We’re not a soft option

An inspiring tale of worker solidarity and canny campaigning had women on their feet and clapping on the first day (March 18) of the Unite women’s conference in the Floral Hall, Eastbourne.

They rose from their chairs after delegate Sara Kasab told how worker solidarity triumphed over zero hours contracts – when Unite members at Greenwich Library voted for day-long strikes and a work to rule to get them replaced with payroll jobs.

“We took on an employer who was relying on manipulating women workers on zero hours contracts. And won”, Sara told the conference.

With an estimated 1.4m workers currently mired in such contracts – and the lack of security and poverty pay that usually often goes with them – it’s a story that needs to be told.

Employers who use them do so to avoid the sick pay, holiday pay and other benefits enjoyed by permanent staff.

The battle was won last year – when library staff voted to strike and begin an overtime ban to get GLL social enterprise to create more jobs and stop offering zero hours ‘contracts’.

Enough

“Unite members in Greenwich Libraries had had enough. Our colleagues were leaving and were being replaced by zero hours contracts. The zero hours staff were desperate for permanent roles and we knew the time had come to act.

“We put forward a set of demands and when they were ignored we balloted for strike action and a work to rule. Our members voted to strike.”

They did so – and as the second planned day of strike action approached a meeting was arranged. And Unite was in the driving seat.

“The GLL brand was under threat from bad publicity and they caved in,” said Sara. They finally admitted there were permanent vacancies and agreed to fill them. But that wasn’t all. GLL agreed to give Unite a statement that zero hours contracts would be limited to emergencies and special events.

It’s an important victory. GLL – under its preferred branding Better Leisure – employs two thirds of its staff on zero hours contracts. And the company is busy bidding for leisure services all over the country. The memory of effective, focused industrial action in defence of permanent work won’t be easily forgotten.

 
Sara also raised an issue which is troubling many – the growth of shorts hours contracts which strip people of the power to plan ahead. She said Tesco, Home Base and Argos offer three hour contracts, Burton, Dorothy Perkins and Evans four hours. Curry’s PC World and Next offer six.

Sara deserves the last word. “The message is clear. Social Enterprise companies and charities are not a soft option alternative to privatisation the message is equally clear to the Labour Party. If we get a Labour government in May they must stand firm in their pledge to end exploitative zero hours contracts.” Quite so.