By John Pickard
It is an indication of the mood of workers across the country that a strike has even broken out in a non-union food company in Bury, in the North West. Staff at Cranswick Continental Foods refused to go into work for several days and around a hundred gathered at the gates of the plant.
The Manchester Evening News report referred to the strike as a ‘wildcat’ strike – a term that has been largely unused for decades – in the sense that it was a spontaneous walk-out by unorganised workers.
The principal triggers for the dispute have been working conditions and pay, with several workers complaining to the MEN about “not being allowed to take proper breaks” when the production line involves very low and uncomfortable temperatures. Workers claimed that staff were “marshalled” when taking a break and ordered back to work if they were on a break for too long.
There is also growing anger over the low wages – most workers being on the National Minimum Wage – in the face of the highest inflation most of them have ever experienced.
According to the MEN there are as many as 52 different nationalities working at the plant – a factor that would have made union organisation more difficult – but the discontent has nevertheless spilled over, leading to the first walk-out in the plant’s history.
Workers can’t afford to use their own cars
The anger among the plant staff can be seen by the worker who spoke to the Manchester Evening News: “In the mornings I am giving a lift to some of my colleagues because they can’t afford to come to work in their own car,” he said, “We need better conditions, and to be treated like human beings and the wages have to go up – they have to do something about it. I am sure they are aware that the cost of living is too high.
“Maybe they have a nice bank account and earn a lot of money and don’t realise for us workers it’s not the same. We should take home after tax at least £330 to £350 a week to be okay. We are on the minimum wage working in hard, cold, conditions.”
This strike is a small indication of a new mood among workers in general. While national strikes, like today’s BT strike and the rail strikes are featured in the news, the Bury strike is typical of many smaller strikes taking place all over the country and which get no national publicity.
There is a storm coming and it will have a profound effect on the trade unions and the labour movement. It is something about which right-wing trade union leaders and the Labour leadership are completely oblivious. Unfortunately, even some on the left do not see the significance what is coming. Assessing the future of the Labour Party and right wing trade unions only by their current leaderships is making a serious mistake.
Meanwhile, Left Horizons extends its solidarity to the workers at Cranswick Continental. We hope that the regional organiser of a union like Unite has taken note of the strike and is able to take steps to organise the workers into the union, so that they can negotiate from strength now and in the future. The company has Asda and other big retailers among its customers and the workers at the Bury plant would benefit from support from lorry drivers and workers in retail.
[Photo from Manchester Evening News]
