Sackings

[Pogue]

Been told by management that alot of us are gonna lose our jobs basically, mainly the younger people, student types, who work a couple of days a week. Any advice/links on how to respond to this are appreciated, I work in retail.

[Pirate turtle the 11th]

What unions do you have?

[Pogue]

None as far as I'm aware, we're not unionised, I am though.

[Q]

None as far as I'm aware, we're not unionised, I am though.

Get your union involved :)
Also, strive to organise workers against these attacks, not just the targetted workers, but all the workers at the place under the slogan "an injury to one is an injury to all!".

You might also be interested in this (http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/6812).

[Bilan]

Been told by management that alot of us are gonna lose our jobs basically, mainly the younger people, student types, who work a couple of days a week. Any advice/links on how to respond to this are appreciated, I work in retail.

Talk to your co-workers and try and organise something to stop it. It's important to get as many co-workers active in the struggle as possible, considering there will be a portion who remain employed - they are equally important in this struggle, as if you strike, it will hit them hard.
Bugger the union - lest its the IWW. You're likely to get dogged - as usual.

[Pogue]

Yeh I have the IWW. Its just I get the idea from alot of people its not worth struggling in this case because the ones most threatened are the younger workers, i.e. student-workers or general people working part time under and around age 18.

I don't know what to do thus because its not quite the same as being sacked from your full time job you're life depends on.

[Mersault]

Don't they have to give you redundancy payments?

[Pogue]

Don't they have to give you redundancy payments?

I think so yes, I'm not sure what was written in my contract excactly because it was a while ago.

[Bilan]

Yeh I have the IWW. Its just I get the idea from alot of people its not worth struggling in this case because the ones most threatened are the younger workers, i.e. student-workers or general people working part time under and around age 18.

I don't know what to do thus because its not quite the same as being sacked from your full time job you're life depends on.

Of course it matters.

[Pogue]

Of course it matters.

The feeling i get from many people is 'meh, get another job' though. I want to do something about it myself, cos theres a recession and i wont find another job.

[Bilan]

The feeling i get from many people is 'meh, get another job' though. I want to do something about it myself, cos theres a recession and i wont find another job.

That's an important part of it. Agitate, boy!

[The Feral Underclass]

I think so yes, I'm not sure what was written in my contract excactly because it was a while ago.

You should have a copy of it. If you're British you should have been provided with a written contract or be made clear of the terms of your employment after 3 months of being employed. You can only get redundancy if you've worked there for two years, it may be 1 year, I don't fully remember.

[Pogue]

How should I start? I don't know if people will be bothered enough to fight as we're all student workers and most people seem apathetic.

[ls]

I'm sure you've read all these documents about organising from the IWW, but just in case: http://www.iww.org.uk/organise ..they seem like very detailed advice, I'm impressed myself.

You could find out about employment contracts in detail and the ways you might be able to use them to your advantage from the Citizen's Advice Bureau (most CAB people are pretty impartial in their advice from my experience, in the unlikely event you get a retard, just phone up the same number again).

Much luck in any case, hopefully you won't lose your job.

[Bilan]

Talk to some IWW comrades. See what you can do.

[Pogue]

I keep fucking getting told that its not worth it, too much bother, too much risk, too much effort, just get a good reference and go elsewhere, etc.

I don't know what the fuck to do, and I want proper advice before doing anything. I work when the IWW meetings are on so I can't talk to anyone then.

[Pirate turtle the 11th]

Do you have the email of anyone at your wobs group , if so tell them to bring it up

[Dr Mindbender]

Talk to your colleagues. If they are also angry have an unofficial walkout, you don't need a union.

Theres fuck all they can do if you all walk.

[ls]

If it is looking closer and closer to just losing your job, let's be fair, perhaps as U.S said a walkout would bring them to their knees.

[Dr Mindbender]

If it is looking closer and closer to just losing your job, let's be fair, perhaps as U.S said a walkout would bring them to their knees.


If H-L-V-S said his colleagues are apathetic then a bit of agitation on his part will be necessary though.

Explain to your colleagues that finding new work won't be easy, what with the credit crunch. If they realise how tough it will be maybe it will raise a few more fists.

[Bilan]

We're kind of in the same situation at work, actually.
Not a whole bunch of people being sacked because there's too many - but alot of people being sacked for stupid things (you wouldn't believe me if I told you), which looks more like its because of too many staff.

So I dunno. I'm putting together a leaflet which I'm going to put up at work.
My situations different, as we're in the middle of wage negotations, and the bosses are in the middle of a push with the workers, where they're trying to push 50% of the workforce onto part time - which means much lower wages, for us. And our wages are already extremely low.
The one I'm putting together contains stuff about our rights as is (upon the shit union-boss agreement), as well as about the reality of the push onto part time (most of those who live on their own, or who are studying, live in poverty as it is), and agitating for action (but more subtely).
I don't have a revolutionary union - so we may be trucking it alone, if we do at all.

[Dr Mindbender]

flyering and leafletting is good-

Just don't let the management see you otherwise they will know you are the agitator and will attack you like a raut weiler going for the jugular.