Workplace news in brief

Equinox

The chief executive of the salary-slashing firm Equinox Care, Bill Puddicombe, verbally abused Unite members leafleting a conference in Lewisham, south London on 2 July.

He also snatched Unite placards from NSSN chair Rob Williams and ripped them up. Rob pointed out he was destroying Unite property but this was to no avail. Many people attending the event showed sympathy with Equinox staff.

Unite members were leafleting a care conference to publicise savage cuts in salaries - as much as 25% - being imposed on support workers.

Workers were told to sign up for new contracts or be sacked. They were told that their signatures would not be accepted if they added 'signed under duress'.

Now Puddicombe says he won't talk to reps about the pay cuts and refuses Unite's repeated offer to take the matter to ACAS the independent arbitrator. Equinox workers are angry and taking strike action again on 11-12 July.

Support Cains workers

On 10 May this year 38 workers at RC Brewery in Liverpool (formerly Cains) were made redundant. They were told they had to claim from the government if they wanted back pay and redundancy payments.

But a chain of pubs and a redevelopment project, the "Brewery Village" are still going strong.

The workers are angry that the company seems to be avoiding its creditors, including the workers, by going into administration.

Support the workers on: http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/52302

School strike

Teachers at John Gulson school in Coventry are taking their twelfth to fourteenth days of strike action this week as teachers at the school re affirm their commitment to fighting the new unfair and unjust teacher appraisal policy which the school's management has attempted to bulldoze in without any negotiation.

The NUT and NASUWT have attempted, over many months, to negotiate with the management of the school to resolve the issue and find a fair policy for teaching staff, but since January management has refused talks.

Remploy

The government is closing the five remaining Remploy factories in Scotland - Leven, Cowdenbeath, Stirling, Dundee and Clydebank.

It also claims it has had no 'viable bids' for the factories in Norwich, Portsmouth, Burnley and Sunderland. This means over 230 disabled people facing redundancy.

The vast majority of the workers sacked as a result of other Remploy closures have not been able to find work, underlining the importance that the Remploy factories have played in many disabled workers' lives.

Les Woodward, GMB convenor at Remploy said: "This is just another nail in the coffin for disabled workers who regardless of government lies and duplicitous figures do not get work.

"They are disadvantaged and ignored and there is no government policy to change that in the future."

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Finance appeal

The coronavirus crisis has laid bare the class character of society in numerous ways. It is making clear to many that it is the working class that keeps society running, not the CEOs of major corporations.

The results of austerity have been graphically demonstrated as public services strain to cope with the crisis.

The government has now ripped up its 'austerity' mantra and turned to policies that not long ago were denounced as socialist. But after the corona crisis, it will try to make the working class pay for it, by trying to claw back what has been given.

The Socialist Party's material is more vital than ever, so we can continue to report from workers who are fighting for better health and safety measures, against layoffs, for adequate staffing levels, etc.
When the health crisis subsides, we must be ready for the stormy events ahead and the need to arm workers' movements with a socialist programme - one which puts the health and needs of humanity before the profits of a few.

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