Leeds refuse workers/street cleaners strike on Monday

[Bitter Ashes]

Leeds' refuse collectors and street cleaners are striking on Monday regarding the council's planned £5k reduction in pay each by 2011. UNITE, GMB and UNISON are all striking together on this one it seems like there'll be pickets at various depots in Leeds. Anyone know where I can find out where these depots are, some of the Leeds Wobs are handy with tea and sweeties for the workers. Thanks.

[bellyscratch]

Leeds' refuse collectors and street cleaners are striking on Monday regarding the council's planned £5k reduction in pay each by 2011. UNITE, GMB and UNISON are all striking together on this one it seems like there'll be pickets at various depots in Leeds. Anyone know where I can find out where these depots are, some of the Leeds Wobs are handy with tea and sweeties for the workers. Thanks.

Try contact one of the local union reps, the details should be on the union websites. Just say you want to come down and show solidarity.


For further information/comment, contact Neil Derrick, GMB Senior Organiser on: 0845 337 7777 (Office) 07958 156 832 (Mobile)
http://www.gmb.org.uk/Templates/PressItems.asp?NodeID=98933

[REDSOX]

Looks like the bin strike has been pretty successful so far. I made some enquiries at the GMB press office yesterday and they said that hardly anyone has crossed the picket lines, and those that have may well be agency workers brought in to cover duties which the gmb press officer says is against the law if they are new agency workers recently brought in which i believe is correct. The council are saying on their Leeds city council website that about 15% of services are running as normal which the unions reject. A pretty good article in the Yorkshire post gives more detail www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/Collections-disrupted-as-binmen-walk.5625524.jp (http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/Collections-disrupted-as-binmen-walk.5625524.jp). A march and rally is planned for Thursday of this week, details to follow.

[Patchd]

Leeds' refuse collectors and street cleaners are striking on Monday regarding the council's planned £5k reduction in pay each by 2011. UNITE, GMB and UNISON are all striking together on this one it seems like there'll be pickets at various depots in Leeds. Anyone know where I can find out where these depots are, some of the Leeds Wobs are handy with tea and sweeties for the workers. Thanks.
Leeds AF have been joining the pickets there, you can ask you-know-who, and no I didn't mean Voldemort.

[Bitter Ashes]

Yeah, I got an email today on the subject actualy from them :)

[REDSOX]

Have spoken to the GMB spokesperson in Leeds and she says that the rubbish is beginning to pile up in the city now, and that morale is high amongst the workers and they are determined to see it through to the end. She also denied Leeds city council claims that Union members have been intimidating anyone crossing the picket line, as well as glueing the locks of the Stanley waste disposal site to prevent it opening. The only workers crossing are agency staff(some of whom have been persuaded not to cross) and members of Unite whose few members are being balloted for a strike as well. A rally will take place outside the civic hall at 3pm thursday 10th September with plenty of speakers. The council meantime still refuses to make any concessions and will not meet the unions until they call of the strike which the unions say they will not do.

[Bitter Ashes]

Have spoken to the GMB spokesperson in Leeds and she says that the rubbish is beginning to pile up in the city now, and that morale is high amongst the workers and they are determined to see it through to the end. She also denied Leeds city council claims that Union members have been intimidating anyone crossing the picket line, as well as glueing the locks of the Stanley waste disposal site to prevent it opening. The only workers crossing are agency staff(some of whom have been persuaded not to cross) and members of Unite whose few members are being balloted for a strike as well. A rally will take place outside the civic hall at 3pm thursday 10th September with plenty of speakers. The council meantime still refuses to make any concessions and will not meet the unions until they call of the strike which the unions say they will not do.
Damn. I'll be in work at that time and I know I wouldnt be able to sneak off either. *grumbles about lack of union recognition at her workplace*
Anyway, bring back photos please whoever goes!!! :)

[REDSOX]

Looks like Tesco in Leeds are trying to undermine the effectiveness of the bin strike in Leeds. Check this out on Indymedia Urgent!!!!!!!!
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/09/437707.html

Also spoken to a UNITE trade unionist whose 15 bin workers are being balloted for indefinate strike action in Leeds who says this could be the leeds equivalent of the miners strike!!! Maybe maybe not but Tesco have upped the stakes and it would surprise me if they havent acted in conjunction with the Leeds city council with this action considering how effective this strike has been.

Just another point i have found it hard to find info about this strike no blog no regular reports on the unions website nothing. I have had to contact the union spokspersons on the ground by telephone to get info. Shocking really considering the stakes

[Bitter Ashes]

Looks like Tesco in Leeds are trying to undermine the effectiveness of the bin strike in Leeds. Check this out on Indymedia Urgent!!!!!!!!
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/09/437707.html

Also spoken to a UNITE trade unionist whose 15 bin workers are being balloted for indefinate strike action in Leeds who says this could be the leeds equivalent of the miners strike!!! Maybe maybe not but Tesco have upped the stakes and it would surprise me if they havent acted in conjunction with the Leeds city council with this action considering how effective this strike has been.

Just another point i have found it hard to find info about this strike no blog no regular reports on the unions website nothing. I have had to contact the union spokspersons on the ground by telephone to get info. Shocking really considering the stakes
Holy shit! Those bastards!!! :cursing:

"Dusty McRaker
Operations director, Tesco Yorkshire"

That name is going to be branded into my soul. Where's his house??? If he wants rubbish, then he can have it delivered through his letterbox. :cursing:

I really am so fucking angry. Gah! It's bugging the hell out me that this is happening 15 miles down the road and I cant get there >.< I fell like a bloody scab.

[h0m0revolutionary]

Leeds AF have a banner saying "Scabs are Rubbish"

God they're a witty bunch :laugh:

[REDSOX]

Certainly if tesco go through with this scabbing operation then leeds tesco should be targeted through secondary picketing, leafleting, vilification campaigns etc and Leeds city council should be asked some questions about their possible role in this. Dont expect the unions to do this mind you because of their aversion to breaking trade union laws so it will be down to others to do the job if the will is there to do it.

[REDSOX]

It seems the tesco story is a hoax. Tesco are denying any such operation is planned:)

[Bitter Ashes]

Yeah. I just found out about that too a few moments ago:

"FYI, the tescos bin thing isnt real, its a trick. There is noone in the world called "Dusty McRaker", and the reference number, 09/01995/fu that they tell you to cite when youre dumping your rubbish outside their stores, thats tescos council planning permission reference number. Its part of some anti-tescos action - dump rubbish outside their shops and refer to them building a store no-one wants.

If you google the 09/01.... ref number, it comes up with stuff about a planning application by tescos. can you pm people on rev left about it?"

[REDSOX]

Clever stunt though, it fooled me for a while. Its only when i phoned Tesco's press officer and i heard the bafflement in his voice was i certain that this was a hoax:)

Still cant get more info about the strike anywhere apart from union reps who are quite busy at the moment, i hope that changes soon.

[REDSOX]

Good turnout at the rally today outside Leeds civic centre and afterwards the workers voted unanimously to carry on the strike indefinately. Check out http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_yorkshire/8249568.stm

[REDSOX]

Good article in Yorkshire evening post about the march and rally yesterday with a picture of a banner at the front of the march saying scabs are rubbish which i think is a Leeds Anarchist federation banner. Check out http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/leeds-striking-bin-workers-rally.5638953.jp. Also check out http://www.wharfedaleobserver.co.uk/news/4590928.Striking_Leeds_binmen_accused_of-a___dirty_tricks___campaign/

[REDSOX]

Another escalation by Leeds city council. What should the bin workers do now!!! check out http://www.news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_yorkshire/8255381.stm

[Bitter Ashes]

Another escalation by Leeds city council. What should the bin workers do now!!! check out http://www.news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_yorkshire/8255381.stm
I was in Leeds yesterday afternoon and I was shocked by how tidy it was and actualy commented to the other Wobs about that. I guess we know why now.

I actualy thought it was illegal to hire new contractors to scab. I know they're legally allowed to increase scabs' hours, but not bring new ones in. I'll await the announcement of who they are.

[REDSOX]

Well in the centre of Leeds it is clean no doubt but in other parts of Leeds the rubbish is building up even with the scab private contractors. The union and others need to find who these contractors are and picket them regardless of the law!!!

[Bitter Ashes]

RALLY AT NOON TOMMOROW!

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=125004767283&topic=10775
"We are holiding a rally outside the Civic Hall on Wednesday from 12 noon as there is a full council meeting. Please come along and show your support."

Any more info on this is appreciated. I'll be there myself, along with a few others I suspect. :)
Sorry for the short notice, this only appeared ont eh Facebook group this morning >.>

[REDSOX]

Just spoken to Tony pearson Unison spokesperson who says that they are consulting lawyers about the legality of bringing private contractors in to undermine this dispute although he says it will only make a dent in the rubbish pile. Nevertheless this is an escalation by the Tory/Lib council who are wanting to smash these workers by any means necessary. Its time i feel to escalate our action to deal with this threat. My suggestions to the strikers would be the following.

1. Mass leafleting in and around leeds explaining the struggle combined with a regular strike bulletin.
2. Street collections of money in leeds in communities, workplaces, schools, colleges universities etc.
3. Organise marches and rallies in Leeds
4. Organise letter email and phone campaigns targetting lib/con councillors expressing support for the strike. Also getting the message through the media Radio Leeds etc
5. Organise secondary picketing of private contractors involved in strike breaking. If the union wont do it on an official basis then workers could do it on an unofficial basis along with their supporters. Also tightening picketing of waste disposal sites.
6. Setting up of a blog with regular updates of the strike.

I appreciate these actions may be happening or being considered but if they are not then they need to be. The gloves are off and the forces of the left that are not yet fully mobilised trots anachists,communists, socialists, need to get mobilised get united and try to build support amongst the public to achieve victory for the Leeds bin workers and defeat Brett and his ilk.
I for one intend to do my bit.

Victory to the Leeds bin workers!!!

[Bitter Ashes]

I was at the rally yesterday with some Wobs and others.

There was, I'd estimate, about a hundred supporters who attended. The police were there too, although they gave us a very wide berth and there was only about 8 I think, which was lowered to two as the supporters began to trickle away after the union speakers had finished. I saw SWP, SP, IMT, AFed and of course, GMB, UNITE and UNISON. Lots of cameras and even TV crews were present, although I've not seen any of the pictures yet.

One particulaly cringeworthy moment was when one of the union leaders stood up, sung the praises of the police and then to top it all off, said that "we had Labour to thank" for the strike going ahead and that we should all vote Labour into the council to protect refuse workers.

You could have heard a pin drop for a few seconds until some very muted and strained applause followed out of courtesy more than agreement.

It was especially appropriate that he did this on the same day as only 15 miles down the road, Kirklees council, a Labour council, announced several hundred job cuts and were backed up by the Labour MP for Huddersfield.
http://www.revleft.com/vb/hundreds-kirklees-council-t117724/index.html

Direct action, like the strike, will get a fair deal for the workers, not giving Nu-Labour the power to betray workers again.

Otherwise, it was very good. Nice atmosphere. We had a go at chanting, but I dont think everyone was really fired up for it. It was clear though that the refuse workers are a stubborn bunch and they'll see this through to the end. :)

Good luck guys! ^^

[Pogue]

Don't worry Ranma the union hacks always talk shit, it truley is embarassing. Good on you for being up there, maybe mention details on the IWW list if it hasn't been done already. Hop the strike continues to go well.

[Bitter Ashes]

http://newsfeed.leedsvirtualnewsroom.co.uk/2009/10/meeting-planned-to-try-and-resolve.html

The council has flown the white flag and is coming to the bargening table :D