Labour movement news in brief

Submitted by AWL on 28 November, 2002 - 1:13
  • Felixstowe wage deal
  • Rails strikes
  • Airport strike
  • the global picture:
    • Bermuda teachers' strike

  • Bush use 'anti-terrorism' to break strikes

Felixstowe wage deal

Workers at the Port of Felixstowe are to get a pay rise of up to 25%. In the late 1980s - after the abolition of the National Dock Labour Scheme - new workers at the port of Felixstowe started to be paid a lower wage for doing the same job as existing workers. Currently employees on newer contracts earn about £5,000 less a year than those on older contracts. Now all workers will have the same pay.

A new or so-called 'Blue' worker typically earns £15,000 a year without overtime - that compares to an older or 'Green' worker's annual salary of £20,000.

The new pay deal which starts on Monday will see the pay of Blue workers rise to the level of the Green's pay. However, the wage rise comes with a productivity deal...

Rails strikes

Train drivers who work for First North Western and Wales and Borders are to strike over pay. The strikes are planned for both companies on 14, 15, 21, and 22 December.

Sixty-two percent voted for strike action in a ballot organised by the train drivers union, ASLEF, in First North Western. The strike is over the latest pay offer by management - 19% increase over two years. Eighty per cent voted for strikes in an ASLEF ballot in Wales and Borders trains voted over the issue of harmonisation of pay rates.

Airport strike

As we go to press talks are being held between airport workers the British Airport Authority which owns seven airports including Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted. Strikes were due to start on November 28.

BAA has offered a 6. 3% rise in pay over the next two years but the union, the T&G want more.

the global picture

Bermuda teachers' strike

Teachers across Bermuda struck in October and November to demand salaries on par with government officials. In the latest action on 18th and 19th November all of the island's 40 state schools were forced to shut down.

Large banks and companies with many female employees were hit badly by the strike, as many women had to stay home.

Starting salaries for other government employees with degrees were about Bermudian $52,000 (US$52,000), while teachers with the same degree-level were starting at about Bermudian $45,000 (US$45,450).

In 1990, teachers received a salary increase of about 15 percent, and since then have gotten a 3 percent increase over the last four years, which is comparable to what has been offered in public and private sectors, the government said in a statement.

Bush use 'anti-terrorism' to break strikes

According to the American International Longshore and Warehouse Union the Bush administration is planning the widespread use of the Taft-Hartley Act which gives them the power to stop strike action on grounds of 'national safety' for a period of 80 days. The Act was used against that union following an 11-day lockout initiated by the Pacific Maritime Association. And the Bush crew admits it was having private meetings with some of the biggest 'union-free' corporations in America to plan strategy on how to defeat the ILWU.

The ILWU is organising a conference on the issue in December.

www.portsolidarity2002.org

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