Floplast bosses show their true colours
Management at Floplast in Bobbing, Kent responded to moves by the workforce to get recognition under the 50% rule by promptly sacking 6 people. Since the new legislation came into force, employers in Britain have been employing law firms to get advice on union busting and intimidating workers. If Floplast get away with it, other bosses will follow suit.
So, send support/solidarity and get action details;
Floplast Workers C/O GPMU Kent Branch, 155 London Rd, Sittingbourne, Kent ME10 1PA
Telephone: 01795 423 993 Fax: 01795 471 791
Email: dannym@gpmukent.demon.co.uk
Also, let Floplast Operations manager Derek Bartrip know what you think - Fax him on 01795 431 188
Casualisation Kills
Simon Jones was killed in April 1998 as a casual worker at Shoreham dock. A student, he was forced to take the job after threats from the dole, and was decapitated within hours of starting work. He had received no training, nor had the employment agency who hired him checked that the job was safe - as required by health and safety law. The Simon Jones Memorial Campaign is fighting against such injustices happening again in the future. See www.simonjones.org.uk. Stickers, posters and a campaign video are available for a donation; cheques should be sent to Simon Jones Memorial Campaign, PO Box 2600, Brighton BN2 2DX
Power Threats
Scottish Power, Britain's biggest energy group, have withdrawn their threat to axe 450 jobs in the face of threatened strike action. Candle sales have plumetted. D. Rooney, AEEU energy officer commented on the bosses' climbdown: "This is a victory for common sense. We have avoided confrontation and now have an opportunity to work with the company in partnership". Trust the union to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
Cheap labour
North Ayrshire Council has a website which proclaims us to “invest in North Ayrshire”. Fairly standard stuff, until the bit which boasts that workers in the area get paid a full 12% less than the national average. The low wages are described as one of the key attractions of the area. Especially for businesses looking for cheap labour, apparently. Yes, you guessed, North Ayrshire is a solid Labour Council.
Women Strike Back
Women's groups in Spain are trying to get a book by one of Spain's foremost Muslim leaders banned. In “Women in Islam”, by Mohamed Kemal Mostafa, instructions are given as to how men can beat their wives without leaving any external marks. Translations into Arabic and English are planned. Prepare for 8th March 2001 - strike for a world which values all women's work & all women's lives, an end to no pay, low pay & too much work. Called & co-ordinated by the International Wages for Housework Campaign, Crossroads Women's Centre, 230a Kentish Town Road, London NW5 2AB Website: http://womenstrike8m.server101.com
Unequal Opps
After 30 years of equal pay legislation, pay is anything but equal. The average gap between full-time male and female workers stands at 20%, while that between part-time workers is over 40%. It is the part-time, casual, manual women workers who have been left furthest behind. Worse, the statistics do not take into account the many areas of low-paid work types dominated by women workers. For example, cleaners are the lowest paid workers in Britain, and they are mainly women.