Two thousand members of Newham UNISON held a one-day strike yesterday in defence of their sacked Branch Chair, Michael Gavan.
Gavan told News Line: ‘I was sacked on 21st November and we are campaigning for my reinstatement.
‘We had a very good turn out today.
People were on the picket lines at the main depots of Newham Council from 6.00am and spirits were very high, despite the cold.’
Newham UNISON said in a statement: ‘Many Council services were disrupted including street cleansing, refuse, schools, libraries, housing, council tax and social services.
‘This was despite widespread intimidation by Council management who even issued misleading claims that the strike was “unofficial” and that strikers could be sacked for taking part.’
Over 60 pickets demonstrated their support of Gavan by protesting outside a civic event on the steps of East Ham Town Hall yesterday morning which was due to be addressed by Newham Mayor, Sir Robin Wales.
As a result of the demo, Wales, who has repeatedly attacked UNISON and Gavan, was forced to cancel his speech.
Over 200 pickets then held a late morning strike rally at the Hartley Centre, East Ham.
Speakers at the rally included UNISON National Executive Council members, Irene Stacey and Jon Rogers.
The meeting was also addressed by Vicky Easton, Head of UNISON Local Government for Greater London and Tom Nixon, Branch Secretary of Unite (TGWU) for Newham.
All the speakers demanded the immediate reinstatement of Gavan and called for Newham Council to stop victimising trade unionists.
Several speakers from the floor called for escalating action to win Gavan’s reinstatement.
In her speech to the strikers rally, Irene Stacey, who is also Branch Secretary of Newham UNISON said: ‘Michael Gavan has done nothing wrong.
‘He’s been victimised by Sir Robin Wales because he’s challenged the Council’s policies of privatisation and pay cuts.’
Gavan told the strikers rally: ‘The Council want to privatise hundreds of jobs in Newham and intimidate every trade unionist in Newham by victimising me.
‘Well, I’ve got a message for the Leadership of Newham Council: “UNISON won’t be bullied or intimidated.”
‘Whatever the Council do we will carrying on fighting privatisation and resisting every attack on our members, terms and conditions.’
The Branch Executive Committee of Newham UNISON is meeting next Monday afternoon (December 17) to plan the next stage in the campaign to win Gavan’s reinstatement.
