13.02.1997

Throwing the book at library workers

In a further vicious attack on services and employee conditions, yet another local council is attempting to impose new contracts on its workforce.

Lambeth council in South London has made it clear that it intends to dismiss its entire library staff in May, only to re-employ 140 out of the present 180 workers the following day. Those ‘lucky’ enough to keep their job would be working for £2,000-£4,000 a year less. In addition, as part of a £250,000 programme of cuts, the service would be badly hit, jeopardising the future of several branches, including the mobile library.

But the library staff have not taken this attack lying down. Earlier this week they held their second one-day strike, which received almost universal support. Tim O’Dell, the local representative of Unison, the workers’ union, told me: “The support has been brilliant, and we have had donations and the backing of other council workers, including lower management.”

But that is hardly surprising, as a similar assault is promised by council leaders across the board. As Tim says, “They want to serve notice that they intend to change everyone’s contracts. There were literally hundreds at the full Unison branch meeting the other day.” As a result of this determination to resist, the entire council workforce, represented by 11 different unions, is to strike on March 18.

The council is run by a three-way coalition of the main parties, with the Liberal Democrats the most consistent force. Sometimes they find themselves in alliance with the Tories and sometimes with Labour. “Labour appear to be backing off at the moment,” Tim told me, “although up to the last month or so they have been just as rampant as the others in getting rid of the ‘old Lambeth’ image.”

Council official Heather Rabbats recently complained that council staff are “too political”. By that she did not mean that they are a hotbed of loony lefties but, as Tim says, “we want to take a role in how services should be delivered. People believe in the services they provide.”

All the capitalist parties are united across the whole country in their enthusiasm for slashing services and working conditions. When they are not directly at the helm, like the Labour Party in Lambeth they hypocritically pretend that they oppose the worst of the cuts.

But even in Lambeth council workers have few illusions in Blair’s party. “Labour and the Tories have acted together,” Tim pointed out: “for example in trying to close down schools. Some Labour members ripped up their party cards in disgust as a result”.

Peter Manson