epicentre either, politically London was still fairly important mind but thats often the case

Anyways London wise theres still probly gonna be a callout for next wednesday to keep the pressure on, though theres a chance they might have to cancel it dependent on things. . Deatils to follow.

Hasn't there been a call out for tomorrow?

cantdocartwheels

Chilli Sauce

That's a hell of a demand list, good on em!

So, not be a....

In London there were a good handful of wobs there most demos.

Your post is frankly just nonsense on all levels.

Would you care to expand on that?

I mean there were probably a handful of SP and SWP at each demo, would we say that the Trots were on the front line of the Sparks struggle? Likewise, if the Wobs have Sparks in their ranks who've been organising this, I'd be really keen to hear about.

Yeah cut the dickwaving guys, noone needs to prove themselves. And either way, there were more trots on most of the actiosn I went on than Wobs, SF and other anarchos combined. The EAN especially mobilised a lot of studenty types...

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