Defence strike – day three

Over 800 of Unite’s members in the Defence Support Group (DSG) launched their third day of strike action today (December 10), with seven more days to go, in its historic dispute over pay, as well as concerns about its imminent private sell-off.

 
DSG maintains, overhauls, and repairs military equipment for the Ministry of Defence. The current 10-day action is the longest strike in the group’s history, and follows six days of industrial action in October and November.

 
DSG workers are striking after unequivocally rejecting the one per cent pay rise they had been offered. This was the last straw after having faced real-terms pay cuts between 12 and 18 per cent, just as the organisation’s accounts have swelled.

 
More than just pay, however, Unite’s 800 workers have voiced extreme concern about the group’s planned sell-off in 2015 to private company Babcock Land.

 
“Feelings among our members are running high not just because of the insulting pay offer, but because of the uncertain future they face of being sold off to the private sector,” said Unite national officer Mike McCartney. “Management need to get back around the table to avoid the sell-off being derailed.”

 
In a letter to DSG, the MoD and Backbock Land, Unite criticised a potential “pay system that only serves to demotivate employees and breed discontent.”

 
Unite’s members urged the interested parties to “do the right thing and give the workforce the pay it deserves,” and went on to warn that “having decided on our course of action, we are determined to see the job through.”

 
Public sector union PCS involved in the strike pledged its support of Unite’s members in their fight for fair pay.

 
“We fully support the action being taken by Unite members and are working with Unite and other sister unions to put pressure on the MoD to make an improved pay offer to DSG members,” a PCS spokesperson said.

 
“If this does not happen we will be asking PCS members to take industrial action in coordination with Unite,” he added.
Want to support DSG’s striking workers, too? Send them a personal message of encouragement at DSGStrike@yahoo.com and tweet using the hashtag #DSG.