DELEGATES at the TGWU Biennial Delegate Conference in Brighton yesterday gave their full support to Salford Council workers who will be taking more strike action in defence of agency workers.
The Salford workers held a one-day strike last Wednesday, and are currently engaged in an overtime ban and a work-to-rule. They are planning a further two-day strike next week.
Union organiser Mike Cashman introduced a special presentation as a prelude to the debate on Composite Motion 21 entitled ‘Agency Workers’.
Cashman told delegates: ‘We are seeing a growing casualisation of our jobs and the growth of two-tier pay and conditions.’
He added: ‘Many of these workers are migrants who are also ripped off by being over-charged for tied accommodation.’
He continued: ‘There’s no clearer example of this than what is happening in Salford Council, a Labour council that is employing large numbers of agency workers on the refuse, recycling and street-sweeping service, working alongside the direct workers.
‘Over 50 of these workers have been doing these jobs for more than 12 months, some have been working there for more than four years.
‘Four years with no job security, no sick pay, being paid less than their workmates, paying for their uniforms and PPE.’
Cashman introduced some of the workers from the council.
Bartek Jaskiewicz spoke of his experience. He said: ‘We felt we were not treated like proper humans. There were 30 of us and we decided to go on strike.
‘We told the TGWU shop stewards all the things that were happening to us. We were cheaper, the council were expecting us to do 20 per cent more, we were treated like slaves.
‘We decided to get together with the English workers. We found out they were threatened that we would undercut their wages.
‘We did a deal with the English workers – we would support them if they would support us.
‘In the end, management changed their attitude. The only way we can change something is to support one another.’
Agency worker John Neal told Conference: ‘I used to have to turn up at 5am and wait until 8 or 9am and then be told to go home.
‘I’m on the minimum wage but being on a day-to-day contract you can’t get a mortgage.
‘It’s important for agency workers to join a union and it’s important that the union supports agency workers.’
Salford Council direct worker Brian Liversy added: ‘I work alongside agency workers who get less than I earn. This undermines our conditions.
‘We decided that enough is enough. Last Wednesday was our first 24-hour strike. We’re on an overtime ban and work-to-rule.
‘Next week we are on strike again for two days. We can’t afford to strike but we can’t afford not to.
‘We have to stop this now. We hope you will support us in this fight.’
Mike Cashman summed up: ‘Hopefully we’ll continue until we get the same wages for agency workers and direct workers.
‘We need to build the campaign for the Labour government to outlaw this exploitation.’
In the debate Steve Guy, Region 1 from Gatwick, criticised ‘the pessimistic picture painted by (Unite joint General Secretary) Derek Simpson in his speech.
‘He dismissed strike action, occupation and getting public support – good thing Salford workers didn’t take his advice!’
Guy added: ‘Why are we relying on such an important issue being raised in a Private Members Bill?
‘Blair and Brown are more prepared to listen to bosses than the trade union movement and the change of leadership won’t make much difference.
‘We need to have some understanding of what we are going to do if these people do not conform.
‘Things like the Gate Gourmet workers’ treatment, we have to make sure we are armed and able to take them on in the future.’
In his keynote address to conference, Simpson said that unions ‘have fallen foul of anti-union laws such as at Gate Gourmet. We got through that period but it’s getting harder.’
Simpson went on to dismiss calls for strikes and sit-ins to stop more factory closures, but was criticised by other speakers like Guy.
