30.01.1997

Strike reports

[from the action column]

Hillingdon strikers support campaign

The sacked Hillingdon Hospital workers who have been on strike for nearly 17 months have received a huge boost from their supporters in the past week. Trade union branches and supporters have raised £13,000 in a seven-day period to assist them to win their jobs back and to defend the National Health Service from privatisation. 

A jubilant shop steward, Malkiat Bilku, said:

“Despite the union leadership withdrawing official support these donations from members of the public and rank and file trade unionists show the depth of anger felt at what happened to us and the appalling state of the NHS. We will expose the private contractor Pall Mall and the Hospital Trust as never before. We will fight until we win justice.” 

Coventry lockout

On December 9 all 41 MSF members at Project Aerospace Development Ltd received a letter from management threatening dismissal unless they accepted changes to their pay and conditions, over which they had been in dispute since August 1. 

Next day, on reporting for work they were faced with a management ultimatum to sign the imposed new contracts. The 40 who refused were then locked out. The workers are picketing the factory every day from 7.30am to 4.00pm with a mass meeting every Friday, demanding reinstatement and the meeting of their wage claims.