Yorkshire

As part of the the 3rd National Day of Protest against Benefit Cuts West Yorkshire Solidarity Federation organized a picket of the ATOS Origin regional headquarters (who carry out medicals for the DWP) followed by a picket of A4e and Best who get paid for getting people into low paid employment.

About 20 people turned up including WYSF, AF, SWP and a guy who’d come from Manchester despite having walking difficulties. 

Outside ATOS there was a noisy presence and a “photo opportunity”, where a professional photographer took various photo’s, don’t know where these ended up.

Following this we headed off to A4e/Best.  Along the way we lost the SWP who disappeared and never turned up at A4e/Best.

ATOS offices in Leeds close for the day!! On the 24th January as part of the National Day of Action against benefit cuts, WYSF, Black Triangle and claimants picketed ATOS and A4e. Staff at ATOS where told not to go into work, so it was a success. Outside ATOS leaflets where given to other workers with a generally positive.  We then moved to A4e, which coincidently is next door to BEST (another pathways provider).  Many leaflets where distributed to the public and to many claimants leaving both A4e & BEST, again a very positive response. A successfull day! 

Following on from the attacks detailed in last issue of Catalyst, refuse workers in Leeds and Brighton have won significant victories defeating attempts to slash their pay under the twisted logic of ‘equal pay’.

In Leeds, following a mass meeting at which 79% of the GMB and Unison members voted to accept management’s offer, the 11 week Leeds City Council bin strike ended on 24 November 2009 when victorious bin crews and street cleaners marched back to work at Cross Green and Yeadon depots.