16.01.1997

Unison leaders dump Hillingdon strikers

On Wednesday January 8 1997, by a narrow majority, the industrial action committee of Unison’s national executive council agreed, without a ballot of the Hillingdon hospital strikers, to accept an offer from the employers. The offer is of £250,000 to be shared between the 53 strikers. Unison’s acceptance included the decision to withdraw official backing from the dispute with effect from Thursday January 16 1997.

The strikers are not willing to accept this offer. At a strikers’ meeting on January 12, attended by a clear majority of the strikers, those present voted unanimously not to accept this offer, and to continue with their dispute. The actions of the Unison NEC industrial action committee are contrary to Unison policy set at the 1996 conference, which instructed the NEC to give full backing to the strikers, including strike pay, until they won their reinstatement. The strikers now urgently need the support of all trade unionists, and particularly of Unison members.

Andy Maclean

Emergency motion for Unison Greater London regional council annual meeting, February 14 1997

This regional council condemns the decision by a narrow majority of the NEC industrial action committee, on January 8 1997, to withdraw official backing from the Hillingdon hospital strike against Pall Mall with effect from January 16 1997. We note that this was done on the basis that Unison accepted an offer of a cash settlement from Pall Mall without a ballot of the strikers. The offer is of £250,000 to be shared between the 53 strikers on a basis to be agreed between Unison and Pall Mall.

Regional council notes that national delegate conference in 1996 agreed to instruct the NEC to give full backing to the dispute, including strike pay, until the strikers won reinstatement by Pall Mall. Under Unison rule D2.1 the NEC is forbidden to do anything that is inconsistent with the policy laid down at the national delegate conference.

Regional council therefore believes that Unison, including all its branches and members, should give the fullest possible support to our members fighting for reinstatement at Hillingdon hospital, and salutes the courage and determination of the Hillingdon hospital strikers.

We resolve:

1. To demand the reinstatement of the Hillingdon hospital strikers on their former pay and conditions, and to instruct the regional convenor to write to Pall Mall expressing this demand;

2. To call upon the NEC to restore official backing for this dispute, including the payment of strike pay, in accordance with the policy of Unison conference and rule D2.1;

3. To donate £10,000 to the Hillingdon Strikers Support Cmpaign;

4. To circulate to all branches a request for donations to the campaign;

5. To submit to national delegate conference 1997 the following motion:

“This conference censures the national executive council for permitting official backing and strike pay to be withdrawn from the Hillingdon hospital strikers in breach of the policy agreed at conference 1996 and of rule D2.1.”;

6. To call upon all Unison members in London to boycott companies associated with Pall Mall, including HSS Tool Hire shops, and to organise a series of protests to draw attention to Unison’s boycott campaign;

7. To instruct the regional committee to convene meetings of Pall Mall employees who are Unison members in the London region and to use these meetings to launch a regional campaign to unionise Pall Mall’s workforce on the basis of a regional claim for a minimum wage of £4.26 an hour for all Pall Mall workers.

The Hillingdon strikers need your support now more than ever