Superdrug workers on strike since 4th November

[Patchd]

Workers at the Superdrug owned warehouse in South Elmsall, a former mining town near Doncaster (South Yorkshire) have been on strike since the 4th November 2009. It came about after Superdrug, which saw a £37 Million profit last year, attempted to force their workers to sign new contracts which would see the workers affected in these ways:



A change in shift pay which would see some workers losing from £1800 to over £2000 out of their wages, along with attacks on sick pay, overtime payments and pensions.
It would allow Superdrug to be able to change and schedule shifts with only 7 days notice, effectively cutting the liberty, outside of work, of the worker.
Workers would have to opt out of the European Working Time Directive which puts a 48 hour cap on the amount a worker works in a week (unless the employer and employee comes to a written agreement), and reduces the employers' ability to force workers into doing excessive hours.

There have been a wide range of support for the strike, from the local butchers providing meat for those on the pickets, to workers in warehouses nearby bringing wood out for those on strike for the picket fire.

What this is essentially, is a very rare (as it is private sector retail company, which do not usually see workers struggle) indefinite strike, the workers and their family are already feeling the brunt, Unite The Union are paying those on strike, but it is not enough.

For example, a mother-of-four, and partner of one of the strikers, only receives £30 a day, which isn't enough for four children. When she phoned up the Job Centre to see if she could go on the dole, they told her that the 'workers had put themselves in this situation' and therefore they were unable to give any financial support (keep in mind that the Job Centre also don't pay out dole to those who have resigned from their previous work, again for the same dumbfounded reason).

A striker, also stated; "My husband was a miner on strike in 1984. We had two kids and, like everyone, I worried about paying the bills and everything else. Now I know that if we can survive 12 months out on strike then we can survive this. The community spirit during the Miners’ Strike was fantastic. We’ve got that spirit shining through today." Another also stated; "I’m left with £30 a week after all the bills go out, if they take any more then I won’t be able to pay the bills. I’m petrified about what will happen – at the moment I’m the breadwinner in the house."

Superdrug spokesperson has said, "Superdrug is making no job losses and continues to be keen to reach a satisfactory conclusion in order to meet our objectives of protecting operations in these uncertain times and safeguarding jobs for the long term."

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Those on strike have urged people to boycott Superdrug until their victory, as well as help out with general publicisation of the strike, they have asked supporters to leaflet outside Superdrug stores on Saturdays to raise awareness of the issue and to urge customers to shop elsewhere.

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The campaign group, No Sweat (which usually deals with issues concerning workers in 'third world' nations working in sweatshop conditions), has produced, and are handing out the following leaflet:



Solidarity With Superdrug Workers

http://docs.google.com/File?id=ddmqhddg_933n9pncj_b

http://docs.google.com/File?id=ddmqhddg_10cnr5vbf4_b
Support The Workers Fight -Boycott Superdrug’s Bosses.
Hundred’s of Superdrug workers at the warehouse in South Emsall near Wakefield have been on all out strike since the 4th of November.
The company made £37 million last year, but they are trying to force workers to take up to a £1,800 pay cut. Bosses are also attacking sick pay, pensions and overtime rates.
Millions of Working class people are facing job losses and wage cuts. Workers like those at Superdrug and the Leeds Refuse workers are leading the way against the bosses’ assaults. Solidarity is needed to help win victory.
-The strikers are asking for people to boycott Superdrug in support of the strike.

No Sweat: Fighting exploitation and sweatshops all over the world.
-You can also send messages of support to [email protected]

No Sweat: Fighting exploitation and sweatshops all over the world.
www.nosweat.org.uk


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Thanks to the Socialist Worker (http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=19575), Hemsworth and South Elmsall Express (http://www.hemsworthandsouthelmsallexpress.co.uk/news/South-Elmsall-Superdrug-strike-action.5814748.jp) and an email report from Leeds AFed comrades who have been helping out with the action so far, for the information provided here.

[Niccolò Rossi]

Thanks for posting this Palachinov. This is the first I have heard about this strike and it is a significant one at that.

I do however have an issue with the No Sweat leaflet. The question boils down to what is solidarity with striking workers? To answer negatively, solidaity is not boycotting Superdrug. The tactics of boycotts being advocated (by the union?) whilst on some level represent sympathy of wider layers of the working class and the local community, are not fighting tactics and do not represent the true meaning of solidarity.

If the strike is to have the best chance of ending in an immediate victory, real workers solidarity is required. First and formost this means spreading struggle, establishing links and co-ordinating real workers' solidarity across different enterprises, industries and geographic locations. If the struggle remains isolated to Superdrug workers with solidarity actions continuing to only take the form of toothless boycotts where other workers remain passively at work or home, the chance for defeat and demoralisation are much greater.

[Patchd]

Thanks for posting this Palachinov. This is the first I have heard about this strike and it is a significant one at that.
No problem, but keep in mind that this was just an objective (on the 'left' at least) publicising of the issue at hand, I've linked to the Socialist Worker article on it too, as well as the No Sweat leaflet and the local media, all of which I am not a supporter of :tt2:


I do however have an issue with the No Sweat leaflet. The question boils down to what is solidarity with striking workers? To answer negatively, solidaity is not boycotting Superdrug. The tactics of boycotts being advocated (by the union?) whilst on some level represent sympathy of wider layers of the working class and the local community, are not fighting tactics and do not represent the true meaning of solidarity. I agree, although I don't see much bad in boycotts (usually depends on the situation and context too), however, to have a slogan such as "Support the workers' fight - Boycott Superdrug's bosses" is, as you said, not an advancing tactic, and a better slogan, or suggestion of how to help the strikers could have replaced it. Personally, I think a better way of building workers solidarity with regards to this issue, is talk to the Superdrug workers on the checkouts and in the shops (even if it has to be done through their union reps, as you probably won't be able to stay for long in the shop after the manager sees you talking politics to the staff), and attempting to convince them to do some kind of supportive action.


If the strike is to have the best chance of ending in an immediate victory, real workers solidarity is required. First and formost this means spreading struggle, establishing links and co-ordinating real workers' solidarity across different enterprises, industries and geographic locations. If the struggle remains isolated to Superdrug workers with solidarity actions continuing to only take the form of toothless boycotts where other workers remain passively at work or home, the chance for defeat and demoralisation are much greater.Whilst I agree, I don't see workers in other industries rising to the task to striking to show solidarity with these Superdrug workers, at least not yet in this political climate. A step could well be attempting to get other Superdrug workers out on strike in solidarity.

[Niccolò Rossi]

Whilst I agree, I don't see workers in other industries rising to the task to striking to show solidarity with these Superdrug workers, at least not yet in this political climate. A step could well be attempting to get other Superdrug workers out on strike in solidarity.

I agree with you. Building solidarity between workers in the same enterprise is a much less daunting task then with workers in other industries, for example. None the less, it is important.

Regarding the potential for such solidarity at the present moment, maybe you could shed some light on the matter. Earlier this month we saw struggles by postal workers, binmen, firies and pilots across the UK. I am not too familiar with each of the struggles and know little about where most of them are currently. However, such most definitely could be (or maybe rather, could have been) exactly the right climate necessary to faciliate such a generalisation of the struggle, contrary to what you seem to be saying.

[SHEHATEME]

Also want to say thanks for this post Palachinov had no idea about any of this. I agree boycotting Superdrug is not the best way to support the workers, but now I know about this I will not be giving any of my hard earned wages to the greedy selfish bastard’s respsponsible for treating decent hard working people like this.

[Patchd]

I agree with you. Building solidarity between workers in the same enterprise is a much less daunting task then with workers in other industries, for example. None the less, it is important.
I agree, recently in Sheffield, when the First bus drivers, firefighters and posties were on strike, the three unions at least came together to do some things, such as a rally outside the central fire station (attended by quite a few postal workers and bus drivers) when the FBU (Fire Brigades Union) came out on strike, but more importantly, it linked the workers together too. Though, I did hear concerns from CWU postal workers pissed off at Unite The Union providing postal scabs, Unite being the union representing the First bus drivers too. All this shows really is the parasitic nature of trade unions, and their beureaucracy, pitching worker against worker, but at the same time trying to appeal to the idea of working-class solidarity.


Regarding the potential for such solidarity at the present moment, maybe you could shed some light on the matter. Earlier this month we saw struggles by postal workers, binmen, firies and pilots across the UK. I am not too familiar with each of the struggles and know little about where most of them are currently. However, such most definitely could be (or maybe rather, could have been) exactly the right climate necessary to faciliate such a generalisation of the struggle, contrary to what you seem to be saying.

Most of these strikes have died out now;
- The postal workers, represented by the CWU, saw their union beureaucracy capitulate to Royal Mail bosses (http://www.wsws.org/articles/2009/nov2009/swpu-n14.shtml), and halted all strike action at least until after Christmas. One of those on the CWU executive who voted in favour of ending action was union president, and Socialist Workers Party member, Jane Loftus.
- Binmen in Leeds are still on strike and have been since September 7th, recycling is collected again on a monthly basis from 16th November, since the beginning of the strike until then, recycling has not been collected, meaning that the council has managed to employ more strikebreakers, or more strikers have not had the confidence in, or the ability (eg: finances, childcare etc.) to continue the strike. For the general waste, the council had previously hired private firms to do that task, but it has had success in recruiting temporary workers.
- Firefighters in South Yorkshire have also gone back to work after the Fire Brigades Union managed to work out an agreement with their management over the issue of management bullying and shift change concerns.
- Not too sure about the pilots, last I read of them said that they could not strike in Britain as it was against British law for commercial pilots to do so, so they were going to join other pilots on strike and/or rallying around Europe.
- First bus drivers in Sheffield's massive Olive Grove depot are back to work while their union reps are in negotiations with the bosses, I think, off the top of my head, they are entering into talks on 25th November, but if talks don't come to a head by the end of the month, then Unite The Union threatens to continue strike action. Harsh, and unfair disciplinary sanctions against bus drivers, that among other things has led to the bus drivers going out on strike, have been revoked after the 4th day of the strike and all lost money that wasn't paid because of them have been paid back to the workers. 98% of the drivers were in the union and not one of them crossed the picket. I talked to one driver who used to be a union member back when he was working and struggling to keep the steel industry going in Sheffield, he was adamant about continuing the struggle if management kept fucking them over, there's a decent tradition of workers' struggle in Yorkshire.

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Different groups have been working with the workers/unions, and we're trying to get postal workers, firefighters and bus drivers and their reps to discuss how to build joint struggles/help facilitate one another's strikes in future. As many of the strikes in the area, with the exception of the Leeds bin strike (Sheffield bin workers, represented by GMB union reached an agreement with the management and no strike action was taken in the end), and possibly the Sheffield Olive Grove depot bus drivers, has finished, even temporarily, I don't see many of the workers in the area being too keen on doing something together right now, most will probably be busy with their work again, but there is something being done to try and bring together the different workers and struggles.

Also, no worries to the poster above, but that's the thing about boycotts, you boycott one company for being exploitative towards their workers and because they seek to bust unions, but then you have to go to another company which probably does the exact same thing, just not right at this moment.