DOZENS of publishing staff at Legalease, the publishers of legal industry-bible, The Legal 500, have won a dramatic victory in their industrial dispute over pay.
Staff who had been on strike for two and a half weeks accepted an offer that fully met their original pay claim of a £2,000 pay increase for every worker. This was despite the company originally claiming it would not pay such an increase.
After two and a half weeks of well-supported strike action, with more industrial action on the horizon, Legalease agreed to meet the workers’ demands.
Unite union general secretary Sharon Graham said: ‘The strength of feeling among the Legal 500 workforce and the support for their pay claim was undeniable.
‘They have proven there is power in a union and I am delighted they have won their full pay claim.’
Unite regional officer Will Searby added: ‘This dramatic about turn from Legalease management shows that our members were right to demand their fair share, and that when they stand united, workers will win.
‘Not only will this deal enable many workers to live more dignified lives amid London’s cost of living crisis, it also gives our members the pride of knowing that they could not be taken for granted.’
Meanwhile, victorious strikers from the Institute of Cancer Research walked back into work following their indefinite strike action in Sutton and in Chelsea.
The ICR (Institute of Cancer Research) strikers have accepted a victory deal after 68 days on strike in which the lowest paid will see a 52% pay increase, while all staff have won pay scale increment progress, with an average total increase of 17.2%.
‘We are ecstatic,’ Liliana Bowler, Unite ICR workplace steward and Rep and one of the leaders of the strike, said.
‘A lot of our staff are on a very low salary and are living in poverty. We tried to explain to management, we tried to say this is not acceptable, these people are working hard, but they didn’t take us seriously.
‘Our asks were to implement the pay scales, to address the 16% corrosion, to reinstate our canteen facilities and to scrap the new pension scheme that they wanted to introduce for new starters.
‘The pension scheme has now been removed, so every new member of staff is going to be included in the current system which is the USS University Pension Scheme.
‘We also have the increments reinstated, which means that the people who are at the very low salary base in professional services and in scientific services, those people are going to benefit the most.
‘So that is a victory… We have had overwhelming support. We went from short strikes to indefinite strike action in July and it took until Friday September 18th for management to sit at the table and come up with something that is acceptable for the majority of the members.’
The strength of the working class is clear for all to see.
Burnham, at the Labour Party Conference, finally stated that the Triple Lock will be axed – which is cutting pensions.
He is also considering rejoining the bosses’ and bankers’ European Union, which was rejected by millions in a referendum.
This Labour government also says it will not put up taxes – which will mean cuts in services and pay cuts in the future.
This is in the face of rising inflation, with food costs up, rents and council tax rising and energy bills soaring.
Workers face a winter of discontent. This government must not be allowed to drive the working class and youth into poverty. It is clear that workers must act, and force the TUC to call a general strike now!
If the TUC refuses, it must be replaced by leaders who will organise a general strike to defend their members.
A general strike will bring the country to a standstill. It will give the power to the working class to establish its own Workers Government and a planned state-owned economy, based on satisfying people’s needs.
The working class has won great victories. Now it must use its great strength to bring down bankrupt British capitalism to go forward to socialism!
