There is a labour dispute in this workplace. It has reached a point where people feel their only option is to strike. Here’s why you shouldn’t cross the line...
SOLIDARITY is the most powerful force in the world
what if the dispute doesn’t affect me?
Of course it does! If management can get away with cutting pay or worsening conditions for one group of workers, it’ll only embolden them to do it to others. Besides, it’s a labour market. Good wages and good jobs in one industry or workplace put upward pressure on wages and conditions in other sectors and industries. Bad wages and conditions become an excuse to attack the living standards of all workers.
But my union’s not on strike, or what if i’m not in a union?
That doesn’t matter. What does matter is that we all stick together and stand up for ourselves and one another. If management know we’ll refuse to cross each others’ picket lines, they’ll be less likely to attack any worker or group of workers—regardless of what union we belong to or if we don’t belong to a union at all. Besides, management doesn’t know who’s in a union and who’s not anyway.
will i get punished?
Just having that worry is enough reason to stick together in the first place. There’s safety in numbers and the fact you’re getting this leaflet means you won’t be alone. Management legally can’t single out particular individuals who refuse to cross a picket line, they have to treat us equally as a group. The more of us who refuse, the safer we’ll be. Unfortunately, whether there’s a strike on or not, victimisation is a reality many workers face day-to-day, but refusing to cross lets management know that if they try to victimise one of us, the rest will stand in solidarity. In any case, the best defence begins with talking to your co-workers about why they shouldn’t cross either. Feel free to make copies of this leaflet and use it to start those conversations. If you’re still worried, most contracts state that you only need a sick note if you’ve missed five consecutive days of work.
what if i’m an agency worker or employed by a sub-contractor?
Join us! We all work in the same place, we need to be supporting one another. Talk to permanent staff, let them know your issues and find out theirs. Find ways to work together to address them! Also, don’t forget that as agency staff or subcontracted employees you still have the right to join a union or organise yourselves collectively in the workplace. If you’d like help doing that, please contact the Solidarity Federation using the information on the other side of this leaflet.
www.solfed.org.uk | solfed@solfed.org.uk
Solidarity Federation - International Workers Association