BurnTheOliveTree
17th February 2012, 12:59
It appears the rank-and-file electricians strike has won a fairly serious victory in the struggle against deskilling and the BESNA contracts, which would have resulted in devastating 35% wage cuts. Balfour Beatty, one of the main culprits behind BESNA, has walked away from it now that Unite have won the legal battle to strike and immediately announced rolling week-long strikes on major sites.
"Following on from their defeat in the high court yesterday, Balfour Beatty (BBES) today announced their intention to walk away from the unilateral implementation of the BESNA contracts which would have resulted in wage cuts of up to 35% for electricians, plumbers, heating and ventilating engineers.
"This is a tremendous victory, following 6 months of protests, unofficial walkouts, stunts and site occupations. The turning point was the legal victory and the immediate announcement from Unite of week-long rolling strikes across major BBES sites. Clearly, BBES were not prepared for such hard hitting action.
"We will need to take stock from what has been a tremendous campaign (which is not over with 6 other construction companies still seeking to impose BESNA) and draw lessons for the future. However, one of the main successes has been the way unofficial rank and file networks have been able to work effectively with the official union machine and play to their different strengths as the campaign developed.
"We have a real opportunity to drive this victory home in construction and organise an industry that has suffered from neglect which ultimately led to this employer offensive. Exciting times…"
http://www.constructionenquirer.com/2012/02/17/balfour-beatty-engineering-services-backtracks-on-new-contracts/
http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=27574
-Alex
"Following on from their defeat in the high court yesterday, Balfour Beatty (BBES) today announced their intention to walk away from the unilateral implementation of the BESNA contracts which would have resulted in wage cuts of up to 35% for electricians, plumbers, heating and ventilating engineers.
"This is a tremendous victory, following 6 months of protests, unofficial walkouts, stunts and site occupations. The turning point was the legal victory and the immediate announcement from Unite of week-long rolling strikes across major BBES sites. Clearly, BBES were not prepared for such hard hitting action.
"We will need to take stock from what has been a tremendous campaign (which is not over with 6 other construction companies still seeking to impose BESNA) and draw lessons for the future. However, one of the main successes has been the way unofficial rank and file networks have been able to work effectively with the official union machine and play to their different strengths as the campaign developed.
"We have a real opportunity to drive this victory home in construction and organise an industry that has suffered from neglect which ultimately led to this employer offensive. Exciting times…"
http://www.constructionenquirer.com/2012/02/17/balfour-beatty-engineering-services-backtracks-on-new-contracts/
http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=27574
-Alex