Red and black flags waved as a dozen people from the Anarchist Federation, Industrial Workers of the World, the Scottish Socialist Party, the Solidarity Federation and other individuals took part in a picket of the Glasgow premises of Adecco for one hour between 4 and 5pm on Friday 20th January.
A
couple of hundred leaflets were handed out to curious passers-by
explaining
how Adecco are supplying strike breakers to replace workers
on
an indefinite strike at the ABB Factory in Cordoba Spain. We also
explained
how the lower wages and job insecurity encouraged by
employment
agencies like Adecco worsens conditions for all workers.
One
member of Adecco's staff came out and laughed when we told her why
we
were there and then had her fag break. 2 other members of staff
came
out to ask what we were doing and took the leaflet. One falsely
claimed
that we weren't making it clear that the Adecco strike
breaking
was in Spain to try to disassociate their office from the
dispute.
However he did accept they were part of the same company.
Placards
clearly stated the demands of the strikers in Spain – equal
pay
for all workers at the ABB Factory in Spain, respect for all ABB
and
Adecco subcontracted workers, a safe workplace for all workers,
ABB
and Adecco should talk to the strikers, Adecco should stop
providing
scabs for strike breaking, sacked strikers should be
re-instated
by ABB and Adecco collective bargaining rights and job
security
for all workers. Another placard in Spanish, based on a
banner
by the strikers union, the National Confederation of Labour
(CNT)
called for the defence of all jobs.
The
other member of staff called the police. The police turned up to
ask
what the picket was about and to say the protest was fine as long
as
we didn't block the entrance and then quickly left. No one crossed
the
picket line. The police returned a bit later to tell us they had
spotted
us on Facebook and to repeat what the picket was about!
A
postman calling at neighbouring offices stopped to say even though
he
wasn't going to Adecco he wouldn't cross a picket line even if it
was
one man and a dog. He was a Communications Workers Union rep who
also
trains people in other unions. He took our leaflets to put up on
noticeboards
at the main Glasgow sorting office in Glasgow.
He will also be giving them to Union of Shop,
Distributive
and Allied Workers (USDAW) members he is currently
training
through Union Learn at the Tesco Extra in Springburn. A
passing
teacher also stopped to voice his support. He had been out on
November
30th.
Pickets also took
place in Brighton, Bristol and London. Since November 28th there have
been numerous solidarity pickets around Spain and one as far away as
Chile. From Mark M.
Updates on the strike at: http://www.cnt.es/On
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